Expert Rating
Benefits
- Affordable
- 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports
- Good contrast
- Plenty of screen space
- 100 Hz screen frequency
The inconvenients
- Pale colors
- Low light
- No webcam
Our verdict
The Samsung ViewFinity S65TC gives you a large screen, high refresh rate, and Thunderbolt 4 connections at a reasonable price. But it’s not suitable for those who work professionally with images or videos and have high demands on accurate color reproduction.
Best prices today: Samsung ViewFinity S65TC
$549.99
If you have a Mac with a base M-series chip (M1, M2, M3, etc.), you’ll have some limitations on the number of displays you can connect. One way to get around this is to get a larger, wider display that will give you more space on your desk. If you don’t need high resolutions, you can find widescreen displays that offer plenty of space.
Take the Samsung VIewFinity S65TC. It’s a 34-inch display, but it’s wider than it is tall, making it feel like you’re working on two screens side by side. The S65TC also offers a high refresh rate, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and easy-to-use controls. It’s a beautiful display at a reasonable price.
Samsung VIewFinity S65TC: Design, Configuration and Controls
When I unbox the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC, I am more and more surprised. This screen is both wide (its aspect ratio is 21:9; for comparison, the Apple Studio Display is 16:9) and curved. And despite its size, it does not weigh much, just under 9 kilos. I like the white finish of the screen housing, but it has a very plastic look (hence its low weight).
Assembly is simple. The metal stand is made of two parts. Once finished, simply “click” the stand onto the screen and plug it in. It’s that simple. You can adjust the screen vertically and sideways, and tilt it up and down. It cannot be rotated into portrait mode.
Located at the bottom center of the screen is a crosshair-shaped control for adjusting screen settings. I still have trouble pressing the right button, but it’s easy to learn and use.
Samsung ViewFinity S65TC: Thunderbolt 4 and USB
The ViewFinity S65TC supports Thunderbolt 4, and you can use it to connect to a Mac. One of the Thunderbolt 4 ports provides 90 watts of power (it’s labeled with a laptop and Thunderbolt icons), so you’ll need to use that port to connect to a MacBook so it can charge the laptop while it’s connected. If you prefer, you can connect it via the HDMI 2.0 port.
Some ports of the Samsung Viewfinity S65TC. Other ports are located near the bottom of the screen.
Some ports of the Samsung Viewfinity S65TC. Other ports are located near the bottom of the screen.
Petter Ahrnstedt
Some ports of the Samsung Viewfinity S65TC. Other ports are located near the bottom of the screen.
Petter Ahrnstedt
Petter Ahrnstedt
The second Thunderbolt port (labeled with a simple Thunderbolt icon) offers 15 watts of power. The display also has 2 USB-A ports (and a USB service port for display maintenance), a DisplayPort (version 1.2), an Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. USB-A feels like a step backwards, but there are certainly plenty of USB-A devices out there. But more Thunderbolt ports would have been nice.
Samsung ViewFinity S65TC: An extra-large screen
The curved screen, with an aspect ratio of 21:9, is undoubtedly what sets this display apart. It has a WQHD resolution, which stands for “wide quad high definition”, or 3440 x 1440 pixels. At 34 inches, the S65TC has a large screen width and plenty of space. You can easily open three Safari windows.
The curved surface of the display takes some getting used to. Many manufacturers talk a lot about how the display “wraps around” you. It doesn’t, and I’m not convinced it’s a benefit. What I do like is the 100Hz refresh rate, which the Apple Studio Display is strangely lacking.
The S65TC’s contrast is quite good, but color reproduction seems watered down, especially if you place it next to an iMac, for example. Brightness is also on the lower end of the spectrum, at 350 nits – the Apple Studio Display is 600 nits bright. Even a MacBook Air has a higher screen brightness, at 500 nits.
You can easily have three Safari windows open at the same time.
You can easily have three Safari windows open at the same time.
Petter Ahrnstedt
You can easily have three Safari windows open at the same time.
Petter Ahrnstedt
Petter Ahrnstedt
Should you buy the Samsung ViewFinity S65TC?
I guess this curved monitor is partly designed with gamers in mind, but if you’re a Mac user, you already know that there aren’t many heavyweight gaming titles to enjoy. Plus, it’s a monitor that takes up a lot of desk space, and it doesn’t have a webcam. On the plus side, you do get a lot of desk space. And it looks undeniably impressive.
The weak points are the color reproduction and brightness, despite HDR it lacks punch. But that doesn’t necessarily matter. If you’re an Excel user who just needs a lot of space for all your windows or just a regular user who wants more screen space, then it’s perfectly fine. If you work professionally with video or photo, look elsewhere.
This article was originally published on igamesnews Sweden and was translated by Roman Loyola.
This article was originally published in our sister publication igamesnews Sweden and has been translated and localized from Swedish.
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