Packaging:

The Samsung SyncMaster 2443BWX arrived from Geeks.com in the rather bland cardboard box shown in the below left image. You know that it contains a Samsung brand TFT color monitor and that it is refurbished, but otherwise there isn't much information provided.



With the top of the box opened (above right image), I immediately recognized the packing job as being very similar to other refurbished monitors received from Geeks.com. I am guessing that Geeks.com doesn't pack these things, but it seems there must be a (low) standard set somewhere that says you just wrap the monitor in a garbage bag, place it in to loose fitting foam blocks, and then place all of it in a box oversized just enough to make sure things can move around in transit.

The Basics:

Included with the monitor are just two accessories; the power cord and a VGA cable. While the new version of this monitor is available with a DVI cable, this refurbished unit does not come with one. I wound up buying one separately, and cables are one of those things where you seem to pay too much if you buy locally, and you just have to wait and wait for delivery if you buy online. Including a DVI cable would be nice.

Once removed from the box I was relieved to see that nothing was damaged in transit, but like some of the other refurbished monitors I have had delivered, the bezel was scuffed up. I can't say for sure when the scuffs occurred, and perhaps it was that way before shipping, but the packing should be improved for better protection. Taking a look at the images below may reveal the scuffs in question, especially along the left edge.



Overall, the SyncMaster 2443BWX has a sleek and simple look that I definitely appreciate. I prefer the appearance of a monitor to be understated so that nothing distracts from the visuals on screen. The 24" widescreen display is surrounded by a thin black bezel which matches the simple pedestal base. A glossy, piano finish was used on the visible surfaces, and while that looks great when clean, it can attract finger prints, smudges, and apparently it is easy to scuff up.