Bottom Line
The Samsung C24F396 is an affordable curved monitor which thanks to its high contrast ratio provides an immersive viewing experience.
However, when it comes to performance, there are better alternatives out there.
The Samsung C24F396 is an affordable curved monitor that’s great for gaming, work, and other everyday activities. It’s the upgraded model of the previous Samsung C24F390 (CF390).
In this review, we’ll go through its advantages and disadvantages, and compare it to similarly priced alternatives.
Image Quality
This 1080p display uses a VA (Vertical Alignment) panel.
So, you get an excellent contrast ratio of 3,000:1, which makes dark shades more distinguishable and vivid; blacks are much deeper as opposed to those on IPS and TN panel displays, which have a contrast ratio of 1,000:1.
VA panels also offer wide 178-degree viewing angles, so the image won’t notably change in color, contrast, or brightness when looking at the screen at certain angles.
Although the colors are vibrant with true 8-bit depth (16.7 million colors), IPS panels still offer more precise color reproduction, so if you do color-critical work, there are better options out there.
Further, a 1080p resolution on a 23.5-inch viewable screen of the Samsung C24F396 monitor results in a decent pixel density of 93 PPI (pixels per inch), which makes for sharp and clear details, as well as a fair amount of screen real estate available.
Now, while the 1800R screen curvature on a monitor of this size does make it appear more interesting, the viewing experience isn’t drastically affected.
It might make games and movies slightly more immersive, but there is no wow factor due to the small screen size.
Performance
Moving on, the Samsung C24F396 curved gaming monitor has an input lag of ~11ms, which is quick enough to eliminate any perceptible delays.
Additionally, the response time of 4ms effectively removes trailing and motion blur of fast-moving objects. There is some slight smearing when dark pixels are dominant in the picture, but it’s bearable.
If you have an AMD FreeSync-compatible graphics card, you will be able to use FreeSync, which synchronizes the monitor’s refresh rate to the GPU’s frame rate.
As a result, screen tearing and stuttering is completely gone.
However, the FreeSync range within which this variable refresh rate operates is only 48-72Hz/FPS (Frames Per Second) on the Samsung C24F396 display, which is a shame considering there are similarly priced gaming monitors with wider VRR ranges (48-75Hz, 40-75Hz, etc.).
Features
The (On-Screen Display) menu is easy to work with thanks to the joystick placed at the back of the monitor.
You will find all the standard settings such as brightness/contrast, sharpness, color temperature, gamma (three presets), etc.
Other useful features include Samsung MagicUpscale, which enhances the quality of low-resolution pictures and Eye Saver Mode, which filters out the harmful low-blue lights.
Design & Connectivity
While the stand of the monitor is tilt-only by -4°/20°, you can mount the screen on a third-party stand via the 75x75mm VESA pattern.
The overall design is very slim, but the bezels could be a bit thinner. Regardless, it’s a good display for a multi-monitor setup.
Connectivity options include HDMI 1.4, VGA and a headphone jack.
Price & Similar Monitors
The Samsung C24F396 price amounts to around $150.
There’s also a 27″ sized variant of this monitor, the Samsung C27F398, as well as the older Samsung C27F390 (CF390) model. These have a lower pixel per inch, and we don’t recommend them.
Nowadays, you can get a 24″ 1080p 144Hz curved gaming monitor at the same price range, such as the AOC C24G1A, which offers additional useful features including 1ms MPRT and excellent design.
Visit our best gaming monitors under $150 buyer’s guide for the best deals currently available.
Conclusion
All in all, the Samsung C24F396 is an interesting display due to its curved screen and high contrast ratio, which may win some users over even though there are better alternatives for the money available.
Specifications
| Screen Size | 23.5-inch |
| Screen Curvature | 1800R |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 (Full HD) |
| Panel Type | VA |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 4ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive Sync | FreeSync (48Hz-72Hz) |
| Ports | HDMI 1.4, VGA |
| Other Ports | Headphone Jack |
| Brightness | 250 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 3000:1 (static) |
| Colors | 16.7 million (8-bit + FRC) |
| VESA | Yes (75x75mm) |
The Pros:
- High contrast ratio
- Slim design
The Cons:
- Tilt-only stand
- No DisplayPort
- Narrow FreeSync range
- There are better alternatives at this price range
