A look at the interesting arrival of PLS panel technology to the market in this 27" screen from Samsung. How does the screen perform and what is PLS technology like? How does it compare with IPS?

Pleasing all round performance from PLS panel; comparable to e-IPS in many regards; Smoother; non-grainy AG coating; Very good pixel responsiveness

Some backlight bleed issues (may vary; Poor default setup; needs calibration ideally; Some adjustments from the stand are very stiff

An ultra-slim LED monitor boasting Samsung's PLS panel technology.

The Samsung SA850 monitor is in a class that is slightly above what the day to day computer user will need but will integrate nicely into a home environment if the advanced features are needed.

We don't normally review monitors that cost over ￡500, but Samsung's S27A850D is no ordinary monitor; as well as an impressive features list - a 2,560x1,440 resolution, fully-adjustable stand and three-way USB3 hub - it's the first monitor we've seen using Samsung's new Plane-to-Line Switching (PLS)...

Samsung's new 24-inch S24A850D and 27-inch S27A850D are the first monitors to utilize Samsung's new PLS (Plane to Line switching) panel that boasts the same characteristics as the IPS panel technology.

Picture quality; Better coating than most IPS panels; Ergonomic adjustability; High resolution; Viewing angles; Low power consumption

Out-of-box settings; Lacks HDMI; Black depth; Some clouding; Color gamut not accurate

Samsung is no stranger to the LCD market. They make LCD panels that set the bar for others to follow and in fact are the ones making the displays for Apple's new iPad. They know how to cram a bunch of pixels onto a panel and the screen we are looking at today has quite a few.

High resolution - 2560x1440; 3x USB 3.0 Ports; Lots of height adjustment; Display can rotate; Multiple inputs; Good color quality

Pros; Construction feels a little cheap; No Display Port Cable; Premium price for the extra resolution

A very nice 27 inch monitor, the HAS stand is very convenient as well as a Usb 3.0 hub. Very easy to make the connections from the side at the rear of the monitor. The on screen menu is very easy to use and the control buttons are on the bottom center of the screen.

HAS stand ; Usb 3.0 hub; PLS screen; easy access to menu buttons; cable connections from the side at rear of monitor; eco mode; simple on screen menu system; 2560 X 1440 resolution

Screen set to max brightness out of box; requires calibration

The Samsung Series 8 (S27A850T) is a 27in LED edge-lit LCD monitor using Samsung's proprietary PLS panel tech. This monitor may be expensive at $1099, but its image quality is impressive.

Good detail at native resolution; Excellent viewing angles; High quality AG coating

Expensive; Wobbly pivot hinge; No analog audio input

The Samsung Series 8 (S27A850T) is a 27in LED edge-lit LCD monitor using Samsung's proprietary PLS panel tech. This monitor may be expensive at $1099, but its image quality is impressive.

Good detail at native resolution; Excellent viewing angles; High quality AG coating

Expensive; Wobbly pivot hinge; No analog audio input

Samsung's SyncMaster S27A850T is an incredibly pretty, thin monitor, which proves that PLS is a viable IPS alternative. We did find some banding in gradients, and the HDMI movie performance isn't great, but for beautiful sharp imagery and high-level computer use, it's incredibly appealing.

PLS proves itself as a viable alternative to IPS; Incredibly thin; Good blacks; Power-saving features; Energy frugal; Incredible height adjustment; Allows 90-degree vertical rotation

Pricey compared to the competition; Some banding and discolouration in gradients; HDMI port doesn't cope well with interlaced content or judder