Hands-on: Samsung ViewFinity S8 is a budget 4K display packed with extra features

1 month ago 12

Samsung knows how to make great displays, as evidenced by Apple contracting with them so often for products like the iPhone, iPad, and more. I’ve been testing the 32-inch Samsung ViewFinity S8 (S80UD) for the last month. Here’s what you should know about the budget-friendly monitor, including all the ways it’s impressed me.

Design and display specs

The first thing I noticed about the ViewFinity display is how clean and distraction-free its design is.

I hate when products have prominent brand logos, or other design features that distract. The S8 has a very small Samsung logo in the bottom-center, and it’s recessed slightly so I never notice it. Its bezels are a simple uniform black. The bezels are ultra-thin around three sides of the display, with one larger bezel on the bottom. Overall, the design works well.

The ViewFinity S8 offers the kind of specs you would expect from a display in the $400-ish price range.

32-inch display (also available in 27-inch)
3840×2160 4K UHD resolution
HDR10 wide color support
16:9 aspect ratio
60Hz refresh rate
3000:1 contrast ratio
VA panel type

4K for a 32-inch monitor may not be hi-res enough for some users, but for me it’s been totally fine.

I’m no display expert, but I use Apple devices all day every day, so I’m used to looking at some of the highest quality displays.

HDR10 color support has been especially nice, plus the significant contrast ratio for deeper blacks.

You can always find a more expensive 5K display, but for budget-conscious buyers, this 4K model has a lot going for it.

Power user features set the ViewFinity apart

Where the Samsung ViewFinity S8 sets itself apart is in extra features. Here are a few of my favorites.

Vertical display: You can rotate the display 90 degrees to use it in vertical mode, which can come in very handy.

90W USB-C charging: The display’s USB-C port offers up to 90W of charge to your connected MacBook or iPad, freeing up a key port you might otherwise need for charging.

Height-adjustable and swiveling: The S8 comes with a height-adjustable stand so you can get the positioning just right. It also swivels left and right to fit well into any desk setup.

Multidevice multitasking: A built-in KVM switch means you can connect two devices to the monitor at once and use them simultaneously. Split Screen and Picture in Picture are both supported for multidevice multitasking.

Built-in Ethernet: Many of us prefer using laptops over desktops, and the S8’s Ethernet port lets you benefit from bringing wired Internet to your connected laptop.

Wrap-up: Samsung ViewFinity S8

If you’re in the market for a 4K display on a budget, Samsung’s ViewFinity S8 is a great option. It combines the company’s display expertise with a variety of very nice-to-have extra features to meet a versatile set of needs.

You can buy the ViewFinity S8 in two sizes: