A Closer Look

The monitor itself is further protected with a plastic sheet - much like traditional 2D LCDs. It makes a nice first impression, but I personally am no fan of the clear "piano finish" of the plastic. Also the frame of the ZM-215W looks a bit bulky, but that is probally due to the small overall size of the screen and the fact that it is curved - further adding to the illusion of a thick frame.


As you can clearly see, the screen is of the glossy type. A TN+Film based LCD screen is being used underneath the 3D Phase Retardation Phase, which is how Zalman manages to display 3D effect to be viewed with the included glasses. Having been using both matte and glossy screens and an extensive background on LCD usage from the very first day when these became commercially available in computer monitors, I have to admit that the amount of gloss seems to be greater on the Zalman than on traditional 2D monitors. It even bests the glass plate of my current Macbook Pro. While this is more a personal impression, it may be a bit too much for some. The rear of the casing is nothing out of the ordinary but holds the usual features found on a modern LCD monitor. Taking a look at it from the side, the unit is rather thick, but should still be flat enough to look good when hung up on a wall.


A closer look reveals a spot for a Kensington lock, a built-in power source and VGA, DVI connectivity along with an audio input. It would have been great to see something along the lines of HDMI as well, just to have the full compliment of connectivity, but the DVI plug is capable of HDCP, so you should be able to view your protected content without any troubles.


The two rear speakers are a nice touch, but not really necessary. They do not compare to a solid desktop speaker set, but sound alright if not turned up too high. When the volume is raised, the speakers bleed out and the treble starts to hiss, drowning most of the mid and lows of whatever you are hearing. A VESA 100 mount has been placed around the label, which should make it easy to mount the unit unto a wall. Considering the light weight, you can pretty much grab the most affordable VESA mount out there and slap the ZM-215W unto the wall of your choice. On the label you will find all the electrical attributes of the unit, but no manufacturing date or serial number.


Zalman has placed the controls on the right edge of the frame, with their labels placed in front. This is a good spot for these and generally a very popular configuration for many manufacturers of LCD monitors and TVs out there. There are a few labels on the LCD monitor. There is a "3D Display", a "Trimon" as well as the"Zalman" logo printed on the frame. The company logo seems to be a tad bit on the large side, even dwarfing the Samsung print on my 30 inch S-PVA based LCD.