Samsung Smart Monitor M7 is better suited for people who have recently moved to compact apartments and are looking for one display that works both as a monitor and smart TV.
Samsung calls the M7 a “smart monitor” that doubles as a smart TV with built-in apps like Netflix and Apple Music. This panel offers smart features usually included on Samsung’s TVs, and the M7 also provides Office 365 and the ability to use the screen to open a desktop environment from your smartphone or tablet.
Samsung reckons that the M7 makes sense, with so many people now working from home and using the same display for computing and entertainment, but can this display really do everything for $370
Here are my thoughts on the TizenOS-powered Samsung Smart Monitor M7.
Samsung Smart Monitor M7 review: Build and Display
The Samsung Smart Monitor M7 looks just like a computer monitor — an understated design, featuring thin bezels framing a 32-inch screen. The monitor’s uncluttered look easily blends with the interiors of my room. Even though the M7 is a modern-day computer monitor, it looks much like a small TV. You can keep the M7 in a bedroom, kids’ room, or in a secondary living room.
Setting up the Smart Monitor M7 is easy. All you need to do is attach the base to the stand with a single screw, and then hook it up to the back of the TV.
The entire process takes less than 10 minutes. There’s also an option to mount the monitor to a wall. While the monitor tilts forward and backward, it lacks the option to adjust the height or change the orientation of the screen. Thankfully, the M7 ships with a TV remote, which makes it easy to navigate the smart TV interface.
Design and features
One of the M7’s best features is its connectivity. If you’ve got a compatible Samsung smartphone or tablet you can use Dex, enabling you to wirelessly open a desktop environment from your mobile device on the M7. Combine this with Bluetooth peripherals, and you can quickly get working.
The M7 can wirelessly extend displays from Windows, iOS, and Android devices, it supports screen mirroring and Apple AirPlay 2, and it includes dual-band 802.11ac wireless. It’s effective at creating a versatile, multi-display environment without cables, and the Samsung worked consistently when we tested using different kinds of wireless connectivity.
Smart features and apps
What makes the M7 different from popular 4K monitors with high refresh rates are the built-in apps. That means you can use Samsung’s Smart Monitor M7 as a standalone device — no need to hook a computer to stream a movie on Amazon Prime Video or listen to the latest pop songs on Apple Music.
Every major app – Netflix, Apple TV+, YouTube, Zee5, and more – is baked in the monitor. This is all possible due to Tizen — the same smart operating system that powers Samsung’s smart TVs. The advantage of a native Netflix app or Amazon Prime Video is that I don’t have to open a web browser on my PC, load the app, and stream the content.
I can easily stream the content from whichever app I am subscribed to and control the playback of movies using the monitor’s remote control. The easy-to-use remote control also includes a Bixby voice assistant. Not to forget, the Smart monitor M7 also supports AirPlay 2 which offers wireless streaming of content through the iPhone, iPad, or Mac.