Samsung Movingstyle M7 Review: A Screen on Wheels | WIRED
Overview
I don't own a TV. I've had plenty of opportunities to buy one over the years, but we don't have a separate “theater room”—and as stereotypical millennials, we didn't want one in our main living room.
So, that's why my wife and I are often hunched over a laptop screen on a couch together to watch a movie like two college kids in a dorm room. It's not ideal.
Details
When I saw the Samsung Movingstyle 32, though, I was intrigued. A screen on wheels. Something that could be wheeled into a room when needed, and stored away when not. All of a sudden, I was seeing a solution to our problem that didn't require reworking our entire living situation for a movie night. While it's not a perfect solution, the Samsung Movingstyle 32 is a clever way to get a large display into a room—but only for as long as you need it.
The idea of a TV on wheels isn't new. Rolling out a portable TV on a cart or stand has always been a thing, and yet, there's something very novel about the way Samsung is approaching it with the Movingstyle monitor. First of all, it's actually a computer monitor, and not even one specifically made for this stand. It's a 4K display that actually already existed, and is now being packaged together with the adjustable stand and base. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it means that when you buy a Movingstyle monitor, it actually comes with the standard monitor stand and base as well. It's odd, as I can't imagine why you'd ever use that when buying the Movingstyle for its intended purpose.
Speaking of the package, this thing comes in an absolutely massive box. I was convinced that it must have been a mistake, because despite being only a 32-inch monitor, the box was big enough to be a TV. And heavy. The Samsung Movingstyle 32 comes with everything included: The 32-inch 4K monitor and its rollable stand. Most of that heft comes from the base, which is important, as it needs to balance against the entire weight of the monitor itself. The five caster wheels are hidden.
Want to position the screen in front of the couch? Or in front of the dining table? Or in the kitchen while you cook? Just wheel it over. I could also see this being extremely handy in an office, though that's not my context.
With just a few screws and a power cable to snake through the stand, setup was a straightforward process. The adjustments to the monitor tilt, height, and rotation happen with one dubious handle, and it's not nearly as intuitive as I’d have liked. For something that would need to be frequently adjusted, it should be a bit easier.
Height adjustment is more limited. The stand itself doesn't move up or down, and the monitor can only be adjusted from the steel bar where the display clips onto the stand. Eight inches is plenty for height adjustment, though, which allowed me to find eye-level regardless of where I was sitting.
My lack of a television makes me the perfect candidate for the Movingstyle stand. Moving the screen from the living room to the kitchen and into the closet is awesome. Because we live in a multi-story townhome, moving the Movestyle between floors was not feasible, limiting the device's utility. Another factor limiting the monitor's mobility is the shortness of the power cable, at 4 feet, 9 inches. While longer than a standard power cord on a desktop monitor, you'll either want to connect the Movestyle to an extension cord or deal with moving between different outlets when wheeling this display through a large home.
Beyond stairs and the length of the cable, the other limitation you can run across is rugs or carpet. We don't have thick carpet in our house, but we do have a rug in our living room. I found that the Movingstyle rolled around pretty smoothly on it, although it's a fairly thin rug. The wheels roll best, of course, on a smooth, flat surface—namely, hardwood. All in all, though, I was impressed by how well this thing moved around.
Samsung's smart TV services are second to none. Like Samsung's other smart monitors, the Movingstyle runs on the Tizen operating system, allowing the monitor to function without being plugged into a laptop or PC.
If you've never navigated Samsung's TV operating system, it's just a simple way of surfacing all the content available to you in one seamless stream of channels and apps. Navigating the UI is pleasant and easy, and the OS also points you to some features you might not have known about, such as the free content you can watch as part of the Samsung TV Plus service, which includes live local television, sports, and on-demand shows. You have access to this compelling assortment of content in addition to the streaming services you may already be subscribed to. Switching over to your connected local laptop or console over HDMI is equally easy when you want.
I'm torn on the price of the Movestyle, though. I love how affordable it is at $580, putting it within a more mainstream budget than I would have assumed. On the other hand, this is a very unique product, and I think higher-end specs might have been a better choice. This is a VA panel rather than IPS, and that means the color accuracy and saturation are OK, but not the best. Although it's only rated for up to 250 nits of brightness, it topped out at 310 nits when measured against my colorimeter. But it's not terribly bright, which could be a problem in a brightly-lit room. The display quality isn't horrible, and this monitor isn’t made for professional video work.
And yet, in terms of the viewing experience, it doesn't feel all that high-quality, either. For a similar price, you can get a more capable OLED monitor that's brighter, faster, more colorful, and capable of HDR. But that doesn't come with the adjustable, rolling stand. An even higher-end monitor would increase the price by at least a few hundred dollars. The lack of a touchscreen feels like a missed opportunity, too, especially since this could easily be used next to a desk or in a kitchen. There are just some cases where using your fingers is easier than using a remote.
Interestingly, Samsung does sell a more premium Movingstyle monitor that's even touchscreen-enabled and has a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz for gaming. But it's a smaller 27-inch panel, comes with a lower-resolution 1440p display, and costs significantly more at $1,200. Whew. Another handy feature of the pricier model is a built-in battery. That means when the cord is unplugged, it doesn't just immediately die. Speaking of the length of the cord, that does end up being one of the limitations of this design as a whole.
In a lot of ways, that more expensive model feels like what a Movingstyle monitor should be. For my purposes, the larger 32-inch 4K panel matches my needs better.
LG has its own version of this that moves in that direction, the LG Smart Monitor Swing. It comes with a 4K panel, measures 32 inches, and has a screen that can handle touch inputs. At $1,000, it's priced in between the two Movingstyle monitors. For Samsung, perhaps the solution would be to sell the adjustable stand separately, which would give you the ability to pair it with whatever monitor you want.
Key Takeaways
- So, that's why my wife and I are often hunched over a laptop screen on a couch together to watch a movie like two college kids in a dorm room
- When I saw the Samsung Movingstyle 32, though, I was intrigued
- The idea of a TV on wheels isn't new
- Speaking of the package, this thing comes in an absolutely massive box
