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No need for a computer to play.
Tek.no/Berlin: During the ongoing IFA, Samsung showcased its first OLED-based gaming monitor. It has been dubbed the Odyssey OLED G8 and will also be among the first to receive the company’s “Gaming Hub” with access to live streaming services.
The screen measures 34 inches, which helps it fit virtually on most desks, unlike the larger gaming monitors with OLED panels that have been shown recently. The panel is slightly curved (1800R curvature), with a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels and a refresh rate of 175 Hz. As it is based on OLED technology, it has near-instant response time and unlimited black level.
At the same time, AMD’s FreeSync Premium technology ensures that you can play without “ripping” or little hacking with the latest gaming consoles or PCs.
Among the connectivity options we find something unique such as Micro HDMI 2.1 and Mini DisplayPort 1.4. As well as USB-C. Perhaps these were chosen to save space.
The display hasn’t been priced yet, but Samsung tells us it’ll arrive during the fourth quarter, which runs from October to December.
One advantage of OLED is that the technology allows manufacturers to create very thin screens. And the G8 is definitely skinny.
The interface is elegant and the bezels are relatively slim. The foot isn’t particularly towering, which is a bit unusual for a gaming monitor, but it’s still very welcome. The foot also has two handy functions, such as height adjustment and a slot where you can thread cables for easier tracking.
As for image quality, this appears to be the top shelf. As we’re used to OLED TVs, this screen also has a very good black level, providing complete darkness where it should be.
Moreover, the OLED resolution extends to the colors, which look very good and vibrant. It also seems that the panel can print very good brightness. When we tried a game with full graphic effects and HDR mode was activated, there was a bright sun in our eyes.
Of course, we didn’t bring any meters with us to Berlin to check out the “input layer” on screen, but judging by the feeling we get from playing a fast FPS, it doesn’t seem to stand out for the screen’s performance here. However, unfortunately, this did not help the performance of the undersigned.
On the back of the screen we find a Samsung lighting system called “Core Lightning Plus”. It’s a circuit of RGB lights that you can program to display the colors you want, or to reflect the environments you explore in the game you’re playing. The idea here is to “expand” the game world to include your gaming zone. The function did not work well in Samsung’s beta area where the walls were dark. She might have better luck with white or light walls.
The Odyssey OLED G8 will be an exciting screen to bring to the test. OLED has always been a sparkling technology for TVs, and it doesn’t look like the technology will lag behind other in-display technologies.
Via the Gaming Hub mentioned above, you can stream both movies and games to your screen, and use it even if it’s not connected to a PC or console.
Streaming services like Amazon Prime and Netflix are supported, as well as game streaming services like Xbox Game Pass, Google Stadia, and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Samsung has integrated the same Game Hub service into its latest TVs, and we can’t help but think that the service is better than the one on gaming monitors. If you first bought a fast and expensive gaming monitor, it is necessary to connect it to a computer or console.
We previously tested game streaming services listed by Samsung and concluded that they are not particularly suitable for games where accuracy or speed is important, such as FPS, RTS, platform or racing games.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G8
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