Samsung Odyssey Neo G9: An Ultra-Widescreen Gaming Monitor Sensation

             

This Samsung OdysseyNeo G9 review demonstrates why this is one of the most significant gaming screens ever created. There's no doubting that this is a behemoth of a panoramic monitor; with 49 inches of screen real estate and a 1000R curvature, you'll feel as if you're right in the middle of the action. Similarly, the screen resolution of 5,120 x 1,440 pixels stays constant.

This seems to be the perfect gaming display on paper. The Neo G9 is the successor to the Odyssey G9 from last year, and while it appears to be quite identical at first appearance, it conceals numerous industry-changing innovations behind its space-age white plastic body. This is the first Mini LED gaming monitor in the world, and it comes with the ominous-sounding HDR 2000 certification.

 

After booting into a game, it's also the first gaming display that makes me exhale loudly through my nostrils. In essence, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 delivers an unrivaled gaming experience, provided you can afford the high price tag.

 

Specifications

 

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a 49-inch super ultrawide gaming display with a resolution of 5,120 x 1,440 (yes, that's two 2,560 x 1,440 monitors strapped together), a 32:9 aspect ratio, a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, a 1000R curve, a response time of 1ms G2G, the input lag of 2ms, a quoted peak luminance of 2,000 nits, and a quoted contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are supported.

 

Thanks to its retina-searing peak brightness, the Neo G9 supports HDR 2000, which is akin to what you'll discover on Samsung's high-end QN series TVs. It also implies that the Neo G9 can decode HDR10 and HDR10+.

 

This incredible display is positioned on a stand that can be raised and lowered by 120mm, swiveled 15 degrees left and right, and tilted backward 13 degrees (much more than most screens of this size). This is a big stand, so be prepared. The legs spread out to around 80cm at their widest point, and the product is about 42cm deep when the stand is connected. It does, however, feature a hollow part through which cables may be routed, and Samsung includes a snap-on cover if you want to conceal the connections.

 

Speaking of ports, the Neo G9 has precisely the same number of ports as its predecessor, which is a pitiful quantity for such a massive monitor. Two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DP 1.4 port, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB-B port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack are located on the back of the device. Unfortunately, there is no HDMI 2.1 cable included in the package; instead, there is a DP cable, a power cable, a USB-B to USB-A connection, besides assorted manuals and documents. Although HDMI 2.1 is the entrance to next-gen gaming, the PS5 and Xbox Series X don't support super ultrawide; therefore, your picture will be horribly stretched.

 

Design & Features

 

The Neo G9 is a beast of a monitor. With a weight of 14.5kg (including the stand), you need someone's help to put the monitor together and install it on your desk. The Neo G9, like its predecessor, requires much room, so double-check the proportions before you buy. Despite the Neo G9's large display, I found that its slender stand provided enough room for my PC speakers and other desktop necessities.

 

Assembling Neo G9 can be challenging in the absence of a manual; otherwise, it's not such a difficult task. Although, there's no arguing the Neo G9's extravagant, futuristic back paneling has quite an impression. It's also a fantastic productivity monitor: the 1000R curve may appear harsh from the back, but it's ideal for having two full-sized windows side by side without straining your neck.

 

It's simple to experiment with the onboard options. The OSD is controlled via a joystick and button combination. You'll need to learn about the many characteristics that may be combined: When you utilize picture-by-picture or picture-in-picture mode, for example, HDR isn't accessible, and the reaction time/input lag controls are greyed out until adaptive sync is off.

The Odyssey Neo G9 sports a ring of RGB "Infinity lighting" that encircle the place where the monitor meets the stand, despite the lack of expected luxuries like USB-C connectors or built-in speakers. While it's impressive that it can react to the game's actions, connectivity weighs more than LED lighting at this value.

 

Image Quality 

 

The Odyssey Neo G9 works excellently in its standard SDR setting, but to truly open the throttle and push the display to its intended capabilities, you'll need to enable HDR in Windows 10. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 comprised 99.6% of the sRGB color spectrum, and 91 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut right out of the box with dynamic brightness turned off. The observed peak luminescence of 453cd/m2 and contrast ratio of 2,431:1 is nearly identical to our Odyssey G9 values. It's worth mentioning that the Neo G9's contrast ratio bottomed out at 6,491:1 when dynamic brightness was turned on. This is proof of the Mini LED backlight in action at work.

 

With an average color variance (delta E) of 2.0, you're unlikely to detect any off-kilter or strange colors; only color faults above a delta E of 3 are visible to humans. You may expect a higher number given the price tag, but this is a good outcome. The panel's SDR performance is excellent whether you're watching movies, gaming, or browsing the web.

 

Even the results of my response time tests were unremarkable. The Neo G9 features four reaction time options, each of which produces greater ghosting as you progress through them. Extreme Motion Response Boost, the quickest, generated an unpleasant amount of ghosting, but overall, the monitor seems exceptionally responsive.

 

HDR Performance

 

The Neo G9's backlight is one of a kind among gaming monitors, and the addition of full-array local dimming (FALD) on the Neo G9 trumps the Odyssey G9's edge-lit local dimming. Under the Neo G9's display, there are now a massive 2,048 unique local dimming zones, a significant improvement over the G9's lackluster ten zones.

 

The Neo G9 can achieve blisteringly high brightness levels — I tested 2,200cd/m2 on a 10% white window. As a consequence, everything you choose to watch in HDR looks phenomenal. The Mini LED backlighting aids in producing outstanding levels of clarity from the brightest highlights to the darkest corners, and HDR content's colors appear appropriately vibrant.

 

If you want the most incredible luminous flux, keep the Neo G9 in Dynamic HDR mode no matter what you're playing. Standard HDR setting reduces the maximum brightness to roughly 1,100 nits, making it an excellent choice for dim lighting and late-night gaming.

 

Price

 

Nothing compares to the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 in specifications and even less pricing. The wallet-busting price of the Odyssey Neo G9 being £1849 ($2510), it is £570 ($774) more costly than its forerunner, the Odyssey G9, and far and away one of the most expensive monitors on the market right now.

 

Pros & Cons – An Overview

 

Pros

• Outstanding HDR performance
• Monstrous screen display perfect for gaming
• Precise and prompt panel

Cons

• Large and hefty
• Exorbitantly priced
• Inadequate number of ports

 

The Verdict

 

To date, the Neo G9 is the most fantastic HDR gaming display. It's not just the eye-watering brightness; the panel's curve, fast refresh rate, short reaction times, and color accuracy are all spot-on. The astronomical price tag is unavoidable, but it gets you world-class performance. There is nothing better on the market now if you can afford it and your PC can handle it.