Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 review: “A stellar gaming monitor if you want one screen to do it all”

If the brand new Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 even comes shut to being the sum of its spectacular components, that is going to be one heck of a gaming monitor. This 4K magnificence runs at up to 240Hz refresh, packs a mini-LED backlight with 1,196 zones, can hit 2,000 nits of brightness, and achieves 1ms response occasions. Of course, numbers like that do not come low cost. However, at $1,299, or £1,300 within the UK, the Neo G8 maybe is not fairly as expensive as it might have been. Easily inexpensive it ain’t. But if it delivers an expertise that delivers on these specs, it would possibly nonetheless add up as a long-term funding as a prime gaming monitor or 4K gaming monitor.Also worthy of your consideration is the comparatively tight 1000R curve of the Neo G8’s VA panel. Curved gaming screens aren’t for everybody and that is very true of this 32-inch 16:9 facet screen. On the G8’s a lot larger 49-inch sibling, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, a gargantuan ultrawide monitor, the wrap-around factor actually works. On this smaller, extra conventionally proportioned scale, it’s extra debatable. You may also issue within the G8’s lack of USB-C connectivity. For positive, the thought of single-cable laptop computer connectivity is much less of an instantaneous consideration for gaming than basic computing. But at this value level, it stays a conspicuous omission.Today’s finest Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 dealsDesign & FeaturesAnybody accustomed to the daddy of Samsung Odyssey displays, the Neo G9, will instantly recognise the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8. It sports activities precisely the identical curved gaming monitor design language together with a mixture of black and shiny white plastics, plus an RGB LED lighting system with Samsung’s signature glowing ring on the rear the place the stand clips into the show.It seems to be correctly premium, to ensure. However, the precise construct high quality would not really feel all that strong. Give the screen a light-weight push and it will rock backwards and forwards. It’s not precisely catflap-in-a-tornado, however it’s much less steady than you would possibly count on at this value level.(Image credit score: Future/Jeremy Laird)Sticking with the negatives, the aforementioned lack of USB-C connectivity stings a bit, too. It’s true that USB-C energy supply at the moment tops out at 100W. That’s not ample to maintain a correct gaming laptop computer absolutely juiced. But at this value level, it’s cheap to count on a screen that boasts fairly broad bandwidth from a usability perspective. In that context, no USB-C hurts a bit.Still, you do get each DisplayPort and HDMI interfaces. Indeed there are two of the latter in HDMI 2.1 spec and with DSC Display Stream Compression assist. That permits for 240Hz operation over HDMI on the full 4K decision of three,840 by 2,160 pixels. Nice, not that you want 240Hz for console gaming, however these two HDMI 2.1 ports will after all do the total 4k @120Hz factor making this an incredible choice for a PS5 monitor or Xbox Series X monitor. Add in that DisplayPort interface and you have the right dual-format screen for PC and console enjoyable.(Image credit score: Future/Jeremy Laird)It’s additionally value noting that Samsung has, as ever, gone for VA fairly than IPS panel tech with the Neo G8, together with quantum dot enhancement for much more vibrant colors. Nearly to a person, the high-refresh 4K competitors makes use of IPS panel tech. Typically, VA delivers higher distinction and richer colors than IPS at the price of velocity. But Samsung has delivered VA displays as fast as one of the best IPS screens of late, in order that is not all the time the case.Of course, together with the eye-popping mixture of 4K decision and 240Hz refresh, the Neo G8’s different celebration trick includes a 1,196-zone mini-LED backlight. It’s ample for Samsung to declare a peak brightness of absolutely 2,000 nits in some circumstances. That’s scary vivid.(Image credit score: Future/Jeremy Laird)EfficiencyIf the spec record of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 raises expectations, they’re additionally tempered by the reminiscence of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, one other epic mini-LED powered monitor that suffered from some pretty critical points. For positive, the Neo G8 does some issues very, very effectively. The pixel response is excellent, pretty much as good as if not higher than any IPS monitor. Only OLED screens just like the Alienware AW3423DW are faster. The solely barely irritating catch is that the Neo G8 doesn’t permit pixel overdrive and adaptive refresh on the identical time, ostensibly forcing you to select between rendering smoothness and velocity. In follow, even with overdrive off, the G8 could be very fast. The 240Hz refresh additionally delivers tremendous low latency supplied you have one of one of the best graphics playing cards that is quick sufficient to ship you excessive body charges on the 4K decision of the G8. If you have, the G8 can do issues few, if another, displays can handle. It can ship ultra-low lag for that crucial CS:GO session after which activate its heels and do epic element for a Total War journey or gorgeous HDR visuals in one thing like Cyberpunk 2077.(Image credit score: Future/Jeremy Laird)Yep, it really is able to gorgeous HDR visuals, which isn’t one thing you can say about most so-called HDR displays. But with that functionality additionally come issues. The G8’s VA panel has excellent inherent distinction. It’s about 3 times higher than any IPS screen in that regard. But the flowery mini-LED backlight will be irritating.In SDR mode on the Windows desktop, you can see the assorted zones adjusting to Samsung’s algorithms and usually doing odd issues, lighting up components of the show and dimming others in a barely intrusive, clunky method. The native dimming will be disabled in SDR mode however it’s completely important for HDR efficiency.Now, it’s true that the sense of the backlight doing clunky issues is much much less obvious when viewing HDR content material or taking part in video games. But in our testing, the G8 by no means got here shut to the marketed 2,000 nits. It nonetheless delivered a a lot punchier and extra convincing HDR expertise than most HDR displays. But the truth is that even 1,196 dimming zones is rudimentary in contrast to a 4K OLED panel the place every of its eight million pixels is individually managed for lighting. In most regards, OLED is only a complete lot higher for HDR efficiency.(Image credit score: Future/Jeremy Laird)Overall – ought to you purchase it?The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 delights and frustrates in equal measure. That 240Hz and 4K combo is one heck of a celebration trick and means that is one of the few displays that may address correct hair-trigger on-line gaming and do justice to eye candy-orientated video games that thrive on numerous pixels and true HDR functionality. That’s fairly a bundle.The drawback is that even probably the most superior mini-LED backlight, which is what the Neo G8 presents, is a bit clunky in contrast to the per-pixel lighting of an OLED panel. And when you’re paying effectively over $1,000 / £1,000 any type of clunkiness is difficult to settle for. In the top, this type of screen tech seems like a short-term experiment whereas we look forward to OLED or microLED to go mainstream within the monitor market. The lack of USB-C connectivity grates a bit of, too.Despite all that, the Neo G8 remains to be a stellar gaming monitor if you want one screen to do it all – PC gaming, console gaming, and a few boring stuff in Windows on the aspect. On that be aware, we’re not completely satisfied that the curved screen actually is smart on a traditional 32-inch 16:9 monitor like this. But it’s not a deal breaker both. Just a bit of little bit of a distraction. All of this makes the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 improbable and flawed in nearly equal measure.Today’s finest Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 offersHow we examined the Philips Momentum 329M1RVModern gaming displays are extremely advanced. Factors to think about embrace every thing from color protection and pixel response, to refresh charges, adaptive sync, native dimming algorithms, latency, and extra. Features just like the configurability of overdrive settings and connectivity can actually make a distinction for gaming, too. But whereas goal measurements are vital, it’s the subjective expertise that in the end issues. How do all these numbers translate into gaming thrills? That’s what we’re right here to discover out, and we put it by way of the ringer of a number of video games to get correct readings on what it’s like to truly use.You can learn extra about how we take a look at gaming displays at GamesRadar+ or learn extra about our complete strategy to gaming tech in our Hardware Policy.After 4K however want one thing extra TV-shaped? Check out the specialist TV screens in our greatest gaming TV, finest 120Hz 4K TVs, and finest TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X guides.

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