When I reviewed the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, it was the largest monitor I’ve ever tested. I thought that device bordered on being obscenely huge but then the company metaphorically said “Hold my beer” and unleashed the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9! Right now, it and the Acer Predator Z57 are some of the biggest gaming monitors out there.
I initially wanted to dismiss this monitor as a (literally) oversized gimmick. However, after spending the better part of two weeks testing the device and using it as my primary monitor at work, I recognize that it’s not like the comically gargantuan Samsung Odyssey Ark. Yes, the Odyssey Neo G9 is enormous, but it’s also one of the best gaming monitors you can buy — and not just for gaming.
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Immersive gaming
As I say in my Odyssey Neo G9 review, this 57-inch curved gaming monitor is effectively the size of two 32-inch 4K monitors. That wide field of view provides for an immersive gaming experience. This is especially true when playing first-person shooters like Doom Eternal or racing games like Dirt 5. You’re literally right in the middle of the action.
Images look bright and colorful at a sharp 7,680 x 2,160 resolution, allowing you to see every fine detail. While this isn’t an OLED panel, the mini-LED display delivers good contrast between dark and light elements. Colors aren’t as oversaturated as on gaming monitors like the Acer Predator X32 FP or Alienware AW3423DWF, but I like the more realistic hues Samsung’s device provides.
Performance-wise, you get a fast 240Hz refresh rate and low 1ms response time. Adaptive Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technologies also ensure a seamless experience, no matter if your PC sports an AMD or Nvidia graphics card. On that note, you’ll want one of the best gaming PCs with enough power to capitalize on the high refresh rate. When I played games on the Alienware Aurora R16 kitted with an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, everything ran buttery smooth without a hint of screen tearing or choppiness.
Incredible for productivity
Fellow computing colleague Dave Meikleham recently wrote an article about how the aforementioned 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 delivered a huge boost to his productivity thanks to its expansive display. I had a similar experience with the Odyssey Neo G9. Not only is the vast canvas ideal for gaming, but it’s exceptional for everyday work.
During my testing, I sometimes had up to four separate windows open on the screen — typically two Chrome tabs, Slack and GIMP. Because the monitor’s display is so huge, I could keep all the windows open without having to flip back and forth between them. It allowed me to be much more efficient than on the dual-screen setup I have at home. This alone showed me the advantage an ultrawide monitor can have on my productivity.
I live in a studio apartment so I can’t fit such a gigantic monitor in my space. However, if I were to ever move to a bigger place, I would seriously consider switching from a dual monitor setup to a single ultrawide monitor. The 32:9 aspect ratio is just perfect for work.
Not just a gimmick
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 taught me to not judge a book by its cover, as it were. Yes, this device is a hulking beast, but it excels as both a gaming and productivity monitor. In fact, I like it more for work than for gaming since I’m able to keep so many windows open at once. $1,799 is admittedly pricy, but I think that's reasonable considering what this device provides, especially since it originally cost $2,499.
Whether you want the biggest screen possible for gaming or want to ditch your dual (or triple) monitor setup for something more streamlined, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is worth checking out — provided you have a large enough desk for it.
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