Our Verdict
The Samsung CRG5 offers speed without sacrificing much in the way of panel performance or accuracy.
October 28, 2019 This review has been updated following further testing of a replacement monitor stand. We can now confirm an issue highlighted in the original review is not present in all units.
There’s only one metric to measure speed, and that’s by asking ourselves “is it fast enough so we can fly away?” The words of four-time grammy award-winning artist Tracy Chapman in her 1988 single ‘Fast Car’ remain the metric by which I judge all things claiming speed as their greatest asset, and today we’ll be taking the Samsung 27RG50 (CRG5) for a test run to see whether it is fast enough… so we can fly away.
For starters, this monitor boasts a 240Hz refresh rate, so we can be damned sure it’s no slouch. Samsung has packed a panel worth its salt, and esports credentials, into the CRG5 – hence why I swiftly jumped into a game of Obra Dinn for a test run. Reflexes ahoy! With a 1500R curve across its 27-inch footprint, the CRG5 is certainly enough to impress and immerse in-game – and it’s pretty good at those FPS games, too.
Samsung has also jumped into bed with the green team and installed the necessary technical gubbins in the back for Nvidia G-Sync. That ensures when you’re in the moment and putting every frame to good use in a competitive shooter, you won’t fall foul of screen tearing or latency.
The panel itself is superb, too. Even without an IPS panel to dazzle with all the colours under the rainbow, Samsung’s speedy VA tech is more than capable of displaying a vibrant and impressive image. Contrast is fantastic, with the panel tech helping black levels along nicely. Similarly, white saturation is up to spec and decent enough to avoid it bright patches smudging all into one big eye-searing mess.
The sharp 1500R curve also causes little issue even across the panel’s extremities in the most far-fetched of circumstances. And as for ports, we’re talking two HDMI 2.0 and a single DisplayPort 1.2.
So we’re good to go so far. Fast screen, half-decent ports, and stutter-free gaming.
A fixed stand design with little mobility is something we’ve come to expect from monitors targeting the esports and competitive gaming markets, and the CRG5 is no different from its peers. The stand offers simple tilt functionality and some basic cable tidy routing through the rear. It’s simple, clean-cut, and looks smart enough for a gaming monitor – it gets the job done and that’s about it.
The first review unit we received has now confirmed to have a slightly busted stand, which caused it to slump forward slightly over time. We’ve now received a replacement and can confirm this is not present across the board and was indeed the result of a faulty unit.
With a price tag of $370 (£350), the Samsung CRG5 sits on the pricier end of the 240Hz monitor spectrum – especially for a 1080p panel. But once you’re engrossed in what’s going on with the 240Hz VA panel at its core, the CRG5 impresses. Its panel is superb, speedy, and there’s no need to sacrifice accuracy and impressive visuals to game at 240Hz. Paired with a GPU powerful enough to drive the frames to make the most out of the CRG5, this speedy panel is the perfect high-end companion for premium competitive gaming.
Plus I made up all that ‘Fast Car’ metric stuff anyways, it’s just a good song.