Samsung has been at the forefront of pushing just what a gaming monitor can do over the last few years. Take the outlandish Samsung Odyssey Ark, for instance – the world’s first 55-inch 1000R super curved gaming screen, something that the South Korean giant has again looked to repeat with a newly upgraded version for this year. However, the real showpiece for its Gamescom 2023 booth is the new 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 G95NC.
Seeing the Neo G9 in the flesh, you’re immediately taken aback by the size and quality of this unit. It’s poised to be the first ‘dual UHD’ monitor to hit the market (a claim that Samsung assures me it plans to hit without fail), with a resolution of 7,680 x 2160 and a whopping wide aspect ratio of 32:9. For context, that’s half the pixel count of 8K, which feels like a pipe dream for many graphics cards. So, I questioned Samsung on how feasible it believes it is to run this resolution in 2023.
“I think our ambition as an organization is to provide as many different opportunities for gamers to get into gaming, or to access gaming,” Samsung marketing director of display Ben Holmes tells PCGamesN. “It’s a whole range of products,” says Samsung senior product manager Andriani Lada. “Samsung is not only the monitor, but it’s also the mobiles and TVs. But for the monitor division… the range is very, very wide and broad.”
All that said, if you do have the gaming PC to drive the new Neo G9, games look simply stunning up close. While Black Desert Online looked suitably pin-sharp, I couldn’t help but long to see the monitor’s truck black capabilities be put to use in showcasing Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City. Better yet, show me the mud tracks of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5 or let me swing through the streets of New York City in Marvel’s Spider-Man. Anything to truly test performance and push the specs of the display to the limit.Those thoughts aside, Black Desert did at least let the Neo G9 flex its 240Hz refresh rate.
Similarly, being powered by a Quantum Matrix mini-LED backlight, the 1,000-nit peak brightness does all the work to get the most out of the colors in an incredible fashion too. So, while Black Desert’s art style isn’t exactly to my taste, I cannot understate the visual enhancement that comes from this tech.
To really maximize all of this, though, you do need some expensive tech – in fact, the only graphics card really built for the display is the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 can’t make use of the DisplayPort 2.1 port. While this is certainly a fancy bit of kit that’s definitely something to consider, alongside the unsurprising high-end price tag of $2,499.99 / £2,199.99.
“We’re very aware that over the last couple of years, things have gotten very difficult for consumers,” Holmes says, speaking on the cost of living crisis.
“One of the things that we like to do with our top-end monitor range is to make sure that it’s value for money. That doesn’t mean cheap. That just means good value. I think when you look at the specification of the Neo G9, the fact that it’s got DP2.1, it’s the first dual UHD, 1,000R curvature, 32:9, 57-inches – it’s going to come with a relevant price point.”
“This is really aimed at those very passionate gamers who want the ultimate experience,” Lada adds.
While the cost is up for debate, the Neo G9 absolutely feels premium with the curvature of the screen snuggly immersing you further into the experience and unlike the Odyssey Ark – which has received new connectivity with an added display port and KVM Switch – you don’t need to dedicate an entire room for it.
I mean, you absolutely could. From the sleek black edges that surround the screen right up to Samsung’s unique circular Core Lighting+ LEDs found on the back with full RGB built-in, it’s a showpiece for sure. I’m a sucker for lighting like this, too, so I’m already imagining the full suite of colors drenching my walls.
Anyway, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 G95NC is now up for pre-order at for $2,499.99 / £2,199.99 with Samsung’s website being the only place to secure one. Anyone who does pre-order the gaming monitor can expect it in October this year once the first units are released. This does vary by country, however, so best to check in your region.