Samsung G9 BannerThe Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor is a top-of-the-line visual powerhouse that offers gamers an unparalleled, immersive experience. The monitor features a stunning 49″ screen that supports 5120 x 1440p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time. It is the world’s first 1000R curved DQ HD gaming monitor and it positively shines. With these specs, the G9 Odyssey delivers smooth, realistic visuals that bring games to life. Let’s dive in and put all the monitor’s features to the test with a library of games across different platforms.

Setting Up the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9

G9 Odyssey Unboxing

The unboxing process for the G9 is fairly straightforward if you follow the manufacturer’s “quick start” instructions. Assembling the monitor is a lot more involved than other computer screens due to its larger size. The Odyssey comes with a base and arm that need to be screwed together along with the screen. You can also opt to wall mount the monitor if you so choose. Outside of that, the stand is easy to assemble, and all the necessary cables are included in the box.

G9 Odyssey All ComponentsSome assembly required

Before proceeding with the unboxing, make sure you have a Philips head screwdriver handy as one is required. One suggestion Samsung makes is assembling the monitor’s arm and connecting all the cables inside the packaging.

G9 Odyssey Setting Up in the BoxDon’t ignore this crucial step, it makes the set up process far less onerous. The G9 Odyssey is a large monitor, and you’ll want to have someone else help-out in order to team lift it out of the box.

G9 Odyssey PortsG9 Odyssey’s ports

The G9 has key inputs on the back including; 2 HDMI 2.1 ports, 1 1.4 Display port, 2 USB 2.0 Type A ports, and a headphone jack. One big omission is USB-C ports which would be great to have as the format is becoming more widely adopted.

G9 Odyssey Bottom ButtonsThere is also a power/menu toggle (round button above) along with 3 input selection buttons at the bottom of the monitor. The back base of the monitor’s arm also features a foldout area that you can hang your headphones on, a nice touch to reduce clutter.

The G9 also does cable management justice with a removable panel system. As you are putting the display’s stand together you can trace the power, HDMI and USB cables through the arm and re-attach two plastic panels that hide all the wires.

G9 Odyssey's Wire ChannelIt really helps to maintain the G9‘s clean, futuristic aesthetic. To add to this, the back of the monitor also has a circular LED “CoreSync” lighting. It’s very cool looking from the back but the lighting doesn’t show up in a meaningful way at the front of the monitor unless you are in a very dark room with the monitor hugging a wall.

G9 Odyssey's Red Dead Performance

Odyssey Neo G9 monitor performance

The Odyssey Neo G9 is equipped with Samsung’s Quantum Matrix technology which powers the 5120 by 1440p dual quad HD 49-inch Quantum Mini-LED display. It all adds up to vivid and accurate colours, along with deep inky blacks. This results in lifelike images that immerse you even further into your games. The 1000R curved screen adds a ton to your peripheral vision. This not only puts you at the centre of the experience but helps with performance in multiplayer games simply because you see more of the field.

The G9 Odyssey‘s large screen size allows for a more expansive field of view, which is ideal for competitive gaming. In games like Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite, parts of the screen that are usually cut off are now in the full view.

G9 Odyssey's MS Flight PerformanceI also tested out some of my all-time favourite titles in Red Dead Redemption 2 (PC) and Microsoft Flight Simulator (PC) it was like experiencing these games for the first time. RDR2 was incredible, the horizon stretched and wrapped around me; I felt far more immersed in the action. The same for MS Flight Sim, playing in the cockpit view with the 1000R curvature felt like actually being in a plane (minus the turbulence!).

The only downside to the performance is the far edges of the screen tend to be slightly blurry even when not moving around. This is partially because certain games have to stretch textures to compensate for the radical curve. The centre of the screen always features razor sharp visuals, but if you rapidly shift your view the outer edges become unfocused. I noticed this mostly with FPS games, but it didn’t detract from the experience in meaningful ways.

G9 Odyssey HaloBlazing fast refresh rate and response time

Along with HD and brilliant HDR visuals, the G9 offers a 240Hz refresh rate and 1 millisecond response time. This helps to eliminate any lag and offers velvety smooth action sequences. One of the most impressive aspects of the G9 Odyssey is its ability to reduce motion blur. Thanks to the monitor’s high refresh rate and low response time, which work together to create a very seamless gaming experience. Although a minute amount of blur happens along the outer edges of the screen, central areas are pinpoint accurate.

Players will also appreciate the G9 Odyssey‘s wide viewing angles and vibrant colours, which add to its overall appeal. The monitor is also G-Sync compatible for even more gaming goodness. This keeps the GPU and panel in sync to eliminate choppiness, screen lag, and image tearing. AMD FreeSync also keeps complex gaming scenes stutter free and stable helping to keep you on target.

G9 home console performance

I also had the opportunity to test the G9 with the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. At this point, neither console supports the Odyssey‘s 32:9 aspect ratio, meaning you will need to set the monitor to 16:9 to avoid a severely stretched image. The Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox family of consoles are designed to display on the standard for HD TVs which is 16:9. What this means for the G9 display owners is you need to play with “black bars” to get the home console’s optimal visual performance. Some games like Battlefield 2042 will allow you to play around with these settings in-game, but it’s a stark contrast to PC games that can natively run at the ultra wide 32:9 ratio.

I tested the G9 with a number of different games including; Gears 5, Forza Horizon 5, and Halo Infinite. It was able to take full advantage of the high frame rate in all three titles. In Gears 5, cutscenes were handled beautifully with no screen tearing or blurring issues. The gameplay was just as impressive with fast-paced action delivered smoothly without any stuttering. I never felt like there was any input lag which can often be an issue with gaming monitors. The one exception is when using the monitor’s split-screen feature which brings the refresh rate down significantly.

PC and home console head-to-head on the G9

I was able to test out Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 with both PC and Xbox Series X versions. The PC definitely has the upper hand, both games look simply stunning with the G9’s 32:9 ratio. Forza Horizon 5’s wide open world was even more immersive with the monitor pulling me deeper into the environment. I was able to take in all the sights and sounds of the game without any issues. The high refresh rate made for a very smooth and polished experience.

Halo Infinite also ran flawlessly on the G9 with no major issues to speak of. I did notice that the game’s HUD wasn’t scaled properly for the ultra-wide aspect ratio, but this didn’t affect gameplay in any meaningful way.

The G9 Odyssey is an impressive gaming monitor that offers a great blend of features and performance. Although it doesn’t offer the same level of immersion as a VR headset, it’s the next best thing. It’s still the best way to experience PC gaming, hands down. The large screen size, high refresh rate, and low response time really level up your games.

G9 Odyssey Final ThoughtsFinal thoughts on the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9

Overall, I was very impressed with the Samsung G9 Odyssey gaming monitor. The large 49-inch screen is perfect for gaming and the dual quad HD resolution offers beautiful visuals. The monitor’s 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time make for smooth gameplay with no input lag. If you have room in your gaming space and budget, I would definitely recommend this monitor to any PC gamer looking for an immersive experience. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor is a must-have for any serious gamer.

Matthew Rondina
Matthew Rondina
Matthew has been involved in all things tech related since the start of the digital era. He shares his passion for technology in his day job as a teacher and via multiple media platforms. As a long-time veteran of the video game and tech industry, he's covered interactive entertainment and esports on the web, in video series, podcasts, and on international television. You can follow Matthew's tech-venture filled lifestyle on twitter, instagram @dapper_tux.
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691 COMMENTS

  9. I would love to play DEATHLOOP on it because I know the graphics of the island would look incredible! 🙂

  10. I would be most excited to drive some cars in Forza Horizon 5. You would be able to see so much of the scenery around you as you drive.

  13. I’d play Halo Infinite because this monitor would make the details and gaming experience epic!

  14. I would love to play Forza Horizon 5 on this monitor, so I can be fully immersed into the racing world environment in all its glory.

  15. I am most excited to play Halo Infinite using this monitor because of the expansive view and the game is no longer cut off.

  20. I am most excited to play Microsoft Flight Simulator on this display. I can’t imagine how amazing that game would look on this display.

  25. I’d love to play Destiny 2 on this monitor. The game supports ultrawide and the HUD stays in the middle the entire time. Looks amazing.

  27. I would like to play Elden Ring on this screen ! Why? Because I would like to discover this open world game and its textures on this big screen ultrawide

  28. I’m a huge Flight sim Fan, would love to Try DCS with this. Looks like the widescreen would be amazing for immersion

  31. I would love to play F1 2021 on there, being able to have that super wide field of view while driving in the cockpit camera would be so immersive.

  32. Just got the Directors Cut of Death Stranding and I’d love to see the open world on a screen of this size and aspect ratio.

  33. Phasmophobia for sure would be the first thing I try on this… I would be scared just in the menu.
    GTA is a must, flight sim, and War Thunder as well. Anything must look good on this beast!

  35. Where to begin! iRacing would be amazing to experience on this. As would Halo Infinite. MS Flight Simulator would be a must try.

  36. Forza series and any MMORPG as well as APEX legends are the top games I’m most excited to play this monitor with. The Samsung Odyssey G9 will help create an immersive experience on any MMORPG games I play and its fast response time and high refresh rate will give me a competitive edge in any FPS games.

  38. I’d be most excited to play Halo Infinite on this, looking forward to Season 2 and would be amazing on this monitor.

  40. I’d love to play Forza Horizon 5 on this. Imagine that high frame rate with the 2000 nit HDR. Plus the views with that super wide panel. That sounds like the dream setup.

  42. Elden Ring will look amazing on this screen – the massive world and it’s minute details all on one screen.

  43. Elden Ring will look so good on this screen – the massive world and all it’s detail on one screen.

  45. I love racing games and I’d want to try playing Assseto Corsa with it for the full immersion!

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