Samsung OLED G8 review: This show screen is furthermore a TV, for better or worse

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Only Prices This present day: Samsung OLED G8

The plethora of OLED has made comparisons a bit uninteresting. Most use the same OLED panels, and secure same factors, so the verdict typically comes down to price. Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 is an exception, nevertheless, because it delivers an OLED panel alongside Super TV functionality that functions constructed-in apps, a far off management, and much extra. These factors make the show screen extra versatile, nevertheless may per chance per chance per chance annoy PC enthusiasts who proper want a show screen to behave love a show screen.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SD) specs and factors

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s specifications are conventional for a excessive-cease OLED show screen. It offers 4K decision, a refresh price of as much as 240Hz, and a QD-OLED panel that affords an distinctive color gamut. It furthermore supports Adaptive Sync and HDR.

• Existing dimension: 32-creep 16:9 element ratio
• Native decision: 3840×2160
• Panel form: Samsung QD-OLED
• Refresh price: As much as 240Hz
• Adaptive Sync: AMD FreeSync, Nvidia G-Sync Like minded
• HDR: HDR10+ Gaming
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.0
• Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Audio system: Sure
• Designate: $1,299.99 MSRP ($1,099 conventional)

On the other hand, one specification stands out as uncommon: The show screen contains Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. These factors are required for its constructed-in Super TV functionality, which incorporates strengthen for streaming apps love Netflix. It’ll furthermore be historical for cloud gaming on services love Xbox Cloud Play and Amazon Luna.

Pricing is equivalent to Samsung’s opponents. The LG Ultragear 32GS95UE-B is $1,399.99 at MSRP, which is $100 extra, whereas the Alienware AW3225QF has an MSRP of $1,199.99, which is much less than the Samsung.

Extra discovering out: Learn about our roundup of the ideal displays to study about competing merchandise.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 assemble

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has a surprisingly perfect, even stately assemble. It’s lined in gloomy silver-gray supplies, which strike a licensed and reserved tone. On the other hand, the show screen restful contains an RGB LED lighting ring on the advantage of the expose, which may add some flair to your setup (it was off by default). The Odyssey must restful fit in any place you will want to use it, whether or not that’s at a PC gaming desk, a dwelling plight of enterprise, or a guest room.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Manufacture quality is a perk. Esteem varied contemporary Odyssey OLED displays, it has a steel panel assemble, which feels far extra top class and rigid than the plastic panels that are general even among excessive-cease displays. Finally, a show screen will not be typically touched or moved, so this sturdiness doubtlessly isn’t going to make it final to any extent extra than it would otherwise. Light, the usage of steel offers a luxurious feel that beats even the ideal seemingly picks, love the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF.

An ergonomic stand is incorporated and offers adjustments for height, tilt, swivel, and the flexibility to rotate 90 levels to be used in portrait orientation. Right here’s a steady vary of adjustment for a 32-creep gaming show screen. The stand feels sturdy and fortuitously uses a compact, flat atrocious. Whereas the 32-creep show screen panel is, clearly, barely broad, the show screen doesn’t consume in excessive room on a desk. That mentioned, a 100x100mm VESA mount is equipped must it’s most practical to use the show screen with a third-occasion stand or arm.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 factors and menus

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 isn’t love most displays. Despite the true fact that it’s technically not a TV because it lacks a TV tuner, it capabilities unheard of love every varied Samsung Super TV. It even runs Samsung’s Tizen OS and offers factors in general stumbled on ideal on TVs, equivalent to a image processor that enhances motion readability in sports activities yell material.

On memoir of these factors, constructing the Odyssey involves several steps, including connecting to Wi-Fi and deciding on the exquisite apps you will want to use. Right here’s prone to frustrate PC avid gamers who make a selection a crawl-and-play journey. On the other hand, I didn’t gain the technique complicated, and it took about five minutes to total.

Once plight up, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 may per chance per chance also be historical love a Super TV, providing score entry to to traditional apps love Netflix and Hulu, as smartly as bundled score entry to to a unfold of public tv channels (though most of these channels aren’t in particular attention-grabbing). If you happen to’re ideal the use of the Odyssey as a show screen, these factors may per chance per chance per chance also simply not matter to you. On the other hand, must you’re shopping for a multipurpose expose for a studio apartment, leisure room, or bedroom, these factors are barely helpful, effectively turning the Odyssey steady into a 32-creep Super TV.

You may per chance per chance per chance per chance also even use the Odyssey to play video games with none instrument linked, because it incorporates a Wi-Fi connection and has strengthen for sport streaming services love Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Bluetooth is supported as smartly, and you will also pair Bluetooth-succesful controllers with the expose.

The show screen ships with a far off management, too, which may per chance per chance also be historical to adjust the quantity, score entry to Super TV apps, and alternate show screen settings. Personally, I love displays that approach with far off controls — they’re unheard of easier to use than the joysticks most displays secure on their bezel (though the Samsung furthermore has a joystick as a advantage-up menu management).

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

There’s extra. Samsung furthermore offers a first price Windows app for adjusting show screen settings. Whereas most opponents provide same apps, ideal a handful — basically LG and BenQ gaming and leisure displays — furthermore secure a far off.

If you happen to don’t have to use the Super TV factors, you may per chance per chance per chance also largely ignore them, though they never entirely disappear and may per chance per chance per chance at instances expose complicated. I extra than once by chance stumbled on myself launched into the show screen’s dwelling cowl, which straight away started blaring a low-budget reality TV stamp from one among the incorporated free channels. It doesn’t advantage that Samsung’s manual offers minute explanation of what the show screen’s many factors create.

Getting advantage to fundamentals: Samsung Odyssey OLED G8’s menus provide the same outdated vary of image quality adjustments. There are alternatives to adjust color saturation, color temperature, color gamut, and gamma, as smartly as gaming factors love an on-cowl crosshair and a depressing equalizer to augment shadow detail in gloomy video games. My one nitpick is with the color temperature settings, the establish Samsung uses imprecise labels love “warm” and “frigid” in have to extra steady numerical presets. Light, the Odyssey offers extra image quality alternatives total than most gaming displays.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 connectivity

Flip the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 round, and you’ll gain a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports as smartly as a single DisplayPort 1.4. All of these inputs can address the show screen’s 4K decision at its most refresh price of 240Hz. I would’ve cherished one extra video enter, nevertheless the three is seemingly dazzling for most of us. You may per chance per chance per chance per chance also connect a computer over DisplayPort alongside an Xbox Sequence X and PlayStation 5.

And not using a doubt some of the HDMI ports supports an Audio Return Channel (ARC). Right here’s a at hand feature that makes the Odyssey easier to use alongside dwelling theater equipment that furthermore supports ARC, love soundbars, because it eliminates the need for a separate audio cable. Most displays don’t strengthen ARC, though about a — love the Alienware AW3225QF — cease.

The show screen furthermore offers some USB connectivity, nevertheless ideal within the make of two USB-A ports, pushed by a USB-B upstream port. Unfortunately, USB-C will not be available, which is a procedure back since USB-C is a handy procedure to connect a notebook computer. To be radiant, though, most of Samsung’s closest opponents — including the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B and Alienware AW3225QF — furthermore lack USB-C.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 audio system

Samsung boasts concerning the Odyssey OLED’s constructed-in speaker gadget, claiming this may occasionally seemingly per chance per chance “consume gaming to the next stage.” Unfortunately, the show screen doesn’t are residing as much as this promise. Whereas the audio system are loud, they fabricate a muddy, harsh, and steel sound quality that makes listening to song in actual fact rotten. The audio improves severely at moderate volumes, nevertheless it’s restful nothing particular.

Most of Samsung’s opponents provide even worse audio system or omit them entirely. A significant exception is LG’s Ultragear 32GS95UB-E, which factors a “pixel sound” speaker gadget that vibrates the expose panel itself. It’s steady ample that some users may per chance per chance per chance also simply be yell material the use of it in have to exterior audio system.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 SDR image quality

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has (surprise!) a Samsung QD-OLED panel. Right here’s a identified amount at this level, as PCWorld has reviewed extra than a dozen QD-OLED displays within the previous three hundred and sixty five days, and all insist incredible SDR image quality with about a significant downsides.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Brightness is among these downsides, and the Odyssey is an especially sorrowful performer in this case. Its most sustained SDR brightness of ideal 206 nits is lower even for an OLED show screen: Most seemingly picks hit about 250 nits.

With a brightness of 206 nits, the Odyssey is satisfactory for most scenarios, especially if the show screen is historical in a room with blinds, curtains, or varied forms of sunshine management. At better brightness settings, it would possibly per chance per chance per chance also simply even seem barely radiant in this scenario.

On the other hand, must you notion to use the show screen in a dwelling with minute or no gentle management, equivalent to shut to radiant windows, it goes to be an scenario. That’s wretched, as the Odyssey contains Super TV factors and is prone to be a enormous option to be used as a small TV in a studio apartment. In that case, though, its minute brightness would be a problem.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Inequity, on the assorted hand, is a robust level of the Odyssey, because it offers an effectively countless distinction ratio. Right here’s finished thru the panel’s capacity to reach a luminance of zero nits when exhibiting gloomy images, providing an immersive, lifelike, and inserting image quality that’s far superior to much less costly displays the use of former LED backlights.

On the other hand, readers with robust opinions about OLED panels must restful be warned that this show screen uses an aggressive matte coating to lower glare and reflections. It’s effective at providing a legible, nearly paper-love image, nevertheless furthermore dampens the perceived distinction, especially in brightly lit environments.

Right here’s a matter of non-public need. I are inclined to desire matte coatings over intellectual ones for computer displays. On the other hand, I do know some of us secure robust preferences within the opposite procedure.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Color gamut is a outdated skool strength of QD-OLED displays, thanks to the “QD” (Quantum Dots) panel abilities, which severely expands the vary of colors the expose can fabricate.

The Samsung Odyssey is no exception, providing a in actual fact large color gamut equivalent to varied QD-OLED displays and superior to displays the use of LG’s WOLED panel.

A large color gamut ends in gleaming, vibrant, and saturated colors in video games and motion images, nevertheless it’s furthermore massive for yell material creation, because it lets you survey a broader vary of colors than what’s in general seemingly with much less succesful displays.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Surprisingly, Samsung’s color accuracy was severely lacking, on the least at its default settings. Whereas the show screen’s color will in most cases stare practical, it’s not as steady as some opponents. Gamers seemingly won’t peep any disorders, nevertheless yell material creators may per chance per chance per chance also have to manually alter the show screen’s settings or use calibration tool for extra steady results.

On a clear stamp, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 performed smartly in gamma and color temperature checks. It finished a with regards to ideally suited gamma curve of two.2, which is spectacular, as many OLED displays are inclined to a minute pass over the impress, typically producing a gamma of two.3, which makes images seem a bit darker than they must restful. The Odyssey furthermore had a default color temperature of 6800K, which is right a minute cooler than our purpose of 6500K.

Moreover, as mentioned, the show screen offers extra than one gamma and color temperature settings. It’s easy to adjust both to fit your wants and preferences.

The show screen’s 4K decision contributes to incredible sharpness. Whereas QD-OLED displays can suffer from subpixel rendering disorders, which plight off pixelation and aliasing round small fonts and some excessive-distinction edges, 4K decision mitigates this order. You may per chance per chance per chance per chance also restful peep it goes to you lean in when viewing small fonts in a spreadsheet, nevertheless it’s not a frequent difficulty, and the show screen’s image appears to be like to be razor keen.

Overall, the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED delivers massive image quality. Whereas it underperforms in brightness and color accuracy, it excels in gamma and color temperature and in most cases suits the spectacular image quality of barely lots of 32-creep OLED displays. It’s an especially steady option for folk that want a multi-function OLED expose, as the Odyssey has the color gamut, sharpness, and image quality alternatives obligatory to work smartly for both PC video games and Photoshop.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 HDR image quality

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 supports HDR10+ nevertheless, not like most opponents, the show screen’s marketing doesn’t claim any stage of VESA DisplayHDR Certification. That looks foreboding, nevertheless the Odyssey OLED G8 performs somewhat smartly for a QD-OLED show screen — after a minute trial-and-error.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Matthew Smith / Foundry

I measured a most sustained brightness of 779 nits in a 10 p.c window, that come proper 10 p.c of the expose was lit by an HDR image, with the rest of the expose entirely gloomy. Right here’s a steady stage of brightness for a QD-OLED show screen and reveals the Odyssey can insist radiant, punchy highlights. A flash of lightning or an exploding automobile will stare radiant on this show screen.

On the other hand, the Odyssey’s HDR brightness dipped fleet as a better fragment of the expose was lit. As a result, scenes that question a excessive stage of luminance across your total expose can stare uninteresting and dark. LG’s WOLED panel, stumbled on within the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP and LG Utlragear 32GS95UE-B, has a significant advantage right here.

I furthermore had to tease out the Odyssey’s efficiency. It has several HDR settings and, at default, its brightness was barely low: proper 337 nits in a 10 p.c window. You’ll have to use the show screen’s High Brightness mode, as smartly as its Intelligent tone mapping mode, to total the ideal brightness results.

Light, the show screen’s total HDR efficiency is correct for an OLED expose and will in general insist a radiant, punchy image in HDR yell material. On the other hand, I’d counsel an LG WOLED over the Odyssey show screen must you notion to use HDR as a rule.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 motion efficiency

Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 offers a refresh price of as much as 240Hz at 4K decision. That’s a fantastic refresh price for a 4K show screen, though furthermore conventional for an OLED expose: Many 32-creep 4K OLED opponents secure the same refresh price.

Circulate readability is incredible at 240Hz. The show screen’s excessive refresh price, paired with OLED’s low pixel response instances, keeps motion blur to a minimal. Snappy transferring objects are easy to survey and the silhouettes of far away enemies will stand out on the horizon. It’s not ideally suited: Cramped fonts can restful be most not prone to read at budge, to illustrate. Light, motion readability is massive and ideal defeated by seemingly picks with even better refresh charges, love the Alienware AW2725QF.

Adaptive sync is supported, as smartly, though right here the show screen runs steady into about a disorders. First up: Samsung’s marketing is unclear. The show screen is prominently sold as G-Sync Like minded. On the other hand, the show screen’s menu gadget lists strengthen for AMD FreeSync, with no level out of Nvidia’s G-Sync. This isn’t a broad difficulty because, in my making an strive out, the show screen labored with both AMD and Nvidia hardware. Light, it’s an uncommon oversight.

I furthermore experienced an infrequent nevertheless significant worm when the use of Adaptive Sync. The show screen would in most cases expose a garbled line of digital static on the backside edge of the expose when Adaptive Sync was grew to turn into on. Flipping the mode on and off, or rebooting my PC, may per chance per chance per chance fix it, though it would possibly per chance per chance per chance consume several tries. Right here’s not a current order for Samsung: A stare at Reddit reveals occasional person complaints of a same scenario with older Odyssey displays.

Must restful you make a selection the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8?

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is one more incredible 32-creep QD-OLED show screen. It delivers a vibrant, saturated, and immersive image alongside incredible motion readability. On the other hand, the show screen’s defining feature is admittedly its tool, which incorporates Samsung’s Tizen OS and a buffet of Super TV factors that make the OLED G8 helpful in scenarios the establish you’d otherwise have to make a selection out a small tv. The show screen’s total image quality doesn’t stand out from the competition though, and its tool factors may per chance per chance per chance also annoy PC users who proper want a show screen to behave love a show screen. I counsel the Odyssey OLED G8 must you will want a flexible expose that can be historical to see motion images and streaming TV as typically because it’s historical to play video games or for productiveness.