Samsung announced its “world’s first” 6K gaming monitor back at CES. But now it’s finally gone on sale, listed for pre-order on Samsung’s German website for €1,499.
We’d expect a dollar price at around the same figure. So, what exactly would you be getting for your €1,500 from the Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS)? The basics involve a 32-inch 6K IPS panel. Yeah, IPS, not OLED or even VA, the latter being the usual choice for Samsung LCD monitors.
I’m not clear that Samsung Display even makes IPS panels, including the 32-inch 6K panel in question. So, it’s possible that Samsung Electronics (the Samsung subsidiary that actually makes this monitor) could actually be buying in the panel from arch rival LG.
The 6,144 by 3,456 resolution maps to the LG panel, however the lowly quoted static contrast of 1,000:1 does not. The 6K LG IPS panel is rated at 2,000:1. The only other 32-inch 6K panel I know of is made by AU Optronics has a slightly different resolution of 6,016 by 3,384 pixels and a contrast rating of 1,500:1. Perhaps the contrast spec on the Samsung Germany site is wrong.
Anywho, refresh rate-wise we’re talking 165 Hz, with a 330 Hz 3K alternate mode. The Odyssey G8 (G80HS) doesn’t have full-array dimming and tops out at just 350 nits. So, HDR support is extremely limited.
In the end, the appeal here is the ultra-high 224 DPI pixel density. I’ve reviewed a couple of non-gaming 6K 32-inch panels and the image quality in terms of sharpness and font rendering is pretty sweet. But for gaming, I’m not sure I can see the point, especially given the limitations this display has in other areas.
Personally, I think a 32-inch 4K panel based on the very latest OLED tech would be a much better all-round compromise, with far better HDR and response, and a higher refresh rate, all while offering decent enough pixel density. Honestly, I’d rather have the last-gen QD-OLED version, which is currently going for just $679.99 on our monitor deals page.
