Samsung's Odyssey Gaming Unveils Flatscreen Displays Up To 28 Inches, 4K At 144Hz
Samsung has decided to lean away from the curve with its latest crop of Odyssey gaming monitors for 2021. What it boils down to is an expansion of the Odyssey series, with gamers now being able to choose between curved (2020 lineup) and flatscreen (2021 lineup) models, the latter of which consists of three SKUs spread out over three sizes.
"The new lineup delivers hyper-real picture quality, a higher response level, tailored ergonomics and intuitive usability. Together with these latest features, gaming enthusiasts can enjoy real-world colors, pinpoint accuracy and sharp response speeds for their PC and console gaming entertainment devices," Samsung says.
The front and back images you see above depict the crown jewel among the latest additions, the 28-inch Odyssey G7. It is the biggest of the bunch, and also the only 4K resolution (3840x2160) model. Both it and the Odyssey G5 can handle HDR visuals, but the Odyssey G7 is the sole model to bear the DisplayHDR 400 badge, meaning it passed VESA's certification requirements.
Peak brightness checks in at 400 nits (300 nits typical). Other features include a 1ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response time, a fast 144Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync Premium Pro branding. It's also listed as a G-Sync Compatible monitor, so you can enjoy a variable refresh rate when paired with either an AMD Radeon or NVIDIA GeForce GPU.
One other feature unique to this model is HDMI 2.1 connectivity (in addition to DisplayPort 1.4 and a pair of USB 3.0 ports). This makes it a great option for the latest generation game consoles (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5).
The Odyssey G5 sits in the middle of the pack and stands out with the fastest refresh rate of the bunch, at 165Hz. It is a 27-inch monitor with a 2560x1440 resolution and the same 1ms response time as its larger sibling. Brightness checks in at 350 nits.
Samsung says the Odyssey G5 can handle HDR10 content, though it is not certified by VESA, nor can it get quite as bright as the Odyssey G7. As such, it carries the FreeSync Premium branding rather than FreeSync Premium Pro. The upshot is that it supports FreeSync with paired with a Radeon graphics card, and is also G-Sync Compatible. Connections consist of DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 inputs (one each).
Finally, the Odyssey G3 actually consist of two models, one with a 24-inch display and the other with a bigger 27-inch panel. Other than the physical size, the specs are the same between the two—1920x1080 resolution, 1ms response time (MPRT), 144Hz refresh rate, 250 nits brightness, and FreeSync Premium branding (these are not G-Sync Compatible, though). Inputs on the Odyssey G3 models including a DisplayPort 1.2 connector and an HDMI 1.4 connector.
All of the new flat screen Odyssey displays are said to be available today across global markets. We did not find any listed at places like Amazon or Newegg just yet, but that should change soon. It also means we will have to wait a bit longer to find out where pricing lands on these new additions.
