The 57″ Samsung Odyssey G9 Neo is pretty much the endgame when it comes to the world’s best monitor for gaming, productivity, and everything in between. I first unboxed this monitor over a year ago, which is crazy to think about, as it’s still such a fantastic piece of tech. This isn’t going to be a full review since I’ve already covered that in videos, but I want to provide a summary of my experience over the past year.
Initial Impressions
When I unboxed it for the first time, I knew instantly that it had the promise of becoming a truly super ultrawide display-the Samsung Odyssey G9. Enormous room for improvement certainly remains, but overall it has transformed things for me at work and at play.
Productivity Benefits
Using a super ultrawide monitor has been amazing for productivity. I love having everything on a single screen. There’s no need to line up multiple monitors or deal with the space lost in between. The large screen means I can have multiple apps open at once, which is incredibly efficient. At times, it can get messy, but I use a tool called Mo to quickly organize and snap all my windows into place with a single keyboard shortcut.
Multitasking & Workflow
The sheer size of the screen means I can easily glance at notifications, respond to messages, and stay on top of multiple tasks without interrupting my flow. This has been particularly helpful when working on emails while responding to messages. No more constant alt-tabbing!
Zoom Calls & Sharing
Zoom calls have never been an issue for me, even though some people worry about sharing an ultra-wide desktop. I simply share individual apps or windows, resizing them to fit the needs of the person I’m talking to.
Display Quality
One of my favorite things about this monitor is the pixel density of 140 pixels per inch. The text and edges are incredibly crisp, making it feel much more pleasant to work on than the 49-inch G9. The 57-inch version’s higher resolution (2160 vertical) means everything stays sharp, which is perfect for both productivity and entertainment.
Gaming Experience
The Samsung G9 has been an excellent gaming device, but only if you have a powerful computer. I use the latest Intel CPU and a 490 card, which I swapped from a 7900 XTX. The 490 offers better FPS and stability. This monitor is especially popular for serious gaming setups, including sim racing and flight simulators.
Gaming Challenges
One minor downside for gaming is the HUD placement in some games. In titles like Fortnite, you have to constantly move your head to the far corners to view your map or shortcuts, which can be tiring. However, this is a small issue when compared to the immersive experience the monitor offers.
Colors & Contrast
The colors are fantastic, and the monitor’s brightness is great. However, the black levels could be improved. One downside is the noticeable halo effect on black screens, but this is a common issue with this type of technology. An OLED panel would fix this, but overall, it’s a minor flaw.
Monitor Setup and Mounting
The large size and curvature of the monitor make finding the right monitor arm challenging. I initially used an Ergotron HX HD arm, which wasn’t designed for the 57-inch G9, and the screen would droop. But recently, I found a solution with the Secret Lab heavy-duty monitor arm, which can support monitors up to 16 kg. The setup is fantastic, and the arm works flawlessly with the 57-inch G9.
Cable Management
The Secret Lab monitor arm includes great cable management features, including magnetic clips that keep everything neat and tidy. However, I did run into issues with short cables for my PC and MacBook, but purchasing longer cables solved this problem.
Build Quality & Durability
The plastic cover for the back of the monitor, designed to hide cables, is flimsy and broke after just one use. This is disappointing, especially for such an expensive monitor. Additionally, updating the firmware requires an old-school USB drive, which feels outdated for a monitor of this caliber.
Future Improvements
I hope Samsung includes USB-C ports in future versions of this monitor, especially for laptop users like myself. I’ve had to use an old Thunderbolt dock to connect my laptop, but a built-in solution would be much more convenient.
Conclusion
Despite a few minor flaws, the 57-inch Samsung G9 is still my favorite monitor, especially for productivity and casual gaming. Until Samsung releases an OLED version with USB-C support, I can’t see myself switching to anything else as my daily monitor. Follow for more updates on Tech Education.
