The Samsung CF398 is a decent 27" VA monitor that delivers okay picture quality. It has excellent low input lag, very good motion handling, and it supports FreeSync, which is great for gaming. It has a very good native contrast ratio, that delivers good dark scene performance. Unfortunately, it has a fixed stand that can't be easily adjusted to an ideal viewing position, and it can't get very bright.
Our Verdict
The Samsung CF398 is an okay monitor for most uses. It has a fixed stand that makes it hard to place in an ideal viewing position, and the image degrades when viewed at an angle. It has great reflections handling, but can't get very bright, so it might not be able to overcome glare in a really bright room. It has an excellent response time and low input lag, great for gaming or for watching movies. The 27" screen is good, but it is limited by the 1080p resolution that doesn't allow you to see many fine details in games or movies.
- Good dark scene performance.
- Low input lag and FreeSync support.
- Can't get very bright.
- Fixed stand with only basic ergonomics.
The Samsung CF398 is decent for office use. The 27" screen on our unit is a good size for working, but the 1080p resolution isn't ideal for multitasking. Unfortunately, the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle, and it has a fixed stand with terrible ergonomics. It has great reflections handling, but can't get bright enough to fight off bright glare in a well-lit office.
The Samsung CF398 is a decent monitor for gaming. It has an excellent response time, low input lag, and it supports FreeSync VRR, which is great. The standard 60Hz refresh rate may be disappointing to some gamers. Although it can be easily increased to 72Hz, this difference is minor and does not significantly improve the performance. Unfortunately, the image degrades when viewed at an angle, and it can't get very bright.
The Samsung CF398 is an okay monitor for multimedia use. The 27" screen allows you to see some fine details, but it is limited by the 1080p resolution. Unfortunately, the image degrades when viewed at an angle, so it isn't great for sharing the latest YouTube trends with your friends. It has excellent low input lag, and a fast response time, so motion looks clear with little blur trail.
The Samsung CF398 is only okay for media creation. The 27" screen allows you to see fine details in your project, but the 1080p resolution means you'll have to zoom in and move your project around to see finer details. It has excellent coverage of the standard s.RGB color space, but the Adobe RGB coverage is less than ideal for professional photo or video editing.
The Samsung CF398 doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 02, 2021: Changed height adjustment result from 'N/A' to '0' to match our methodology.
- Updated Jan 17, 2019: We tested the monitor's compatibility with NVIDIA's new FreeSync driver. See our full investigation into NVIDIA's FreeSync Drivers here.
- Updated Nov 20, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Nov 18, 2018: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27" CF398 (LC27F398FWNXZA), which is the only size available. There are other models available with similar specifications, but we don't know how they perform.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung CF398 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Notes |
| CF398 | 27" | 1080p | 60Hz | FreeSync, Curved, Black |
| CF390 | 24" | 1080p | 60Hz | FreeSync, Curved, Black |
| CF391 | 27" | 1080p | 60Hz | Curved, White |
| CF391 | 32" | 1080p | 60Hz | Curved, White |
The CF398 we reviewed was manufactured in July 2018.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Samsung CF398 is a decent entry-level monitor. There are much better monitors out there if you are willing to spend even a little bit more. Check our recommendations for the best 27 inch monitors, the best budget gaming monitors, and the best 1080p monitors.
The Samsung CF398 is better than the MSI Optix G27C for most uses, but some people may prefer the Optix for gaming. The Optix is a bit brighter and has slightly better native contrast, but worse black uniformity. The CF398 has wider viewing angles and better black uniformity. For gaming, the CF398 has a faster response time, but the Optix has a much faster refresh rate and lower input lag.
The Samsung CF398 is much better than the Sceptre C325W. The Sceptre is a bit brighter and has a slightly better native contrast ratio, but worse black uniformity. The CF398 has a much better response time with significantly less motion blur, and it supports AMD FreeSync. The CF398 also has lower input lag.
The Dell P2417H is a 24" IPS monitor, whereas the Samsung CF398 is a VA monitor. Generally, the P2417H is better than the CF398, but the CF398 is a bit better in some cases. The P2417H has wide viewing angles and a much better, fully adjustable stand, making it a more versatile choice for most people. The CF398, on the other hand, has a faster response time, so motion looks clearer with less blur, and it supports FreeSync VRR.
The Acer XF251Q Bmiirx is a 25" TN monitor, whereas the Samsung CF398 is a VA monitor. The XF251Q has better motion handling, thanks to a faster response time. The XF251Q is a bit brighter, but the CF398 has much better native contrast, so it looks better in a dark room.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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