The Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27B40 is an entry-level gaming monitor. It sits below the Samsung Odyssey G6/G65B in their 2022 lineup, and although it shares the same 240Hz refresh rate as the higher-end model, it has a lower 1080p resolution. It has native FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, and it's also G-SYNC compatible for use with NVIDIA graphics cards. It's a very basic monitor but has a few extra features for gaming, like the ability to add a virtual crosshair that your system won't detect, giving you a competitive gaming advantage. It's available in 25 and 27 inches, with the larger size being a Best Buy-exclusive model in the United States, but you can find both models available at various retailers internationally.
Our Verdict
The Samsung G4 is decent for mixed usage. It's good for gaming as it has a 240Hz refresh rate with variable refresh rate support to reduce screen tearing, motion looks smooth thanks to the quick response time, and it has low input lag. It's also good for office use thanks to its high peak brightness, great reflection handling, wide viewing angles, and excellent ergonomics. It's okay for consuming multimedia content and decent for media creation as it has good out-of-the-box accuracy, but it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray in the dark. Sadly, it's disappointing for HDR as it fails to make highlights pop and can't display a wide range of colors.
- High SDR peak brightness.
- Great reflection handling.
- Good response time.
- Low 1080p resolution.
- Low native contrast.
- Terrible black uniformity.
The Samsung G4 is good for office use. It gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms, and combined with its great reflection handling, visibility isn't a problem in a bright room. It also has wide viewing angles that make the image remain consistent from the sides, which is great for sharing your screen with someone else. Unfortunately, it has low pixel density, so the text clarity is just decent.
- High SDR peak brightness.
- Great reflection handling.
- Excellent ergonomics.
- Low 1080p resolution.
- Text clarity is just decent.
The Samsung G4 is very good for gaming. It has a fast 240Hz refresh rate and both FreeSync VRR support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. Motion also looks smooth, thanks to its quick response time, particularly with high frame rate signals. Additionally, it has low input lag for a responsive feel. Sadly, it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray when gaming in the dark.
- High 240Hz refresh rate.
- FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
- Good response time.
- Low input lag with VRR enabled.
- Low native contrast.
- Terrible black uniformity.
The Samsung G4 is okay for media consumption. It displays a wide range of colors and has good out-of-the-box accuracy, so images in SDR look life-like without any sort of calibration. It performs well in bright rooms thanks to its high peak brightness and great reflection handling, but it struggles in dark rooms as it has a low contrast and terrible black uniformity. It also has a low 1080p resolution, so images aren't as sharp as on higher-resolution monitors.
- Excellent ergonomics.
- Good out-of-the-box accuracy.
- Low native contrast.
- Terrible black uniformity.
- No local dimming feature.
The Samsung G4 is decent for media creation. It's good if you need to edit content in the basic sRGB color space because it displays a wide range of colors and has good out-of-the-box accuracy, but it has limited Adobe RGB coverage and can't display a wide range of colors in HDR. It performs well for use in well-lit rooms as it gets bright enough to fight glare, but it doesn't look good in dark rooms as it has a low contrast that makes blacks look gray.
- Excellent ergonomics.
- Good out-of-the-box accuracy.
- Low native contrast.
- Terrible black uniformity.
The Samsung G4 is disappointing for HDR. Blacks look gray in dark rooms due to the low contrast, and it has terrible black uniformity with visible backlight bleed. It doesn't deliver a satisfying HDR experience as it can't display a wide range of colors and doesn't get bright enough to bring highlights out.
- Fantastic gradient handling.
- Low native contrast.
- Terrible black uniformity.
- No local dimming feature.
- Highlights don't pop in HDR.
- Narrow HDR color gamut.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 26, 2023: Added that the new Sony INZONE M3 has a faster Response Time at 60Hz.
- Updated Oct 13, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Oct 11, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 03, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Samsung G4, which is a Best Buy-exclusive model in the United States. It's also available in a 25-inch screen size which has the same specs, including the 240Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution, so it'll perform similarly, and it's available at various retailers. Both sizes are also available in Canada at various retailers, and the model is also available internationally, with the full mode code changing depending on the region.
| Model Code | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | U.S. Retailers |
| LS25BG402ENXGO | 25" | 1080p | 240Hz | Various |
| LS27BG402ENXGO | 27" | 1080p | 240Hz | Best Buy Exclusive |
Our unit was manufactured in June 2022; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Samsung G4 is a good budget-friendly gaming monitor with a fast 240Hz refresh rate and good motion handling. While it provides good gaming performance, there are still better options in the same price range, like the AOC 24G2 or the ViewSonic XG2431, so the Samsung monitor doesn't offer any extra against the competition.
Also see our recommendations for the best budget gaming monitors, the best 240Hz monitors, and the best 1080p monitors.
The ViewSonic XG2431 and the Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27BG40 have similar features, but the ViewSonic is better overall. Despite each having a 240Hz refresh rate, the motion handling is much better on the ViewSonic, and it has a more customizable backlight strobing feature. The ViewSonic is also better for console gaming because it can downscale 4k signals, which the Samsung monitor can't do.
The Samsung Odyssey G70D S32DG70 is a higher-end monitor than the Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27BG40, and choosing one over the other depends on your budget. The G70D has a 4k resolution and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which makes it the better choice for console gaming with detailed images. The G70D also has extra features, like a built-in smart system, and it displays a wider range of colors. On the other hand, the G40B is a more basic 1080p, 240Hz monitor, and its higher refresh rate makes it a better choice for competitive gaming.
The AOC 24G2 and the Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27BG40 are both good gaming monitors. The Samsung monitor has a higher 240Hz refresh rate compared to the 144Hz refresh rate of the AOC, but the AOC still has better motion handling. While they each have a backlight-strobing feature, the one on the AOC is more versatile.
The Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27BG40 is a higher-end version of the Samsung Odyssey G3 S24AG30, so it has a few more features. The main difference is that the G4 has a higher 240Hz refresh rate compared to the 144Hz refresh rate of the G3, and it has much better motion handling too. They also have different panel types, with the G4 having wider viewing angles and the G3 having a higher contrast, making it the better choice for dark room gaming.
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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