The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 is an entry-level gaming monitor. It has a 1440p resolution and 27-inch screen size, and it's also available in a 32-inch model in various regions. Part of Samsung's Odyssey gaming lineup, it's an updated model of the Samsung Odyssey G5/G55A S27AG55, with the main difference being that it has a flat screen. It's designed with gaming in mind as it has a 165Hz refresh rate with FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) and G-SYNC compatibility, and it supports HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 bandwidth. Besides that, it's limited in extra features, but it supports HDR and has some gaming perks, like a virtual crosshair and a Black Equalizer feature.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Odyssey G51C is good for most uses. It's designed as a gaming monitor with a 165Hz refresh rate, VRR support, and low input lag for a responsive feel. While it's good for gaming, motion looks blurry as it has a slow response time at any refresh rate. It's also good for general work use or casual content creation thanks to its sharp text clarity and good reflection handling, which is useful if you want to use it in a bright room, but it has narrow viewing angles, so the image looks washed out from the sides. It has a good contrast ratio and excellent black uniformity, so it's decent for watching SDR or HDR content in dark rooms, but it lacks a local dimming feature, and highlights don't pop against the rest of the image, so HDR looks dull and muted.
-
Excellent ergonomics.
-
Good reflection handling.
-
FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
-
Good native contrast ratio.
-
Not bright enough to fight intense glare.
-
Narrow viewing angles.
-
Limited in extra features.
-
Blurry motion due to slow response time.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C is good for office use. It has good text clarity, and the 27-inch screen is big enough to open two windows side-by-side. It also handles reflections well enough to reduce glare from a few lights around your workspace, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare, like if you place it opposite a bright window. While it has excellent ergonomics and it's easy to adjust, its narrow viewing angles are disappointing if you need to often share your screen with someone else, as they'll see a washed-out image from the sides.
-
Good text clarity.
-
Excellent ergonomics.
-
Good reflection handling.
-
Not bright enough to fight intense glare.
-
Limited in extra features.
The Samsung G51C is good for gaming. It has features you'd expect to find in a gaming monitor, like a 165Hz refresh rate and VRR support to reduce screen tearing. However, with DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, you can't reach its max refresh rate when playing HDR games with 10-bit signals. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, but motion is blurry due to its slow response time. On the plus side, it displays deep blacks, which makes it good for dark room gaming, but it lacks a local dimming feature to further improve the picture quality in dark games.
-
165Hz refresh rate.
-
FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
-
Low input lag.
-
Good native contrast ratio.
-
Narrow viewing angles.
-
Blurry motion due to slow response time.
-
Limited to DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C is alright for media consumption. Its 27-inch screen is big enough to sit back and watch your favorite shows and movies, but you can't watch the latest content in 4k as it has a 1440p resolution. While it has a good native contrast ratio to display deep blacks and excellent black uniformity, it doesn't have a local dimming feature to improve either of those. Also, it has narrow viewing angles, meaning the image looks washed out from the sides, which isn't ideal if you want to share your screen with someone next to you.
-
Excellent ergonomics.
-
Good native contrast ratio.
-
Excellent black uniformity.
-
Not bright enough to fight intense glare.
-
Narrow viewing angles.
-
Lacks a local dimming feature.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C is good for casual content creators but isn't meant for professional editors. Its accuracy before calibration is just okay, as there are issues with the white balance, so it needs a full calibration for the most accurate image. It also displays a wide range of colors in SDR, but some colors are undersaturated, while others are oversaturated. The excellent ergonomics make it easy to adjust the screen to your liking, but with narrow viewing angles, it's difficult to share your screen with a coworker or client as they'll see a washed-out image from the sides.
-
Good text clarity.
-
Excellent ergonomics.
-
Good reflection handling.
-
Not bright enough to fight intense glare.
-
Narrow viewing angles.
-
Needs calibration for most accurate colors.
The Samsung G51C isn't bad for HDR. It displays deep blacks in dark rooms thanks to its high native contrast ratio and excellent black uniformity, but it lacks a local dimming feature to improve the picture quality in dark scenes. Unfortunately, it doesn't display all the colors needed for HDR, so colors look washed out and aren't realistic, and because it has low peak brightness, highlights don't pop against the rest of the image.
-
Good native contrast ratio.
-
Excellent black uniformity.
-
Lacks a local dimming feature.
-
Doesn't display wide range of colors in HDR.
-
Limited HDR peak brightness.
- 7.5 Mixed Usage
- 7.6 Office
- 7.8 Gaming
- 7.3 Media Consumption
- 7.7 Media Creation
- 6.4 HDR
- Updated Nov 30, 2023: Added that the Gigabyte GS27QC has a faster Response Time at its max refresh rate.
- Updated Nov 15, 2023: Clarified that there's a 32-inch model available in Variants and added its model code.
- Updated Aug 10, 2023: Review published.
- Updated Aug 07, 2023: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 31, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jul 11, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jun 23, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G51C, which is also available in a 32-inch size and performs the same. Released in 2023, it's an updated version of past Odyssey G5 models but isn't a direct replacement either, so the results are only valid for this monitor.
| Model | Full Code | Size(s) | Panel Type | Max Refresh Rate | Curved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S27CG51 | LS27CG512ENXZA | 27" | VA | 165Hz | No |
| S32CG51 | LS32CG512ENXZA | 32" | VA | 165Hz | No |
Our unit was manufactured in March 2023; you can see the label here.
Compared To Other Monitors
The Samsung Odyssey G51C is a good entry-level gaming monitor that offers a few improvements over the previous Samsung Odyssey G5/G55A S27AG55. However, it's still limited in performance compared to the rest of the gaming monitor market. It's fine if you need something simple and cheap as it does the trick, but if you prefer a monitor with better motion handling, you can get better performance with the Samsung Odyssey G5 S27AG50 or the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0), even if they cost a bit more.
See our recommendations for the best budget and cheap gaming monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best gaming monitors under $300.
The Dell S3222DGM and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both entry-level 1440p gaming monitors, but the Dell has a larger 32-inch screen. Although they have the same panel type, there are some differences as the Dell has better motion handling, and also gets brighter, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms. However, the Samsung has a few other advantages, like the fact that it can downscale 4k images from consoles, resulting in a more detailed image than native 1440p, and this is something the Dell can't do. The Samsung also supports HDR, unlike the Dell, but it doesn't add much in terms of performance anyway. Lastly, the Samsung is easier to place in an ideal position thanks to its better ergonomics.
The Dell S2722DGM and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both good gaming monitors, with a few differences. The Dell has a curved screen compared to the flat screen on the Samsung, and the Dell doesn't support HDR either. The Dell is better to use in a well-lit room as it gets brighter, while the Samsung is better for console gaming as it downscales 4k signals, which the Dell doesn't do.
The Gigabyte G27QC and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both entry-level 1440p gaming monitors with a 27-inch screen. They use the same panel type, so there are many similarities in performance, like with their contrast and motion handling, but the Gigabyte gets brighter, making it the better choice for a well-lit room. However, the Samsung has better ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0) is a better budget-friendly gaming monitor than the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51. The Gigabyte has much better motion handling thanks to its faster response time, and it has a few extra features like a USB hub, including a USB-C port. The Gigabyte is also better for everyday use, like if you want to use it in a well-lit room, as it gets brighter and displays a wider range of more accurate colors. The Samsung has an advantage if you want to use it in a dark room because it has a better contrast ratio. The Samsung also has better ergonomics, making placing it in an ideal position easier.
The Dell S3422DWG and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are different types of monitors with similar panel types. The Dell is bigger with an ultrawide screen, offering a more immersive gaming experience and delivering better picture quality. This is because the Dell gets brighter, including in HDR, so highlights pop more. Although the Samsung model has a higher refresh rate, motion looks better on the Dell. One advantage that the Samsung monitor has is its improved ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The AOC CQ27G2 and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both entry-level 1440p gaming monitors with a few similarities. The Samsung has a slightly higher refresh rate, but motion handling is similar between each. The Samsung has better reflection handling and gets a bit brighter, making it a slightly better choice for use in well-lit rooms. The Samsung also supports HDR, which the AOC doesn't, and it has swivel adjustment, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The Gigabyte G34WQC and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are different types of monitors with similar panel types. The Gigabyte is bigger with an ultrawide screen, offering a more immersive gaming experience. The Gigabyte also gets brighter, making it a better choice to use in a well-lit room. Motion handling is similar on both, but the Samsung has a slightly higher 165Hz refresh rate. One advantage that the Samsung model has is its improved ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The AOC CU34G2X and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are different types of monitors with similar panel types. The AOC is bigger with an ultrawide screen, offering a more immersive gaming experience. Picture quality is similar between both, but the AOC displays a wider range of more accurate colors, and the Samsung has better reflection handling. The Samsung has a slightly higher refresh rate and better motion handling, but the difference is minimal. Another advantage that the Samsung model has is its improved ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 and the Samsung Odyssey G5 S27AG50 are both gaming monitors with a 165Hz refresh rate, but there are a few differences. They have different panel types, with the S27CG51 having a higher contrast ratio and the S27AG50 having wider viewing angles. The S27AG50 also has much better motion handling and even gets brighter, making it the better choice if you want to use it in a well-lit room.
The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G55C S27CG55 are both 27-inch gaming monitors. Despite the G5/G51C being marketed as a lower-end monitor, it has better gaming performance. The G5/G51C has a substantially better response time, so fast-moving objects look crisper, and the monitor has considerably lower latency. The G5/G51C also has better ergonomics, so placing it in your preferred position for a long gaming session is easier. However, the G5/G55C gets considerably brighter, and you may prefer it if you're regularly gaming in a brighter room.
The LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both low-cost 1440p gaming monitors, but there are a few differences. The LG is better for most gamers as it has a much faster response time, leading to sharper motion, and it has an overclock for a slightly higher 180Hz refresh rate. The LG also has two USB-A ports to connect your peripherals. Lastly, while the LG is better for use in well-lit rooms thanks to its higher peak brightness, the Samsung is better for dark rooms as it has a higher contrast ratio.
The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 is a newer model than the Samsung Odyssey G5/G55A S27AG55, with a few improvements. The S27CG51 has a flat screen instead of the curved screen on the S27AG55, and its stand offers much better ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal viewing position. The S27CG51 also has a faster response time, but that monitor's motion handling is still limited. On the other hand, the S27AG55 supports DisplayPort 1.4 bandwidth, while the S27CG51 is limited to DisplayPort 1.2 bandwidth, meaning you can reach the S27AG55's max refresh rate even when playing 10-bit games in HDR.
The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 is a newer model than the Samsung Odyssey G5 C27G55T, with a few differences. The S27CG51 has a flat screen compared to the curved screen on the C27G55T and has a slightly higher 165Hz refresh rate. While they both have blurry motion, the S27CG51 does have a faster overall response time. Lastly, the S27CG51 has a different stand with more ergonomic adjustments, making it easier to place in an ideal position than the C27G55T.
The Acer Nitro XV272U KVbmiiprzx is a better 1440p gaming monitor than the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51. The Acer uses a different panel type with better motion handling, and it has a few extra features like a USB hub. The Acer also gets brighter, making it a better choice to use in a well-lit room, and it has wider viewing angles that are ideal if you need to share the screen with someone else. On the other hand, the Samsung is better for use in dark rooms thanks to its superior contrast ratio for deeper blacks.
The Gigabyte G32QC and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are gaming monitors with similar specs. Each has a 1440p resolution and 165Hz refresh rate, but the Gigabyte has a slightly larger 32-inch screen. The main differences come down to their picture quality as the Gigabyte displays a wider range of colors, and it gets brighter, making it a better choice to use in a well-lit room. On the other hand, the main advantage of the Samsung has much better ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal position.
The Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 and the Gigabyte GS27QC are both entry-level gaming monitors with similar specs, but they have a few differences. They each have a 27-inch, 1440p screen, but the Gigabyte is curved to bring the edges closer to you. The Gigabyte also has an advantage for gaming thanks to its better motion handling. On the other hand, the Samsung is better for sharing your screen with someone as it has better ergonomics.
Test Results
The Samsung Odyssey G51C has a gamer-oriented aesthetic with etched lines on the back. There's a blue ring where the stand attaches to the back, but it doesn't feature RGB lighting like on other monitors.
The build quality is decent. While there isn't anything that stands out as being poorly made, the plastic materials don't feel premium, and the bottom bezel isn't perfectly flush with the entire screen either. The screen wobbles on the stand, and it can be hard to remove the stand from the screen, but that's only an issue if you need to mount it anyways.
This monitor has excellent ergonomics, as you can adjust it in many ways. As you can only rotate it into portrait mode in one direction, the bottom-facing inputs will always be facing to the left when rotated, as you can see here. At the minimum height in the standard orientation, the screen is about 0.79" (2 cm) from the bottom of the table. The back of the stand also features a clip for cable management.
There's a single joystick underneath the center of the monitor to control the on-screen display.
- DisplayPort cable
- HDMI cable
- Power supply
- Power cord
- User guides
The Samsung Odyssey G51C has a good native contrast ratio to display fairly deep blacks next to bright highlights in dark rooms.
The Samsung G51C doesn't have a local dimming feature. We still film these videos on the monitor so you can compare the backlight performance with a monitor that has local dimming.
The SDR peak brightness is alright. Its brightness is consistent across different scenes, which is fantastic, and while it doesn't get extremely bright, it's still fine if you have a few lights around. However, it struggles in bright environments, like if you place it opposite a bright window. These results are from after calibration in the 'Custom' Picture Mode with the Brightness at its max.
The HDR brightness is disappointing. Without a local dimming feature, small highlights don't pop against the rest of the image, and they're dull and muted. It doesn't follow the target PQ EOTF either, as it severely darkens images. These results are in the HDR Standard mode with the Brightness at its max.
This monitor has a narrow horizontal viewing angle. Images look washed out and darker from the sides, so it isn't ideal for sharing your screen with others.
The vertical viewing angle is disappointing. The image looks washed out at wide angles, so you won't see a consistent image if you stand up and look down at the monitor.
The gray uniformity is excellent. While some of the edges are a bit darker, the screen is uniform throughout, and there aren't any noticeable issues.
The Samsung G51C has excellent black uniformity. While it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further improve the black levels, there isn't much noticeable blooming around bright objects.
The accuracy before calibration is alright. Although Samsung advertises that it has a dedicated sRGB mode, it isn't available in the list of Picture Modes, as you can see here and here. While colors are still locked to the sRGB color space, most colors are still inaccurate with a cold temperature, meaning they have a blue tint. The white balance is also awful, and the monitor displays too much blue. Lastly, gamma seems to follow a 2.2 target instead of sRGB, so dark scenes are too dark, while bright scenes are slightly over-brightened.
The Samsung G51C has remarkable accuracy after calibration. A full two-point calibration fixes most issues, especially with the white balance and gamma, but some colors are still slightly inaccurate.
The SDR color gamut is excellent. It has near-full coverage of the common sRGB color space, but it's a bit inaccurate as reds and greens are oversaturated, while blues are undersaturated. It also has limited coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, which is disappointing for professional photo editors and publishers.
The SDR color volume is incredible. It displays most bright colors well, and while it does a good job with darker colors, it doesn't perfectly display all dark colors.
The HDR color gamut is disappointing. It doesn't display the wide range of colors needed for HDR content in either the DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 color spaces, and it struggles with tone mapping, so most colors are inaccurate.
The Samsung G51C has an okay HDR color volume. It struggles to display colors as bright as pure white, and it also struggles with dark colors.
The reflection handling is good. It's fine if you have a few lights around, but the glare can be distracting if you place it opposite a bright window.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C has good text clarity. Enabling Windows ClearType (top photo) helps improve the clarity with diagonal lines, but straight lines aren't as bold. These photos are in Windows 10, and you can also see it in Windows 11 with ClearType on and with ClearType off.
The gradient handling is fantastic. While there's some banding with darker colors, you won't notice much banding with most content.
This monitor has FreeSync support that works over DisplayPort and over HDMI (up to 144Hz), but the G-SYNC compatibility only works over DisplayPort. Unfortunately, using VRR in dark scenes can cause some flicker, as you can see here, but it's only in certain scenarios, and it's hard to see.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Standard | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Extreme | Chart | Table | Photo |
| VRR | Chart | Table | Photo |
The response time at the max refresh rate of 165Hz is adequate, but there's visible smearing with fast-moving objects. Enabling FreeSync Premium on the monitor turns off the Response Time setting, so you can't adjust the pixel overdrive with VRR on. That said, motion looks similar with VRR as with the 'Faster' overdrive setting. The downside of using VRR is that there's some flicker in dark scenes, as explained in the Variable Refresh Rate section.
If you find its motion blur too distracting, check out the Gigabyte GS27QC, which has a faster response time.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Standard | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Extreme | Chart | Table | Photo |
| VRR | Chart | Table | Photo |
The Samsung Odyssey G51C has a mediocre response time at 120Hz. There's visible smearing and blur with fast-moving objects. Although enabling VRR turns off the overdrive settings, it performs similarly to using the 'Faster' and 'Extreme' settings, but 'Normal' has a slower response time.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Standard | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Extreme | Chart | Table | Photo |
| VRR | Chart | Table | Photo |
The response time at 60Hz is disappointing. Motion is still blurry with noticeable smearing and even image duplication with fast-moving objects with VRR enabled. With VRR disabled, the 'Faster' and 'Extreme' response times have overshoot that causes inverse ghosting, and using 'Standard' instead results in more black smearing.
| Refresh Rate | Flicker | Motion Photo |
| 165Hz | Chart |  |
| 144Hz | Chart |  |
| 120Hz | Chart |  |
This monitor has an optional backlight strobing feature, otherwise known as black frame insertion. It only works with Refresh Rate in the on-screen display set to 165Hz, 144Hz, or 120Hz, and you can't enable VRR at the same time. While it reduces motion blur, there's still smearing, and it dims the screen.
The backlight doesn't use pulse-width modulation and remains flicker-free at all brightness levels, which helps if you're sensitive to flicker.
The Samsung G51C has low input lag for a responsive feel, and it doesn't increase at lower refresh rates either, which is great.
This monitor works well with the PS5, but without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it can't take full advantage of everything the console offers. You need to disable FreeSync Premium on the monitor for 4k to work with the PS5, but because the VRR doesn't work with the console anyways, it's best to leave that disabled when using the PS5. It displays 4k signals by downscaling them, which results in a more detailed image than native 1440p.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C works well with the Xbox Series X|S but can't take full advantage due to its lack of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. You need to disable VRR on the monitor for 4k to work, and because the Xbox only supports HDR with 4k signals, you can't enable VRR and HDR at the same time. It displays 4k signals by downscaling them, which results in a more detailed image than native 1440p. Besides that, VRR works well with 1080p and 1440p signals up to 120Hz.
Although Samsung advertises it supports DisplayPort 1.4, it's limited to DisplayPort 1.2 bandwidth. Even the on-screen display confirms that it supports DisplayPort 1.2, as you can see here.
You can only use the USB port with a USB drive for firmware updates.
The Samsung Odyssey G51C works well with macOS, and there aren't any obvious issues. VRR works well, and while you can enable HDR, it looks washed out and has a cold color temperature. If you're using a MacBook, windows return to their original place when reopening the lid or after waking the laptop up from sleep.
This entry-level monitor has limited features, and unlike some higher-end Samsung monitors, it doesn't support the Tizen smart platform either. However, it does have a few extra features that you can find in the OSD:
- Black Equalizer: Adjusts gamma so that it's easier to see opponents in dark areas of games.
- Eye Saver Mode: Removes blue light to help with eye strain.
- Refresh Rate: Lets you change the refresh rate directly from the OSD.
- Virtual Aim Point: Displays a virtual crosshair that your game's anti-cheat tool won't detect, giving you a competitive advantage.
