The Samsung Odyssey G5/G55C S27CG55 is a 27-inch, 1440p budget gaming monitor with a 1000R curve. It's also available in a 32-inch size and is very similar to the Samsung Odyssey G5/G55A S27AG55. It joins several other monitors in the budget gaming category, including the Dell G2724D. The Samsung has FreeSync VRR support and a high 165Hz refresh rate. It doesn't have many added features, like a USB hub, but it does have some of Samsung's gaming features, like Virtual Aim Point and Contrast Enhancer.
Our Verdict
The Samsung G55C is mediocre for PC gaming. It has FreeSync VRR and is G-SYNC compatible, and its 165Hz refresh rate is good enough for most gamers. However, fast-moving objects are blurry, and it has issues with its input lag, so it doesn't feel responsive. It has okay picture quality as it displays deep blacks, but it lacks a local dimming feature and doesn't make highlights pop against the rest of the image, especially in HDR.
- Good native contrast.
- 165Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
- Blurry motion with smearing.
- High input lag at 165Hz and 60Hz.
- No local dimming.
- Noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C is disappointing for console gaming. The biggest downside is that it can't take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S due to the lack of HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It also has limited picture quality, so HDR games don't look vivid, but it has a good native contrast ratio. Unfortunately, fast-moving objects are blurry, and while it has low input lag at 120Hz, its input lag increases a lot more at 60Hz, leading to a less responsive feel.
- Good native contrast.
- Low input lag at 120Hz.
- Blurry motion with smearing.
- High input lag at 165Hz and 60Hz.
- Mediocre HDR color gamut and volume.
- Can't take full advantage of gaming consoles.
The Samsung G55C is okay for office work. It has good text clarity and gets bright enough to overcome glare, so you can see your work clearly in a brighter room. Its 27-inch screen is also large enough to open two windows side by side. However, it has terrible ergonomics, with no height or swivel adjustments, so it's difficult to place in your preferred position. Additionally, it has poor viewing angles, so sharing your work with others is difficult.
- Good text clarity.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Terrible ergonomics.
- Poor viewing angles.
The Samsung G55C is decent for content creation. It has good text clarity, and its 27-inch screen is large enough to open two windows side by side. It also has great accuracy before calibration. However, it has poor viewing angles, and its stand doesn't swivel or have a height adjustment, so sharing your work with others is difficult. It also has limited coverage of HDR colors, which is a problem if you need to edit content with these colors.
- Good native contrast.
- Good text clarity.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Great accuracy before calibration.
- Terrible ergonomics.
- Poor viewing angles.
- Mediocre HDR color gamut and volume.
- No dedicated sRGB mode; needs full calibration for best accuracy.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C has okay brightness. It gets bright enough to fight glare in most well-lit rooms, but it fails to make highlights pop in HDR.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Can't make highlights pop in HDR.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C has a bad response time at any refresh rate. Motion looks blurry, and there's noticeable smearing with fast-moving objects.
- Blurry motion with smearing.
- Motion is worse with VRR on than with it off.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C has disappointing HDR picture quality. Although it has a good enough native contrast ratio, it lacks a local dimming feature to improve that further and make small highlights pop against dark backgrounds. It also has a limited HDR color volume, so it fails to display bright and dark colors well.
- Good native contrast.
- No local dimming.
- Mediocre HDR color gamut and volume.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C has okay SDR picture quality. It displays deep blacks in dark rooms, but there's noticeable backlight bleed along the edges as it has poor black uniformity.
- Good native contrast.
- Noticeable backlight bleed.
The Samsung Odyssey G55C has excellent color accuracy. While it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB picture mode, its accuracy before calibration is still great and fine for most people. However, you still need to calibrate it if you need the most accurate colors.
- Great accuracy before calibration.
- No dedicated sRGB mode; needs full calibration for best accuracy.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Aug 11, 2025:
We changed the Screen Finish from 'Semi-Gloss' to 'Matte' to better reflect how its coating interacts with light. We also clarified the height to the top of the screen on its stand.
- Updated Feb 21, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0.1. This includes a new test result for DisplayPort 2.1 Transmission Bandwidth.
- Updated Aug 05, 2024: Clarified in the Variants section that it's also sold at Costco with a different model code.
- Updated May 10, 2024: Corrected a mistake in Refresh Rate as the max refresh rate with 10-bit signals over DisplayPort is 120Hz.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Samsung G55C, which is also sold at Costco with a different full product code. This model is also available in a 32-inch size, although it's a different product, so we don't expect it to perform the same, and our results aren't valid for it.
| Model | Size | Model Code | Resolution | Panel Type | Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G5/G55C | 27" | LS27CG552EMXUE LS27CG554ENXZA (Costco) |
1440p | VA | 165Hz |
| G5/G55C | 32" | LS32CG552EMXUE | 1440p | VA | 165Hz |
Our unit was manufactured in November 2023; you can see the label here. We tested it with firmware M-C5500GGZA-1001.0.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Samsung G55C is a mediocre budget gaming monitor that doesn't match the performance of its competitors in most situations. While it has good contrast and brightness, other monitors in this category have substantially better overall performance. If you're looking for a monitor that performs better overall, take a look at the Dell G2724D. It's better for all uses, particularly gaming. While it has the same refresh rate as the Samsung, the Dell has far better motion handling, so fast-moving objects look crisp, and it has much lower input lag for a more responsive feel.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best budget and cheap monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best 27-inch gaming monitors.
The LG 32GN600-B and the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 are entry-level 1440p gaming monitors with many similarities. Choosing one over the other really comes down to size as the LG has a bigger screen, but because of the smaller screen of the Samsung, it has higher pixel density for sharper text clarity.
The Gigabyte G27QC and the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 have similar specs, but the Gigabyte has a few extra advantages. It has two USB-A ports, which the Samsung doesn't have, making it easier to connect devices. It also has lower input lag for a more responsive feel. Lastly, the Gigabyte offers height adjustment, making it easier to place in your ideal position.
The Dell G2724D and the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 are 27-inch gaming monitors. However, the Dell is the better monitor for most people. The Samsung has better contrast, and you may prefer it if you're gaming in a darker room. However, the Dell has better overall performance. The Dell gets considerably brighter and has better reflection handling, making it the better choice for brighter rooms. The Dell also has a far better response time, so fast-moving objects look crisp, and it has lower input lag for a more responsive feel. Additionally, the Dell has far better ergonomics, so it's easier to place in your preferred position for a long gaming session.
The Samsung Odyssey G55A S27AG55 and the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 are extremely similar 27-inch gaming monitors. The G55C is a newer monitor that gets brighter, making it the better choice in a bright environment. However, the G55A has considerably lower input lag and is the better choice if you want a responsive feel while 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.
Test Results
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