- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Our Verdict
- Video
- Test Results
- Differences
- Compared To Others
- Deals
- Discussions
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is a great super ultrawide gaming monitor. It has a curved 49 inch screen with a 32:9 aspect ratio, spanning nearly your entire field of view to deliver an immersive gaming experience. It has a fast response time and a high refresh rate, and it supports variable refresh rate technology to reduce screen tearing. It can display a wide color gamut and gets extremely bright, allowing it to produce vibrant colors and make highlights pop in HDR content. Sadly, even though it has a VA panel with a decent contrast ratio, blacks still look grayish in the dark, and its black uniformity is bad. There are also some limitations when it comes to its 240Hz refresh rate, as it's only achievable with graphics cards that have the Display Stream Compression (DSC) feature. Lastly, it has a terrible local dimming feature, which is rather disappointing.
Our Verdict
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is an overall good monitor. It has great gaming performance thanks to its low input lag, fast response time, and high refresh rate. Its large screen provides plenty of space to work comfortably, and it has a high pixel density to render text clearly. Unfortunately, it has sub-par ergonomics and narrow viewing angles, which isn't ideal for sharing content or playing co-op games. On the bright side, it can display a wide color gamut and gets bright enough to deliver a great HDR experience.
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Large screen size.
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Good reflection handling.
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Decent contrast ratio.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Sub-par viewing angles.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is decent for office use. Its 49 inch screen allows you to have multiple windows opened side-by-side, and its high pixel density results in sharp images and text. Unfortunately, it has poor ergonomics and sub-par viewing angles, making it hard to adjust the screen to your optimal viewing position or share work with your coworkers.
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Large screen size.
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Good reflection handling.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Sub-par viewing angles.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is great for gaming. It has low input lag, a fast response time, and a high refresh rate, resulting in a responsive and smooth gaming experience. It supports FreeSync to reduce screen tearing and is compatible with NVIDIA's G-SYNC. However, there are limitations regarding its 240Hz refresh rate, as it's only achievable with certain graphics cards. Also, its contrast ratio is only decent, and it has bad black uniformity, so it isn't the best option for gaming in the dark.
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Large screen size.
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Good response time.
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High refresh rate.
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Decent contrast ratio.
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Poor black uniformity.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is good for media consumption. It has a large screen and high resolution to deliver an immersive viewing experience. However, even though it has a VA panel, its contrast ratio is only decent, and it has bad black uniformity, making it less ideal for dark rooms. Additionally, it has sub-par viewing angles and ergonomics, so it isn't the best choice for sharing content.
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Large screen size.
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Good reflection handling.
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Decent contrast ratio.
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Outstanding gray uniformity.
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Poor black uniformity.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Sub-par viewing angles.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is good for content creators. It has a large screen and high resolution, allowing you to work with multiple windows opened side-by-side to improve your workflow. It handles reflections well and gets bright enough to overcome glare. It isn't the best option for sharing your work, though, as it has narrow viewing angles and sub-par ergonomics. On the upside, it has near full coverage of the sRGB color space and decent color accuracy out-of-the-box.
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Large screen size.
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Good reflection handling.
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Decent contrast ratio.
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Outstanding gray uniformity.
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Poor black uniformity.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Sub-par viewing angles.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is decent for HDR gaming. It has low input lag, a fast response time, and a high refresh rate to deliver an incredibly smooth gaming experience. It can display a wide color gamut and gets bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR. Sadly, it has a terrible local dimming feature, bad black uniformity, and its VA panel's contrast ratio is only decent, so blacks still look grayish in the dark.
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Large screen size.
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Gets very bright in HDR.
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High refresh rate.
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Decent contrast ratio.
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Poor black uniformity.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Terrible local dimming.
- 7.7 Mixed Usage
- 7.4 Office
- 8.2 Gaming
- 7.6 Multimedia
- 7.7 Media Creation
- 7.2 HDR Gaming
- Updated Sep 01, 2021: The build quality and ergonomics photos were inversed.
- Updated Oct 23, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Oct 16, 2020: Early access published.
Video
Test Results
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is a super ultrawide monitor with a very aggressive curve. It has relatively thin borders, a wide V-shaped stand, and some RGB lighting on the back.
The stand's feet are very wide but thin, so there's still a good amount of usable desk space in front. It doesn't support the monitor all that well as there's a lot of wobble, but that's mostly due to its super ultrawide format.
The ergonomics are sub-par, although it's somewhat expected of an ultrawide monitor with such an aggressive curve.
The back of the monitor has a futuristic design that isn't too gamer-oriented. There's some RGB lighting where the stand connects to the screen, and there's a small plastic hook near the top of the stand to hold your headphones. The stand's white plastic cover is removable, allowing you to hide the cables and route them to the bottom for cable management. You can VESA-mount it, and it comes with a VESA adaptor and screws included in the box.
The screen is very thick, and the stand also takes up a fair amount of space, so you need a large desk to put it on.
The Samsung Odyssey G9's build quality is great, similar to the Samsung Odyssey G7. The screen is made out of decent-quality plastic, and the stand is metal but covered with a plastic shell. This plastic shell is fairly thin and feels like it can break easily when removed; however, it shouldn't be a problem when installed. Also, the headphone hook is pretty flimsy. There aren't any issues with the overall construction, but it wobbles a lot, which is somewhat expected of a center-mounted super ultrawide monitor.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a VA panel, but its contrast ratio is only decent, making blacks look grayish in the dark. It's just a little lower than the advertised 2500:1; however, it can vary between individual units. The local dimming doesn't seem to do much in SDR, as the contrast remains almost unchanged. That said, it's much lower with local dimming enabled in HDR, as the large vertical dimming zones also light up the black squares in our test pattern, causing the contrast to drop to 446:1. In regular content, the contrast is expected to drop with local dimming enabled.
Unfortunately, the Samsung Odyssey G9's local dimming is terrible, and it only works in HDR, not in SDR mode. There are only vertical lighting zones, so the entire column lights up if there's a small object anywhere on the screen. When lit, the black level rises significantly and is very distracting, as there's a big difference between the zones that are lit and those that aren't. Zone transition seems to be faster in the middle than at the edges of the screen, so while the center zones react quickly to objects going in and out, the zones at the edges of the screen are almost always on. Overall, it looks better without local dimming in regular HDR content.
The replacement to this monitor, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has much better local dimming because it has Mini LED backlighting.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has great SDR peak brightness. It's very consistent across different content and is bright enough to overcome glare in bright lighting conditions.
We measured the SDR peak brightness after calibration in the 'Custom' Picture Mode, with Brightness set to max and Local Dimming set to 'Auto'.
The screen can get much brighter, reaching a peak of 639 cd/m² in the 10% window, but only in the 'High Brightness' Picture Mode with Local Dimming and Dynamic Brightness enabled.
The Samsung Odyssey G9's HDR peak brightness is great. It varies a lot depending on the scene, but overall, it's bright enough to deliver a fantastic HDR experience. It's advertised as having VESA HDR1000 certification, which requires 1000cd/m² brightness in the peak 100% window, so it's only slightly below.
We measured the HDR peak brightness with the Backlight set to max and Local Dimming set to 'Auto'. Dynamic Brightness is enabled automatically when you turn on local dimming.
Like most monitors with a VA panel, the Samsung Odyssey G9 has sub-par horizontal viewing angles. Images look washed out from the sides, which isn't ideal for sharing content or playing co-op games. Due to its wide format, the edges of the screen can look inaccurate if you sit too close; however, the screen's curvature helps mitigate this issue.
The vertical viewing angles are sub-par. This causes the image to look inaccurate if you have the monitor mounted above eye level.
Our unit of the Samsung Odyssey G9 has outstanding gray uniformity. The edges appear slightly brighter than the center, and there's a bit of dirty screen effect. However, it shouldn't be noticeable in regular content. Uniformity is much better in near-dark scenes. Note that gray uniformity can vary between individual units.
Black uniformity on our unit of the Samsung Odyssey G9 is bad. Without local dimming, there's visible backlight bleed along the top and bottom edges of the screen. Additionally, due to the screen's curvature, the photo is cropped and doesn't show the corners where the backlight bleed is far worse. With local dimming enabled, the test cross causes the entire vertical lighting zone to light up, which is quite distracting. Note that black uniformity can vary between individual units.
Out-of-the-box, the color accuracy is decent. Most colors and white balance are inaccurate, and the color temperature is on the cooler side, resulting in a blueish tint. Gamma follows the sRGB curve reasonably well, but most scenes are darker than they should be. Note that color accuracy can vary between individual units.
After calibration, the Samsung Odyssey G9 has exceptional color accuracy. The remaining inaccuracies shouldn't be visible to the naked eye, and the color temperature is almost right on our 6500K target. Gamma is significantly improved, but both dark and bright scenes are now slightly over-brightened. We encountered a bug during testing, causing our calibration settings to reset and return to the default values. We'll retest it once a firmware update is available.
You can download our ICC profile calibration here. This is provided for reference only and shouldn't be used, as the calibration values vary per individual unit even for the same model due to manufacturing tolerances.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has an outstanding SDR color gamut. It covers nearly the entire sRGB color space used in most content, and it has great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing.
Exceptional SDR color volume. It has trouble displaying dark colors as its contrast ratio is only decent.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a decent HDR color gamut. It has great coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, but its Rec. 2020 coverage is much more limited. Note that the DCI P3 coverage is lower than the advertised 95%. This is due to the way we measure DCI P3. We measure it by sending a Rec. 2020 signal, but unlike most reviewers, we limit the colors to the DCI P3 primaries. This results in a lower but arguably more accurate measurement.
Decent HDR color volume. It doesn't display dark colors well due to its lower contrast ratio, and it has difficulty with bright blues, which is typical for LCDs.
There's some image retention after displaying a high contrast image for ten minutes; however, it dissipates quickly. Note that image retention can vary between individual units.
The Samsung Odyssey G9's gradient handling is superb. There's only a little bit of banding in the greens and grays, but it shouldn't be noticeable in regular content.
There are no signs of color bleed on the Samsung Odyssey G9.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has good reflection handling. Combined with the screen's high brightness, you shouldn't have any visibility issues in bright lighting conditions.
Text clarity is good. Window ClearType helps make the letters look more fleshed-out (top photo), especially diagonal lines. The photo of the pixels looks blurry due to the screen's anti-reflective coating.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Standard | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a good response time when running at its max refresh rate, resulting in only a short blur trail behind fast-moving objects. The best overdrive setting is 'Standard', as it's the option with the least amount of overshoot.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Standard | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The Samsung Odyssey G9's response time at 60Hz is outstanding. Again, the best overdrive setting is 'Standard' because the 'Faster' and 'Fastest' options have too much overshoot.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 uses Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) to dim the backlight; however, the flickering frequency is extremely high and shouldn't be visible. There are reports of visible image flickering when HDR is enabled at 240Hz, but the issue isn't present on our unit.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 doesn't have an optional Black Frame Insertion feature.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a very high refresh rate to deliver a smooth and responsive gaming experience. It supports FreeSync and is compatible with G-SYNC as well. However, there are some limitations. The maximum refresh rate is limited to 60Hz over HDMI, and VRR isn't available. Over DisplayPort, it's only possible to get 240Hz with graphics cards that have the Display Stream Compression (DSC) feature, such as NVIDIA RTX 20- Series cards and AMD 5300 or newer. It should work with NVIDIA 30- series cards, but there are issues with the drivers, so we'll retest it once a firmware update is available. With our Radeon graphics card, we can only achieve a maximum of 120Hz. There are reports of image flickering when VRR is enabled, like on the Samsung Odyssey G7, but it isn't present on our unit.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has exceptionally low input lag. However, there seems to be a bug that's causing the input lag to ramp up over time when playing at 60Hz, reaching 25.3ms to 27.2ms after two minutes. Due to testing limitations, it isn't possible to get a signal at the native resolution with 10-bit HDR over an HDMI connection; it's only possible if we lower the resolution to 3840 x 1080. That said, we don't expect HDR to have much impact on the input lag. Lastly, it isn't possible to enable VRR when the monitor is set to 60Hz from the on-screen display.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a massive screen that's equivalent to two 27 inch, 16:9 screens placed side-by-side, delivering an immersive gaming experience, and providing plenty of space for multitasking. The pixel density is also the same as a 27 inch 1440p monitor, so images and text look sharp. Note that not all games support a 32:9 aspect ratio, so you might get some black bars on the side, or the image might be stretched out to fill up the whole screen. If you find the 32:9 aspect ratio too big, then check out the Samsung Odyssey G5 LC34G55T, which has a 21:9 aspect ratio.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 has a few additional features, including:
- Crosshair: Adds a virtual crosshair on the screen for shooter games.
- Black Stabilizer: Makes objects more visible in dark scenes.
- Frame Rate Counter: Adds an overlay displaying current frame rate.
- RGB Lighting: RGB lighting on the back of the monitor. You can set it to 52 different colors.
- Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture: Lets you display images from two input sources simultaneously.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Samsung Odyssey G9 (LC49G95TSSNXZA), and there are no other variants. However, it's part of Samsung's Odyssey monitor lineup, which includes the Samsung Odyssey G5 and the Samsung Odyssey G7. Both the G5 and G7 are available in a 27 and 32 inch size.
| Size | North America | UK | Italy | Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49" | LC49G95TSSNXZA | LC49G95TSSUXEN | LC49G95TSSUXEN | LC49G94TSSUXZG |
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Odyssey G9 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, such as gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit of the Samsung Odyssey G9 was manufactured in June 2020; you can see the label here.
Compared To Other Monitors
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is a great super ultrawide gaming monitor; however, its 240Hz refresh rate is only achievable if you have a graphics card that has Display Stream Compression. Otherwise, the Samsung C49RG9/CRG9 might be a better choice as it has a faster response time and gets much brighter in SDR. For more options, you can check out our recommendations for the best ultrawide gaming monitors, the best 34 inch + monitors, and the best 240Hz monitors.
Overall, the Samsung Odyssey G9 is a bit better than the Samsung C49RG9/CRG9, mainly due to its higher refresh rate and lower input lag. However, the CRG9 has significantly less overshoot when running at its maximum refresh rate even though its response time is slightly slower, and it gets much brighter in SDR.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is a bit better than the Samsung C49HG90/CHG90. The G9 has a higher resolution, a higher refresh rate, and gets a lot brighter in SDR and HDR. However, the CHG90 has a higher contrast ratio to produce deeper blacks.
The LG 49WL95C-W and the Samsung Odyssey G9 are very different despite having the same size, resolution, and aspect ratio. The LG is a productivity monitor with a basic 60Hz refresh rate with no VRR support, while the Samsung is more gaming-focused, with a 240Hz refresh rate. The LG has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles, but it isn't as good for dark rooms as the Samsung because it has a low contrast ratio. The Samsung delivers a much better HDR experience because it has a wider color gamut and gets a lot brighter in HDR.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 and the Dell U4919DW have the same size, aspect ratio, and resolution; however, they're intended for different uses. The Samsung is a gaming monitor with faster response time, lower input lag, and a much higher refresh rate. On the other hand, the Dell is an office monitor with much wider viewing angles, better reflection handling, and better color accuracy out-of-the-box.
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 replaces the Samsung Odyssey G9 and upgrades in a few ways. The major difference is that the Neo G9 has Mini LED backlighting, so it gets brighter and has much better local dimming. It also has HDMI 2.1 inputs, while the G9 has HDMI 2.0, so you can achieve a higher refresh rate over HDMI on the Neo G9. The G9 has slightly better response times, but it's not really a noticeable difference.
The LG 38GL950G-B is better than the Samsung Odyssey G9 overall; however, they're very different monitors. The LG has an IPS panel with much wider viewing angles, better color accuracy, and significantly faster response time. The Samsung has a VA panel, gets a lot brighter, and has a higher refresh rate. The Samsung has native FreeSync support, while the LG is a G-SYNC monitor.
Overall, the Samsung Odyssey G7 LC32G75T is better than the Samsung Odyssey G9. The G7 has a higher contrast ratio, significantly faster response time, and a black frame insertion feature to improve motion clarity. However, the G9 has a bigger screen and gets much brighter.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 and the Gigabyte M27Q are very different monitors. The Gigabyte has a 27 inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio, while the Samsung has a 49 inch screen with a 32:9 aspect ratio, essentially twice the size of the Gigabyte. The Samsung has a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, but the Gigabyte has a better response time. The Samsung is better for dark rooms because it has a VA panel with a much higher contrast ratio, and it also delivers a better HDR experience.
The Gigabyte G34WQC and the Samsung Odyssey G9 score similarly overall, but there are many differences between them. The Gigabyte has a 21:9 aspect ratio, whereas the Samsung has a 32:9, which is much wider. The Samsung has a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, significantly higher HDR peak brightness, and faster response time, although with more overshoot. The Gigabyte has a higher contrast ratio and a Black Frame Insertion feature.
The LG 34GN850-B is marginally better than the Samsung Odyssey G9. The LG has an IPS panel with much wider viewing angles, better color accuracy, and significantly faster response time when running at its maximum refresh rate. However, the Samsung has a bigger 32:9 screen, a better contrast ratio, and a higher refresh rate.
The Acer Nitro XF243Y and the Samsung Odyssey G9 are very different monitors. The Acer is a 16:9 1080p monitor with an IPS panel, while the Samsung is a 32:9 1440p monitor with a VA panel. Gaming-wise, the Samsung has a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, but the Acer has better response times. The Samsung is a better choice for dark rooms and provides a better HDR experience due to its higher peak brightness. However, the Acer has wider viewing angles and better ergonomics, making it better for sharing content and playing co-op games.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 and the Dell AW3821DW are two great gaming monitors, but with different features. The Dell has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, making it easier to share your screen for co-op gaming. It also has native G-SYNC support and a quicker response time at its max refresh rate. The Samsung has a VA panel with a better contrast ratio, so it can display deeper blacks. It has a higher 240Hz refresh rate and native FreeSync support. Also, it has a much wider 49 inch screen and 5120x1440 resolution, making it a better choice for atmospheric gaming. Choosing one over the other really comes down to personal gaming preferences.
The LG 38GN950-B and the Samsung Odyssey G9 are both great ultrawide gaming monitors but also very different. The LG is a 38 inch IPS model with a 21:9 aspect ratio, while the Samsung is a 49 inch VA model with a 32:9 aspect ratio. This means that the Samsung has a wider format and is better suited for dark rooms, but its viewing angles are worse. The Samsung has a higher refresh rate of 240Hz compared to the LG's 160Hz; however, the LG has significantly better response times. The LG has a much wider color gamut, especially its DCI P3 coverage, and it gets brighter in HDR real scenes, though the Samsung can get brighter in some instances.
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQ scores higher overall than the Samsung Odyssey G9; however, they're very different monitors. The ASUS is a 4k monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 144Hz refresh rate, while the Samsung is a 32:9 1440p monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate. The ASUS has much wider viewing angles and better response time. The Samsung has a VA panel with a much higher contrast ratio, and it gets a lot brighter in HDR.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 is significantly better than the MSI Optix G273. The Samsung has a larger, higher-resolution screen, so it's better for multitasking and it delivers a more immersive gaming experience. The Samsung also has a faster refresh rate, and it delivers better motion handling, better picture quality, and a better overall experience.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 and the HP X24ih are two very different monitors. The Samsung is a 49 inch super ultrawide model with a 32:9 aspect ratio, providing you enough space to multitask. It has a higher 5120x1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR, which the HP doesn't, and has a VA panel with a higher contrast ratio. On the other hand, the HP is a basic 24 inch monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Its IPS panel also offers wider viewing angles than the Samsung, making it easier to share your screen with others.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 and the Acer Nitro RG241Y Pbiipx are very different monitors. The Samsung is a super ultrawide with a 32:9 aspect ratio and a 1440p resolution, while the Acer is a 16:9 monitor with a 1080p resolution. The Samsung has a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, a better contrast ratio, and higher peak brightness. It also has a better SDR and HDR color gamut and lower input lag. However, the Acer has wider viewing angles and better response time.
Overall, the Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx is a bit better than the Samsung Odyssey G9. The Acer has an IPS panel with much wider viewing angles, significantly faster response time, and a Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur. However, the Samsung has a bigger screen for a more immersive gaming experience, a higher refresh rate, and it gets much brighter in both SDR and HDR.
