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Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Sep 17, 2021 at 10:14 am
Latest change: Writing modified Nov 20, 2023 at 01:32 pm
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 Picture
8.1
Mixed Usage
7.8
Office
8.8
Gaming
7.9
Media Consumption
7.7
Media Creation
8.1
HDR

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 is a super ultrawide gaming monitor with a 49 inch screen and 32:9 aspect ratio. It's an upgraded model of the Samsung Odyssey G9 that features Mini LED backlighting, allowing it to get brighter and have greater control over the local dimming. In fact, it has the best local dimming we've seen on any LED-backlit monitor as it rivals that of TVs and helps it display deep blacks. Since it's a gaming monitor, it has a high 240Hz refresh rate with native support for FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) technology and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. It's even future-proof as it has HDMI 2.1 inputs so you can take full advantage of the next-gen gaming consoles or graphics cards. It delivers stunning picture quality in SDR, and the HDR experience has drastically improved with the latest firmware update.

Our Verdict

8.1 Mixed Usage

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is great for most uses. The large, high-resolution screen provides enough space for multitasking and it gets bright enough to combat glare in a well-lit office space. It's good for content creators and media consumers because it displays deep blacks and has a good local dimming feature. It's also excellent for gaming as it has two HDMI 2.1 inputs with a high refresh rate, VRR support, low input lag, and a quick response time.

Pros
  • Enough screen space for multitasking.
  • Fantastic SDR peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
  • 240Hz refresh rate with FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility.
  • Great contrast and good Mini LED local dimming for deep blacks.
Cons
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
  • Issues with VRR at 60Hz.
7.8 Office

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is good for office use. It has a large 49 inch screen with a 5120x1440 resolution, so you can easily open multiple windows side-by-side. Visibility shouldn't be an issue in most bright environments because it has fantastic peak brightness and decent reflection handling. Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles and an aggressive curvature so it's not ideal for sharing with a coworker or client.

Pros
  • Enough screen space for multitasking.
  • Fantastic SDR peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
  • Stand offers height, tilt, and swivel adjustments.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
8.8 Gaming

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is excellent for gaming. It has a 240Hz refresh rate with native FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility, but there are some bugs with its VRR. It has low input lag and a quick response time, but its response time is slower than most 240Hz monitors. It also has HDMI 2.1 inputs for high frame rate gaming. It's fantastic for dark room gaming because it displays deep blacks and has a good local dimming feature.

Pros
  • 240Hz refresh rate with FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility.
  • HDMI 2.1 inputs.
  • Great contrast and good Mini LED local dimming for deep blacks.
  • Good motion handling.
Cons
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
  • Issues with VRR at 60Hz.
7.9 Media Consumption

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is great for consuming multimedia content. The 32:9 aspect ratio and 49 inch screen allow you to watch your favorite shows while having other windows open next to it, but there will be black bars if you watch content in full-screen mode. It performs best in dark rooms because it has a high native contrast to display deep blacks, and even in bright rooms, it gets bright enough to fight glare.

Pros
  • Fantastic SDR peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
  • Stand offers height, tilt, and swivel adjustments.
  • Great contrast and good Mini LED local dimming for deep blacks.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
7.7 Media Creation

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is good for content creators. The super ultrawide screen provides enough space so you can see all your work in front of you without having to scroll. It displays a wide SDR color gamut with excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. It also has fantastic brightness and decent reflection handling if you work in a well-lit office. Sadly, it has narrow viewing angles so it's not a good choice to share your screen with someone else. Also, its aggressive curve may not be ideal for photo editing with straight lines.

Pros
  • Enough screen space for multitasking.
  • Fantastic SDR peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
  • Great contrast and good Mini LED local dimming for deep blacks.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
8.1 HDR

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 delivers a great HDR experience. It has great contrast and a good Mini LED local dimming feature, resulting in deep blacks. HDR content is amazingly bright, so highlights in games and movies stand out the way the content creator intended. It also has a great HDR color gamut, with fantastic coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used by most current HDR content. It also has incredible gradient handling, with very little banding in areas of similar color.

Pros
  • Great contrast and good Mini LED local dimming for deep blacks.
  • Excellent peak brightness in HDR.
  • Great HDR color gamut.
  • Exceptional gradient handling.
Cons
  • Aggressive screen curve makes it hard to share screen.
  • Disappointing black uniformity.
  • 8.1 Mixed Usage
  • 7.8 Office
  • 8.8 Gaming
  • 7.9 Media Consumption
  • 7.7 Media Creation
  • 8.1 HDR
  1. Updated Nov 20, 2023: Added that the newer Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NC S57CG95 has a KVM Switch.
  2. Updated Aug 30, 2023: Added that this monitor is a better super ultrawide gaming monitor than the LG 49GR85DC-B in the Compared to Other Monitors section.
  3. Updated Aug 04, 2023: Added in the Variants section that the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 is a newer version of this monitor with a QD-OLED panel.
  4. Updated Jun 09, 2023: Added that the Samsung Odyssey Ark S55BG970 has a bigger screen, with twice the Screen Area.
  5. Updated Apr 18, 2023: Confirmed that 1440p works on this monitor with the PS5.
  6. Updated Apr 12, 2023: Added that the LG 45GR95QE-B is another 240Hz ultrawide monitor with an even better Contrast ratio.
  7. Updated Feb 21, 2023: Updated the monitor to firmware 1011 and retested the HDR Brightness, HDR Color Gamut, and HDR Color Volume. The update only results in minor differences in performance.
  8. Updated Aug 08, 2022: Explained differences between this and the new Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 in the Black Uniformity section.
  9. Updated May 02, 2022: We tested the monitor with the PS5's new variable refresh rate feature and confirmed that even though the monitor supports HDMI Forum VRR, it's not working properly.
  10. Updated Apr 08, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.2, resulting in changes to the results and scores with the Response Time and Input Lag. Added tests for Console Compatibility and macOS compatibility and made minor changes to other tests, which you can see in our Changelog.
  11. Updated Oct 25, 2021: We checked the Neo G9 to see if it has the same scanline issue as the Odyssey G7.
  12. Updated Oct 19, 2021: We retested HDR peak brightness, color gamut, and color volume with the latest firmware.
  13. Updated Sep 17, 2021: Review published.
  14. Updated Sep 15, 2021: Early access published.
  15. Updated Sep 02, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  16. Updated Aug 31, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  17. Updated Aug 14, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, which is the only variant available for the 2021 model in the AG900 lineup. It's an updated version of the Samsung Odyssey G9 from 2020 with Mini LED backlighting. It's part of Samsung's Odyssey Series, which includes the models listed below, and the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95, a newer version of this monitor with a QD-OLED panel. The results for this monitor aren't valid for those.

Size Model Name Short Model Code Refresh Rate Resolution HDMI Type
27" Odyssey G5 C27G55T 144Hz 2560x1440 2.0
34" Odyssey G5 C34G55T 165Hz 3440x1440 2.0
27", 32" Odyssey G7 C27G75T/C32G75T 240Hz 2560x1440 2.0
49" Odyssey G9 C49G95T 240Hz 5120x1440 2.0
49" Odyssey Neo G9 S49AG952N 240Hz 5120x1440 2.1

If someone comes across a different type of panel or their Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update it. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between units.

Our unit of the Neo G9 was manufactured in June 2021; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a great overall monitor with Mini LED backlighting. It has the best local dimming feature we've seen on any LED-backlit monitor, and it gets very bright. It has HDMI 2.1 inputs, which is an advantage if you have the next-gen gaming consoles, but it doesn't offer anything different if you use a DisplayPort connection. The issues with HDR have been nearly completely fixed with the latest firmware, and if you want a super ultrawide gaming monitor, it's a better choice than the LG 49GR85DC-B.

Check our recommendations for the best ultrawide monitors, the best monitors for watching multimedia content, and the best 1440p monitors. See also our recommendations for the best gaming mice and the best gaming keyboards.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 is a newer version of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95, and both monitors use different panels. The OLED G9 has a QD-OLED panel that lets it display much deeper blacks in dark rooms with perfect black uniformity, and it also has better motion handling. On the other hand, the Neo G9 uses Mini LED backlighting that gets much brighter, but the OLED G9 still delivers more vivid colors. One difference is that the OLED panel on the OLED G9 risks burn-in and has text clarity issues, so if you need something for productivity use, the Neo G9 is the better choice. However, the OLED G9 is still better for watching multimedia content and gaming.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NC S57CG95

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NC S57CG95 is a newer monitor than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95, and there are some differences. The G95NC has a larger 57-inch screen and higher resolution, so it also has better text clarity. The G95NC has better motion handling at the max refresh rate of 240Hz, but the G95NA has better motion handling at lower refresh rates. The G95NC has a few extra features, like DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth and a KVM switch, but the G95NA performs better in some areas, like its local dimming feature that has less blooming.

Samsung Odyssey G9

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 replaces the Samsung Odyssey G9 and upgrades it 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.

LG 49GR85DC-B

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the LG 49GR85DC-B are similar super ultrawide monitors with a 5120x1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, but the Samsung has a few advantages. The main difference is that the Samsung monitor uses Mini LED backlighting for deeper blacks and brighter highlights. The Samsung also has better text clarity and less motion smearing than the LG, delivering an overall better experience.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 are both excellent 240Hz monitors with different resolutions and aspect ratios. While the Neo G9 has an ultrawide screen with a 5120x1440 resolution, the Neo G8 has a standard 16:9 aspect ratio and 4k resolution. The HDR performance is better overall on the Neo G9 as it gets brighter and has better local dimming, so if that's important to you, go with the Neo G9.

Samsung C49RG9/CRG9

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 is an overall improvement from the Samsung C49RG9/CRG9, which came out two years before the Neo G9. The Neo G9 has HDMI 2.1 inputs, meaning you can achieve a much higher refresh rate over HDMI, and it has a 240Hz max refresh rate compared to 120Hz on the CRG9. The Neo G9 also has better motion handling because it has a much quicker response time on the 'Standard' overdrive setting. The Neo G9 uses Mini LED backlighting, allowing it to get a bit brighter and have a much better local dimming feature, so there's less blooming.

LG 45GR95QE-B

The LG 45GR95QE-B and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 are both large monitors with excellent gaming performance and a 240Hz refresh rate, but there are a few differences. The Samsung is a super ultrawide monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio and has better image clarity than the LG. The Samsung uses Mini LED backlighting that gets much brighter too, but it doesn't display the same deep blacks as the OLED panel on the LG. The LG is a bit smaller with a 21:9 aspect ratio, and it also has wider viewing angles that keep the image consistent no matter where you view it from.

Dell Alienware AW3423DWF

The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 are both fantastic ultrawide gaming monitors with a few differences. The Samsung is a super ultrawide display with an even bigger 49-inch screen compared to the Dell. They also use different panel technologies as the Samsung gets brighter thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, while the Dell displays perfect blacks due to its QD-OLED panel. Lastly, the Samsung has a higher 240Hz refresh rate which you can use for gaming at a high frame rate.

LG 49WL95C-W

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the LG 49WL95C-W are different types of super ultrawide monitors. The LG has a focus on productivity so it has a less aggressive curve, making it easier to share your screen with others, and it has wider viewing angles. The LG also has a better selection of inputs like a USB-C input. However, the Samsung is an ultrawide gaming monitor with a much higher 240Hz refresh rate and VRR support. Its VA panel has a better contrast ratio, and it has Mini LED backlighting, which allows it to get brighter and have good local dimming.

Dell Alienware AW3423DW

If you tend to game in dark rooms, the Dell Alienware AW3423DW is a better choice because it delivers deeper blacks than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95. The Dell also has a quicker response time, which is great if you care about fantastic motion handling. However, the Samsung is better in well-lit rooms because it gets much brighter, and it's better for an immersive gaming experience thanks to the larger screen.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 are both great monitors with similar features but different screen specs. While the Neo G7 has a 32-inch screen with a 4k resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio, the Neo G9 is an ultrawide display with a 49-inch screen, 5120x1440 resolution, and 32:9 aspect ratio. Choosing one over the other depends on which format you prefer. Besides that, they each have Mini LED local dimming, which performs better on the Neo G9, but they each have the same flicker issues with low-frame-rate content.

Samsung Odyssey Ark S55BG970

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the Samsung Odyssey Ark S55BG970 are both great monitors that have their pros and cons. The Ark has a bigger screen as it's the equivalent of placing two of the Neo G9s on top of each other, and because of this, it's the better choice for sitting back and watching your favorite movies and shows. You can also rotate the Ark into portrait mode, giving you even more vertical screen height. However, the Neo G9 is better for PC gaming as it has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, and unlike the Ark, it has a DisplayPort input. The Neo G9 also has better motion handling, particularly at lower refresh rates.

Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T

The Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 are both excellent gaming monitors with different screen sizes. The Neo G9 is a super ultrawide monitor with a 49-inch screen and 32:9 aspect ratio, while the G7 is available in 27 and 32-inch sizes with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The Neo G9 has Mini LED backlighting which provides better control over the local dimming, so it displays deeper and more uniform blacks. The Neo G9 also gets brighter. The G7 has better motion handling because it has quicker response times and less overshoot on the 'Standard' overdrive setting than the Neo G9.

Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 are both excellent gaming monitors with different types of screens. The Samsung has a wider 49-inch screen with a 32:9 aspect ratio compared to the 21:9 aspect ratio of the Corsair, and it has a higher 5120x1440 resolution, resulting in better image clarity. The Samsung also has an LED-backlit LCD panel that gets much brighter and doesn't risk burn-in like the Corsair, but the Corsair displays deeper blacks. While they each have a 240Hz refresh rate, motion looks better on the Samsung, thanks to its near-instantaneous response time. Both monitors also have a curved screen, but the display on the Corsair is bendable, so you can make it flat.

Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The Samsung has an ultrawide VA panel, and it's significantly brighter than the Gigabyte. The Gigabyte, on the other hand, has an OLED panel, which delivers much deeper, inky blacks with perfect uniformity and no blooming around bright objects. Unfortunately, this OLED panel also comes with a risk of permanent burn-in.

LG 48 C1 OLED

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 is a different type of display than the LG 48 C1 OLED, even though they have similar screen sizes. The Samsung is a super ultrawide LED monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio, and the LG is a TV that we tested as a monitor, so it has a more traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. The LG has an OLED panel, providing a near-infinite contrast ratio and perfect black uniformity, but the Samsung's LED panel gets significantly brighter. They each have HDMI 2.1 inputs, but the Samsung has a much higher 240Hz refresh rate, which you can achieve using a DisplayPort connection, compared to the LG's 120Hz. Despite the faster refresh rate, the LG has a near-instantaneous response time, so motion looks better. The main advantage of the LED panel over the OLED is that the Samsung won't suffer from the risk of burn-in.

LG 38GN950-B

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and the LG 38GN950-B are both ultrawide gaming monitors with different panel types and screen sizes. The Samsung has a larger 49 inch screen with a 32:9 aspect ratio compared to the 38 inch screen and 21:9 aspect ratio on the LG. The Samsung also has a VA panel with a better contrast, but the LG's IPS panel has better viewing angles. Even though the Samsung has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, motion handling is better on the LG. They both have local dimming features, but it's much better on the Samsung thanks to the Mini LED backlighting.

Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0)

The Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0) and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 are very different types of monitors. The Gigabyte is a 27-inch 1440p monitor, while the Samsung is a 49-inch, 5120x1440 display, which is the equivalent of placing two of the Gigabytes side by side. The Gigabyte also has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles, and the Samsung has a VA panel with much better contrast. The Samsung features Mini LED backlighting, meaning it gets much brighter, and it has a good full-array local dimming feature. However, motion looks much smoother on the Gigabyte because there's less overshoot.

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Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
Yes
Curve Radius
1000R

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a large monitor with an aggressive curve. It looks a lot like the Samsung Odyssey G9 with black borders on the front and a white panel in the back. The stand is also black but has a white panel cover for cable management. It's mainly plastic with a bit of chrome trim around.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures N/A
8.0
Design
Build Quality

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has great build quality. It's mainly made of plastic, but the stand is sturdy metal and supports the screen well considering its large size. The plastic on the back feels decent, but the cover for the inputs is flimsy. The height adjustment on the stand isn't the best as it doesn't stay in place when you set it to its lowest. Overall, besides these minors issues, it's a solid monitor, and there's nothing cheap about it.

6.5
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
4.7" (12.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-15° to 2.5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
-15° to 15°
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

Due to the super ultrawide format, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has just okay ergonomics. You can adjust the height, tilt it, or swivel it a bit, but you obviously can't rotate it into portrait mode.

The back of the monitor is exactly like the Samsung Odyssey G9. It's mainly white with a bit of texture and black trim throughout. There's a ring that lights up in blue where the stand attaches to the screen. Cable management is done through the stand and there are covers on the stand and back panel to keep the setup clean.

Design
Stand
Base Width
31.6" (80.2 cm)
Base Depth
12.7" (32.3 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
16.5" (41.9 cm)
Weight (With Display)
32.4 lbs (14.7 kg)

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9's stand is wide-set and takes up a lot of space, but the feet are spread apart, so you can still place stuff in front. The stand holds it well considering the size of the screen, but you may still notice some wobble, which is normal.

Design
Display
Size
49"
Housing Width
45.3" (115.1 cm)
Housing Height
14.4" (36.6 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
11.2" (28.4 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
26.7 lbs (12.1 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.4" (1.1 cm)
Design
Controls

There's a joystick and three buttons to control the on-screen display underneath the right side of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
Internal

  • HDMI cable
  • DisplayPort cable
  • USB-B to USB-A cable
  • Power cable
  • VESA adapter
  • User guides
  • Not shown: Cable management covers for back panel and stand

Picture Quality
8.2
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
2,866 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
14,843 : 1

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has a great contrast ratio. The native contrast is very good, which is typical of VA panels, and the local dimming feature does an incredible job of improving the contrast. It displays deep blacks when viewed in the dark, and it's the best contrast with local dimming that we've seen on an LED-backlit monitor. However, if you want a 240Hz ultrawide monitor with a near-infinite contrast, consider the LG 45GR95QE-B.

7.5
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has a good full-array local dimming feature. It's the first monitor we've tested with Mini LED backlighting, and it has 2048 zones. It does a fantastic job at improving the contrast to display really deep blacks, and even though it crushes some details in dark scenes, it's really not that bad. There's minimal blooming around bright objects if you're looking at it from directly in front, but it's more noticeable from the side due to the narrow viewing angles, which you can see in the video above. However, we don't recommend using the local dimming feature for productivity if you're using a browser in dark mode because the zones light up for small UI elements, which could get distracting.

We recommend setting Local Dimming to 'High' for gaming or for watching movies because that's where it performs best. Fast-moving objects transition between the zones well, but the local dimming struggles to keep up with very fast objects. There's minimal blooming around subtitles that you shouldn't notice with real content. Uniformity is very good and it even displays black bars well if you're watching content that isn't 32:9.

We tested the local dimming with Adaptive Sync and Low Input Lag enabled and there isn't much of a difference when using either of those modes.

Overall, the local dimming is better than any other monitor we've tested as it helps to improve the contrast and make highlights pop. It looks really good when viewing from the center, but there's more blooming when looking at it from the side. It's on par with some local dimming features on TVs, but don't compare the score with TVs. Instead, we took real content local dimming videos like we do with TVs so you can see how it looks:

9.0
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
785 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
977 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
965 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
857 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
792 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
583 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
971 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
962 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
851 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
787 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
582 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.028
Minimum Brightness
46 cd/m²

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has fantastic SDR peak brightness thanks to the Mini LED backlighting. It easily gets bright enough to fight glare in most rooms. Brightness varies between different scenes, particularly with larger areas of bright colors due to the aggressive Automatic Brightness Limiter. Samsung advertises a typical brightness of 420 cd/m², which we achieved by disabling local dimming in the 'sRGB' mode, so the brightness depends on which settings or modes you're using.

We tested it after calibration in the 'Custom' Picture Mode with Brightness at '100' and Local Dimming on 'High'.

Note: Our results may be brighter than other reviewers because we purchased a retail unit with firmware 1006.1. Other reviewers may be using pre-release firmware.

8.6
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
No Certification
Real Scene
764 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
969 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,019 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
1,030 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
864 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
631 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
963 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
1,015 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
1,019 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
859 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
630 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.027

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has excellent HDR peak brightness. It's bright enough for small highlights to stand out, and it's one of the few monitors that delivers a true cinematic HDR experience. Unfortunately, it doesn't track the EOTF properly, though, as dark scenes are crushed a bit, and bright scenes are over-brightened. There's also a sharp cutoff at the monitor's peak brightness, causing bright scenes to lose fine details and appear washed out.

These measurements are with firmware 1011 in the HDR Dynamic mode with Brightness at '100' and Local Dimming on 'High'. The HDR Standard mode isn't quite as bright, with a Real Scene brightness of 741 cd/m². Despite some advertising that implies "HDR2000" certification, no such certification exists, and this monitor has not been certified under the VESA DisplayHDR 1.1 certification program.

5.9
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
34°
Color Washout From Right
34°
Color Shift From Left
57°
Color Shift From Right
61°
Brightness Loss From Left
36°
Brightness Loss From Right
37°
Black Level Raise From Left
13°
Black Level Raise From Right
13°
Gamma Shift From Left
13°
Gamma Shift From Right
13°

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has narrow horizontal viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel. The image looks washed out if you view off-center. The edges of the screen may look inaccurate if you sit too close, but the curve is supposed to help with this. However, our testing doesn't take the curvature into account.

5.5
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
27°
Color Washout From Above
26°
Color Shift From Below
48°
Color Shift From Above
47°
Brightness Loss From Below
31°
Brightness Loss From Above
30°
Black Level Raise From Below
13°
Black Level Raise From Above
11°
Gamma Shift From Below
16°
Gamma Shift From Above
13°

Once again, the vertical viewing angles are narrow on the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. The image looks inaccurate if you mount it above eye level.

7.4
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
1.816%
50% DSE
0.198%

The Samsung Neo G9 has decent gray uniformity. Despite the large size, the entire screen looks uniform. There's very little vignetting, but the center of the screen has a bit of noticeable dirty screen effect.

There are reports of the backlight grid being visible on some units. It's not very noticeable on ours, but you can still see it if you look closely. Let us know if you see it on yours.

5.6
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.828%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.064%

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has poor black uniformity with local dimming disabled because there's a ton of backlight bleed and some blooming around the center cross, which explains why the overall uniformity score is low. However, the local dimming significantly improves the uniformity as the entire screen looks black and the uniformity is nearly perfect, and it's even better than the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85, which also uses Mini LED backlighting.

6.9
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
111.4%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
4.58
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,336 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.43
Color dE (Avg.)
3.55
Contrast Setting
N/A
RGB Settings
Default
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
100
Measured Brightness
421 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The Samsung Neo G9 has okay out-of-the-box accuracy. White balance is off, particularly with pure white, and most colors are a bit inaccurate. The color temperature is slightly warmer than the target, but this isn't really noticeable. The sRGB mode is largely ineffective, as gamma is closer to 2.3 than the sRGB curve, causing most scenes to appear darker than they should, and colors are a bit oversaturated. Like most monitors, this mode also locks down some of the picture settings, but it's more accurate than the other picture modes.

9.7
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Custom
sRGB Gamut Area xy
100.3%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.61
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,466 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.18
Color dE (Avg.)
0.56
Contrast Setting
71
RGB Settings
46-51-49
Gamma Setting
Mode 2
Brightness Setting
14
Measured Brightness
100 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

The Samsung Neo G9 has fantastic accuracy after calibration. Any remaining inaccuracies with colors and the white balance are nearly impossible to spot. The color temperature is nearly spot-on with the 6500K target and gamma is improved, but some scenes are slightly over-brightened.

9.4
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
99.6%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
85.5%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has an incredible SDR color gamut. It has perfect coverage of the commonly-used sRGB color space and good coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing, which is an improvement over the Samsung Odyssey G9.

9.7
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
99.2%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
90.9%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has outstanding color volume in SDR. Thanks to its high brightness, great contrast, and incredible color gamut, it displays colors at a wide range of shades and luminance levels.

8.2
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
91.0%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
HDR Dynamic
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
67.5%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Dynamic

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9's HDR color gamut is great. It has fantastic coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used in most HDR content, but it has more limited coverage of Rec. 2020. We tested it using the HDR Dynamic mode with firmware 1011, and we also measured the color gamut with HDR Standard, which performs similarly:

  • DCI-P3 Coverage: 90.6%
  • Tone-Mapped DCI-P3 Coverage: 90.2%
  • Rec. 2020 Gamut: 67.9%

8.4
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
86.2%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
HDR Dynamic
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
68.2%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Dynamic

The Samsung Neo G9 has great HDR color volume. It does a good job of displaying colors at a wide range of luminance levels. Once again we measured it with the HDR Dynamic mode with firmware 1011, but also with HDR Standard:

  • DCI-P3 Normalized Volume: 85.9%
  • Rec. 2020 Normalized Volume: 67.7%

7.5
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.4%
Indirect Reflections
3.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
2.2%

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has good reflection handling. Combined with the fantastic peak brightness, visibility shouldn't be an issue in most rooms. Light reflects from the center of the screen due to the curvature.

7.5
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
VA
Subpixel Layout
RGB

The Samsung Neo G9 has good text clarity thanks to the high resolution. Enabling Windows ClearType (top photo) helps improve the appearance of diagonal lines as seen on R, N, G, and S.

9.9
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

The Samsung Neo G9 has exceptional gradient handling. You shouldn't notice any banding.

Motion
9.0
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
240 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
240 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
240 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
240 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
144 Hz

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has an incredibly fast refresh rate over DisplayPort. Even with an HDMI 2.1 source, the maximum refresh rate is limited over HDMI. When connected to an HDMI 2.0 source, like an RTX 20-Series card, the maximum refresh rate is 60Hz.

Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Compatible (NVIDIA Certified)
VRR Maximum
240 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 natively supports FreeSync, and it's also certified by NVIDIA to work with their G-SYNC Compatible feature. It has an extremely wide refresh rate range, including low framerate compensation (LFC), ensuring a consistent gaming experience with very little flicker in most situations.

Like the Samsung Odyssey G9, the Neo G9 has flickering issues with lower-frame rate or dim content that could get distracting. The flicker is noticeable, with some scenes more than others. Samsung added a VRR Control setting to help reduce this issue by doubling the frames with lower-frame rate content, which helps improve it but also causes some stuttering.

8.1
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Adaptive Sync
Rise / Fall Time
1.4 ms
Total Response Time
8.3 ms
Overshoot Error
24.2%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
1.9 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
13.9 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
93.7%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
StandardChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto
ExtremeChartTablePhoto
Adaptive SyncChartTablePhoto

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has a great overall response time. It has the quickest rise/fall response time out of all 240Hz monitors we've tested, even faster than the Samsung Odyssey G9, but its total response time is one of the slowest. There's significant overshoot in all transitions, resulting in a bit of noticeable inverse ghosting. Enabling Adaptive Sync locks you out of any overdrive settings, but it performs similarly to the 'Faster' setting. If you prefer gaming without the variable refresh rate feature, the 'Standard' mode performs the best. Higher settings have slightly faster rise-fall times, but there's also significantly more overshoot and inverse ghosting. There's no noticeable black smearing, which is rare for a VA panel.

8.7
Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Adaptive Sync
Rise / Fall Time
2.1 ms
Total Response Time
8.6 ms
Overshoot Error
6.5%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
3.2 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
17.0 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
31.2%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
StandardChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto
ExtremeChartTablePhoto
Adaptive SyncChartTablePhoto

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has an excellent response time at 120Hz. There's very little difference between gaming at 120Hz or at the max refresh rate. Enabling Adaptive Sync still locks you out of the overdrive settings, but performs very similarly to the 'Standard' setting at 120Hz. If you prefer gaming without using the variable refresh rate feature, the 'Standard' setting still delivers the best results overall, but there's less difference between 'Faster' and 'Standard' when gaming at 120Hz.

8.5
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Adaptive Sync
Rise / Fall Time
2.7 ms
Total Response Time
10.9 ms
Overshoot Error
1.9%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
5.1 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
23.0 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
7.0%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
StandardChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto
ExtremeChartTablePhoto
Adaptive SyncChartTablePhoto

The response time at 60Hz is excellent. The Samsung Neo G9 shows the same behavior at 60Hz as at 240Hz, and with 'Adaptive Sync' enabled, the response times are similar to the 'Standard' setting when gaming at 60Hz.

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Yes
Maximum Frequency
240 Hz
Minimum Frequency
120 Hz
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
188 cd/m²
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
188 cd/m²
Pulse Width Control
No
Pulse Phase Control
No
Pulse Amplitude Control
No
VRR At The Same Time
No

The Samsung Neo G9 has a backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion. The feature only works between 120Hz and 240Hz because even if you set it to 60Hz it still flickers at 120Hz. This causes image duplication as you can see in this photo. At 120Hz, there's no image duplication, as shown in this photo.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

Update 10/25/2021: Unfortunately, the Neo G9 has the same scanline issue as the Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T. We're able to consistently trigger the issue with this test. We took a few uniformity photos to show you what the issue looks like:

The only way we've found to fix this issue is to reduce the sharpness, but this introduces other issues with picture quality, so it's not a perfect fix. It's not noticeable in most content, but we've seen some reports of people seeing this issue with regular content, including when watching streams on Twitch.

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has a flicker-free backlight, which helps with eye strain. Unlike the Samsung Odyssey G9, it stays flicker-free with the backlight set at '0'. However, we noticed some flickering issues like the Odyssey G9 in VRR with lower-frame rate content (see Refresh Rate).

Inputs
9.1
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
2.9 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
4.8 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
8.9 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
3.3 ms

The Samsung Neo G9 has incredibly low input lag for a responsive gaming experience. There are a few quirks though, depending on the settings used. It's important to make sure that the Refresh Rate setting on the monitor matches the refresh rate setting on your PC, otherwise the input lag increases drastically. Enabling VRR Control also causes a significant increase in input lag.

Refresh RateVRR Control
Setting
Input Lag (ms)
240HzOn9.3ms
Off3.0ms
120HzOn19.3ms
Off4.9ms
60HzOn21.1ms
Off8.8ms

8.8
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution
5120 x 1440
Aspect Ratio
32:9
Megapixels
7.4 MP
Pixel Density
109 PPI
Measured Screen Diagonal
48.8"
Screen Area
623 in²

The Samsung Neo G9 has a large screen with a high resolution that's the equivalent of placing two 27-inch, 1440p monitors side-by-side. It's fantastic for multitasking and gives you a more immersive gaming experience. If you want something even bigger, the Samsung Odyssey Ark S55BG970 has a 55-inch screen that's the equivalent of placing two Neo G9s on top of each other.

8.0
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
No

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is compatible with most of the PS5's features. You have to change the aspect ratio manually, otherwise the monitor will stretch the image sent by the PS5, since consoles don't support ultrawide aspect ratios. Unfortunately, even though it's possible to enable VRR, it doesn't work properly, and the screen turns black if you try to start a game with VRR enabled. Of course, unless you're using the picture-by-picture mode, this monitor isn't ideal for console gaming, as there are large bars on either side of the content.

10
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

This monitor is fully compatible with all features supported by the Xbox Series X, with the exception of 1440p @ 120Hz gaming, which isn't supported if VRR is enabled. You have to change the aspect ratio manually, otherwise the monitor will stretch the image sent by the Xbox, since consoles don't support ultrawide aspect ratios, but other than that there are no issues. Strangely, this setting can't be adjusted if VRR is enabled, but you can disable VRR, change the setting, and then re-enable VRR, and everything works fine. Of course, unless you're using the picture-by-picture mode, this monitor isn't ideal for console gaming, as there are large bars on either side of the content.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.1)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
40Gbps (FRL 10x4)
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Audio In
No
3.5mm Microphone In
No
Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
2
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
Yes
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Upstream
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Rated Speed
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Power Delivery
No USB-C Ports
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
No USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
No
Inputs
macOS Compatibility

For the most part, there are no serious issues using this monitor with recent Mac devices. The max refresh rate with a recent M1 MacBook Pro is 120Hz, as long as the refresh rate setting on the monitor is set to 120Hz. If you set the Refresh Rate setting on the monitor to 60Hz or 240Hz, you'll be locked at 60Hz. VRR doesn't work properly when you're not gaming. HDR works fine as well, but the color temperature appears to be a bit off.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
RGB Illumination
Controllable
Multiple Input Display
PIP + PBP
KVM Switch
No

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 has a few extra features, including:

  • Infinity Core Lighting: Syncs the bias lighting with on-screen content
  • Crosshair: Adds a virtual crosshair for FPS games
  • Black Stabilizer: Increases the gamma so you can see opponents in the shadows in dark games.
  • Dynamic Contrast: Adjusts the contrast depending on the content. We didn't test it.
  • Auto Control +: Detects when a source is powered on and switches to that input.

The Samsung Neo G9 also supports HDR10, and most of the issues we experienced with HDR have been fixed with the latest firmware.

It doesn't have a KVM switch, but if you want a monitor that does, then check out the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NC S57CG95.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)