Odyssey Neo G7
Samsung’s 43-inch Quantum Mini LED monitor is available today for $999 and promises a bevy of customization options for both PC and console gaming. Some people do partake in both, by the way. We do exist!
Sporting 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160), VESA Display HDR600 and HDR 10+ certification, the matte-finish Neo G7 should provide an excellent way to show off everything from demanding native PC titles to revolving content on Xbox Game Pass, as well as exclusive software on PS5 like Horizon Forbidden West. HDR600 isn’t exactly the best-in-class, but should be more than acceptable for the large majority of applications.
Additionally, a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms (MPRT) response time bolster the claim that blurring, ghosting, input lag and screen-tearing will be kept to a bare minimum on Samsung’s display. AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support is included as well.
Most interesting is the inclusion of several features usually reserved for Samsung’s full-size televisions: Samsung Smart Hub and Samsung Gaming Hub. The former basically turns the monitor into a smart TV, providing access to streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube and the like. This allows you to use the display for passive entertainment purposes without any gaming devices powered on.
The Samsung Gaming Hub, on other hand, is a streaming center for services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna and NVIDIA GeForce Now. I tried this feature on one of last year’s flagship Samsung TVs, and it essentially turns your screen into an Xbox without the need for, well, an Xbox.
You just pair your Bluetooth controller and you’re off to the races, albeit with a bit of latency and lowered resolution. Granted, for Xbox games, you’ll need an Ultimate subscription to partake, and local hardware is still the best way to go if you’re looking to take advantage of that sweet 4K capability. However, remote streaming all kinds of demanding AAA titles is a very cool experience.
Also, Samsung’s Game Bar makes the jump to its Neo G7, which is a handy on-screen pop-up that relays important information for customization, such as HDR, VRR and FPS. Lastly, a feature called Flex Move Screen allows users to swap the available screen size between 43 inches and 20 inches (16:9 and 21:9 respectively), something that could be useful for certain games that don’t benefit from expansive TV-esque real estate.
At a sizable 43 inches, and packed with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from something sitting in your living room, the Odyssey Neo G7 looks to be—for most intents and purposes—a gaming television. The size alone makes it a strange fit for many traditional desktops, but at $1,000, it’s priced rather competitively in terms of the 4K 144Hz monitor market.
It’ll be fascinating to read the reviews for this one, whenever they start to trickle in. The extra features could make the Neo G7 worth checking out, most notably if you don’t own Xbox hardware and are looking for something that will allow you to access Xbox Cloud Gaming right out of the box.
