Samsung Odyssey G5 Curved Monitor - A Gaming Display That Delivers

After six intensive months with the Samsung Odyssey G5 27-inch Curved Gaming Monitor, I can provide a comprehensive evaluation. As a passionate gamer and content creator, I've tested this monitor across various scenarios - from competitive first-person shooters to RPGs, graphic design, and office applications.

The first thing that immediately catches your attention is the impressive 1000R curvature of the 27-inch panel. This curvature isn't just a marketing gimmick but offers tangible immersion benefits. Particularly in games like Cyberpunk 2077 or The Witcher 3, you feel significantly more drawn into the gameplay. The curvature matches the natural field of view of human eyes, leading to less fatigue during extended gaming sessions.

The QHD resolution of 2560x1440 pixels represents the perfect compromise between image sharpness and performance. Compared to Full-HD, the detail gain is substantial - textures in games appear noticeably sharper, and working with multiple windows benefits from the additional screen real estate. Simultaneously, the resolution isn't as demanding as 4K, allowing even moderately older graphics cards to achieve solid framerates.

The 165Hz refresh rate combined with AMD FreeSync Premium makes a particularly noticeable difference in fast-paced games. Transitioning from a 60Hz monitor to this Samsung was like night and day. In Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant, the smooth movements and reduced motion blur during rapid camera pans are distinctly perceptible. Screen tearing is eliminated thanks to FreeSync, provided you have a compatible AMD graphics card. The technology also works reliably with NVIDIA cards, although it's not officially G-Sync compatible certified.

The color reproduction of the VA panel is surprisingly positive. While it doesn't quite reach the perfection of premium IPS panels, the colors are remarkably accurate for a gaming monitor in this price range. The black levels are particularly impressive and deep, which is typical of VA technology. In dark gaming scenes or when watching movies, you benefit considerably from this high contrast. The sRGB color space coverage is approximately 95%, which is perfectly adequate for gaming and office applications.

A critical point with many VA panels is response time. Samsung specifies 1ms MPRT here, which must be considered with nuance in practice. During rapid dark-to-light transitions, minimal ghosting effects are detectable, though these are only noticeable under very critical observation. In normal gaming operation, this barely interferes, and the response time is definitely sufficient for competitive gaming.

The monitor's design is modern and gaming-oriented without being overly ostentatious. The back features subtle LED lighting that can be set to various colors or completely deactivated. The stand is stable and offers adequate height and tilt adjustments. Unfortunately, pivot functionality is absent, though this is forgivable for a 27-inch monitor.

Connectivity options are contemporary with HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and a USB hub. Particularly practical: the monitor features an integrated KVM switch that simplifies switching between different source devices. Full 165Hz is only achieved via DisplayPort, with HDMI limited to 144Hz.

After six months of intensive use, the monitor shows no quality degradation or failures. Build quality meets Samsung's characteristically high standards. Only the menu navigation via the small joystick on the back could be more intuitive, though it functions smoothly after a brief adjustment period.

For the offered price point, you receive a very solid gaming monitor that convinces in all important areas without achieving absolute top-tier performance in any single aspect. Anyone seeking a balanced monitor for gaming and office applications will be very satisfied with the Odyssey G5.