27" Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 QHD Gaming Monitor Review - A Classy All Rounder
Reviewing monitors can be hard. They all come with an abundance of marketing speak. The blackest of blacks, the brightest of colours, the sexiest of curves. It is a barrage of hyperbole when reading about any gaming monitor. The problem is, when it comes to testing these claims, it is quite often hard to tell with the naked eye if these statements are true. Real-world conditions such as varied light and locations make it hard to match the claim to the reality. Well, with the Samsung 27″ Odyssey OLED G6, those claims were easy to see and after using this monitor for about a month, I feel like perhaps the marketing was actually being modest.
Let me start with the look of the unit. The G6 is sleek, super sleek. The screen has almost no frame so it gives a crisp modern look that will make your older monitors seem like a CRT. The shape of the screen gives it a slight concave appearance, which I found a little odd at first, but got used to in no time at all. To top it all off, it feels sturdy and well put together, much more so than other thin monitors I have used in the past. The components, plugs and stand all show they have been designed and put together with durability in mind, which is something you really want to see when you a paying this much for a monitor.
There is one sacrifice to the design that I really didn’t like though and that is all the controls are on the back of the monitor. This became a little frustrating because of the way I used the monitor. Switching between devices, say my PC and an Xbox, should be just the press of a button, but with the controls on the back, it made it fiddly and often led to me pressing the wrong button. I would have preferred perhaps a small dongle for the controls, just to make life easier. Granted, most people will be using this with one device so once they have everything set to their own tastes they won’t have to touch the controls again, but if you plan on using the G6 across multiple devices, be warned.
As far as performance goes though, well in my experience, the G6 is unmatched. Sitting it next to my not-inexpensive ultra-wide monitor, it was easy to see the difference in colour quality, lighting and the all-important (or so marketing would have you believe) blacks. The OLED screen really brings colours to life, making them pop in a way that is a treat for your eyes. I tested it with a PC, an Xbox, a PS5 and a Switch and in every instance there was a marked improvement over my normal monitor. Even in the lower-powered Switch, the improvement in both colour and lighting was evident.
Another impressive thing is the in-built HDR which, for what seems like a first for me, actually works well with Windows. We all know Windows isn’t the best at handling HDR but in the case of the Odyssey G6 that wasn’t true. I don’t know how they managed it, but there is no doubt the team at Samsung have done a great job at implementing a feature that is notoriously difficult to use well with Windows.
It isn’t just gaming that the G6 excels at. Work situations are also perfectly catered for. The monitor handles glare exceptionally well so working in all light conditions is not an issue. My office area is quite often flooded with sunlight and I had no problems at all using the monitor, even on the brightest of days. I actually found the crisp display easier on my tired old eyes and found it easier to use for long periods, which is nice for sure. It doesn’t get rid of my need for glasses, but anything that can ease eye strain in this day and age is certainly welcome. The G6 also offers the ability to switch to portrait mode with a simple twist of the monitor which is perfect for people working on big spreadsheets, artworks or large email inboxes. It would be the perfect second monitor as a result. Expensive, but perfect.
Speaking of expense, there is no escaping it, this is a pricey beast. Aussie retail is just a hair under $1500 so it is going to take a big chunk out of your wallet if you go with the G6. This is perhaps the biggest concern with the monitor. There is no doubt it is excellent but the question you will have to ask yourself is it $1500 worth of excellent or will a cheaper, not-quite-as-excellent but still good monitor do the job. I can’t answer that for you, but it is certainly something that needs to be considered before jumping in.
The Odyssey G6 is without a doubt an excellent monitor. I mean just look over the specifications below if you want the true numbers, but take it from me, you don’t need to. You just need to see it in action to realise how good it really is. A great sleek design, slightly let down by control placement, excellent colour depth, perfect HDR implementation and blacks that are darker than Satan’s soul make the G6 the perfect gaming monitor. But as is the case with most things, if you want perfection, you are going to have to pay for it.
27" Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 QHD Gaming Monitor - Specifications
Overview
- Resolution – QHD (2,560 x 1,440)
- Aspect Ratio – 16:9
- Brightness (Typical) – 250cd/㎡
- Contrast Ratio Static – 1,000,000:1
- Response Time – 0.03ms(GTG)
- Refresh Rate – Max 360Hz
Interface
- Display Port – 1 EA
- Display Port Version – 1.4
- HDCP Version (DP) – 2.2
- HDMI – 2 EA
- HDMI Version – 2.1
- HDCP Version (HDMI) – 2.2
- Headphone – Yes
- USB Hub – 2
- USB Hub Version – 3.0
Display
- Screen Size (Class) 27”
- Active Display Size (HxV) (mm) – 590.42(H) x 333.72(V) mm
- Aspect Ratio – 16:9
- Panel Type – OLED
- Burn-In cover in warranty – Burn-in at normal usage covered within warranty.(But, not covered for Commercial, abuse or mis-use)
- Brightness (Typical) – 250 cd/㎡
- Brightness (Min) – 200 cd/㎡
- Contrast Ratio Static – 1,000,000:1
- HDR(High Dynamic Range) – HDR10
- HDR10+ – HDR10+ Gaming
- Resolution – QHD (2,560 x 1,440)
- Response Time – 0.03ms(GTG)
- Viewing Angle (H/V) – 178°(H)/178°(V)
- Color Support – Max 1B
- Color Gamut (DCI Coverage) – 99% (CIE1976)
- Refresh Rate – Max 360Hz
