The 49-inch Odyssey Neo G9 costs a jarring $2,499.99 when it goes on pre-order this week. I love small electronics. The iPad mini still holds a special place in my heart. But as I age, my failing eyes are crying for bigger and better displays.
Go Big or Go Home
I recently transitioned from a MacBook Pro to the 24-inch M1 iMac, and the larger display has made a massive difference in my productivity. But the larger screen size has made me greedy for even bigger displays. There’s nothing petite about the Odyssey Neo G9. Its massive display is curved for an immersive experience. Just like the iMac, it has a Mini LED-backlit panel. But the Neo’s display is much brighter and jumps to 2,000 nits of brightness. It’s got a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Samsung boasts that the G9 has what it calls Quantum Matrix Technology, which uses enhanced 12-bit gradation to control the light source. The Quantum Mini LEDs make dark areas darker and bright regions brighter with 2,048 dimming zones. The G9 is squarely aimed at gamers. If you’ve got the right combination of hardware and software, you can take advantage of the monitor’s 240Hz refresh rate. The two HDMI ports are upgraded from last year’s model to the newer 2.1 standard to provide enough bandwidth for the fast refresh rate. Samsung’s latest display is futuristic looking, with a glossy white exterior and rear lighting system, including 52 colors and five lighting-effect options. The monitor also comes with the CoreSync feature, allowing users to personalize their setup with the multiple-color mode. I’m not much of a gamer, so the specs on the G9 could be severe overkill for handling web browsing and text documents. On the other hand, like many people, I make my living staring at screens. Anything that makes me more productive can help. But, of course, the G9 has its drawbacks. For one thing, there’s the price tag which is kind of ridiculous, since you can get a 49-inch monitor for less than half the price. The massive size of the G9 is also a consideration. The width of the display is enough to overwhelm almost any desk. It’s almost certainly too big for my tiny New York City apartment. Nevertheless, I have almost convinced myself that the tradeoff in dollars and size is worth it for the ability to have so much screen real estate.
Big Displays Abound
If spending $2,499 on a monitor isn’t in your budget, there are plenty of similarly sized displays to consider. Take, for example, the $999 Samsung CJ890, which also offers 49 inches of real estate like the G9. Of course, you’ll have to accept a lower refresh rate than the G9 at 144 Hz. It’s got an ultra-wide 32:9 aspect ratio that offers roughly the equivalent of two 27-inch 16:9 monitors. Also under $1,000 is the Sceptre curved 49-inch display. The Sceptre features custom set display settings for gaming with FPS (First Person Shooter) and RTS (Real-Time Strategy) options. A snazzier-looking option is the LG 49WL95C-WE ($1296.99), a 49-inch monitor with a “virtually borderless” display and sleek silver accents. However, the LG comes in at a mere 60 Hz, so gamers should steer clear of this model. Just browsing giant monitors is making my iMac display feel small. The new Samsung G9 seems like the perfect future-proof way to keep my eyes happy for both gaming and work. But I may have to wait for the G9 to go on sale.
