Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (S34BG85) 175Hz Ultrawide with HDMI 2.1
As an Amazon Associate and Newegg Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the “Buy” button at the bottom of this post. Where possible, you'll be redirected to your nearest store. Further information on supporting our work.The per-pixel illumination and exceptional pixel responsiveness of OLED panels can make them very attractive for gaming, movie watching and other uses. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (S34BG85 of G85B series) joins the charge trickle of gaming-oriented OLED monitors now entering the market. The monitor offers a ‘slim and wide’ neck and base design, combining black and silver-coloured metal for visual contrast. The top and side bezels are ‘dual-stage’ with slim panel border flush with the rest of the screen and thin hard plastic outer part. The OSD (On Screen Display) controls take the form of directional buttons beneath the central region of the bottom bezel, or alternatively you can use an included IR remote. An ‘Eco Light Sensor’ function allows the screen to adjust brightness according to ambient lighting.
A ~34″ Samsung QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) panel is used, with 1800R (moderate) curve, glossy screen surface and 3440 x 1440 resolution (21:9 ultrawide) resolution. A 175Hz refresh rate is supported alongside Adaptive-Sync, including AMD FreeSync Premium with 48 – 175Hz VRR range plus LFC. HDMI 2.1 VRR is also supported. Other aspects of note include a 1m:1 static contrast ratio, 178°/178° viewing angles and 10-bit colour support. The monitor is factory calibrated, is marketed as ‘flicker-free’ and offers a 250 cd/m² typical maximum luminance plus 99.3% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. The monitor is VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certified, focusing on per-pixel illumination and the colour gamut being put to good use with 10-bit colour processing. Although not specified or marketed, we’d expect a setting which allows higher brightness pulses up to ~1000 cd/m² as seen on the AW3423DW.
A 0.1ms grey to grey response time is specified – whilst you shouldn’t put too much weight on the exact figure, OLED technology is known for exceptional pixel responsiveness. The rear of the screen is dominated by brushed silver-coloured material. The stand attaches centrally and can be removed with provision for 100 x 100mm VESA mounting included. It offers tilt and height adjustment (120mm or 4.72 inches). ‘Core Lighting+’ ARGB LED lighting surrounds the attachment point with a range of effects possible – including ‘CoreSync’ which will change the colours according to on-screen content. The ports are found in a recessed area beneath the stand attachment point and include; DC power input (external ‘power brick), Mini DP 1.4, Micro HDMI 2.1, USB-C (65W PD, DP Alt Mode, upstream data) and a USB-C downstream port. The monitor includes a range of ‘Smart Hub’ features which can be accessed via WiFi, without the need for a system connected (Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, ‘Samsung TV Plus’, ‘Gaming Hub’ etc.) Integrated 5W stereo speakers are also included.
Further details can be found on the manufacturer’s website. The monitor is listed for ~$1500 USD (~£1300).
