Samsung S27AG500 165Hz WQHD IPS model
As an Amazon Associate 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 combination of 27″ screen size, 2560 x 1440 (WQHD) resolution and IPS-type panel remains a popular one. In a pivot away from their curved VA push, the S27AG500 (S27AG50 or LS27AG50 with various regional suffixes) is one such option. As a member of the Odyssey G5 series, the monitor includes distinctive ‘gamery’ styling. Matte black plastic is used extensively, including underhanging cheeks either side of the bottom bezel. Unlike on the G7 models, there is no LED lighting feature included. The top and side bezels are dual stage, with a slim panel border flush with the rest of the screen. Plus a slender hard plastic outer component. The OSD is controlled by a joystick that faces downwards in the central region of the bottom bezel, alongside accompanying shortcut buttons.
A 27″ 2560 x 1440 (WQHD or 1440p) IPS panel is used. This includes a 165Hz refresh rate alongside Adaptive-Sync, with AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia’s ‘G-SYNC Compatible Mode’ supported. A 48 – 165Hz VRR range is supported alongside LFC. A light matte anti-glare screen surface is used, whilst a 1000:1 static contrast ratio and 178° horizontal and vertical viewing angles are employed. 10-bit colour (8-bit + FRC) is supported, whilst a flicker-free WLED backlight provides a 350 cd/m² typical maximum luminance and has a specified 99% sRGB colour gamut. According to Korean publication Quasar Zone, the monitor is actually a wide gamut model featuring an LG Display Nano IPS panel (~98% DCI-P3). Other wide gamut panels appear to be used interchangeably here. Low Blue Light (LBL) settings help promote a more relaxing viewing experience. The monitor responds to HDR10 content in a very basic way – without local dimming specified or a high luminance being part of the package.
The manufacturer specifies a 1ms grey to grey response time with a low input lag mode included. A 2ms input lag value is also noted by Samsung. As usual, don’t pay much attention to these figures. The monitor includes an ‘Ultrawide Game View’ setting which enforces a 21:9 aspect ratio, enhancing the Field Of View (FOV) for many game titles with black borders placed at the top and bottom of the screen. The included stand offers full ergonomic flexibility, including 120mm (4.72 inches) height adjustment and pivot into portrait. 100 x 100mm VESA mounting is also facilitated once the stand is removed. Note again that no LED lighting is included on this model, the blue ‘core’ in this case is purely decorative coloured plastic. The ports face downwards and include; a 3.5mm headphone jack, HDMI 2.0, 1.2a+ (HDR feature set) and a DC power input (external ‘power brick’).
Further details can be found on the manufacturer’s website. The monitor is listed for ~$500 USD. Alternative variants such as the S27AG502 and S27AG550 are also listed in some regions.
