To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. Brightness and Contrast testing is covered on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
To compare the 49-Inch Odyssey G9’s performance, we’ve included two other 49-inch megawides: AOC’s Agon AG493UCX and Viotek’s SUW49DA. Next down the size ladder are Alienware’s AW3821DW and Acer’s Predator X38. Filling out the group is MSI’s MPG Artymis 343CQR. All support HDR and refresh rate of at least 120 Hz.
The Odyssey G9 tops 500 nits for SDR signals in both sRGB and Custom picture modes. That’s more than enough brightness for any imaginable environment or task. The drawback of such a high level is that each click of the slider changes output by 3-5 nits. That makes fine adjustments difficult. The minimum level was 73 nits, a little harsh when gaming in the dark.
The four VA panels, including the Samsung, have deep black levels, much deeper than an IPS panel is capable of. The G9 manages to top 2,100:1 contrast, which is very good but not quite up to most VA panels.
Engaging the local dimming improves contrast significantly. We couldn’t measure the black level because the backlight is completely off when an all-black field pattern is displayed. But in practice, it works very well and does not clip shadow detail.
After Calibration to 200 nits
We didn’t calibrate the G9 because it didn’t require it, but we did set it to 200 nits brightness. At that setting, it still has slightly higher black levels than the other screens in our comparison group. This difference becomes moot when local dimming is on. Then, our review focus is superior to the other monitors here.
ANSI contrast stays stable at 2,152.1:1, identical to the static number. Our sample had excellent screen uniformity, which helps this result. The G9 is expensive but does not cut corners in quality control. It is a premium monitor built well from high-end components.
