Samsung Odyssey G7 32-inch 1000R Curved Monitor Review: Extreme in Every Way

As curvy as it gets

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Samsung Odyssey G7
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Samsung)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Samsung rates the 32” Odyssey G7 as hitting 320 nits brightness for SDR signals, but our sample was comfortably over 380 nits. That much light from such a large screen is enough to illuminate a small room. Bigger screens don’t need to exceed 400 nits in SDR mode to provide enough output for a good picture.

The four VA panels have less than half the black level luminance of the two IPS monitors from Asus. The C32G75T has the highest black level of that four, but it’s still lower than any IPS or TN display can muster. Resulting contrast is a little low for a VA monitor, 2220.8:1. That figure rises to around 4,000:1 if you turn the local dimming on for SDR signals. There is no downside to this option, so we recommend using it.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Our calibrated black level and contrast measurements are taken with local dimming turned off to show the panel’s native response. The top three VA monitors still beat the Odyssey G7 by a smidge, but the Samsung still delivers a deep and dimensional image with saturated color and true blacks.

ANSI contrast is a respectable 1,921.4:1. Although other VA monitors can do better, this is not a deal-breaker. The 32” Odyssey G7 has many other virtues which make this a non-issue.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.