Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 Review: A New Level Of Extreme

Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G8 is a 32-inch curved VA panel with 4K resolution, 240 Hz, G-Sync & FreeSync certification, HDR2000, 1,196-zone Mini LED backlight and wide gamut color.

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Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

If you need a super bright monitor for an outdoor application, the G8 may not be suitable. But for any indoor environment, it’s more than bright enough. Though the backlight is capable of extreme light output, it is appropriately dialed back for SDR content.

The interesting part comes with the black level measurement. A typical VA panel delivers around 3,000:1 native contrast. The G8 is nearly 25,000:1. That can only mean one thing – the local dimming is active. Despite the OSD stating that Auto mode uses dimming only for HDR content, there is clearly something afoot here. And that’s OK. Checking a few black and white clipping patterns proves that all detail is fully rendered. And turning Local Dimming off made no difference in the results. Samsung has raised the bar for SDR contrast with the best full-array backlight I’ve seen to date.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration doesn’t change the static contrast ratio in any visible way. Among LCD panels, it doesn’t get better than this. Only an OLED can play in the G8’s sandbox.

The Mini LED is still doing its thing in the ANSI test, where I measured 16 squares in a black and white checkerboard pattern. This makes a major impact on image depth and quality. Viewed side-by-side with an OLED panel, the difference is negligible. Both technologies deliver equally stunning images.

Note that the PG32UQX and XG321UG are also Mini LED screens. However, their local dimming was completely turned off during testing. They are theoretically capable of the same performance, but their features have been implemented differently.

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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.

37 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Dantte
    I've read multiple reviews on this monitor and every single one has said the same thing except this one:
    SCANLINES SCANLINES SCANLINES are so bad on the G8, one review put it on their "do not buy" list
    Buying Samsung is like playing the lottery, some will get a good one and most will get a bad one
    The Neo G7 beats the G8 in every aspect except speed, but seriously you are buying this monitor for image quality and there isnt a graphics card on the planet that can push 4K@240FPS, so do yourselves a favor and get the better Neo G7 165Hz version.
    Reply
  • helper800
    Dantte said:
    I've read multiple reviews on this monitor and every single one has said the same thing except this one:
    SCANLINES SCANLINES SCANLINES are so bad on the G8, one review put it on their "do not buy" list
    Buying Samsung is like playing the lottery, some will get a good one and most will get a bad one
    The Neo G7 beats the G8 in every aspect except speed, but seriously you are buying this monitor for image quality and there isnt a graphics card on the planet that can push 4K@240FPS, so do yourselves a favor and get the better Neo G7 165Hz version.
    Game choice and settings will get most things to 4k 240 easily.
    Reply
  • tennis2
    Samsung needs to quit with this 1000R BS.

    1500R was enough. 1800R is/was better.
    Reply
  • CaptRiker
    WHY only DP 1.4 ?!?! you'll only be able to hit 240 hz at 4k with HDMI 2.1

    a mega monitor this new should have included the latest DP spec. sigh
    Reply
  • colossusrage
    helper800 said:
    Game choice and settings will get most things to 4k 240 easily.
    Don't know about "easily" but definitely dependent on the game.
    Reply
  • drivinfast247
    helper800 said:
    Game choice and settings will get most things to 4k 240 easily.
    Curious as to what games and what PC specs for you to say "4k 240 easily"?
    Reply
  • helper800
    drivinfast247 said:
    Curious as to what games and what PC specs for you to say "4k 240 easily"?
    A 3060 with an 11 series 11400 will get you 4k 240 in all esports titles with med settings or lower. Non-engine locked older titles will do it as well with 4k support.
    Reply
  • truerock
    CaptRiker said:
    WHY only DP 1.4 ?!?! you'll only be able to hit 240 hz at 4k with HDMI 2.1

    a mega monitor this new should have included the latest DP spec. sigh

    Display Port 2.0 (and USB 4 v2) are not available on any Nvidia graphics card.

    I'm very glad Samsung has stepped up and delivered a monitor with these specs.
    There is definitely a chicken-and-egg situation in play regarding 4k, 10-bit, 120Hz monitors, graphics cards and games.
    Reply
  • drivinfast247
    helper800 said:
    A 3060 with an 11 series 11400 will get you 4k 240 in all esports titles with med settings or lower. Non-engine locked older titles will do it as well with 4k support.
    Why on planet earth would ANYONE spend twice the cost of their PC on a monitor to play CS:GO @ 4k low?
    Reply
  • helper800
    drivinfast247 said:
    Why on planet earth would ANYONE spend twice the cost of their PC on a monitor to play CS:GO @ 4k low?
    Why would anyone buy an esports monitor to get esports fps in an esports game for as cheap as possible? Even if not, my argument was not that someone would do it (they do), it was that its simply possible. Here is a quick and dirty comparison, can even play at med to high in esports games at 4k 240.
    Reply