Samsung’s updated Odyssey G6 and G8 monitors may be the most glare-resistant screens I’ve ever seen
Samsung revealed on Tuesday a refreshed lineup of monitors designed for “gamers, creators, students, and hybrid workers.” And at first glance, the glare resistance is glorious — especially for those who work near a window.The two Samsung Odyssey models feature a glare-free OLED display, the three Smart Monitors offer AI upscaling to 4K video, and there are five ViewFinity line monitors from which to choose.With updates to the Odyssey gaming line, Smart Monitor, and ViewFinity creative line, Samsung has new monitors for gamers, students, and professionals.The new monitors will be available through Samsung and select retailers. The 2024 monitors can be pre-ordered today. Pre-orders on the latest monitors will come with up to $300 Samsung credit for a separate purchase.M80D Smart Monitor(Image credit: Future)The M80D Smart Monitor is a 32-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160) productivity monitor with HDR10+ support. Like other Samsung Smart Monitors, the M80D offers access to streaming TV applications like Prime, Netflix, and YouTube and the Samsung Gaming Hub for access to cloud gaming platforms like Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming, or Utomik. Other features for the monitor include two-channel built-in speakers using Active Voice Amplifier Pro, Head Tracking for Buds 360 Audio with your Galaxy Buds, and Multi-Control to move content between the M80D and other Samsung devices. Because the M80D Smart Monitor comes with the SlimFit camera, you can use it for video calls or for Samsung Health TV. You can also use Bluetooth to connect the M80D to your fitness trackers for added health tracking for your workout sessions.The M80D also includes AI upscaling thanks to a NQM AI Processor, which can transform lower-resolution content to nearly 4K resolutions, for a more cinematic experience. Of course, there may be some issues with upscaling the resolution using AI, so this may not be the best way to watch those old episodes of Honeymooners, but it could be fun to play around with.Get our in-depth reviews, helpful tips, great deals, and the biggest news stories delivered to your inbox.The M80D retails for $699.99. Other new Smart Monitors include the M70D and M50D models.ViewFinity S80UD(Image credit: Samsung)Samsung’s ViewFinity line is designed for creative professionals, offering high resolution monitors with a high-degree of color accuracy. The 32-inch ViewFinity S80UD is a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) monitor with high pixel density for added clarity. Samsung claims the ViewFinity S80UD is capable of outputting “1.07 billion colors and near-limitless hues” for wide color gamut coverage and high accuracy. The monitor also features HDR10 support, a built-in LAN port, and a USB-C port that allows for 90W charging and data transfer.The ViewFinity monitor also has a built-in KVM switch for switching between different inputs, including split screen, picture-in-picture, and picture-by-picture modes.The ViewFinity S80UD starts at $499.99.Other new ViewFinity monitors include the S80D and S70D.Odyssey OLED G6 and G8(Image credit: Future)The Samsung OLED G80SD and G60SD were announced back at CES in January. Both OLED monitors support Samsung’s new OLED Glare-Free technology, a 0.03ms response time, active temperature control using Samsung OLED Safeguard+ technology, a Dynamic Cooling System to diffuse heat and lower brightness to prevent overheating, and burn-in protection by auto-controlling brightness on static images like task-bars, mini-maps, or other UI features in games or shows.Both the G8 and G6 also feature slim metal designs, smooth display swivel hinges, and CoreLighting+ to sync the RGB lighting on the back of the monitor to your mouse, keyboard, and tower lights.The Odyssey G8 (G80SD) is a 32-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160) OLED monitor with 240Hz refresh rates and retails for $1,299.99.The Odyssey G6 (G60SD) is a 27-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440) OLED monitor with 360Hz refresh rates and retails for $899.99.Just how glare-resistant is the new anti-glare OLED tech?(Image credit: Future)I was able to take a look at the Odyssey G6, Odyssey G8, and M80D Smart Monitor at Samsung’s New York headquarters ahead of the announcement. While the M80D Smart Monitor was a fun product with plenty of quirks and features to be an interesting object, what really claimed my attention was the anti-glare coating on the revamped Odyssey G6 and G8 monitors.Samsung set the new Odyssey G6 and G8 next to the curved Odyssey G9, which has its own anti-glare tech. All three monitors were set up side-by-side in front of a wall of windows on a bright day, so there was plenty of light to cause glare. The G9 struggled with its glossy OLED panel between the overhead lights and the Sun. The Odyssey G6 and G8 barely showed any glare at all. Even on darker screens like the Red Dead Redemption II menu or the Cyberpunk 2077 settings screen, both of the new Odyssey monitors were nearly glare-free.While OLED display panels are often brighter and more vibrant than their LCD counterparts, the glossy panels often come with a lot of extra glare which is generally a bad combination when it comes to gaming monitors. Of course, you can get OLED displays with a matte finish, but they tend to be less impressive than glossy OLED screens. The Odyssey G6 and Odyssey G8 present a compelling compromise between the gorgeous detail and color accuracy of a glossy OLED and the glare-free properties of a matte panel.
