Welcome to another “First Look” on bestofhighend.com, a blend of unboxing and preview. This time we go hands-on with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8, model G80SH, and you can watch the full video above. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 has been on our desk for a few days now, so let’s start with what this monitor actually is, and why it’s worth your attention.
What kind of product?
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is a 32-inch, flat 4K gaming monitor, built around Samsung’s newest QD-OLED panel generation.
Brand?
It comes from Samsung, as part of the Odyssey gaming lineup. The panel is built on Samsung Display’s QD-OLED technology: the same display division that has been pushing OLED gaming monitors forward for the last few years.
Current price?
Samsung lists the G80SH at $1,299.99 in the US. That makes it no budget monitor: it competes at the very top of the 32-inch OLED gaming segment.
Good news for European buyers, though. When we recorded our video, the price in Belgium was still higher, but on the official Samsung website it has since dropped to €999 (at the time of writing). Did you take part in our “Guess the price” quiz on Instagram and Facebook? This is the answer.
What’s in the box?
Nothing surprising here: the monitor itself, the two-piece height-adjustable stand, a power cable, and the cables you need to get it running straight out of the box.
Features?
The headline story is the panel itself. Samsung calls it “Penta Tandem” QD-OLED, and it is the company’s answer to the one thing that has always held OLED gaming monitors back: brightness. Every generation of QD-OLED has traded perfect blacks for a brightness ceiling. Penta Tandem is built to push that ceiling higher, while also lasting longer and running more efficiently than the panel in last year’s Odyssey G8.
Samsung has also tackled glare. The new “Glare Free” coating cuts reflections dramatically compared to a standard anti-reflective film, so gaming in a bright room shouldn’t turn this screen into a mirror.
On the performance side, this panel is built for speed, with a refresh rate and response times fast enough that input lag essentially disappears. And it plays nice with both camps, AMD and NVIDIA alike, so it doesn’t matter which graphics card is in your system.
Round the back, the G80SH finally gets the bandwidth this kind of panel deserves: enough to run native 4K at high refresh rates without any compression. There is also a USB-C port that carries real charging power, so if you drive the Odyssey OLED G8 from a laptop, one cable handles both video and power.
For HDR, it is certified at the top tier Samsung offers for gaming monitors. Paired with OLED’s native contrast, that is where this monitor should really separate itself from LCD alternatives at the same price.
Key specifications
- Panel: 32″ flat QD-OLED (Penta Tandem), 3840 x 2160
- Refresh rate: 240Hz, ~0.03ms grey-to-grey response time
- Brightness: up to ~1,000 nits peak (HDR)
- HDR: VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500, HDR10+ GAMING
- Colour: 99% DCI-P3
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR20), HDMI 2.1, USB-C (98W Power Delivery)
- Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible
- Price: €999 on Samsung’s official Belgian website at the time of writing ($1,299.99 in the US)
Closer look?
Design-wise, it is still unmistakably an Odyssey: flat this time rather than curved, with slim bezels, a fully adjustable stand with height, tilt and pivot, and that signature RGB lighting element. What has changed is everything underneath the glass. The Penta Tandem structure is a real generational step for Samsung’s QD-OLED panels, not just a brightness bump on paper.
For whom is this product?
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is aimed at players who refuse to choose between resolution and refresh rate: you get 4K sharpness and top-tier speed in the same panel. It also makes a strong case for creators who want a screen accurate enough to double as a colour-critical display during the day.
Against the best 32-inch OLED gaming monitors from LG and others, the G80SH’s arguments are its newer panel generation, full DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth and dual-brand adaptive sync support. At €999, it is also a lot more competitive than its launch price suggested.
Conclusion?
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is one of the most complete 32-inch 4K gaming monitors available right now: a next-generation panel, genuine high-refresh performance, full DisplayPort 2.1 bandwidth and HDR credentials to match. The Penta Tandem panel and the Glare Free coating hold up in real, everyday gaming, which is exactly how it should be: immersive, engaging and very convincing. Oh yes, and even for desktop duty, it’s razor-sharp.
More Samsung on Best of High End: read our First Look at the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE.
More information: samsung.com
