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The brand new god of gaming screens has arrived – however is it truly sensible? Desk of Contents Desk of Contents The Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor is by far some of the audacious arrivals we’ve had within the WePC testing studio in a while. The behemoth gaming monitor is being described by Samsung as the right gaming theatre – ideally suited for severe gaming, productiveness, and streaming. At its core, the Samsung Ark comes geared up with an enormous 55-inch UHD 4K show, 165Hz refresh charge, and all of the gaming options you would shake a stick at. It additionally options numerous HDMI 2.1 ports too (no DisplayPorts), that means the Ark will assist next-gen console gaming at 120Hz – alongside Quantum HDR 2000 and mini LED backlight know-how (boasting 1,056 native dimming zones). On the floor, this looks as if the type of weird monitor {that a} baby would suppose up when excessive on pure show euphoria. However that isn’t the case. This monitor is alleged to have real-world use instances – and we’ve spent the previous few days attempting to determine precisely what these are. On this information, we’ll be reviewing the Samsung Odyssey Ark monitor in full – testing the show for coloration accuracy, gaming efficiency, construct high quality, and total performance – placing among the panel’s principal options and shopping for factors to the take a look at. So, will the Samsung Odyssey Ark ignite our visible senses? Or will it’s topped probably the most pointless monitor of 2022? Let’s discover out. Samsung Odyssey Ark specs Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor Display measurement 55″ show Execs 55-inch 1000R curve 165Hz refresh charge Unimaginable picture high quality Spectacular speaker system Totally helps next-gen consoles Quantum HDR 2000 certification Mini LED backlight know-how (1,056 zones) Cons Extremely costly Heavy design that’s onerous to maneuver Earlier Subsequent What’s In The Field The Samsung Odyssey Ark arrives in a large field that showcases among the panel’s principal options and a few advertising materials on the outside. Inside, the monitor is packaged in a TV-esque orientation – stood up subsequent to the stand. Customers would require one other particular person to assemble this monitor because it weighs 100lbs (41.5KG). Development of this monitor does require a screwdriver to safe the stand into the rear of the panel. Moreover, the bottom of the stand has 4 screws that must be tightened as properly. General, this can be a fairly troublesome monitor to assemble – primarily as a consequence of its sheer weight. Alongside the panel and the stand, customers will discover the next objects: Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor Display measurement 55″ show Design And Options With specs out the best way, let’s take a better take a look at the construct high quality, design, and mechanical options the Samsung Odyssey Ark comes geared up with. Aesthetic design The Samsung Ark is by far one of many largest screens we’ve examined – however that’s not what makes this factor so uncommon. It’s the truth that this 55-inch monitor will be rotated right into a portrait orientation, making it look (and really feel) completely gigantic, and, actually a bit intimidating. The swooping 1000R curve appears to go on ceaselessly – accompanied by super-thin bezels on all 4 sides that assist obtain a trendy and premium profile. That very same curve additionally creates the premise for the extremely immersive viewing expertise that makes up the crux of its USP. This makes it bespoke for enjoying Xbox or watching motion pictures (one thing we’ll talk about in additional element shortly). The bottom of this monitor is completely large and weighs greater than the show itself. It options a big sq. footprint that, regardless of its measurement, does truly work with the monitor’s futuristic styling. The “neck” of the stand can also be large, that includes a brushed aluminum end that matches in properly with the remainder of the monitor’s aesthetic theme. In truth, the stand itself resembles the monolith from 2001: A Area Odyssey, caught to what seems to be like a large curved fragment of some form of huge spacecraft. There’s not quite a bit happening by way of particulars, however there’s a complete lot of floor space to um, recognize. Extra brushed aluminum plastic has been used on the rear of the panel, with two giant LED lighting zones on the highest and backside (relying on what orientation you’re utilizing it in). All lighting will be altered inside the monitor’s OSD. Construct High quality The Samsung Ark weighs in at a formidable 100lbs (41.5KG) – that means construct high quality needs to be of the utmost significance. Fortunately, it looks as if Samsung has prioritized construct supplies and building within the manufacturing means of this monitor. Upon unboxing, we will confidently say that this monitor feels completely rock strong. The stand by itself weighs virtually 50lbs of pure steel, that means that maneuvering the panel round will be virtually inconceivable. That stated, the stand needs to be this strong simply to take care of some stage of stability. The show itself clips into the again of the stand by way of a toolless design, with two screws accessible for securing it in place. As soon as secured, the monitor does expertise just a little little bit of wobble however nothing that’s too offputting. Having stated that, any wobble in any respect once you’re sitting in entrance of this monitor can really feel extremely intimidating – particularly when it’s within the portrait orientation. All fittings and fixtures on the rear of the panel additionally really feel extremely well-finished, with the Samsung “One Join” field additionally offering a stage of luxurious that you just don’t usually get with generic energy bricks. Finally, it seems like Samsung has taken the required steps in the course of the manufacturing course of to make sure this monitor is steady throughout utilization. Panel Coating Like many trendy screens, the Samsung Odyssey Ark options an anti-glare matte coating that helps to mitigate and take in pure gentle to scale back reflective artifacts. The coating does a superb job at absorbing gentle reflections, nevertheless, as a consequence of its large curved nature, there are nonetheless blooms of reflectivity throughout utilization. Moreover, with the Samsung Ark providing panorama and portrait modes, it should possible decide up a tonne of fingerprints throughout utilization. clear a monitor Bezels Regardless of its large measurement, the Ark nonetheless comes with extremely small bezels that assist so as to add to the immersion when gaming, or throughout common content material consumption. The highest and facet bezels measure in at an extremely respectable 9mm whereas the underside bezel contains a bigger 12mm bezel (nonetheless a lot smaller than a lot of as we speak’s gaming screens). Stand The monolithic characteristic that Samsung has referred to as a stand is each strong and versatile. One of many principal options of this panel is its potential to make the most of each panorama and portrait modes – with automated mode adjustments enabling between rotations. Except for full 90-degree pivot performance, the stand additionally options tilt and peak adjustment too. Under are the complete changes accessible with this explicit panel: Panorama mode: Ahead Tilt – 10 degreesBackward Tilt – 10 degreesLeft Swivel – UnavailableRight Swivel – UnavailablePivot – 90 degreesHeight – 270mm Portrait mode: Ahead Tilt – 13 degreesBackward Tilt – 10 degreesLeft Swivel – UnavailableRight Swivel – UnavailablePivot – 90 degreesHeight – 30mm Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming monitor Display measurement 55″ show Inputs Not like smaller gaming screens, the Samsung Ark makes use of an enter dock that isn’t bodily hooked up to the monitor itself. The dock has been coine d the “One Join” and acts as the primary enter supply and the facility brick – connecting to the facility and your distinctive units. The enter dock options 4 x HDMI 2.1 ports (certainly one of which helps eARC), a 3.5mm EX-Hyperlink headphone jack, Ethernet port, and optical enter – that means you’ll be capable of hook up 4 units concurrently, alongside a soundbar too. The Samsung Ark additionally gives sufficient bandwidth to assist 4K gameplay at 165Hz – by way of any of the accessible HDMI 2.1 ports accessible. Sadly, no DisplayPort cable is obtainable on the Ark. OSD Customers can management the OSD with the distant or the futurstic-looking Ark dial that’s distinctive to this panel. Regardless of this show being classed as a gaming monitor, the OSD actually seems to be extra like one thing you’d see on a TV. That stated, it nonetheless options all of the related image and coloration enhancements you’d anticipate from a gaming show. Alongside this, customers also can fine-tune the audible expertise of this monitor – with {custom} presets accessible for a extra rounded sound. A complete recreation menu (referred to as the Recreation Bar) has additionally been added to this show, permitting you to customise the pixel response time, VRR, facet ratio, and different settings of the Samsung Ark’s gaming efficiency. Moreover, Microsoft’s Xbox Recreation Go is constructed into the show itself, that means you’ll be capable of entry your complete Xbox library via the Samsung Ark. Earlier Subsequent Let’s not neglect the multi-view performance both. Samsung has added this characteristic to permit customers to separate the show into 4 separate sources. Whereas this sounds nice on the floor, the choices are restricted for this characteristic – with just one HDMI enter accessible at a time. Which means you won’t be able to separate your display into three or 4 segments and use two HDMI inputs on the identical time. Proper now, the Multi-View characteristic appears just a little pointless – particularly once you consider Window’s personal snapping software. Samsung Ark Dial The Ark comes with a distant management – the identical used on Samsung TVs – and a cool wanting dial for OSD navigation. The Dial will likely be most individuals’s favoured choice for navigating the varied menus, providing a hyper-futuristic really feel to this already distinctive wanting panel. Use the dial to scroll via menus with ease. It additionally options directional buttons contained in the dial to can help you flick via menus in a extra generic method. Samsung Ark Audible efficiency The most effective options – in my eyes – that the Samsung Ark comes geared up with is its sound system. That’s proper, I did name it a sound system and for good purpose. The Ark options 4 principal audio system (positioned on every of the corners) alongside two highly effective subwoofers discovered within the centre of the panel. All six audio system work collectively to create an extremely highly effective audible expertise which gives glorious treble and bass. Infact, the Ark is by far the loudest panel we’ve examined – providing up loads of bass and depth within the mids. Moreover, the improved sound dome know-how intelligently tailors the sound to your setting or viewing materials – creating the right sound whether or not you’re gaming or watching a film. Shade Accuracy & Image High quality We like to check each monitor we assessment for coloration replica to see how it could carry out in color-sensitive conditions. In accordance with Samsung’s web site, the Ark is rated for a large coloration gamut (95% DCI-P3) which suggests each accuracy and HDR efficiency needs to be comparatively first rate. Like at all times, we began off the colour accuracy testing part of this assessment by loading up our colorimeter and working a take a look at proper out of the field. Under are the outcomes. Out of the field, the Samsung Ark is ready to a “graphic” coloration preset – meant for graphic designer or a extra life like coloration expertise. As you possibly can see from the outcomes above, the Samsung Ark featured a 7110K white level and low 0.03 cd/m2 black depth – pretty typical for VA panels. Extra spectacular, nevertheless, was the 1.2 common delta proper out of the field – a rating you seldom come throughout from out of the field settings. Brightness was additionally set to a snug viewing stage, coming in at 102 cd/m2. Gamma learn 2.22. We shortly moved onto the Leisure mode and, as anticipated, the Ark turned a lot much less correct. The leisure mode is custom-designed for motion pictures and TV reveals, that means colours have been enhanced to come out of the display. You possibly can clearly see this when viewing the common deltaE rating of the preset, which sat at a 4.25 common throughout a smaller spectrum of colours. Brightness was additionally elevated exponentially, now sitting at 671cd/m2. Lastly, we examined the Recreation mode to see how correct it was. As you possibly can think about, just like the leisure mode, gaming mode wasn’t practically as correct as we’d like. That being stated, when enabled, video games do look incredible and wealthy – simply not as correct as you may like. We wasted no time and thru the Ark via a like calibration to see how correct it might develop into. At this stage, it’s value pertaining to the truth that the Ark has a built-in calibrator that means that you can alter the colour to your actual wants. For greatest outcomes, we left the sRGB values at 8/-2/1 Utilizing the calibration software resulted in a big uplift in total coloration accuracy. As you possibly can see from the outcomes above, white stability was way more life like now, scoring 6579K. Black depth did improve barely, however nothing overly problematic. Most spectacular, nevertheless, was the 0.4 common deltaE which we now recorded – making the Ark a superbly possible choice for modifying video and pictures inside the sRGB spectrum. Panel Uniformity Panel uniformity is a take a look at we run to examine how uniform the luminance and colours are throughout the whole thing of the display. Throughout this take a look at, the middle sq. is used because the reference area. Each different sq. is then examined to see how far it differentiates from the reference. In a really perfect world, we would like each sq. to be inexperienced, that means it hasn’t damaged the differential threshold – one thing we will set at first of the take a look at. Observe: outcomes will differ from panel to panel. Surprisingly, regardless of the Ark’s large curve, it showcased fairly good panel uniformity. Wanting on the outcomes above, you possibly can see how nearly all of the segments had been inexperienced in rating – passing the nominal tolerance set previous to the take a look at. There was a small variance within the backside left-hand nook of the monitor, nevertheless, that’s to be anticipated from a VA curved panel. Viewing Angles Like most VA panels, the Samsung Odyssey Ark displayed fairly poor viewing angles total. The viewing expertise of the Ark was distinctive when going through it straight on, nevertheless, viewing it from over 40 levels did lead to some fairly aggressive coloration shift. Shade Gamut DISCLAIMER: The take a look at outcomes beneath are primarily based on preliminary findings and, on the floor, appear a lot decrease than what is anticipated from the know-how used on this panel. We are going to proceed to do coloration exams on the monitor till we’re glad with the outcomes. We’re additionally reaching out to Samsung to see whether or not the beneath outcomes are anticipated. As a part of the calibration course of, the DisplayCal will give an correct measurement of the colour gamut the monitor can present. Under are the outcomes of the colour gamut take a look at: As you possibly can see from the graph above, the Samsung Odyssey Ark didn’t fairly dwell as much as its 95% DCI-P3 coloration gamut. As a substitute, it produced a reasonably lackluister 73.4% – far lower than different screens using the identical Mini LED Quantum backlight know-how. We recorded a 94.3% sRGB gamut protection which, once more, is way lower than you may anticipate from this know-how. Earlier Subsequent Above we’ve included the bodily graphs for every coloration area, showcasing the precise protection we recorded within the DCI-P3 and sRGB coloration spectrums. Most And Minimal Brightness We ended the colour accuracy and movie high quality testing by checking the utmost brightness, minimal brightness, and 120 candelas stage on this panel. The outcomes are beneath: BrightnessCandelas 100 Brightness680.32cd/m2 0 Brightness75.26cd/m2 4 Brightness120 cd/m² Because of the know-how used inside the Samsung Ark, we had been in a position to document virtually 700 nits of peak brightness when in regular SDR mode. This is without doubt one of the highest peak brightness outcomes we’ve seen, producing an extremely vibrant picture. Samsung Odyssey Ark gaming efficiency With coloration accuracy and panel uniformity out of the best way, it’s time to place the Samsung Odyssey Ark via numerous totally different gaming and response time exams to see the way it stacks up in gaming situations. Like at all times, we’ll be testing the monitor throughout quite a lot of video games to get a higher understanding of how this monitor performs total. For this portion of the testing, we enabled VRR and set the refresh charge to its max 165Hz. On this event, we didn’t fireplace up CS:GO – not but anyway – however as an alternative enabled the monitor’s HDR to play some immersive-based single-player titles. Shadow of the Tomb Raider was the primary recreation we performed and boy did the Ark impress. The 1000R curve was arguably a very powerful facet of the panel, making a tonne of immersion to the viewing expertise. Higher but, sticking with Samsung’s advisable 80cm viewing distance, I by no means felt like I used to be taking a look at a curved picture. As a substitute, it felt like I used to be viewing an enhanced model of the digital world that saved wrapping across the periphery of my imaginative and prescient – a really distinctive viewing expertise. General, the HDR efficiency of the show was good, nevertheless, evaluating it to different high-performance HDR panels didn’t actually lead to an enormous distinction. This was just a little disappointing when you think about the Samsung Ark is rated for 2000 nits of peak brightness in HDR. That’s to not say the Ark didn’t produce a stunningly brilliant visible – as a result of it did – it simply wasn’t as dazzling as I believed it is perhaps. Having stated that, it nonetheless supplied up a way more life like and life-like coloration expertise when in comparison with different gaming screens that don’t characteristic high-end HDR. Enjoying SOTTR was a really satisfying and distinctive expertise on the Samsung Ark. Its large display measurement paired with a 1000R curve and glorious colours actually did present an distinctive viewing expertise. We wasted no time and loaded up CS:GO to get a style of simply how responsive this 165Hz 1ms VA panel was. Enjoying CS:GO did produce a easy, fluid gaming expertise. Image readability and picture sharpness of fast-moving photos had been fairly spectacular contemplating its large measurement. Moreover, with the Ark being a VA panel, you’d anticipate it to characteristic some visible artifacts akin to ghosting and smearing – however that wasn’t the case. Higher but, the Samsung Odyssey Ark options a picture resizing software (Flex Transfer Display) that means that you can flip your 55-inch monitor right into a smaller, extra tailor-made measurement. Enjoying CS:GO was loopy on the 55-inch show, nevertheless, altering it to a extra optimized 27-inch display truly felt very playable. Moreover, by resizing to a smaller display, you aren’t burdened by ugly black bars. Samsung makes use of a firey embers background that feels way more premium. Last Ideas So, there you’ve it, our complete assessment of the Samsung Odyssey Ark – the world’s first 55-inch 1000R curved gaming monitor. Regardless of its geniune draw, the query nonetheless stays as as to if or not this can be a possible monitor for house use. And sadly, I don’t suppose it’s. Firstly, let’s begin with the positives. The Samsung Ark is a brilliant cool, futuristic wanting monitor that improve the aesthetic prowess of any gaming setup on the market. It’s extensive scooping 1000R curve pairs properly with the large 55-inch show to create a starship vibe that’s in contrast to something available on the market as we speak. Appears to be like apart, the Ark additionally performs to a fairly excessive stage as properly. It gives a good sRGB preset proper out of the field for coloration correct work, alongside first rate fluidity when enjoying each single-player and extra aggressive titles. Having stated that, we will’t ignore the elephant within the room – and that’s the sheer measurement (and worth) of this behemoth monitor. At 55-inches, it is just too large for most individuals’s dwelling area. Even within the WePC testing studio, the Ark was an actual ache to maneuver from desk to desk. Moreover, with a price ticket that at the moment sits at round £2,500 ($3,500), it should far exceed most peoples budgets. Whereas this is perhaps an extremely cool gaming monitor, it actually falls into the luxurious showoff class – with only some fortunate people truly having the financial institution to justify its buy.
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