Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G80SD S32DG80 Review: 4K 240Hz Gaming Monitor

The Odyssey OLED G80SD is yet another 32″ 4K 240Hz gaming monitor based on Samsung’s QD-OLED panel. What makes this model unique is that Samsung opted to go with a matte anti-glare screen coating instead of the standard glossy finish.

It also features built-in TizenOS smart functionality – here’s everything you need to know about this display.

Image Quality

The image quality of Samsung’s 32″ 4K 240Hz QD-OLED panel is now probably familiar to everyone given that Dell’s AW3225QF variant has been available since January 2024.

You get per-pixel dimming that results in an infinite contrast ratio as individual pixel can completely turn off for true blacks, a wide 99.3% DCI-P3 gamut coverage for exceptionally vibrant colors, flawless 178° wide viewing angles and proper 10-bit color depth support for smooth gradients without banding.

The Samsung G80SD also offers excellent factory calibration and a dedicated sRGB emulation mode that clamps the display’s native ~165% sRGB gamut volume down to ~100% sRGB for better SDR accuracy. To activate it, change the ‘Color Space Settings’ option from ‘Native’ to ‘Auto.’

Next, the 4K UHD resolution provides you with a high pixel density of 140 PPI (pixels per inch) on the 31.5″ sized screen of the Samsung G80SD monitor. As a result, you get plenty of screen space with sharp details and text, while scaling is optional.

Keep in mind that 4K gaming is quite demanding on the GPU, so make sure you have a good enough graphics card for satisfactory frame rates in your favorite games.

Further, the Samsung G80SD uses a newer QD-OLED panel with the improved diamond-shaped triangular subpixel layout that in combination with the high pixel density completely removes the issue of fringing on small text and fine details that was noticeable on some older panels.

Moving on, the monitor has a 250-nit peak brightness in SDR, which is more than enough under normal lighting conditions. However, if you plan on using the monitor in a particularly bright room with studio lighting or facing a big window without blinds, it might not be able to mitigate glare.

In this case, you should consider a brighter mini LED display instead since OLED is more suited for light-controlled rooms. Of course, mini LED monitors have their own drawbacks, such as FALD blooming.

In HDR, the Samsung S32DG80 can maintain the 250-nit brightness for 100% APL (Average Picture Level, white window test size), but reaches higher brightness levels for smaller APLs for punchy highlights – up to 550-nits for 10% APL and 1000-nits for < 3% APL.

For optimal performance, make sure that ‘Peak Brightness’ is set to ‘High’, ‘HDR’ to ‘Basic’, and ‘HDR Tone Mapping’ to ‘HDR10+ Gaming – Basic’ in the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu.

LG’s W-OLED MLA+ (Micro Lens Array) panels have a higher brightness on paper (275-nits 100%, 850-nits 10% and 1300-nits < 3% APL), but these measures refer to white luminance.

When it comes to color luminance, the QD-OLED panels are superior thanks to their wider color gamut and higher color volume. In other words, QD-OLED panels have brighter colors, so the overall perceived brightness is higher as well.

One thing to keep in mind about OLED displays is the risk of permanent image burn-in and temporary image retention. If an image with bright static elements remains on the screen for too long, there’s a chance those elements become permanently visible as an afterimage.

However, as long as you’re using the monitor responsibly and playing varied content, it shouldn’t be an issue. If your work involves long hours of having static UI elements on the screen, OLED might not be for you.

Samsung also offers a 3-year burn-in warranty and OLED Care features, such as Screen Saver, Pixel Refresh and Adjust Logo Brightness.

Performance

The Samsung Odyssey G80SD has a high 240Hz refresh rate for buttery-smooth motion clarity.

On top of that, OLED displays have instantaneous pixel response time speed for zero ghosting or overshoot below fast-moving objects regardless of the refresh rate!

You also get low input latency of around 4ms, which makes for no perceptible delay between your actions and the result on the screen.

Variable refresh rate is supported as well via AMD FreeSync Premium and HDMI 2.1 VRR.

While the monitor isn’t officially certified by NVIDIA as ‘G-SYNC Compatible’, VRR works with compatible GeForce GPUs without any issues for tear-free gameplay up to 240FPS.

As expected from an OLED display, minor brightness flickering can be observed when VRR is enabled in darker scenes of games with fluctuating frame rates, but it’s not as frequent or noticeable as it is on VA panels.

Samsung offers a VRR Control option that can prevent VRR brightness flickering, but it introduces additional input latency and screen stutter. Therefore, if you do encounter brightness flickering, we recommend just disabling VRR in those games and using V-Sync if you’re particularly sensitive to screen tearing.

The monitor is flicker-free and there’s a low-blue light filter available (Eye Saver mode).

Features

At the rear of the monitor, there’s a directional joystick for quick and easy navigation through the OSD menu. You can also use the provided remote controller.

The Samsung G80SD features TizenOS smart functionalities for video game and TV show streaming, Alexa and Bixby voice assistance, MultiView, etc.

You’ll also find a lot of advanced image adjustment tools, such as gamma, sharpness, automatic input detection, aspect ratio control, AI image processing/upscaling and PiP/PbP support.

Other useful features include UltraWide Game View, Dynamic Black Equalizer (improves visibility in dark scenes without over-exposing other details), crosshair overlays, a refresh rate tracker and CoreSync RGB lighting.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy and offers full ergonomic support, including up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/25° tilt, +/- 30° swivel, +/- 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Unlike the other 32″ 4K 240Hz QD-OLED monitors with a glossy screen surface, the Samsung G80SD has a matte anti-glare coating, which is better at handling reflections (they are diffused instead of mirror-like), but adds a bit of graininess to the image (not as heavy as that of LG’s W-OLED panels).

However, note that the panel itself still doesn’t have a polarizer, so blacks will be raised under direct lighting and have a purplish hue. So, you’ll still have to mind the lighting in your room – as long as there’s no direct lighting hitting the screen, you should be fine.

The monitor uses passive cooling instead of an active fan, which is silent and more efficient. Samsung even boasts a new pulsating heat pipe cooling solution that’s supposed to improve burn-in resistance.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 with 40 Gbps and HDMI-CEC support, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, dual 5W integrated speakers, WiFi and Bluetooth.

Price & Similar Monitors

The Samsung G80SD goes for ~$1,000 – $1,300.

At $1,300, it’s too expensive, but it’s worth considering at $1,000 if you want a QD-OLED panel for the extra color vibrancy, the built-in smart features and the matte anti-glare coating for better reflection handling.

Otherwise, we recommend going with the MSI MAG 321UPX or MPG 321URX for $900 – $950 with USB-C and KVM.

You should also consider the ASUS PG32UCDP with a 32″ 4K 240Hz W-OLED panel and the 1080p 480Hz Dual Mode in case you’re into competitive FPS gaming. It even has USB-C and KVM for $1,300. It has a matte anti-glare coating and its panel has a polarizer, so blacks won’t be raised under direct lighting.

	Dell AW3225QF	MSI 321CURX	ASUS PG32UCDM	Samsung G80SD	Gigabyte FO32U2	Gigabyte FO32U2P	MSI 321URX	MSI 321UPX	HP Omen Transcend 32
Screen	Glossy (Curved)	Glossy (Curved)	Glossy	Matte	Glossy	Glossy	Glossy	Glossy	Glossy
Video Ports	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 98W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 90W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 18W	DP 2.1, mini-DP 2.1, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 65W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 90W	DP 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 15W	DP 2.1, 2x HDMI 2.1, USB-C 140W
Other Ports	3x USB-A, USB-B, USB-C	2x USB-A, USB-B	3x USB-A USB-B, HP, SPDIF	2x USB-A, USB-B	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP, Mic, 2x5W	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP, Mic, 2x5W	2x USB-A, USB-B, HP	HP	3x USB-A, 2x USB-C, HP, 4x3W
Dolby Vision	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
KVM	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Cooling	Active	Passive	Passive	Passive	Passive	Passive	Passive	Passive	Active
Burn-in warranty	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years
Price (MSRP)	$1200	$850	$1300	$1300	$1100	$1200	$900	$800	$1,300

MSI also offers the MSI MPG 321URXW with white design and the MSI MPG 322URX with DisplayPort 2.1 (80 Gbps).

Note that there are also cheaper 32″ 4K 165Hz QD-OLED models, such as the MSI MGA 321UP.

In case you’re interested in mini LED displays, be sure to check out our BenQ EX321UX review.

For more options and information, check out our best HDR monitors buyer’s guide where you’ll find the best OLED and mini LED models currently available.

Conclusion

Overall, the Samsung G80SD is an excellent gaming monitor! Thanks to its built-in smart features and matte anti-glare coating, it stands out from the other QD-OLED offerings, so it’s definitely worth considering if you can put its unique features to good use.

Specifications

Screen Size	32-inch
Resolution	3840×2160 (Ultra HD)
Panel Type	OLED
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	240Hz
Response Time	0.03ms (GtG)
Speakers	2x5W
Adaptive-Sync	FreeSync Premium Pro (48-240Hz), HDMI 2.1 VRR
Ports	DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps)
Other Ports	2x USB 3.0
Brightness (1 – 3% White Window)	1000 cd/m²
Brightness (10% White Window)	550 cd/m²
Brightness (100% White Window)	250 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio	Infinite
Colors	1.07 billion (10-bit) 99.3% DCI-P3
HDR	VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)