If you’re looking to get a gaming monitor, LG and Samsung offer some of the best performing displays that you can buy. The LG UltraGear 27GL850-B and the Samsung Odyssey G7 are two of the top-selling gaming monitors right now. Both of them are 1440p monitors with a high refresh rate—features that you want if you want a good balance of eye candy and performance. So which one of these monitors should you buy? Below is our Samsung Odyssey and LG UltraGear review and comparison to help you decide.
LG UltraGear vs Samsung Odyssey Comparison Chart
LG UltraGear Monitor Review
The LG 27GL850-B is the best value LG UltraGear 1440p monitor
Design
One look at the LG 27GL850-B and you’ll know that it’s a gaming monitor since it has the universal black and red color scheme that’s common with any “gaming” product. That said, it’s not as bad as other gaming monitors with exaggerated gaming aesthetics. This monitor can still pass as an office or workstation monitor, especially since it doesn’t have any RGB.
As for ergonomics, the stand offers tilt, pivot and height adjustment. There’s no swivel function and its tilt function is a bit limited. Overall, the monitor offers decent ergonomics.
At the back, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports, a DP 1.4 port, two USB 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm jack for your headphones or if you want to connect it to a speaker.
Features and Performance
With a screen size of 27 inches and a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, this monitor sits at that sweet spot where gamers can enjoy high-res images without having to sacrifice performance. Its gaming features include a 144Hz refresh rate, G-Sync and Freesync support, and a fast response time.
Sporting a Nano IPS panel, the images on the LG 27GL850-B are vibrant and the colors pop out. Having an IPS panel also means that it has excellent viewing angles, so even though this is a flat panel monitor, the edges are still very accurate. That said, blacks can appear as gray, especially when viewed in a dimly lit room or in the dark. It’s a common issue with IPS panels, so if this doesn’t bother you, then this monitor is still a good pick.
Another feature of the LG 27GL850-B is its HDR10 support, so you can enjoy HDR content with it. However, the monitor doesn’t quite reach the ideal brightness level to take full advantage of its HDR support.
Samsung Odyssey Monitor Review
The Samsung Odyssey G7 is a fast monitor for gaming, but at a steeper price point.
Design
Similar to the LG 27GL850-B, the Samsung Odyssey G7 has a gaming monitor look. There are RGB zones at the bottom bezel and at the back that you can control. There are 52 colors in total that you can choose from. If you are looking for a monitor with a discreet look, this isn’t it.
The Samsung Odyssey G7 offers excellent ergonomics. The included stand allows you to pivot, tilt, swivel and adjust its height according to your preference. There’s also a compartment for cable management so that you can have a clean setup.
At the back of the monitor are two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one HDMI 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm analog connector.
Features and Performance
You can get the Samsung Odyssey G7 with either a 27-inch or 32-inch panel. Both panels offer the same 2560 x 1440 resolution, so the only difference between the two is their PPI. The 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G7 will have crisper and more detailed images, but the larger 32-inch can be more immersive.
One of the best features of the Samsung Odyssey G7 is its excellent 240Hz refresh rate. If you have the rig for it, this is one of the fastest 1440p monitors around. It offers extra smooth gameplay and it also offers Freesync support and G-Sync compatibility.
With its QLED (VA) panel, the Samsung Odyssey G7 has great contrast ratio and it can display deeper blacks than monitors with IPS panels. VA panels are known to have poor viewing angles when viewed from the side, however, this monitor has a 1000R curvature that mitigates this issue. Its curved panel also allows for a more immersive experience since everything on the screen is within your field of view.
Similar to the LG 27GL850-B above, the Samsung Odyssey G7 also has HDR10 support and a black stabilizer. In addition to those, it also has PIP and PBP features. The monitor can output images from two sources at the same time.
Differences
The biggest difference between the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B and the Samsung Odyssey G7 is with their refresh rates.
With “only” a 144Hz refresh rate, the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B is slower than the Samsung Odyssey G7 that has a 240Hz refresh rate. To take advantage of the 240Hz refresh rate of the Samsung Odyssey G7, you’ll need a pretty powerful gaming rig. On the other hand, you can take full advantage of the 144Hz refresh rate of the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B with an upper mid-range PC equipped with an NVIDIA 3060 Ti or 3070 or its AMD equivalent. For most people, a 144Hz monitor is more than enough, especially when gaming at 1440p.
Design-wise, the Samsung Odyssey G7 offers better ergonomics since its stand offers more options for adjustability. You can tilt, pivot, swivel and adjust the height of the Samsung Odyssey G7, while the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B only offers pivot, tilt and height adjustment.
As for their panels, both IPS and VA (QLED) panels have their pros and cons. An IPS panel offers more vibrant colors and a better viewing angle, while a VA panel offers better contrast ratio and deeper blacks. Choosing one will depend entirely on your preferences.
Another difference worth noting is that the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B is a flat panel monitor while the Samsung Odyssey G7 has a 1000R curvature. The curved panel of the Samsung Odyssey G7 offers better immersion while the flat panel of the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B can be beneficial if you also do some graphic designing or other professional work that requires accurate colors and geometry.
Verdict
The Samsung Odyssey G7 is a much better gaming monitor than the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B, but it is also much more expensive.
To sum things up, the Samsung Odyssey G7 is better than the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B since it offers more features, it has two size options and it is faster. However, it is also more expensive, by a significant margin.
If you have a rig that can output the frames needed to take advantage of the 1440p resolution and 240Hz refresh rate of the Samsung Odyssey G7, you should go for it since it will give you a much better gaming experience. However, if you only have a mid-range gaming PC, and you don’t plan on upgrading your GPU any time soon, the LG UltraGear 27GL850-B is the smarter choice. A 144Hz monitor is still very good and it can still give you a very smooth gaming experience.
FAQs
? What’s the best LG UltraGear 4K monitor?
The best 4K LG UltraGear monitor is the 27GN950-B. It’s a 27-inch 4K monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time and it has support for Freesync and G-Sync.
? Are LG monitors better than Samsung?
It depends on the models compared. However, if you prefer IPS panel monitors over VA monitors, then you will like LG monitors more than Samsung monitors.
? Is the Samsung Odyssey G7 IPS?
No, the Samsung Odyssey G7 has a QLED (VA) panel.
? Are LG UltraGear monitors good?
Yes, LG UltraGear monitors are some of the best when it comes to image quality and gaming performance.