Verdict
The Samsung Odyssey Ark drive home expectant image quality , a bluff and immersive innovation and loads of feature article , so it does a cracking problem of film over the boundaries between monitors and tv set . It ’s hugely expensive , though , and a proper boob tube will still do a better job in some areas .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Samsung Odyssey Ark is the big gambling monitor I ’ve ever seen . At 55 - inch , it ’s the same size as many TVs , and the arresting specs do n’t end : it ’s curved and has a 4 cat valium resolution .
This monster varan tries to tick off every gaming loge , especially if you ’re the kind of player who wants an immersive experience or someone who plays on the couch . It ’s also get raft of entertainment feature , in case you ’d like a TV permutation .
At £ 2599 / $ 3499 / € 2999 , though , the Samsung Odyssey Ark is n’t precisely cheesy – indeed , it ’s pricier than almost every other gaming monitor and in line with flagship TVs . Can this ground - break display earn a place in ourbest monitorlist ?
Design and Features
There ’s no catch forth from the sheer size of the Ark – it towers over every other gambling video display , and there ’s no dubiousness that the 55 - column inch diagonal will take some getting used to .
Treat this screen like a normal microcomputer show and you ’ll be forever straining your neck – indeed , while Samsung recommends ride at least 80 cm back , at that distance you ’ll still be move your head .
posture further away and the experience is better , so the Ark works well if you ’re leaning back with keyboard and mouse – or across the elbow room with a controller . coalesce that with the 4 cat valium resoluteness and you ’ve got a crisp experience unless you sit too close , and the 1000R curve ball improve immersion in all situation .
The Ark ’s size of it , resolution and shape impress , but Samsung also realises that the 55 in size wo n’t suit everyone . To that end , Samsung has offered flock of versatility with the Ark ’s software .
If you want to play racing game or other widescreen titles , for instance , you may convert this display to a 21:9 or 32:9 aspect ratio to give yourself a wider field of view . If you require to model nigher , you could make the display area smaller and adjust its position – ideal if you want the big - screen experience for exclusive - participant games but a more focused scenario for esports .
There ’s Multi View mode , too , which beefs up conventional picture - by - picture options . When the exhibit sits horizontally you could carve up the screen into four quarters and show different poppycock in each geographical zone . Swing the panel into its erect stead – which Samsung calls Cockpit Mode – and you may deploy three stack screens .
you could have a game on one screen , a web web internet browser on another , Samsung ’s TV+ channel on yet another , and then a mirrored smartphone or laptop presentation . YouTube is support , too . If you want to game , watch streams and keep an eye on your comms simultaneously , it ’s handy .
It ’s astonishingly restrictive , though . Dividing the display into segments mean lower resolutions : in horizontal modality , window scat at 1080p . In cockpit mode you ’re restrain to 720 x 1,280 play and viewing , which is n’t particularly sharp . Games pass at 120Hz rather than 165Hz here . And while Samsung is hoping to amend this situation , at the moment you ca n’t use apps like Netflix , Prime Video and Disney+ in Multi View modality – support is meagre . Multi View fashion also only supports one HDMI input , so you ca n’t use a PC or laptop alongside a cabinet unless you mirror a screen instead .
Outside of Multi View mode the situation is rosier . Samsung ’s Smart TV functionality includes support for every app going , and you could employ Xbox secret plan streaming . There are ready to hand fare for changing common preferences , and the main on - sieve display is comprehensive and easy to pilot .
Samsung has gone overboard on the navigation alternative , too : you get a joystick on the rear of the screen , a TV - style remote restraint and the Ark Dial , which include a bike for quick adjustments . The Ark also includes an telling raiment of physical adjustment options : alongside Cockpit Mode you ’ve scram 270 mm of tallness registration , tilt ability and VESA keep .
Underneath all of this you ’ll receive a VA gore . It apply Samsung ’s QuantumMini LEDbacklighting , which means individual LED create the backlight – so the Ark benefit from 1,056 individual dimming zones . That means burden of complexity and nicety , althoughOLEDscreens stay undecomposed and Samsung ’s smallerOdyssey Neo G8has even more blur zones .
The Ark run at 165Hz and utilise AMD FreeSync Premium Pro . That charge per unit is only fair compare to the broad market and the 240Hz delivered by the Neo G8 , but it ’s all right for high - quality exclusive - player deed and mainstream esports gambling . And , as ever , verify you ’ve got agraphics cardthat can handle 4 K and 165Hz gameplay – anRTX 3080 Tior better is idealistic .
The concluding big characteristic can be found around the back : four verbaliser and two woofer . The speakers supply thud bass part , detailed mid - range tone and a crisp high - goal . The audio is heroic , with clear directional change , and these speakers are on par with high - remnant telecasting and good than the utterer on most gambling screen .
Samsung ’s screen impressment , but it can be hard to wield too . It weighs 41.5 kilo , so building and manoeuvring this display is a two - person operation . It film up a immense amount of space – it ’s 1175 millimetre all-encompassing and 379 millimetre inscrutable – so you ’ll necessitate a big desk . And while it has RGB LEDs around the back , they ’re not vivid enough to have an encroachment outside of darken spaces .
Happily , Samsung has ascertain that the Ark has faultless physique quality , and its minimum , black esthetical makes it look silklike . You do n’t have to mess around with cables at the rear , either : Samsung adopt its One Connect construct from its boob tube . This boxful has fourHDMI 2.1connections , an Ethernet jack , an optical port and extra USB sockets . Everything attaches here , and the box practice one cable to send signal to the cover .
It ’s an easier way to deal multiple equipment , but it could be honorable : that Ethernet connection is not Gigabit , it use Wi - Fi 5 rather than Wi - Fi 6 , and the USB 2.0 ports are not particularly fast .
Image Quality
The Ark deliver brilliant image performance flat out of the boxful , with an unbelievable black-market point of 0.02nitsthe highlighting . The panel ’s initial brightness grade of 90 nit was crushed , but still enough to be viewed in a bread and butter way or a darkened bedroom . The result contrast ratio of 4500:1 is a superb name and it help the Ark render vivid Black person alongside good deal of vibrancy elsewhere . That ’s a far undecomposed result than any conventionalIPSor VA silver screen .
With the show at half brightness the Ark pose at 302 nits and supplied a contrast proportion of 4441:1 , and at its maximal SDR cleverness tier of 742 nit it maintain a top - notch line figure of 4637:1 .
The Ark ’s contrast performance improved to 5866:1 when I trigger off Game Mode . With color performance remaining mostly identical , this alternative is a no - brainer for anyone who wants to expend this jury as their primary gaming covert .
The Ark pairs its great contrast power with firm colour . The Delta E of 2.29 and color temperature of 6,536 super acid are well honorable enough for media and gaming , and the Samsung does a decent line with key color gamuts : it fork out the sRGB space with 99.5 % coverage and 130.5 % bulk , and strike 91.6 % and 92.4 % in the DCI - P3 space . Those consequence are n’t perfect , but they ’re ample for gaming and media in the SDR and HDR spaces . Only a flagship boob tube will be better at this size of it .
In HDR mode the Samsung delivered a blossom brightness level of 1226 nit alongside a smutty point of 0.02cd / m2 . Those figure combine for a contrast proportion of 61300:1 . That ’s a large solution and it shows that the Quantum Mini LEDs work well . That said , flagship OLED TVs will be even better , andSamsung ’s smaller Neo G8is a little superior too .
The Samsung ’s 165Hz refresh pace is a mid - range figure that ’s o.k. for exclusive - player gambling and casual esports . And , in veridical - domain use , the Ark performs well : motivate objects do n’t quite have the asperity of a 240Hz jury but they ’re crisp , degraded and tranquil enough to sate most gamers .
While the Samsung does n’t match its 1ms stated response time in tests , it ’s easily responsive enough for mainstream esports . If you want the best compounding of refresh rate and answer time performance , utilise the Ark ’s Faster response time mode .
There ’s no doubt that the Ark has mannerism . Its Multi View musical mode promises more than it can deliver , and its HDR and color performance could be even better . Its sheer size means it ’s going to be difficult to hold for many people . And , at £ 2599 / $ 3499 / € 2999 , it ’s tremendously expensive .
I ’d argue that your money will be better expend elsewhere in certain state of affairs . If you ’re serious about racing or esports you ’ll want a high - closure widescreen or a small dialog box with a quicker refresh rate . On the TV side , at this toll you ’ll get better HDR performance , OLED technology and slender , sleeker designs – but you wo n’t get the refresh charge per unit , adjustment options or curve .
In most of the significant section , though , the Ark is a large , blustering triumph . It ’s vast , immersive and versatile . Its bold colours and inscrutable demarcation make games attend brilliant , the speakers are powerful , and the Ark does a great job of immix gaming and television features . If you desire braggart - screen gaming or a TV replacement , the Ark does an exceptional job – for an oculus - lacrimation price .
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Should you buy it?
- : The Samsung Odyssey Ark delivers unparalleled sizing alongside a blanket range of feature and capital image quality . If you want a various , high - closing display to replace a gambling monitor and TV , this is what you should get .
The 165Hz refresh rate is fine for everyday gaming , but esports player ask something faster . Keen sim racer will need a right widescreen . And the huge price and gamey - end spec means it ’s overkill for mountain of people .
Final Thoughts
stack of company have seek to build gaming displays that bridge the crack between video and consoles , but the Samsung Odyssey Ark is the most convincing Cartesian product so far . It ’s not cheap and it ’s not consummate , but it ’s an splendid and immersive high - end choice .
Trusted Score
How we test
We expend every monitor we test for at least a week . During that fourth dimension , we ’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its gait by using it for both everyday project and more specialiser , coloring material - sensitive work .
We also check its colours and image quality with a colorimeter to test its reporting and the display ’s quality .
FAQs
As with all Samsung PC monitor , the Ark is covered by a two - yr warranty .
Yes , it works with Alexa and Google Assistant .
The Ark is append in a boxwood that ’s 1362 x 317 x 922 mm . It weighs 53.8 kg on delivery .
Test Data
Full Specs
