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Stuff.tv
09-06-2025
- Stuff.tv
Samsung's small(ish) Odyssey OLED G81SF is more monitor than my graphics card can handle
Stuff Verdict Overkill for some, gaming greatness for others. The Samsung Odyssey G81SF is a stunner of an OLED monitor, so long as your hardware has enough oomph to cope with its resolution and refresh rate. Pros Outstanding image quality and rapid refresh rate Design is truly standout and build quality is top-tier Reassuring screen maintenance features Cons Connectivity isn't much to shout about Expensive (at RRP, anyway) Introduction So you've just slapped down more than a mortgage payment for an RTX 5090 graphics card and your gaming PC can finally run every game under the sun at maximum details – but now your gaming monitor is the cork in the bottle. Samsung's Odyssey G81SF will get those frames flowing again, with a 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. Yet at 27in, it doesn't demand excessive amounts of desk space. The step up from the Odyssey OLED G6 squeezes even more pixels into its quantum dot OLED panel, so should have it bested for detail, and the blistering frame rate should keep esports gamers happy. It continues Samsung's run of monitors that are drop dead gorgeous, too. At launch this was a mighty pricey monitor, setting you back $1299/£1149. The Alienware AW2725Q was considerably easier on your bank balance. Things have changed a little since, with Samsung selling it directly for a much more competitive $1049/£899. Does that make it worth everyone's attention, and not just those with flagship-grade GPUs? How we test gaming hardware All games consoles and gaming hardware tested on Stuff are put through their paces with days' worth of play time. We use our years of testing experience to judge areas such as build quality, software experience, battery life and other features. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: from the future Samsung's monitors all have a minimal, sci-fi vibe, but the OLED models take that to extreme by being so unbelievably slim. I'm still in two minds about the silver frame, which makes it more obvious where the panel begins and ends than the minuscule black trim seen on LG's 32GS95UE, but honestly once the screen flickers into life you won't notice – it's that gorgeous. Somehow the firm has also managed to squeeze a heat pipe cooling system inside the slender chassis, which Samsung says will help prevent screen burn-in over time. It's smart enough to adjust the brightness based on heat levels, and recognise static elements like logos and taskbars. That bodes well for long-term ownership – something early OLEDs weren't great at. Building the stand is the job of mere seconds, needing no screwdriver. A twist here, a clip there, and you're good to go. The upright piece is is plastic around a metal core, while the flat piece (which you see the most of when sat in front of the screen) is metal. It's lightyears ahead of black plastic rivals for luxury feel. I rarely move my monitor, but those who do will appreciate how light it is. It doesn't look it, being so slim, but the stand is impressively sturdy and very adjustable. It tilts, swivels, and has a good amount of height adjustment, plus you can rotate the whole thing 90-degrees if you want a portrait-oriented display. Naturally it plays nicely with VESA mounts, too. Samsung's cable management is still pretty basic, with just a single rubber strap at the lower rear part of the stand to keep cables at bay. If your desk sits flush to the wall, there's no way to hide wires entirely. There is at least room for every cable you could possibly plug into the panel, though. Features & connectivity: the minimalist approach Stepping up from the lower resolution G6 to the 4K Odyssey G8 doesn't buy you much in the way of extra features. Beyond the different panels, the spec sheets are largely identical. That means you still aren't getting any built-in speakers. My Windows PC offered to pipe audio to the screen when hooked up over HDMI, but doing so just met me with silence. The volume controls built into the onscreen menus just control any headphones connected through the 3.5mm port at the back. This is also where you'll find the single DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 ports. These both use Digital Stream Compression to reach 4K at 240Hz, which shouldn't be an issue if your PC's graphics card isn't ancient – it's visually lossless tech. And if your GPU is old enough to draw its pension, it has no chance of gaming at that resolution and refresh rate anyway. All three connections support AMD Freesync Premium Pro rather than Nvidia G-Sync, but AMD's tech doesn't care what graphics card you have; either way you're getting tear-free gaming. There's VRR support for console players too, though PlayStation and Xbox each cap out at 120Hz. There's also a single upstream USB-B connection and two USB-As for hooking up peripherals. USB-C doesn't get a mention. I get why: Samsung would need to support Thunderbolt 5 or USB4 V2 for a laptop to run at the Odyssey G8's native resolution and refresh rate, which would surely bump the price up even further. I'm glad Samsung kept its Infinity Core lighting at the rear; the colour-changing LED ring softly illuminates whatever's behind the monitor, with a bunch of different patterns to pick from through the menus. The lights could be a little brighter – they have the biggest impact when you're gaming in the dark. Interface: does the job Unlike the older, larger 32in Odyssey OLED G80SD, the G81SF doesn't get Samsung's flashy Tizen-based smart UI (which is stuffed with apps and streaming services). Here you're getting a far more basic monitor menu, navigated by the control stick on the back of the monitor. It wasn't so keen to swallow my inputs as the Odyssey G6, so getting around never felt like a chore. There's not too much on offer here, with the main screen sensibly taking up just a portion of the screen so you can see what difference your settings tweaks make in real-time. You get the usual gamer-grade tools, like black level adjustment, adaptive sync, and a virtual aim point, and can pick one setting (from a Samsung-approved list) to assign to a quick shortcut on the control stick. The picture-in-picture mode is a neat addition if you've got multiple devices hooked up at once, but it's exactly that: you can't split the screen for picture-by-picture, and are limited to a corner of the overall image. Picture settings cover all the usual bases, with brightness, colour, contrast and sharpness and tint sliders as well as a handful of presets. You can get more granular with white balance, colour tone and gamma adjustment, plus a contrast enhancer and HDR tone mapping. Picture quality: pristine – at a price Stretching a 4K resolution over 27in guarantees the Odyssey G8 delivers a gloriously detailed and crisp image. It's a noticeable step up from the G6's 1440p. Sure, you can get pro-grade monitors aimed at creatives with even more pixels per inch, but for gaming this is about as good as it gets right now. Games consoles can output natively and beefy PC graphics cards can really flex their muscles. You'll need one if you want to play the latest titles anything close to the G8's maximum 240Hz refresh rate. I'm using an RTX 4090, and there are now plenty of games that can't manage 60fps at 4K with all the details cranked, let alone 240fps. That said, OLED screens are so much better at motion handling than LCD ones that even lower frame rates looked smooth and felt whip-crack responsive. The variable refresh rate tech makes all the difference when your hardware begins to struggle, and input lag is basically negligible. Playing Doom The Dark Ages with HDR enabled and all settings cranked on this monitor is a transformative experience. That's partly down to how impactful colours look on this QD-OLED screen. With no white sub-pixel diluting down each hue, as is the case with W-OLED panels used by rivals like LG, the Odyssey G8 is deliciously vibrant. That's not to say Samsung has returned to its oversaturated OLED heyday, though. There's real nuance here, especially in the shadows of darker scenes. It helps that contrast is practically infinite. Colour coverage is spot on, with 99% DCI-P3. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands absolutely pops with vivid shades; it's a treat for the eyes. VESA has given the G81SF its DisplayHDR True Black 400 seal of approval, and Samsung has brought dynamic HDR tone mapping to boost highlights on compatible content with the smallest reduction to gradation. The former is an indication this screen doesn't get blindingly bright, and SDR content is unsurprisingly dimmer, but that doesn't mean it's lacking for daily use. I was happy to work and play with the brightness slider sat at 50%. The glare-free screen coating does a fantastic job of diffusing light reflections; I had no issues working on it next to a window on the brightest of days. While OLED black levels are of course second to none – and have no light bloom to content with like a mini-LED monitor – I still preferred to game with the blinds drawn, as the anti-glare finish can't work miracles against direct sunlight. Samsung Odyssey G8 G81SF verdict If you're after a smaller screen that still has all the visual bells and whistles, the Odyssey G8 G81SF is an excellent choice. Picture quality is fantastic, and the screen itself is quite the looker. 4K at 240Hz isn't for the weak, though, so you'll need a top-spec gaming rig to make the most of it. Should your hardware not cut the mustard, the more affordable Odyssey OLED G6 could be the better buy. Its 1440p resolution isn't quite as future-proof, but the styling and feature set are otherwise an exact match. And if you manage to find the older 32in G80SD at a discount it's still very much worth a look, on account of its larger panel and Tizen smarts. For no-frills gaming greatness, however, the G81SF is tough to beat. Stuff Says… Score: 5/5 Overkill for some, gaming greatness for others. The Samsung Odyssey G81SF is a stunner of an OLED monitor, so long as your hardware has enough oomph to cope with its resolution and refresh rate. Pros Outstanding image quality and rapid refresh rate Design is truly standout and build quality is top-tier Reassuring screen maintenance features Cons Connectivity isn't much to shout about Expensive (at RRP, anyway) Samsung Odyssey G8 G81SF technical specifications Screen size 27in, 16:9 Resolution 3840×2160 Refresh rate 240Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro/VRR Response time 0.03ms Brightness 250 nits (SDR) / 1000 nits (HDR) HDR DisplayHDR True Black 400 Connectivity 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x USB-A 3.1, 1x USB-B 3.1 Dimensions 612x554x264mm, 6.9kg (with stand) 612x354x49.2mm, 3.8kg (panel only)
Engadget
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Engadget
Engadget review recap: Surface Pro, Rivian, Canon, Light Phone and more
I can't blame you if you've been spending more time outside lately instead of reading gadget reviews. Spring has sprung, at least for us at Engadget HQ in the US, and there's a lot of touching grass going on amongst our staff. Still, if you've missed any of our reviews over the last two weeks, this condensed list has everything you need to catch up quickly. The Surface Pro is light, thin and can handle basic work just fine. It's also as cute as a button, so you probably won't mind that it has sub-par performance and a lesser screen than the 13-inch model. $800 at Microsoft For basic computing in a highly portable device, the 12-inch Surface Pro does just fine. Senior reviews reporter Devindra Hardawar argued that you won't want this device for it's power anyway, and you'll probably be able to overlook its lower-spec display too. "You're not buying a tiny laptop for speed, you're buying it because it's cute and super portable," he said. "And in that respect, the 12-inch Surface Pro succeeds." For those looking for an outdoorsy EV with three rows and room for your entire family, Rivian's R1S Gen 2 is unquestionably a top contender. Starts at $75,900, $105,900 as tested at Rivian Rivian has become a popular option for EV shoppers looking for either a truck or a three-row SUV. Senior reviews reporter Sam Rutherford recently spent some time behind the wheel of the company's second-generation R1S and came away impressed. "Its size may be imposing, but it certainly delivers on the look and feel of a car that's just as happy on asphalt as it is on unpaved trails," he wrote. "The only thing that might give me pause is that for people who aren't interested in off-roading, alternatives like the Kia EV9 offer similar passenger capacity for a much lower starting price." Canon's PowerShot V1 is a versatile hybrid camera with excellent video and image quality thanks to the unusually large sensor. $899 at Amazon Compact cameras are making a comeback. Canon's Powershot V1 may be designed for vlogging, but reporter Steve Dent discovered its also great for stills. "The problem is that it's still primarily a vlogging camera and a lot of content creators have abandoned this type of compact model in favor of the Osmo Pocket 3," he explained. "At the end of the day, the PowerShot V1 is bound to be a hit because it delivers when it comes to video and photo quality." At $900, the Alienware AW2725Q is one of the best OLED gaming monitors you can buy right now. It offers tremendous image quality and motion clarity, alongside excellent HDR performance. $830 at Amazon If you're looking for a new gaming display that can pull double duty as an everyday monitor, Alienware's AW2725Q may be worth a look. Senior reporter Igor Bonifacic particularly noted the display's overall image quality and motion clarity, but there's a lot to like here. "The best thing I can say about the Alienware AW2725Q is that I'm not looking forward to sending it back," he said. "It is an amazing display that has made one of my favorite hobbies more enjoyable." Roku's new Streaming Stick Plus requires no wall outlet, making it ideal for unpredictable hotel TV situations and homes where plugs are scarce. $40 at Amazon Cheap TV streaming devices are typically easy to recommend, and the fact that Roku's new Streaming Stick Plus draws power from the TV is icing on the cake. "This is also the stick I want to take with me on my next trip," senior buying advice reporter Amy Skorheim wrote. "I can plug it in at the Airbnb and, instead of logging in to whatever random apps the TV happens to have, I can watch more Doctor Who. I won't have to worry about where the nearest outlet is and I'll be spared the effort of typing in my stupidly long Disney+ password." The upgraded AMD mainboard is faster than its predecessor but not enough to be earth-shattering. $899 at Framework Framework offers a way for you to easily upgrade your laptop as needed, which means you can swap out the mainboard for a new one when the company makes them available. However, the upgrade might not always be worth it, even if it is easy, but Framework's overall premise still shows promise. "But while it may not have the razzle or dazzle, it does have the staying power, and that's going to be a bigger asset in the next few years," senior editor Daniel Cooper argued. "If you're the sort of person who would buy a Lenovo Thinkpad and run it until it falls apart, then this is a better option." The Light Phone III is a well-designed device that can help you break your smartphone addiction, but it makes some major compromises. $599 at Light The Light Phone III seeks to offer a distraction-free smartphone existence, but as deputy news editor Nathan Ingraham found, the lack of polish in the company's bare-bones UI is a hindrance. "I can blame the music player or lack of autocorrect, but ultimately I was not ready for how radically different the Light Phone III experience is," he admitted. "But, for a few weeks, I left my iPhone at home when I left the house as much as possible and there was something freeing about the complete lack of notifications and general siren-call for attention that I usually deal with." For all the gamers, we've published reviews of several titles over the last two weeks. Most recently, senior editor Jessica Conditt spent some time with Doom: The Dark Ages , where she noted the "blood-soaked and beautiful" game offered "a well-rounded romp through the bowels of hell." She also opined on Despelote , a game that explores memories, magic moments and being a kid. And for the Playdate fans, weekend editor Cheyenne Macdonald found out what it's like to have a cat serve as your very opinionated supervisor in Suborbital Salvage .
