The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 is an all-essential gaming monitor with a low price and a 1440p IPS display. It’s a flatscreen, unlike so many of the Odyssey monitors, which are usually curved, so it is less polarizing for some users. However, low pricing always comes with a catch, so let’s take a closer look to know what we can expect from this new G5 model.
Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: Vertical Alignment (VA)
- Refresh Rate: 165Hz
- Response Time: 1ms MPRT
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 300 cd/m2
- Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions (WxHxD) 24.34″ x 20.49″ x 9.22″
- Weight: 10.58 lbs
Display and Performance
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 follows the same aesthetic as the other Odyssey monitors, but it doesn’t have RGB lights. The monitor has a matte black finish with a discrete texture, so it looks elegant compared to other gaming displays. It has a bezel-free design, although you still have inner borders as per usual.
It is not a massive monitor, so it should be right into any well-equipped desktop setup. The device does need over nine inches of depth, but that’s still manageable even if your desk is a bit shallow. It feels flimsy because it’s very light at 10.58 pounds, but that is not the case for this monitor.
Its build quality is decent, although its plasticky build can make it seem like it’s a cheap product. It’s not as premium as the G9 or even the G7 models, but at least there are no cosmetic defects on any of its parts. The stand has some wobbling, but it only happens in select instances.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 has a joystick under the Samsung logo on the bottom bezel. We like this placement since it’s easy to access, plus you don’t have to deal with multiple presses and excruciating submenu navigation.
The stand included with the monitor offers tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments for your convenience. This is a good bonus since some budget models are usually stuck with a tilt-limited mechanism. You can use VESA mounts, although it’s not always essential for typical users or setups.
One of the things that took a hit to help with the price is its connectivity layout. It only includes DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports, and a 3.5mm jack for headphones. There are no valuable extras such as USB ports, but that’s fine since the essentials are there.
The lone USB port on the I/O is only for servicing the monitor, so you can’t use it for data up or downstream. It also doesn’t have speakers, but then again, that’s also acceptable since gaming monitors something better. You’ll be happier if you use headsets or even some desktop PC speakers since they can project the game’s audio better.
Display and Performance
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 sports a 27-inch VA panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms MPRT response time. The backlight has a 300 cd/m2 maximum, while the contrast is listed at 3000:1. This model isn’t VESA HDR-certified, but it is compatible with HDR10.
1440p is perfect when it’s on a 27-inch screen since it offers the best balance between pixel density, sharpness, and legibility. It’s still easy to use for reading without scaling, while it looks cleaner and sharper for games and movies compared to 1080p. It is not the most demanding, so you can get great performance with more GPU models.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 covers 99% sRGB and 75% DCI-P3, so it’s not the best in this regard. It’s decently vibrant enough for gaming, but its default accuracy is far worse since the deltaE average is at 3.76. The display doesn’t look overly vibrant, but it is not as neutral as the pre-calibrated monitors out there.
Using a colorimeter improved the dE average to a more acceptable 2.54, although it’s still far from the ideal setting. It is not worth getting the colorimeter for it, so we recommend manual tweaking to get it how you want it to look. Users who need it for editing have to look elsewhere or consider a more neutral IPS alternative like the Gigabyte M27Q.
The monitor’s backlight reached 251 cd/m2 in SDR, but it peaked at 299 cd/m2 when it processes HDR10 content. It’s not the brightest monitor out there, but the results are consistent with the brand’s claims on its spec sheet. The monitor’s contrast peaked at 2691:1 at 40% brightness, enabling it to produce considerably better black luminance than its IPS counterparts.
Panel uniformity for the test sample was great since there were no visible defects like backlight leaks on its edges. There were some variances in the backlight’s spread, but they were not noticeable unless a full-black image was on display. Note that this can vary between every monitor made due to tolerances, so there are worse ones out there.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51’s biggest weakness is its slower pixel response time. The screen is still prone to blurring. You need to utilize its overdrive to clean up the persistence, although it can’t completely remove it in some select instances. It’s a well-known limitation of VA panels, so it is quite understandable.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 is compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync for tear and stutter-free gaming. Dual compatibility is essential now so you can be flexible with your GPU choice when its time to upgrade. Its input lag sits at 4ms, so it’s as fast and responsive as most gaming monitors in the same class.
Thoughts on the Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27CG51 is a decent pick if you want to upgrade without spending an arm and a leg. You get a larger screen with valuable creature comforts, so the ownership experience should be a bit easier. It is fast enough for competitive games, although it still has a slower pixel response time, like most VA panels.
However, there are better money choices, like the Gigabyte M27Q IPS gaming monitor. This new G5 could use some improvements in accuracy to make it better, especially since it has a higher contrast ratio. We can only recommend it if it’s on sale; otherwise, it’s not the best pick out there.
Pros:
- Sub-$300 1440p Gaming Monitor
- Fully-Adjustable Stand
- Low Input Lag
Cons:
- Poor Color Quality
- Low Brightness
- Plasticky
About the Author: Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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