The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 is a very affordable gaming monitor that promises top shelf performance. It has an IPS panel unlike the G8 and G9 models, but that’s not necessarily a dealbreaker if you’re about saving money. Let’s take a closer look to see how it compares to its competitors and upper-class siblings in Samsung’s line up.
Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 180Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 350 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot– Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HJDMI 2.0 x 1, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions With Stand (WxHxD): 24.13″ x 17.01″ x 10.37″
- Weight: 14.11 lbs
Design and Features
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 sports a simpler yet more sophisticated look than its predecessors. The monitor has a matte black finish and a thinner overall profile, so it looks suited for both gaming and professional setups. The screen has thinner bezels, but you still get inner borders like with most modern displays.
It’s not a gigantic monitor by today’s standards, so it should be easy to setup on most desks. It does need a lot of depth compared to other models, but that only becomes an issue if your table is too shallow. It doesn’t weigh a whole lot, so it should be very easy to move around without any assistance.
It’s a budget model, but it has excellent build quality like its premium counterparts in the brand’s monitor portfolio. The plastics used are thick and stuirdy, an there were no signs of cosmetic defects on its parts. The included stand is able to keep it upright, so the screen won’t topple over even if the base looks suspiciously thin and at times awkward.
What we dislike about it is its use of a D-Pad instead of a joystick for its settings and features. The layout islocated under the Samsung logo on the bezel, so its very easy to access even if you can’t see it. It has directional buttons, but multiple presses still take more time and effort compared to a joystick that you can simply flick around.
The included stand offers tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments for your comfort and convenience. It is very easy to get a good angle for hours of gaming, so you won’t have to sacrifice your neck and eye health. You can use VESA mounts, but that only becomes necessary in select instances.
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50’s connectivity layout is probably the most punishing physical feature to help with lowering the price. You only get a slot each for DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0, plus a 3.5mm jack for headphones. It would be nice to have USB-C at least, but we know that adding more stuff would raise the price.
You also don’t get speakers with this model, but that’s acceptable since monitors like this deserve something better. Most built-ins sound tinny and weak, so you won’t get much value from them for the main purpose of the product. We recommend going with a decent gaming headset instead for crisper details and booming bass.
Display and Performance
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 sports a 27-inch IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 180Hz max refresh rate, and a 1ms boosted response time. The backlight has a 350 cd/m2 output while the contrast is listed at 1000:1. This model is HDR 400 certified, but we all know how limited that is compared to the HDR 400 True Black certification its OLED counterparts have.
1440p is the preferred median resolution for gaming and productivity especially since its now considerably cheaper. Its balanced when it comes to visibility and sharpness, so its great for gaming and productivity. You will need a good GPU to get maximum framerates, but a flagship card won’t be necessary.
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 covers 99% sRGB and 85% DCI-P3 for decent color in games and movies. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 2.89, so it is not as accurate as the other options in the market. However, that’s still within decent limits, so most gamers won’t feel the need to calibrate it right away.
Using a colorimeter reduced the dE average to 1.65, making it more balanced and neutral compared to the stock setup. You will need a colorimeter to achieve the same results, but the gadget itself is too expensive for use with a budget monitor. We can only recommend it if you are into color-critical work, but it would be better to just prioritize a better-tuned monitor instead.
The monitor’s backlight reached 401 cd/m2, and it peaked at 429 cd/m2 when HDR mode was active. Its contrast is great for IPS panels at 1219:1 at 50% brightness, but that doesn’t mean that its capable of deeper blacks. VA and OLED types will still be the better option, but everybody knows about this limitation for IPS panels.
Its panel uniformity had some issues with backlight leaks at the top edge of the screen. They showed up as clouding in dark scenes or when a full-black image was on display, potentially ruining some visuals in many games. Note that this can vary with every monitor made due to tolerances, so there are better units out there.
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 has abn excellent pixel response time if its overdrive is set higher to the Faster level. This will add slight overshoot, but its barely noticeable compared to the trailing and persistence if the setting was off or low. Its great for competitive gaming, but there are implmentations out there with better results.
Its also compatible with FreeSync and G-Sync, so tearing and stutter-free gaming. Its nice to have dual compatibility so you can keep the monitor and VRR even if you switch to the other GPU brand. Its imput lag sits at 4ms at 180Hz, so its just as fast as the E-Sports monitors out there.
Thoughts on the Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50
The Samsung Odyssey G50D S27DG50 is a decent choice for budget gamers who want an affordable, fast gaming monitor. The IPS panel here isn’t the most vibrant, but it has enough color punch to bring out the visuals of your games. It’s built well despite being a budget model, so you won’t regret it as you would with a cheap option.
It is far from perfect, but we don’t think its flaws are complete deal breakers based on the price. Its would be nice to see more features like USB-C, but the exclusions are understandable especially if they help lower the price. It performs quite well for its intended setup, but its far from the best in its price bracket.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Good Contrast for IPS
- Fast and Responsive
Cons:
- Poor HDR
- Limited Features
- Needs Max Overdrive
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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