Samsung was full of teasers at this year’s CES, offering us a sneak peek of its latest fleet of gaming and productivity monitors. Specifically, instead of following the familiar formula of higher resolutions and wider screens, the company injected its newest screens with today’s hottest tech—AI. Enter the Samsung OLED G80SD and Samsung M80D, the first monitors in the company’s gaming and productivity lineups to offer AI upscaling, promising to bring lower-resolution streamed content up to near-4K levels.Stopping by the Samsung 837 Store in New York City recently, we got a chance to go hands and eyes on with the new displays, which are among the first of the models announced at CES to go on sale. We left impressed by Samsung’s thoughtful injection of AI, the M80D’s productivity-packed feature set, and the G80SD’s gorgeous 4K OLED display (even though it arrives halfway through a year packed with similar monitors).Samsung OLED G8: AI Upscaling, OLED BrillianceOn the gaming monitor front, Samsung is introducing the OLED G80SD and the G60SD (G8 and G6 for short). Part of the same family as the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, the G8 might be familiar to those who’ve kept an eye on the premium gaming monitor segment over the years. Here are the specs, and stop me if you’ve heard this before: a 32-inch OLED panel with 4K resolution, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, a 0.03ms response time, and a 240Hz refresh rate. Yes, we’ve seen similar offerings this year from Alienware, Asus, LG, and MSI, but Samsung hopes to stand out with some help from today’s tech buzzword: AI.
Samsung OLED G8 (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Technically, we’ve seen AI in gaming monitors before—for instance, optimizing settings and power usage options in some of MSI’s 4K OLED displays. That’s a time saver, but not quite a groundbreaking use of the emerging tech. Samsung is injecting AI into its gaming monitors in perhaps a more meaningful way: upscaling streaming content. Thanks to what the company calls the NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor, the G8 monitor can upscale content to nearly 4K when using Samsung Gaming Hub and Smart TV apps. Samsung has used this technology before in TVs (see the Samsung 85-Inch QN900D 8K QLED TV), but this marks its first appearance in a gaming monitor.
Samsung OLED G8 (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
However, AI upscaling is not without issues, as the rebuilt image can often leave behind unintended artifacts and add some unwanted input lag. We weren’t able to see the upscaling in action ourselves during our hands-on time with the new monitors, so it remains to be seen if the quality is noticeably affected by the upscaling. But considering the noticeable gains while using the technology in Samsung’s TVs, we remain optimistic.The new monitors also support HDR10+, which means they can read metadata from HDR content and apply dynamic per-scene HDR and dynamic HDR tone mapping in real time. In our demo, we took a stroll down the streets of Cyberpunk 2077, a game packed full of neon lights and other visual effects that are really perfect for showcasing the HDR. Even in our short demo, you could immediately notice the strong contrasting colors and vibrant textures of in-game scenes. Highlights from streetlights were particularly eye-catching, and the added fidelity helps you appreciate the finer details of Night City.In addition to AI upscaling, the monitor offers many new features that are firsts for Samsung’s gaming line, including a dynamic cooling system that diffuses heat and predicts surface temperature, controlling brightness to prevent overheating. The monitor also automatically adjusts brightness on static images to help prevent burn-in.The G8 might be the belle of the ball, but Samsung is also offering another OLED display: the G6. It’s made with hard-core gamers in mind, dropping size to 27 inches and resolution to QHD (2,560 by 1,440 pixels) but raising the refresh rate to 360Hz. It retains many of the features of the G8, though it does not offer an AI processor or the Samsung entertainment options.
Samsung OLED G6 (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
But while AI upscaling is off the cards, the G6 does offer a remarkably sleek metal design, measuring just 0.15 inch at its thinnest point. Its smaller footprint is ideal for gamers with limited desk space. It’s a more traditional gaming monitor than Samsung’s other gaming displays, which tend to borrow features from the company’s TVs. Still, we haven’t met an OLED monitor we didn’t like, and the 27-inch variant is no exception.As for price, you’ll reach deep into your wallet no matter your choice. The 32-inch Samsung OLED G80SD retails for $1,299, while the 27-inch Samsung OLED G60SD comes in at $899.Samsung M80D Smart Monitor: AI Without OLEDSamsung’s 32-inch M80D also uses an AI processor, which like the OLED G8’s promises to upscale streamed content to near-4K resolution. And you’ll find plenty of content to choose from: Like its predecessors, the M80D offers access to streaming TV apps from partners like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube, as well as the Samsung Gaming Hub to stream games directly to your monitor with no additional hardware required.
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Need to get some work done? The Multi Control feature lets you easily move images between the monitor and other Samsung devices with just your keyboard and mouse. You can also pair the M80D with Matter-compatible smart home devices to transform your monitor into a bona fide control hub.We especially like the detachable SlimFit camera. The camera sits atop the thin frame of the monitor and is attached to a USB-C port. While it can be used for video calls, it’s even more fun when it works in tandem with exercise devices and fitness apps. The M80D also offers an ergonomic design, built-in speakers, and plenty of ports, including USB-A, HDMI, and USB-C.What was striking in our demo was just how compact the monitor was, especially for a 32-inch screen, and I can see it being an ideal companion for the home office. Yes, there’s no OLED here, but the M80D’s target audience will probably not mind, thanks to how feature-rich the monitor is. However, in our short demo, I admittedly struggled to get the camera to lock on to me while trying out the fitness apps.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The Samsung M80D Smart Monitor is less expensive than the OLED options, retailing for $699.Whether you’re gaming, working from home, or just looking for a display that does it all, the new Samsung offerings likely have you covered. They’re now available for purchase, with an additional launch sweetener if you buy direct from Samsung: a $300 credit for a future purchase. Still, it might be worth waiting to buy until we’ve had a chance to give a final verdict after testing in PC Labs. Check back soon for our full reviews.
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