"Another day, another state-of-the-art megabucks OLED monitor has arrived," yes, but take a look at the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 G93SC, gaming freaks. Not to be confused with the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 G95SC, the "G93SC" version of this OLED G9 model didn't even exist until it arrived in the PC Gamer tower a few days after the G95SC.

You are not alone in your confusion. In short, here's the thing. The two ultrawide 49-inch OLED monitors are essentially the same, except that the G93SC we're reviewing omits all the smart TV and hub features of the G95SC. It also does not come with an IR remote control with shortcuts to the usual streaming services.

All of this gunk just adds to the price, does little for your gaming prowess, and is not very suitable for a 32:9 aspect monitor anyway. It doesn't make much sense to pay big bucks to watch 16:9 TV content on this panel; even 2.35:1 feature films don't use a significant portion of the panel.

Anyway, what we're dealing with here is an OLED monitor that uses the same Samsung QD-OLED panel technology we saw earlier on Alienware's 34-inch models including the Alienware 34 AW3423DWF and the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600. However, the aspect ratio of the panel is even wider, 32:9 instead of 21:9. The same pixel density and the same 1,440 vertical pixels are obtained, but the horizontal resolution is widened to 5,120 pixels.

As a result, this new OLED panel is exactly the same size and resolution as Samsung's previous Odyssey G9 monitors, which were based on LCD rather than OLED panels. Thus, while the form factor is familiar, the 1800R curve is less extreme than the 1000R of the previous G9 panel. But when it comes to image quality, this OLED ultrawide completely blows the old G9 panel out of the water. Let's keep this thought while we deal with the wider range of speeds and feeds.

Refresh is at 240 Hz, with a response time of 0.03 ms, similar to other QD-OLED monitors. Full screen brightness is 250 nits, also in line with other QD-OLED based monitors we have seen. Slightly frustratingly, the panel is DisplayHDR True Black 400, but Samsung does not offer a maximum HDR brightness.

As for connectivity, in addition to DisplayPort, HDMI, and mini HDMI, there is a USB hub with a USB-C interface; the USB-C socket is only for the hub, not the display interface.

In terms of build and technology, this monitor is gorgeous. It looks very modern and minimalistic and feels very well put together. The OLED panel technology also means that the panel casing can be made ultra-thin.

However, there are a few things that concern me. It is very hard to get to, partly because all the inputs are connected parallel to the back of the enclosure, rather than at 90 degrees. Worst of all, however, is the power supply. First, the power supply, with a relatively modest output of 220W, is a huge brick, much larger than it needs to be.

To make matters worse, this power supply is connected to the back of the display via a crude barrel-shaped connector that is unimaginably crude. It looks like a 1980s boom box, which is a bit bizarre and will likely be the cause of many warranty claims down the road.

Anyway, the main story here is what it feels like to play games on this monitor, and the news here is almost all really good. In fact, this monitor looks exactly like the Alienware 34 AW3423DWF and the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600. It also has a glossy panel coating, which improves contrast.

On that note, regarding the Alienware and Philips glossy OLED monitors, there have been reports of blacks turning white or gray in bright ambient light. The problem is essentially that the OLED panel itself is a bit gray in color, which becomes apparent when the screen is exposed to a lot of light.

The same applies to this large Samsung model. In very bright ambient light conditions, it is very sharp and detracts from the viewing experience. However, we are talking about exceptionally bright situations, where it is unlikely that many gamers would voluntarily force themselves to do so. For almost all users, this is not a problem.

Instead, at least this product always looks pretty punchy, something that cannot be said for OLED monitors with LG WOLED panels; with LG's panels, lighting up most or all of the panel darkens quite dramatically, but with this Samsung monitor, you can visibly ABL (automatic brightness limiter) is almost pointless. And if anything, it appears brighter than 250 nits at full screen.

This is a real boon for non-gaming applications; with LG's OLED monitors, the brightness jumps around on the desktop when opening and closing browser windows. But that is not the case with this panel.

Of course, you can also add perfect per-pixel lighting control and over 250 nits of brightness in HDR highlights. The actual image quality will not be as good as the QD-OLED Alienware and Philips panels we reviewed previously. However, the added scale of the 49-inch form factor adds to the subjective drama.

Quite simply, this is the experience that HDR hype has long promised but failed to deliver. The scene in the basement bar in Cyberpunk 2077 is a prime example, combining moody, jet-black tones with glistening neon; viewed on the OLED G9, it is truly stunning.

Of course, with 240Hz refresh and 0.03ms response, this monitor is ridiculously fast. Yes, this is a pretty good overall gaming experience. If there is any question, it would be the basic form factor and the known issues with Samsung QD-OLED panels.

First, whether or not you like the 32:9 aspect is very personal. It is certainly immersive, but it does not work well with all games. For example, relatively few games actually offer a wide field of view with a 32:9 panel. Instead, the image is stretched horizontally. This is true for all online shooters and most single-player games.

The vertical resolution of 1,440 pixels also feels a bit cramped at this higher end of the monitor market. The pixel density also makes it unsuitable for non-gaming tasks, a fact exacerbated by the QD-OLED panel's non-standard sub-pixel layout.

To some extent, concerns about burn-in and image retention remain to be seen. Testing by some third parties suggests that Samsung's QD-OLED panel technology may be slightly more susceptible than LG's WOLED panels. Time will tell, but Samsung has taken various mitigating measures, one of which is significant pixel over-provisioning. If you look closely at the edges of the panel, there are quite a few pixels around the outer edges of the actual displayable image, which allows Samsung to "shift" the image periodically.

All of the above suggests that the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 G93SC is both a surprising and quite wonderful product. This is because it is comparable to other QD-OLED monitors in terms of performance and image quality. It is just that the added scale makes the end result more spectacular.

In short, I can say that this monitor is the best gaming experience currently available in a PC monitor. It is absolutely stunning. It is also not as expensive as one might have feared. Unfortunately, the final price is unknown.

However, it will certainly be cheaper than its Smart Hub-equipped sibling, which sells for $2,199 in the US and £1,599 in the UK. The price in the UK will be quite attractive, especially considering that the 34-inch OLED G8 is priced at £1,299.

Speaking of which, the biggest problem with this huge 49-inch model is the existence of a 34-inch alternative: the Alienware 34 AW3423DWF recently dropped to $899 on Amazon Prime Day, and frankly, I'd choose that over the OLED G9. But if you can afford it and like the 32:9 aspect ratio, I don't blame you. This is a great gaming screen.