I tried Samsung's new outrageously wide $1,500 computer monitor - here's what it's like
The sheer size of the CRG9 monitor alone is something to behold.
The CRG9 measures 49 inches diagonally, and it has an aspect ratio of 32:9 — it's as if you had two regular, 27-inch monitors stuck together, but without the bezels down the middle of the screen.
Still, it looks and feels wider than two regular monitors stuck together.
The biggest upgrade fixes the main issue I had with the original monitor.
The original CHG9 monitor came with a high $1,500 price tag, but it's biggest flaw was its 1080p resolution.
There's actually nothing wrong with 1080p resolution. It's still plenty sharp, and it's the standard resolution for almost any application. But at $1,500, the CHG9 could easily be considered a luxury item, and 1080p resolution doesn't exactly scream luxury. Rather, it was standard, even if it was incredibly wide.
The new CRG9 monitor now has 1440p resolution, which is a significant upgrade. It's noticeably sharper than 1080p, and it gives off a more premium, smoother look to whatever you have on the screen, whether it be a Word document or a triple-A game with crazy graphics.
The new CRG9 carries over the same curved screen as the original, which isn't a gimmick.
Curved screens can easily be perceived as a gimmick, but it's pretty much a requisite with a monitor as wide as the CRG9.
Without the curve, on-screen items on either end of the screen would actually be hard to see. The curve helps bring the left and right sides of the CRG9 closer to your peripheral vision, which also means you can glance at things more easily with your eyes rather than physically turning your head to see what's going on on either end of the screen.
Of course I played a game on this thing — that's what it's designed to do.
I played a level of "Tom Clancy's The Division 2" on the new CRG9 monitor. For those who have never tried playing a game on such a wide screen, I can confirm there's nothing quite like "having more screen."
Whether the super ultrawide CRG9 helps you play better or gives you an advantage is debatable. The argument is that such a wide screen can reveal enemies in your peripheral that you wouldn't otherwise see on a regular monitor.
Rather, such a wide monitor enhances the immersion experience of the game more than it gives you an advantage. It delivers immersion that regular monitors, and even "ultra-wide" monitors, simply don't offer.
For reference, "ultra-wide" monitors have an aspect ratio of 21:9, which isn't as wide as 32:9 "super-ultra-wide" monitors.
Combined with the immersion, the resolution upgrade in the CRG9 does justice to games and gamers who care about how their games look.
The resolution bump on the new CRG9 monitor was the missing key to get the most out of games, at least for those gamers who really care about how their games look.
For picky gamers — those who might spend a lot of money on hardware to get the best graphics — the CRG9 should suitably impress.
Yes, I know, 4K resolution is the gold-standard for video games graphics, and 1440p isn't as sharp as 4K. But think about this: even the latest and most powerful computer hardware from Intel, Nvidia, or AMD would have trouble pushing out a game at 4K resolution on a monitor this wide. Remember, the CRG9 monitor is basically the same thing as two regular monitors, so your computer hardware would have to push twice as hard to fill the screen with your game with any sense of smooth gameplay.
1440p is the sweet spot for this monitor, at least until computer hardware gets powerful enough to smoothly run games in 4K resolution.
You'd still need an incredibly powerful computer to make the most of the new CRG9 monitor. But it's not a requisite, and it depends on a few things, too.
Samsung's new CRG9 monitor comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, which means it can play games smoothly up to 120 frames per second. Again, that's if you have a computer that's powerful enough to push 1440p graphics at 120 frames per second.
I have an Nvidia GTX 1080Ti, an incredibly powerful graphics card, and I'm doubting that it'll push 120 frames per second on the CRG9 monitor with certain games that have crazy graphics, like "Battlefield V." In fact, I know it won't. I have a 1440p ultra-wide at home (not a "super-ultra-wide"), and I can get about 85 frames per second on "Battlefield V."
To make the most of the new CRG9 monitor, you'd need something like Nvidia's new RTX 2080Ti graphics card that retails for a minimum of about $1,200. And that's the graphics card alone, not the whole computer. On top of the graphics card, you'd need a powerful and expensive processor, and plenty of RAM, too. A computer that would make the most of the CRG9 could cost close to $2,500
Of course, you could tweak down the graphics settings on your games to get smoother performance, and you wouldn't absolutely need the top-of-the-line computers to run games on the CRG9 monitor. That's all up to you and what you value — crazy graphics versus smooth gameplay is an age-old debate in PC gaming.
Here are the rest of the important specs.
The new CRG9 monitor also comes with:
- Samsung's QLED display technology.
- HDR1000, which is an upgrade over the HDR600 from the original monitor.
- AMD's Freesync 2 technology that helps with smooth gameplay.
You can pre-order Samsung's new CRG9 monitor now for $1,500.
It'll be on store shelves in the coming weeks.
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