The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 ($2,499) is the largest gaming monitor I’ve ever seen. At 57 inches, this ultrawide monitor makes the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 seem tiny. In fact, the Odyssey Neo G9 is effectively a larger version of the latter. That’s not a problem considering how the Odyssey OLED G9 is one of the best curved monitors and best gaming monitors.

I got to check out the intimidating Odyssey Neo G9 at a recent Samsung event. I was impressed by its immersive 1,000R curved display, sharp 7,680 x 2,160 resolution, smooth 240Hz refresh rate and fast 1ms response time. I’ll need more hands-on time to render a final verdict, but based on my experience, the Odyssey Neo G9 could be a stellar gaming monitor for those who have the space on their gaming desks.

Here are my first impressions of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Specs

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Price & availability

You can pre-order the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 from Samsung's website right now, and the monitor is scheduled for debut in October. Anyone who pre-orders before October 1st will receive a $500 Samsung credit.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Design

Samsung is advertising the Odyssey Neo G9 as the world’s first dual UHD monitor — meaning that it’s basically the size of two 32-inch 4K monitors. At 57 inches wide, the Odyssey Neo G9 is absolutely enormous. But that wide field of view provides for an immersive gaming experience.

The V-shaped stand is wide but its thin legs don’t take up much space. If you like placing your gaming keyboard at an angle while gaming, the stand’s legs shouldn't get in the way.

Like the Odyssey OLED G9, the Odyssey Neo G9 has an all-silver chassis covering its back. There’s also RGB lighting surrounding the monitor mount. And in case you’re wondering, you can configure the RGB lighting to correspond with what’s happening on the display for that extra level of immersion.

Though the Odyssey Neo G9 might look frighteningly huge, there’s no denying that it’s an elegant piece of hardware.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Display

The Odyssey Neo G9’s 57-inch curved display is a marvel to behold in person. Not only is its 1000R curvature immersive, but images look bright and colorful at a sharp 7,680 x 2,160 resolution.

During the event, I tested a range of titles with different visual styles. Fornite, with its cartoonish art style and bold colors, looked phenomenal on the Odyssey Neo G9. Not only that, but the sharp resolution and 32:9 aspect ratio allowed me to see players who were trying to sneak up on me. Call of Duty: Warzone’s comparatively realistic graphics also looked great on the monitor.

Samsung says the monitor’s Quantum Matrix Technology with Quantum Mini LEDs creates controlled brightness and improved contrast for better definition. The company also says the display can hit 1,000 nits of peak brightness and has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. We’ll need to get the Odyssey Neo G9 into our testing lab to confirm these claims, but to my eyes, the monitor delivers excellent image quality.

Like the Odyssey OLED G9, the Odyssey Neo G9 allows for picture-in-picture from two different sources simultaneously. I didn’t get to test this feature at the event, but if it functions similarly to the Odyssey OLED G9, you’ll be able to (for example) view a console game on one part of the display and a website on the other.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Performance

I’ll need to fully test the Odyssey Neo G9 to see how well it performs overall, but based on my brief hands-on time, I can say that its performance shouldn't disappoint.

The 240Hz refresh rate helped make Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Need For Speed: Unbound run buttery smooth. The Odyssey Neo G9 features AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which serves to prevent screen tearing and stuttering. Though FreeSync is an AMD feature, it should generally work well if your gaming rig packs an Nvidia GPU.

The Odyssey Neo G9 features a 1ms response time compared to the Odyssey OLED G9’s 0.03ms response time. While competitive gamers (particularly professional esports players) might feel a difference between the two monitors, I certainly didn’t experience any noticeable input lag. For most folks, the 1ms should serve well.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 hands-on review: Outlook

While the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 might be an oversized version of the already gargantuan Odyssey OLED G9, it seems to tick all the right boxes for what I look for in a gaming monitor. Its immersive field of view, smooth and fast performance, elegant design and sharp visuals are all top-notch. If you need a super-wide gaming monitor, this seems like it could be the one to get.

I’ll have a full review of the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 for you in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!