Called the CHG90, Samsung unveiled the monitor before E3 today, as reported by The Verge. It is believed to be the largest single-screen monitor ever created. Its overall display size is the same as if you’d placed two 24-inch curved panels side-by-side.
Samsung has used a resolution of 3840×1080 to create the gargantuan panel. This gives it the same effective pixel density as a regular 1080p monitor. The CHG90 won’t suffer from any of the Windows scaling issues that appear on “smaller” ultrawide monitors, usually found with 29-inch or 34-inch visible areas.
Samsung will include software to help you get the most out of the huge display area. Although Windows has built-in tools that let you snap apps to the corners of your monitor, it isn’t well-tuned for a single ultrawide display. Samsung’s proprietary software will let you split your screen up into six distinct areas, each of which can show a different app.
Preliminary reviews of the monitor from the E3 show floor have generally been very positive. The CHG90 uses Samsung’s QLED Quantum Dot technology and supports HDR10 for high dynamic range content. This translates to a brighter and more vibrant image than regular monitors.
Samsung has been touting the benefits of quantum dots for a while now and is using them across its TV and monitor ranges. They are based on nanoparticles that can light up with more precise colours and greater brightness than regular LEDs. Although OLED pixels still offer better contrast, quantum dots are brighter and can more accurately reproduce complex scenes.
In a bid to appeal to gamers, Samsung has included AMD’s FreeSync standard to offer tearless screen refreshes at up to 144Hz. NVIDIA G-Sync, the company’s counterpart to FreeSync, isn’t available though, making the monitor better paired with an AMD graphics card if you’re looking to eliminate screen tears entirely. Connectivity options include DisplayPort, DisplayPort Mini and HDMI.
Samsung’s not going to find a huge audience for the CHG90 but it could hold appeal with select groups of users. This includes gamers who want to have a triple-monitor setup but don’t have the physical space. A regular dual-monitor configuration leaves a display bezel right in the middle of the view, making it unsuitable for gaming. The CHG90 solves this issue while staying within the footprint of two 24-inch monitors.
If you are interested in owning a 49-inch monitor, you will need a suitably large wallet. Samsung has set pricing at $1,499, or around $1,000 more than a typical 34-inch ultrawide. The company also debuted more practical and affordable alternatives today, including a $699 32-inch model and $599 27-inch version.
