Organized by the iF International Forum Design GmbH, the iF Design Award contest started in Germany in 1953. Product submissions are based on a comprehensive evaluation of design, material suitability, innovativeness and seven additional categories including product, packaging, communication and professional concept.

This year’s achievement of 55 awards, including the gold award for the Modernist Column Refrigerator, CHG90 QLED gaming monitor, the Odyssey gaming PC set, and Samsung Power, is Samsung’s greatest yet, since first participating in the iF Design Award in 1996. Samsung has now won more prizes than any other company in the last three years of the iF Design Award.

“Through a deep understanding of what people really want, we will continue to strive for designs that enrich our customers’ lives through human-focused innovation,” said Dontae Lee, Executive Vice President and the Head of the Corporate Design Center at Samsung Electronics.

The Modernist Column Refrigerator is a super-premium built-in column-type refrigerator leading change in modern design in the U.S. built-in market. It features 3DLighting, which illuminates the elegant all-stainless-steel interiors, and intuitive functions such as the dual door-mounted cameras, Push-To-Open Door assist, and waist-high Hidden Touch Control Panel. An internal water dispenser provides fresh filtered water, while Dual Icemakers serve both traditional and Cocktail Ice.  Precise Cooling technology with two evaporators also ensures the freshest ingredients.

The CHG90 QLED gaming monitor, a super ultra-wide 49-inch 32:9 screen with 1800R curvature, is equivalent to two 16:9 monitors side by side, generates an exceptionally engaging gaming experience. The monitor frame and stand embody robustness, solidness and durability, while the monitor can be tilted up and down or adjusted left or right for optimal usability. Gamer-friendly features, such as shortcut keys that can save personal settings in each of the gaming screens, ensure smoother gameplay for the winning edge in onscreen contests.

The Odyssey is a compact, powerful gaming desktop offering a clean and fresh approach to gaming with a keyboard and mouse. With a unique, bold sitting position and optimized cooling, the Odyssey slim is the flagship gaming desktop. The Odyssey mechanical keyboard* is designed for serious gamers, with ideally angled cherry keys for optimum quick-fire responsiveness. The Odyssey gaming mouse* includes ambidextrous detachable wings catering to various gaming styles, and to the size of hand by each user.

Lastly, the Samsung Power, a wireless charger convertible and battery pack designed as a companion device for the Galaxy, can function as a stand with both horizontal and vertical positions for watching multimedia or making video calls. It can also be folded into a slim pad for easy carrying and storage. The cushion pad safeguards the phone from external shocks or phone vibrations and maintains a stable charging position. The leather-like texture and compact design enhance the complete look of the design. The battery pack is designed for ultimate portability, thanks to its optimal size, curved sides, and non-slip surface coating. Also, the rubber strap on top makes it easy to carry and reduces the risk of dropping.

In addition to the four gold awards, 50 other iF Design Award recognized Samsung’s products including Galaxy S8 & S8+, Galaxy Note 8,  The Frame, QLED TV Q9, 36-inch French Door Built-in Refrigerator, and POWERstick PRO.

For more information, please visit https://ifworlddesignguide.com/design-excellence.

*The Odyssey mechanical keyboard and gaming mouse are not commercially available products.

Response Speeds to Suit Gamers’ Needs

Response speed – how fast the screen responds to commands or changes in the game – can help to make or break a gamer’s stats. When the difference between top scorer and average player rests on reactions, especially in racing, first-person shooter (FPS), flight simulation and action-heavy games, every millisecond can have an impact. Three main factors can influence response speed: MPRT, refresh rate and input lag.

∙MPRT: This stands for motion picture response time, thus indicating the real response time which is recognizable to the naked eye. The faster the screen’s response time, the lower its image retention, which helps to reduce eye strain and prevent “ghosting”, where the faint image of a moving object’s previous position is displayed. The QLED TV Q8C has a response time of between 2 and 8 milliseconds depending on the setting*, while the CHG90 QLED Gaming Monitor clocks in at 1 millisecond.

∙Refresh Rate: Many know that there is a strong correlation between a display’s frames per second and the fluidity of the motion on a screen. However, a smaller number are aware of the relationship between frames per second and the refresh rate (measured in Hz). A display’s refresh rate is how often the image on the screen is refreshed, with a higher refresh rate providing smother motions and less blurring, helping gamers keep their focus steady. While many TVs offer a refresh rate of 60Hz as standard, the QLED TV Q8C’s refresh rate is 120Hz and the CHG90 QLED Gaming Monitor refreshes at 144Hz.

∙Input Lag: A display’s input lag plays a vital role in increasing response speed, as it determines the time the monitor or TV takes to react to commands made by game controls – whether it’s a keyboard or a console’s controllers. As input lag decreases, and the screen responds more quickly to commands, player reactions can be even faster. At 20 milliseconds when set to “Game Mode”, the input lag of Samsung’s QLED TV Q8C is the lowest amongst TVs on the market, and Samsung’s CHG90 QLED Gaming Monitor fully supports Radeon FreeSync 2 technology, which aims to reduce input lag to a minimum.

Burn-In Free, Guaranteed

Screen burn-in has certainly become a hot topic recently as more consumers are encountering the problem of image retention, especially in their OLED displays. Since it is often attributed to parts of the screen being static for an extended period, gaming in particular runs the risk of screen burn-in after prolonged play.

However, even while gaming Samsung QLED screens (both TVs and monitors) are free from burn-in because they utilize the new metal Quantum Dot technology. Quantum Dots consist of semiconductor nanocrystals, which can produce pure monochromatic light. Since they are material particles embedded in minerals, including rocks and sand, the inorganic material does not contain carbon compounds, and thus is not as susceptible to change as organic molecules. As such, Samsung’s QLED TVs worldwide come with a 10-year burn-in warrantee** when purchased.

HDR: A High Dynamic Range Revolution

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is quite literally a game-changer for players. The technology offers greater contrast, allowing dark areas to appear darker and light areas to appear brighter. Black is monochrome no more as HDR technology provides stunning depth and range to the color, offering hues and shades never before articulated on the screen. Developers are now producing HDR games and, in many situations, being able to see shadows and silhouettes clearly, even against dark background, will give a player a significant edge over their competitors. Both Samsung’s QLED TV Q8C and CHG90 QLED Gaming Monitor support HDR technology.

Big Screen Benefits

At 49 inches, 32:9 super ultra-wide curved, the CHG90 QLED Gaming Monitor is pushing boundaries as the widest gaming monitor available. It gives gamers the opportunity to enjoy a completely bezel-free, fluid and fast-paced field of view, especially while exploring single-player endeavors. Gamers can play games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Dota 2, League of Legends (LOL) exactly as their developers intended, further taking advantage of the immersive gaming experience that the monitor provides.

On the other hand, the 65” QLED TV Q8C is perfect for users who want to bring their games into the heart of the home and play against family and friends side-by-side, discovering together immersive pictures and 100% color volume. A gathering will be able to enjoy many games together, such as sports-themed games and car racing games. What’s more, PC gaming on a large TV is hassle-free, as Samsung’s QLED TV Q8C can stream from an in-home PC directly, using the Steam Link app available from the Samsung Smart Hub.

Gamers can rest easy knowing that QLED monitors and TVs are optimized for gaming, offering large screen game-play that gamers can enjoy either on their own or with friends. Thanks to the stunning picture quality and burn-in resistance provided by QLED displays, both the QLED TV and the QLED Gaming Monitor definitely make a strong addition to any gamer’s suite of hardware.

*MPRT of 2ms can be achieved when LED Clear Motion mode is on. MPRT is 8ms in Default mode.

**Details of the burn-in guarantee for QLED TVs vary by country, and the policy will gradually be introduced in other countries as the QLED TV is launched in each market.