Now, the company has announced that beginning this year, its Odyssey line of gaming laptops, PCs and VR devices is expanding to include gaming monitors, too. This will establish Odyssey as Samsung’s official product line for gaming gear. Visitors to Samsung’s CES 2020 booth can see firsthand how the company applied the futuristic design cues that the line is known for – and gamers love – to create the all-new Odyssey G7 and G9. Both the (27- or 32-inch) G7 and the (49-inch) G9 come packed with next-level specs including ultrawide, 1000R-curvature screens, a rapid 1ms response time, a 240Hz refresh rate for incredibly smooth FPS (first-person shooter) gameplay, G-Sync compatibility, and much more.

To learn more about the process behind the gaming monitors’ designs, Samsung Newsroom interviewed some of the designers who brought the monitors to life.

From left: Ki-hong Kim, Adam Burgess and Juwon Cho of Samsung Electronics’ Product Design Group, Visual Display Business

A New Chapter for the Odyssey

When discussing the process of refining the Odyssey G7 and G9’s designs, each member of the team, from Samsung’s Visual Display Business, stressed the importance of putting the needs and interests of gamers first. That, at its core, is what the Odyssey line is all about: equipping users with the tools they need to enjoy the best possible gaming experience.

However, as Visual Communication designer Adam Burgess noted, the launch of the Odyssey G7 and G9 not only demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to offering consumers game-changing gaming technologies, “It also creates an opportunity for us to thoughtfully communicate the philosophy of the Odyssey line in a way that feels authentic to our product offerings now and to come.”

That philosophy is realized in a pair of monitors created under design principles that can be summed up with the words “courageous,” “futuristic,” and “confident.” The devices’ simple designs set the tone for Odyssey monitors to follow, and are distinguished by their sharp contrast of black and white elements and use of eye-catching blue accenting. (It should be noted that the “Odyssey” name will also be applied to Samsung gaming monitors that are already on the market.)

“The word ‘Odyssey’ brings to mind the idea of navigation, of a journey,” said Burgess. “As Samsung’s official product line for gaming gear, Odyssey offers consumers next-level gaming experiences, powered by a combination of advanced gaming technologies and purposeful design. Together, these two attributes evoke the image of advancing toward the future.”

Future Focused

The Odyssey G7 and G9’s futuristic designs are products of the team’s careful observation of market trends. Odyssey G9 designer Juwon Cho explained the team’s approach.

“Our market research has shown that Samsung gaming monitors consistently earn good reviews,” said Cho. “However, we received feedback that some consumers would like to see genre-specific gaming elements incorporated into gaming monitor designs. To chart the best course for enhancing our offerings, we first examined some of the popular games and devices that gamers tend to prefer.” When the research showed that many gamers prefer futuristic concepts, the team adopted that term as a key design principle.

For gamers, one of the Odyssey G9’s most appealing – and futuristic – design elements may just be the Infinity Core Lighting on its back. As Cho explained, the key to its design boils down to the same factor that enables the monitor to transform users’ gaming sessions: immersion.

“When designing the lighting, we utilized light and mirrors to create the sensation that you’re being transported to another dimension when you look at it,” said Cho. “Of course, gaming on a 49-inch curved monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio evokes that same immersive sensation, and that alone would be very enticing to many gamers. However, we wanted to create gaming monitors that offered more. That is to say, we wanted them to be monitors that users would be proud to show off.”

As design team member Ki-hong Kim explained, however, immersion wasn’t the only factor that guided the Odyssey G7’s lighting design. “Like all Samsung gaming monitors, the Odyssey G7 features what we like to call Arena Lighting on its back,” said Kim. “We differentiated the design by adding dynamic shapes and lighting to the monitor’s front bezel. It’s all part of creating a monitor that, just like futuristic armor and weapons from sci-fi games, projects a strong image as gaming gear.”

Convenience Is Key

Kim emphasized that the consumer is always key when it comes to product design, and because gamers are always interested in what the professionals are using, “We asked professional gamers to share their detailed opinions and preferences so we could incorporate them into the product.”

For example, many pro gamers consider a gaming monitor’s stand to be a very important design consideration. This is because often times, when gaming, they require a large space to move their mouse, and a wide monitor stand may get in their way. It’s also important that the monitor stand does not prevent them from placing their keyboard in a comfortable position. To address these inconveniences, the team carefully calibrated the angle of the Odyssey G7’s stand to enable users to comfortably position their keyboard and move their mouse freely. Users can also easily swivel, tilt and adjust the height of both the Odyssey G7 and G9 to accommodate their posture and eye level.

Breaking Convention

Continuing his breakdown of the Odyssey G7’s design, Kim described various ways that the team enhanced the gaming monitor to differentiate it from conventional offerings. The G7’s 1000R-curvature screen is a sharp departure from typical gaming monitors, which feature boxy rectangular frames. He also explained how the team optimized the accent lighting to enhance the gaming experience and make the monitor stand out.

“Some members of our team were concerned that incorporating lighting into the front of the display could disturb gameplay,” said Kim. “This led us to come up with a lighting design that directs light downward. The design received positive reviews from users, and with that aspect of the design sorted, we were able to continue developing the product.”

The Odyssey G9’s glossy white design is another departure from convention. After surveying customer opinions, the team elected to utilize the color because feedback indicated that white creates the strongest impression of a futuristic design. Feedback on the monitors themselves has been terrific thus far, as both have already garnered Innovation Awards at this year’s CES – the Odyssey G9 in the Computer Peripheral Device category, and the G7 in the Gaming category.

Getting the Most Out of Your Monitor

In addition to discussing the process of refining the Odyssey G7 and G9’s designs, the designers revealed how they would utilize the monitors to enhance their own gaming experiences.

“Often times, when I play games, I play in a dark environment so I can immerse myself in the game and concentrate better,” said Kim. “The lighting on the front and back of the G7 was designed with consideration for such environments, and helps make the gaming experience that much more immersive.”

Cho added that the Odyssey G9’s immersion-amplifying design has the power to transform how users experience their favorite games. “The G9’s 1000R curvature allows it to fill the user’s entire field of view,” said Cho. “When you play games that support the monitor’s 32:9 screen ratio, especially FPS, flight simulator and racing games, the level of immersion is such that you feel as if you are inside the game itself.”

The market for gaming monitors is estimated to grow from roughly 7.8 million units in 2019 to 12.2 million by 2023.¹ Going forward, Samsung will continue to lead innovation in the market by offering gamers monitor designs that put their needs first.

“Even after a gaming monitor launches, the team will constantly seek out feedback and data to reflect in the designs of future products,” said Cho.

“Our goal,” added Kim, “is to anticipate trends in the rapidly evolving gaming market, and design products that lead those trends – rather than products that are simply different from what’s already out there.”

¹ According to figures from market research firm IDC (2019)

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in technology, announced today that 30 of its new product innovations have been recognized as CES® 2019 Innovation Awards winners, including two Best of Innovations accolades. This prestigious program honors  devices and services that display outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge technology.

The awards highlight Samsung’s heritage of achievements in developing groundbreaking innovations that propel the industry forward. This year, Samsung’s award-winning honorees span a range of categories including Visual Display, Fitness, Sports and Biotech, Wireless Handset Accessories, Smart Home, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Computer Hardware, Components and Peripherals, In-Vehicle Audio/Video and Sustainability and Eco-Design.

“We’ve made significant investments in the areas of 5G, IoT and AI over the past year and it’s an honor to be recognized for our steadfast pursuit to helping consumers and the industry do what couldn’t be done before,” said Tim Baxter, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America. “I am so proud of the team’s creativity, drive and innovative approach to bring best in class solutions to market.”

The CES Innovation Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the owner and organizer of CES. Many of Samsung’s industry recognized products will be on display at CES 2019, which takes place January 8-11, 2019, in the Samsung booths (#15006) located in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Others will be displayed at the CES 2019 Innovation Awards Showcase, Venetian Resort Hotel, Level 2, Venetian Ballroom E/F.

Following are details on a selection of Samsung’s award-winning products:

Samsung Galaxy Note9 – The Galaxy Note series has long been recognized for launching Samsung’s latest groundbreaking innovations. The super powerful Galaxy Note9 builds on this legacy with a premium smartphone that delivers all day performance. With a powerful, all-day battery¹, a new S Pen that features Bluetooth Low-Energy connectivity, Samsung’s most intelligent camera yet, and up to a terabyte of storage², the Galaxy Note9 is the phone powerful enough to keep up with your busy life.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – A 2-in-1 Android tablet designed for people who want to do more on the go, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 helps you work smarter by keeping you operating at the highest levels. With Samsung DeX, longer-lasting battery, refined S Pen, four speakers tuned by AKG, this new tablet makes for easier productivity and more immersive entertainment – anytime, anywhere.

Samsung Galaxy Watch – A premium, powerful smartwatch for those who want to do it all — and look good while doing it. Its long-lasting battery and LTE connectivity gives consumers a true standalone experience. With Samsung’s signature rotating bezel and more robust lineup of style options you get a smartwatch that looks like a traditional timepiece and is intuitive to use. With over 39 tracked exercises and activities and new sleep and stress management features, the powerful smartwatch keeps consumers focused on their health and wellness goals.

Wireless Charger Duo – A combination of the Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand and the Wireless Charging Pad, the fast-charging two-in-one allows users to quickly charge their phone alongside another Qi-compatible phone or wearable simultaneously. The charger eliminates the need to fumble with cables each time you need to top up your devices’ batteries, while its built-in stand offers easy access to your phone’s screen.

Samsung DeX – Samsung DeX gives users a PC-like experience directly from their flagship Samsung Galaxy mobile device. It can be done by simply connecting a a mobile device to an external monitor, or changing a setting on Galaxy Tab S4. DeX enables users to use their phone or tablet as a touch padboard or touch keypad. DeX also offers “dual mode,” so they can continue to use the phone or tablet while working on the external monitor—whether it’s participating in a video chat or drawing and taking notes.  Note9 users can also use their S Pen to advance slides while in DeX mode on a larger screen.

SmartThings Tracker – A small, lightweight GPS tracking device connected through an LTE-M³ network that helps people quickly and more accurately keep track of what matters most. Whether it’s a gym bag lost at school or a pet that might have wandered too far from home, items can be easily tracked in real time through Samsung’s Android and iOS compatible SmartThings app⁴. Family members can also use SmartThings Tracker to stay connected by sending a location notification to the SmartThings app that alerts the rest of the family of their whereabouts. And, since it is SmartThings-enabled, the SmartThings Tracker can be used as an arrival sensor, triggering automations like a connected porch light turning on when the device is within range.

HMD Odyssey + – This Windows mixed reality headset captivates users in the stunningly crisp detail that offers comfort, so that they can stay immersed in their favorite games and content. In addition to its Super AMOLED displays, the HMD Odyssey+ features new display technology called the Anti-Screen Door Effect (anti-SDE), so gamers no longer have to worry about dizziness and distorted views. The premium design of the HMD Odyssey+ is perfectly complemented by rich and dynamic audio of AKG technology, including 360° spatial sound, as well as 110° field of view – all of which that delivers a more fluid and real-life user experience.

Samsung Galaxy A6 – For those who want to get more out of a more affordable smartphone, the Galaxy A6 features an immersive screen, powerful camera and a new level of convenience. With a Super AMOLED Infinity Display that brings your content to life with bright, rich colors and support for expandable storage up to 400GB, the Galaxy A6 offers plenty of room for videos, music and files. With 16MP front and rear cameras, users can capture stunning photos and selfies, and the F1.7 aperture on the rear camera helps keep pictures bright and clear in low-light settings.

Samsung 256GB 3DS DDR4 RDIMM – The industry’s fastest DDR4 and highest density memory module for next-generation enterprise server platforms is enabled with the finest high-density, high-performance consumer infrastructure solutions along, with extremely low-power consumption (15 watts at 1.2V).

Samsung 512GB Universal Flash Storage – The industry’s first 512-gigabyte embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS), for automotive A/V systems and next-gen flagship mobile devices, using Samsung’s new 64-layer 512-gigabit V-NAND chips. The 512GB eUFS package will transfer a 5GB-equivalent full HD video clip to an SSD in about six seconds, over 8X faster than a typical microSD card.

Samsung 3.84TB NVMe Z-SSD – The SZ1733 offers a new level of storage for supercomputing targeted for AI analysis, big data and IoT applications, using Samsung’s new Z-NAND chips that provide 10 times higher cell read performance than 3-bit V-NAND chips.

Samsung LM302S – The most user-oriented next generation lighting platform available to date is designed to improve work efficiency by achieving a healthier circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycles) throughout the day, by promoting daytime-to-evening continuity and healthy sleep. Samsung’s human-centric LED solution can improve a person’s concentration level by as much as 10% for greater work efficiency. Furthermore, it also can help people to sleep better at night due to the melatonin hormone having been suppressed by the LM302S during the daytime.

Samsung SSM-U Series – A new type of smart module featuring a series of tiny radar-based sensors with higher detecting sensitivity than conventional sensors, and invisible transmission for greater design flexibility in smart residential lighting. The SSM-U series can detect subtle movements and transmit the signal to other components to control lighting at the right time.

¹Average expected performance based on typical use. Actual battery life depends on factors such as network, features selected, frequency of calls, and voice, data, and other application-usage patterns.

²1TB requires compatible 512GB SD card (sold separately). Compatible 512GB SD card expected fall 2018; availability may vary by country. Actual storage space availability may vary depending on pre-installed software.

³LTE-M is also known as LTE CAT-M, CAT-M or CAT-M1.

⁴Compatible with smartphones that support Android 5.0 and up; iPhone 6 and up with iOS 11 or later.