Samsung QLED Gaming Display C49RG90 – Review

Table of contents

Samsung QLED Gaming Display C49RG90 – Review

With its dual WQHD resolution, the C49RG90 is currently one of the most popular monitors for simracing with a single-monitor setup. Samsung’s 49″ Super Ultra Wide monitor is lushly equipped and excellent for racing simulations of all kinds.

Ordering and shipping

The tested monitor was purchased from Amazon (Link: *) purchased and delivered by DHL. Important to note here that the delivery was declared as bulky goods, this led to some delays on the part of DHL.

Technical data

panel

Resolution: 5120 x 1440 pixels
Image aspect ratio: 32:9
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
LCD technology: VA
Contrast :3. 000:1
Brightness: 600 cd/m²
Response time: 4 ms (w/w)
Color space: 25% sRGB, 95% DCI-P3, 88% NTSC, 92% Adobe RGB

Connectivity

2 x Displayport
1 x HDMI
2 x USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0
1 x audio-out

Other

VESA mount (100×100)
AMD Radeon FreeSync™ 2 HDR (GSync compatible)
HDR 1000
Display tilts (-2°/+15°), height adjusts (120 mm), and swivels (-15°/+15°)
Weight: 14.6 kilos

Scope of delivery

Monitor
Stand and VESA mount
HDMI and Displayport cables
Cold power cable
Manual and quick start guide

Comparison of 16:9, 21:9 and 32:9

The biggest advantage of this monitor is its ease of use. In contrast to a triple-screen setup, there is no need for the time-consuming setup and the problems that often arise with it; here it is basically plug&play. Only in the simulation itself is it necessary to find the appropriate settings. In a direct comparison between the three common monitor formats, the clearly larger field of view is immediately noticeable. The 49 inch monitor with its resolution of 5120 x 1440 corresponds to two 16:9 monitors, which is only surpassed by a triple screen setup. Thus, it is usually possible to see the left side mirror partially or even completely, depending on the FOV setting. Especially in tight or long curves, the overview is greatly improved as a result, for example in the Mercedes-Benz Arena at the Nürburgring.

The screen format is compatible with popular racing simulations (AC, ACC, rFactor, Raceroom, iRacing, Dirt, F1, …).

Assembly

The monitor can be mounted using either the supplied stand or the VESA mount. When using the stand, you have to reckon with a distance of about 30 centimeters from the center of the screen to the wall. The monitor can be lowered to a height of a few centimeters, and a slight swivel and tilt is also continuously possible.

The VESA mount with a 100×100 hole pattern can be mounted optimally instead of the stand and thus offers a way to mount the 49-inch monitor on the rig or wall mount of its choice. The only thing to note here is the relatively high weight of just under 15 kilograms.

Features

Comprehensive OSD menu

A joystick (which is a bit too small) on the bottom of the screen can be used to adjust numerous settings, save profiles, and also activate PBP (Picture by Picture) mode, so that two images with 2,560 × 1,440 pixels are displayed side by side. In addition to the joystick, there are three buttons for quick selection of three configurable screen profiles.

Local dimming and HDR

Samsung’s screen supports local dimming. This means that the display’s side backlight can be controlled individually, as it has been divided into separate areas. However, the separation into only10 areas wastes potential here, and sometimes larger brightness differences occur during activation. A more sensitive division would have been desirable here.

The DisplayHDR 1000 certified monitor offers a maximum brightness of about 600 cd/m² in a full-screen display. It is supposed to get up to 1000 cd/m² selectively. If you deactivate the local dimming, the maximum value drops to about 400 – 450 cd/m².

Resolution, refresh rate and FreeSync

Particularly important points for simracers are the very high resolution of 5120 x 1440 pixels in combination with the high refresh rate of 120 Hz. This combination leaves nothing to be desired, but at the same time places high demands on the installed hardware. The monitor’s predecessor only came to a resolution of 3840 x 1080, so a clear progress has been made here. Important: For the full resolution in combination with 120 Hz, a Displayport cable is required (supplied).

The display supports Adaptive Sync with up to 120 Hz, with both an AMD (6900 XT) and an NVIDIA graphics card (RTX 2070) this worked smoothly in testing.

Driving example (Assetto Corsa Competizione – Monza)

Conclusion

Despite its high price of over 1000€, the monitor is well worth the money. The very good technical data and the good equipment are convincing. The screen offers excellent picture quality, although the advantage of HDR in racing simulations is limited in my eyes. The easy setup and additional use as a work monitor make the 49 incher superior to a triple-screen setup, but it doesn’t come close to the unsurpassed overview of one.