23.5-inch and 27-inch CFG70 with 1800R curvature
Samsung’s more affordably priced offerings are the 23.5-inch and 27-inch CFG70, featuring a 1ms moving picture response time, a 144Hz sampling rate and Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology. The panels have a 1920x1080p resolution and are capable of reproducing 125 percent of the sRGB color spectrum.
The company claims that the monitors are programmed to refresh the picture by dividing the display into four quarters rather than refreshing the entire panels at once. Both displays will feature Samsung’s Gaming UX OSD interface with dashboard settings for various configuration and menu options.
Samsung says these panels have a “Super Arena” design that carefully aligns 1800R curvature with sound-interactive LED lighting for a unique gaming experience. They feature traditional slide-and-lock stands but with a ball-and-joint hinge for various adjustments.
$399 and $499, arriving later this year
The panels also be the first to feature a cadmium-free design similar to the quantum dot technology in Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TV lineup. The 23.5-inch CFG70 will be available for $399 (£305/€357) while the 27-inch CFG70 will be available for $499 (£381/€446) sometime later this year.
34-inch CF791 with larger 1500R curvature
As for its flagship monitor, the company has introduced the 34-inch CF791 with a 3440x1440p resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio, a 100Hz refresh rate, a four millisecond response time and Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology. The panel features a 1500R curvature, currently the most curved gaming monitor on the market. It will also feature AMD FreeSync technology for one-to-one panel refreshing. Additional features include an integrated USB dock with two ports and dual 7-watt speakers.
Samsung says the “boundless” design of this panel will allow gamers to focus on screen elements, while the increased curvature should help with further game immersion. Of course, while the 4ms response time may not make this the most ideal gaming panel, the 1500R curvature could be an interesting option for music, video and photo professionals, along with offering an "immersive" 21:9 cinematic experience for film and entertainment.
"By enhancing our pioneering curved gaming monitors with quantum dot technology, our CFG70 and CF791 displays further surround players and make them feel as if they are part of the game. We are excited to demonstrate this futuristic and immersive gaming environment at IFA 2016," said Seog-gi Kim, SVP of Samsung's Visual Display Business, in a statement.
$999, arriving later this year
The 34-inch CF791 will be available for $999 (£763/€893) and is expected to become available later this year.
More gaming panels arriving later this year
Samsung told the press that the two 1800R curvature panels are part of a plan to launch 10 new gaming displays this year, so we expect more announcements to follow in the coming months.
Samsung 27-inch CF591, 23.5-inch and 27-inch CF390, announced in February
Back in February, the company announced three new monitors including the 27-inch CF591 and the 23.5-inch and 27-inch CF390, all featuring 1800R curvature, a wide 178-degree viewing angle, FreeSync support, Samsung’s flicker-technology, and supporting 119 percent of the sRGB color spectrum.
The company is expected to unveil its new 23.5-inch and 27-inch CFG70 and flagship 34-inch CF791 curved quantum-dot panels during a press conference on September 1st at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin. They will be on display at the show between September 4th and 7th.
Samsung quantum-dots panels now in their second year
Quantum Dots are nanoscale particles that use an electric charge different than larger particles to realign themselves to produce “deeper shades of color.” According to Samsung, refinements are made to the nanocrystal film located between the LED backlights and the LCD panel that can give displays up to a 30 percent boost in color accuracy and 64 times more color gradation per pixel than traditional LED-backlit LCD displays.
As Wired notes in its primer on quantum dots, the nanosized particles produce “a much wider color gamut than traditional LCDs without overhauling the LCD fabrication process”. The LEDs in most LCD TVs are blue, but coated with yellow phosphor, so they emit white light. On the other hand, LEDs in quantum-dot panels emit blue light. A panel coated with quantum-dots will still emit red, blue and green light, only differently – blue is emitted directly from the LEDs, while red and green are created by quantum-dots arranged in a tube or in a sheet of film on the light guide plate.
The big problem with production of quantum-dots for consumers is that some of them can be sourced from materials containing cadmium in “factory emissions” levels. Groups like the European Union restrict the use of cadmium in certain household appliances, while others are concerned with the health and environmental concerns of having them end up in landfills.
Another material used in quantum dot manufacturing is indium, although cadmium is said to be more energy efficient at blue light conversion and produce a wider color gamut. However, both materials are currently under regulatory observation by different agencies and consumer groups, so it is unclear whether “cadmium-free” will remain the only standard for the industry.
Source: Samsung