The Odyssey Ark looks like an ultimate gaming monitor and although 55-inch might sound too large, it makes sense due to 1000R curving. Based on Samsung's Quantum Matrix Technology, the Odyssey Ark uses Quantum Mini LEDs for ultra-fine and precise control of the densely packed LEDs and features 14-bit processing, a sophisticated lighting control technology, and promises exceptional dark and bright scenes, with 16,384 black levels.
Specification-wise, this is a 55-inch 1000R curved 4K (3840x2160) gaming screen with 165Hz refresh rate, 16:9 aspect ratio, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 1ms (GTG) response time, Quantum HDR 2000, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. It has 4 speakers and 2 subwoofers (2.2.2ch) for a total sound output of 60W with support for Dolby Atmos. It has four HDMI 2.1 inputs, Ethernet, and a couple of USB inputs, and uses Samsung's One Connect Box to eliminate cable clutter.
"We are excited to unveil this totally unique, next-generation gaming screen, the Odyssey Ark. This 55-inch 1000R curved gaming screen brings together premium, cinematic picture quality, immersive surround sound and an incredibly flexible interface which gamers increasingly demand," said Hyesung Ha, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "The gaming community craves new experiences and Odyssey Ark delivers access to a new world of gaming that will raise standards across the entire industry." The groundbreaking Odyssey Ark is built to deliver incredible cinematic experiences, superior gaming performance and an interface that offers completely optimized flexibility. Originally unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, the Odyssey Ark was recognized as a CES Innovation Award Honoree.
Due to the sheer size of the screen, the Odyssey Arc packs a couple of neat features, allowing gamers to adjust the screen size, position, and even ratio for an optimal gaming setup, so you can set the screen size between 55- and 27-inches, change the screen position and even switch the screen ratio between 16:9, 21:9 and 32:9. It is all done via Samsung Ark Dial, a small remote that lets you easily adjust all standard settings. It also includes Multi View, Quick Settings, and Game Bar features.
The Multi View allows users to use the large screen to its full potential by displaying up to four screens all at once while horizontal, or three while in Cockpit Mode, thus eliminating the need for multi-monitor setups. The only drawback that we could see, is the fact that you can't use multiple sources for the Multi View as it is limited to a single HDMI input, but hopefully, this will be addressed with a future update.
According to Samsung, the Odyssey Ark will be available as of today with a price set at around $3,500.
