With their diagonals of 42 and 55 inches, the LG OLED Flex and Samsung Odyssey Ark screens are not afraid of excess. Even more impressive, one curves using a motor and the other swivels to be used vertically.
At IFA 2022 in Berlin, screens are once again in the spotlight. In addition to giant OLED panels (97 inches), the first Micro-LED televisions and folding computers, another trend is emerging: that of extravagant desktop monitors. After screens in square format (3:2) and those in panoramic format (32:9), there is now a new trend: that of XXL formats, curved and capable of transformation. Samsung and LG, the two market leaders, have both launched such products.
At Samsung, a 55-inch screen that turns
The most notable of the two is undoubtedly the Samsung Odyssey Ark. It measures 55 inches, which is a size usually associated with TVs. It’s simply gigantic, but it doesn’t really show thanks to the very strong curvature of the slab. So much the better, even if we prefer to warn you: it is better to have a very large desk.
The strength of the Odyssey Ark is that it can be rotated to be used vertically. To do what ? Samsung’s idea is to let you view multiple screens simultaneously. Do you play downstairs? You can also display your middle desk and TV on top. Only regret: you can not connect multiple sources at the same time. No Netflix from Apple TV upstairs and PlayStation 5 downstairs. Anyway, horizontally, the immersion is impressive. Too bad the screen heats up a bit, which can spoil the game if you play very closely to see only the screen.
At 2,999 euros and available on September 7, the Samsung Odyssey Ark is a truly high-end display. In addition to its curved and swiveling giant format, it uses a QLED (Mini-LED) panel, has a refresh rate of 165 Hz and comes with several accessories, such as a connection box, a control wheel and a remote. It is undeniably the screen of excess, without doubt the star of the IFA. It remains to be seen how much Samsung will sell.
At LG, a 42-inch screen that deforms on its own
LG has an advantage over Samsung: OLED. Absolute master of this technology, the Korean manufacturer offers a gaming screen capable of displaying really black blacks, while those of Samsung are not all the time.
For the rest, the LG OLED Flex LX3 seems to us a notch below. Smaller (42 inches) and a little less fluid (120 Hz), it is less likely to impress players. On the other hand, it has a new function: a setting allows you to adjust its curvature. It can be flat or curved, you decide. A motor then takes care of the deformation. It’s quite spectacular to see, but we necessarily wonder if we don’t risk always using it in the same way after the wow effect.
LG has not communicated the price for its magic screen, which should be available in early 2023. A price of around 3,000 euros has however been indicated to us, which would not be delusional compared to the prices of the brand’s OLED TVs and of the technology embedded here. Will the emergence of telework make our desktop screens giant? Answer in a few months.