Samsung Has Launched The Odyssey Ark, A Massive 55-Inch Curved Display Built For Gaming

What is the right screen size for an immersive gaming experience? Bigger is better, right? That drive led to NVIDIA’s Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD) push a few years back. While BFGDs never quite caught on, Samsung is now upping the stakes. Samsung has finally released the new Odyssey Ark gaming screen, a 4K 165Hz curved display that spans 55 inches.

Samsung says this biblically proportioned formfactor can enable new experiences for gamers. It believes the Odyssey Ark will be especially attractive for flight simulator fanatics. Despite its size, the display is able to rotate into “Cockpit Mode” which it says “creates a new sense of world-blending immersion.” Of course, this orientation can serve more purposes than just enhancing your Microsoft Flight Simulator obsession.

Users can personalize the display layout, including breaking up its 3840 x 2160 resolution into virtual displays. Multi View allows the display to be split up into up to four screens in its horizontal orientation or have three stacked displays in Cockpit Mode. If you do not feel like using all 55-inches at once, the Flex Move Screen feature allows you to scale it down to 27 inches or anywhere in between. The screen position and even aspect ratio can be adjusted using the Ark Dial.

The Ark Dial is not your typical On-Screen Display controller. It is a separate unit meant to be placed accessibly close to wherever you are. It features a solar panel to keep topped off, but also allows for USB-C charging if the need arises. Samsung expects users to adjust the display setup frequently for different use cases like people change TV channels, apparently.

Of course, the Odyssey Ark is more than just a big screen with a few parlor tricks. Samsung has loaded the display with high quality components for a premium experience. The 1000R curved display is backlit with Quantum Mini-LEDs for better localized dimming and an impressive HDR2000 rating. Gamers will enjoy the 165Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support which allows tear-free rendering no matter the framerate. While it does not contain a G-Sync chip and not technically a BFGD, it is G-Sync compatible for use with NVIDIA GPUs. Samsung also took care to minimize response times. Its 1ms gray to gray time should help minimize ghosting in addition to the fast refresh rate.

The “cinematic” experience also extends to its soundscape. The Odyssey Ark features “Sound Dome Tech” which uses AI and Dolby Atmos to enhance surround sound. It accomplishes this with an array of four corner speakers and two central woofers. Samsung claims the monitor can produce frequencies down to 45Hz with its 60W 2.2.2 channel.


Samsung has incorporated a number of streaming services into its Gaming Hub. Gamers can use the Gaming Hub to find and play games across Xbox, NVIDIA GeForce Now, Google Stadia, Utomik, and Amazon Luna all in one place.

The Samsung Odyssey Ark can be reserved now and will be available for $3,499.