Samsung expands its “QLED” moniker from TVs to monitors. The company has unveiled a huge 49” CHG90 in an ultra wide form factor as well as two smaller 27 and 32” models. These are monitors designed for gaming and the first with FreeSync 2.

Samsung ”QLED” LCD monitors 
The new monitors will be branded “QLED” to indicate that they are compatible with HDR (High Dynamic Range), meaning an expanded dynamic range and a wider color gamut. Samsung first started using “QLED” on its LCD TVs earlier this year after the former “SUHD” never caught on. While QLED sounds like OLED, it is in fact nothing alike, but instead traditional LCD.

Nevertheless, CHG90 is a beast. The 49” LCD panel in the extremely wide 32:9 aspect ratio has a resolution that Samsung refers to as “double Full HD”. To be precise, it has 3840x1080 pixels, which is as many pixels as in a 4K TV in the horizontal plane but half in the vertical.


CHG90 utilizes an LCD panel with quantum dot technology to expand the color space. Samsung says that the panel covers 95% of the DCI-P3 color space. To benefit you need to feed the monitor with HDR10-graded games, besides 32:9 of course. In addition, Samsung highlights 1 ms response time and 144 Hz refresh rate. CHG90 has a curved design.

- “Gamers want to feel completely immersed when they play, and our new monitors provide the most stunning visuals to deliver the ultimate gaming experience,” said Andrew Sivori, VP, Product Marketing t Samsung USA. “These QLED gaming monitors represent the future of gaming for both casual and dedicated players alike, and we’re confident that our innovative design and state-of-the-art features will enhance the entire gaming arena.”

CHG90 is, together with CHG70, the first monitor to support AMD’s FreeSync 2 system. FreeSync 2 builds on FreeSync’s adaptive frame rate foundation by adding support for HDR. FreeSync 2 also enables the monitor to communicate to the PC what its values for peak brightness and color gamut are, thus optimizing HDR picture quality.

- “We’re incredibly proud how far Radeon FreeSync technology has come in the past two years, with well over 150 displays now shipping in the market,” said Scott Herkelman, CVP of gaming at AMD. “We applaud Samsung for launching the first FreeSync 2-capable displays, these gorgeous monitors should be on every enthusiast gamers’ must-have list.”

Star Wars Battlefront II and Need for Speed Payback can be experienced in HDR. Game studios will have to update each title to be HDR compatible.


CHG70 in smaller formats
Besides CHG90, Samsung has unveiled a new CHG70 range that consists of 27 and 32" models. These two are based on most of the same technologies found in the CHG90, including LCD panels with quantum dot technology.

Unlike CHG90, the CHG70 models conform to a more traditional 16:9 format. Both have 2560x1440 pixels. Full specifications are included below.


Samsung 49” CHG90 can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $1500 dollars and will be released on June 30. Samsung’s 27 and 32” CHG70 can be pre-ordered exclusively from Newegg.com for $599 and $699 dollars.

CHG70 will be exhibited for the first time at the E3 conference that officially kicks off today.