Samsung CFG70: Curved 144Hz Displays with Quantum Dot Backlighting and AMD FreeSync
by Anton Shilov on October 21, 2016 11:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Monitors
- Samsung
- Curved Display
- Quantum Dot
Samsung was among the first television manufacturers to use quantum dot technology for its products, and this week the company has continued that trend by introducing the industry’s first curved monitors for gamers featuring quantum dots. The new 24” and 27” displays boast a wider color gamut and a very high contrast ratio, in addition to support for AMD’s FreeSync technology and a 144 Hz refresh rate.
Samsung’s CFG70 monitors are based on the company’s curved 8-bit VA panels with 1 ms moving picture response time (MPRT), as well as a 144 Hz refresh rate as well as the static contrast ratio to 3000:1, which is higher compared to many advanced displays on the market. As for brightness, the 24” CFG70 offers 350 nits, which is in line with other contemporary high-end displays. At present, Samsung does not share a lot of details about its CFG70 monitors, but we do know that the screens have 1800R curvature along with 178° viewing angles.
The purpose of using quantum dot technology is to expand color gamut of the display by increasing intensity of red and green wavelengths (you can read more here). Samsung confirms that in the case of the CFG70, quantum dots help to produce more accurate dark reds and greens, which increases the contrast. In addition, Samsung says that the use of quantum dot technology for the backlighting of the CFG70 has allowed the company to expand the color gamut to 125% of the sRGB color space.
However despite the monitors' larger-than-sRGB gamut, at this point Samsung is only confirming that the monitors' firmware supports the sRGB color space, listing nothing about the AdobeRGB or DCI-P3 color spaces. This is an important consideration due to the fact that it potentially limits the usefulness of having a color gamut over 100% of sRGB to begin with. With most monitor designs, manufacturers who offer larger gamuts also support color spaces that can use that gamut, which doesn't appear to be the case for Samsung.
The catch then is that having a gamut that exceeds a particular standard will not produce an accurate result when using that wider gamut. Case in point, sRGB content would end up oversaturated since it's meant for a smaller gamut, and the lack of support for larger color spaces makes it difficult to use the wider gamut with anything else. It is hard to believe that Samsung decided to develop a set of monitors that would produce incorrect colors out-of-the-box, so hopefully Samsung is offering a true 100% sRGB mode as well. This would negate the wider gamut of the monitors, but it would ensure their accuracy.
Moving on, the improved contrast ratio should give you the idea about the advantages that the quantum dot technology brings to the CFG70.
Samsung's CFG70 Gaming Curved Displays with Quantum Dot | ||
24" C24FG70FQN |
27" |
|
Panel | 24" VA | 27" VA |
Native Resolution | 1920×1080 | unknown |
Maximum Refresh Rate | 144 Hz | |
Response Time | 1 ms MPRT | |
Brightness | 350 cd/m² | |
Contrast | 3000:1 | |
Viewing Angles | 178°/178° horizontal/vertical | |
Curvature | 1800R | |
Color Gamut | 125% sRGB | |
Dynamic Refresh Rate Tech | AMD FreeSync | |
Inputs | 1 × DP 1.2 2 × HDMI 2.0 |
|
Audio | 3.5 mm input/output | |
Link | C24FG70FQN | - |
Besides being the first curved gaming monitors with quantum dots, the Samsung CFG70 are also among the first displays to use AMD’s FreeSync over HDMI technology (for maximum compatibility, the devices are also equipped with DisplayPort inputs). While we do not know the exact dynamic refresh ranges supported by the screens, 144 Hz maximum refresh rate implies on relatively wide dynamic ranges, more than enough to allow for AMD's low framerate compensation to work.
The CFG70 displays currently do not have direct rivals: there are not of a lot of monitors that use quantum dots right now, and when it comes to gaming monitors with high refresh rates, Samsung is the first maker to use the tech. Moreover, the CFG70 are the first curved displays to feature quantum dots.
Samsung said that the CFG70 displays will be available worldwide, but did not mention their prices. Given the unique combination of characteristics, it is reasonable to expect Samsung to try to capitalize on it.
Source: Samsung
37 Comments
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Captain_Tom - Friday, October 21, 2016 - link
I'm sorry I just had to comment after seeing so many naive people ask "Why no Gsync?"LOL it should never surprise anyone that there isn't a Gsync version of any monitor. Gsync jacks up price a ton, takes up room, and offers no benefits over the FREE to implement Freesync.
Furthermore companies like Samsung and LG know that proprietary tech like Gsync are doomed to obsolescence very quickly. Nvidia will be supporting Freesync within a year or two anyways, so why put in any engineering effort to support this?
Lord of the Bored - Saturday, October 22, 2016 - link
GSync for laptops is done using VESA variable refresh. nVidia ALREADY supports FreeSync, they just don't want to admit it.Chaitanya - Saturday, October 22, 2016 - link
If nvidia admits they use Freesync on laptops then it's going to difficult for them to leech money from desktop users in the name of GSync. That G Sync is bound to be another doomed technology from greedy ass nVidia with its proprietary hardware, unwarranted price premium and useless restrictions like non compatibility with HDMI.aliquis - Friday, October 28, 2016 - link
Yeah, ALL monitors could have FreeSync added to them at a low cost whereas with G-sync not so much.Even if Nvidia is larger WHY NOT include FreeSync support? There's one fucking obvious reason to not include GSync support though.
GSync should die and Nvidia enable VESA Adaptive Sync support for their graphics cards, then again since it's Nvidia I guess they would rather just sell yet another lineup of cards for that instead.
quiop123 - Saturday, October 22, 2016 - link
LC27FG75 27" G-Sync variant is due around Q1 2017. Samsung advise of the model in their SamsungGlobalMonitor youtube channel video on 2016 model line up.Raniz - Monday, October 24, 2016 - link
Makes sense that the G-Sync variant comes later since it likely requires more development time to integrate the external controller required.aliquis - Friday, October 28, 2016 - link
On the other hand if they all did that we could finally bury G-sync which would be great.Yuriman - Friday, October 21, 2016 - link
I rather like VA panels, I'd love to be able to look at one locally before buying.Beaver M. - Friday, October 21, 2016 - link
VA panels tend to flicker on some textures (mostly light color). I tested a few, and just like TN panels, I will never ever touch one again.Still waiting for a fast enough 144 Hz IPS 21:9 34" 3440×1440 with G-Sync and VESA support that doesnt cost my first born.
Lolimaster - Friday, October 21, 2016 - link
I prefer to look at blacks that resemble blacks, not blacks that are light grey.