The Futile Frenzy of High Refresh Rates: Samsung’s 500Hz Odyssey and the Real Innovations in Display Tech

The relentless pursuit of ever-higher numbers in the monitor market, particularly refresh rates, is starting to feel like a charade. The dream of 8K resolution languishes, starved of native content, while manufacturers seem more interested in chasing fleeting bragging rights than delivering genuinely innovative displays. Samsung’s latest offering, the Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF, is a prime example of this trend. Boasting a "world’s first" 500Hz refresh rate, it seems more like a marketing stunt than a meaningful advancement in display technology.

For a hefty price tag of nearly $1,500, the Odyssey OLED G6 delivers a QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution panel with a 0.03ms response time and a claimed peak brightness of 1,000 nits with HDR. Let’s break down the core selling point: the 500Hz refresh rate. This figure indicates that the display can refresh the image on the screen 500 times per second. When combined with a game’s frame rate (fps), the theoretical advantage is that if you could somehow push a game to render at 500 fps, the monitor could display each and every frame without missing a beat.

However, the practical benefits of such a high refresh rate are dubious, to say the least. We’ve already seen a wave of 480Hz OLED displays, like LG’s UltraGear 27GX790A-B. The truth is, most people wouldn’t be able to perceive a significant difference between 480Hz and 500Hz. The average gamer would struggle to distinguish between the smoothness of gameplay beyond 120 fps. Even professional gamers, with their finely tuned reflexes, might only notice a marginal improvement up to 240 fps on a 240Hz monitor. While some competitive titles like Overwatch 2, Apex Legends, or Valorant might benefit slightly from 360Hz displays, this is only true if your gaming rig is powerful enough to consistently render frames above 240 fps.

The professional gaming scene highlights the limitations of chasing ultra-high refresh rates. Tournament organizers often standardize equipment to ensure a level playing field. For years, Zowie’s XL2540 was a mainstay in first-person shooter tournaments. While Zowie has recently introduced its XL2586X+ 600Hz monitor as the new standard for Counter-Strike 2 events, it’s crucial to note that these panels are not OLED. They are fast-TN LCD monitors, specifically engineered for speed and low response time, sacrificing visual fidelity for competitive edge. These displays prioritize minimizing input lag and maximizing clarity in fast-paced action, even if it means compromising on color accuracy and contrast ratios compared to OLED technology.

Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G6 incorporates heat pipes designed to mitigate the risk of OLED burn-in. However, stripping away the 500Hz refresh rate leaves you with a 1440p OLED monitor, a category where you can find excellent alternatives at 240Hz for a fraction of the price. The G6’s initial release is limited to Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia, with a broader global rollout planned later this year. For those with a budget of around $1,500, there are far more compelling options available in the 4K display market that offer a better overall visual experience and save you money in the process.

This year marked the arrival of the 240Hz, 4K resolution OLED monitor. Many major monitor manufacturers released what many consider to be the sweet spot for gaming on a flatscreen. For example, the Alienware AW2725Q QD-OLED, priced around $900, offers a fantastic balance of resolution, refresh rate, and color accuracy. After seeing several brands’ 4K displays in person, including Samsung’s $1,300 Odyssey OLED G8 G80SD, it’s clear that the market is already saturated with excellent choices.

The abundance of high-quality monitors available is creating a dilemma for larger companies desperate to differentiate themselves. True innovation in display technology is already happening, but it tends to be more niche and lacks the headline-grabbing appeal of high refresh rates. Head-tracking displays, such as those developed by Lenovo, enhance directional sound by tracking the user’s head movements. Lenticular, 3D displays from Lenovo and Samsung are also gaining traction. The $2,000 Samsung Odyssey 3D provides a truly unique viewing experience, though the immersive depth effect is limited by the number of supported games. There are other exciting developments, like LG’s 5K2K bendable OLED, that represent a more meaningful evolution in display technology. These innovations focus on enhancing immersion, addressing specific user needs, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with display technology, rather than simply chasing ever-higher numbers that offer diminishing returns. The relentless pursuit of higher refresh rates risks overshadowing these genuine innovations that have the potential to transform the way we interact with displays.