When Samsung first announced the Odyssey Ark, back in January 2022, it focused on the fact that this gaming monitor can be flipped to the side and used in a vertical position.
But the Odyssey Ark is not as odd as it initially seemed – though it certainly is grandiose.
On Monday, Samsung released all of the details about the Ark and put the monitor up for pre-order for the price of $3,499. For the price, you get a 55-inch, Mini Led monitor with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution. Specs include a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, a 1ms response time, and support for FreeSync Premium Pro and HDR 10+.
Yes, this is a gaming monitor through and through, but what makes it different is the size: Samsung says it's the first 55-inch monitor with a 1000R curvature, which is nerd speak for very curvy.
This monstrous size allowed Samsung to do some cool things. If you pivot the monitor vertically into Cockpit Mode (as Samsung calls it), it can display three virtual displays on top of each other. In horizontal mode, you get up to four virtual displays, so you can think of this thing as a multi-monitor setup without all the bezels and the extra cables. All of this is controlled with the Ark Dial, a special rotary controller that sits on your table and has its own little solar panel for charging. Yes, Samsung has taken this device to the extreme.
The monitor is massive but it potentially saves space by eliminating the need for extra speakers, as it boasts 2.2.2-channel, Dolby Atmos-supporting sound with a 60Wh output. The only thing that sounds a bit lacking is the list of ports: besides the LAN port, the Ark only includes HDMI ports, though you do get four of them.
Samsung Odyssey Ark can be pre-ordered now from Samsung's website(opens in a new tab) for $3,499.99.
