Samsung launches monitor for 3D gaming without glasses

Samsung is showing a monitor for 3D gaming without glasses at Gamescom. The Odyssey 3D comes in a 16:9 format in two sizes: 27 and 37 inches (yes, not 32). It uses eye tracking and lenticular lenses to show different images for the left and right eye. If you don't want to game in three dimensions, you can use the monitor in 2D mode.

The QLED panel has a 4K resolution, a frame rate of 165 hertz and a response time of 1 millisecond. The screen supports AMD Freesync and comes with DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1. The design with the flat, silver stand comes from Samsung's OLED monitors.

Two images for two eyes

Samsung calls its 3D technology "Light Field Display" (LFD). It works according to the same principle of stereoscopy as other manufacturers - such as Acer's "Spatial Labs": cameras film the person in front of the monitor, which then tracks the position of the eyes in real time.

The software then calculates two different images for the specific interpupillary distance. Through the lenticular lenses, your left eye then sees a different image than your right eye - and your brain puts the whole thing together to form a spatial perception. Because the monitor has to display two images at the same time, its resolution is halved in 3D mode. From 3840 × 2160 to 1920 × 2160 pixels.

Samsung claims that the monitor can convert 2D content into 3D content. How well this works in practice in various games remains to be seen. Just like the picture quality in 2D mode. In addition, the technology only works for a single person in front of the monitor. Fortunately, the latter should rarely be a problem for gaming.

Coming this year, will probably be expensive

The Samsung Odyssey 3D should be available this year, the price is not yet known. The monitor is unlikely to be cheap if it is in line with the prices of the competition: The Acer Predator SpatialLabs View 27 costs USD 1999 in the USA, for example. <p