Quick Answer: Choose LG if you want the widest gaming range — 480Hz esports panels, the 5120×2160 UltraGear 45GX950A ultrawide, or the unique DualUp format for coding and documents. Choose Samsung if you want OLED gaming value (the Odyssey OLED G81SF regularly sells for around $849.99, down from a $1,299.99 list) or a monitor that also streams — the Smart Monitor M9 runs Tizen with built-in Netflix and Prime Video. Both brands back their OLED gaming monitors with burn-in coverage, but not for the same length: Samsung’s runs 3 years, LG’s 2 years in the US — so Samsung wins on warranty, while product lineup and use case still decide most purchases.
LG and Samsung are the two biggest monitor makers that also manufacture their own display panels, which is why comparing them isn’t really “brand vs brand” — it’s LG Display’s WOLED against Samsung Display’s QD-OLED, sold under each parent company’s own monitor line. That vertical integration shapes everything below: pricing, panel availability, and which format shows up first on each brand’s shelf.
LG vs Samsung monitors at a glance
| Factor | LG | Samsung | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLED panel source | LG Display WOLED | Samsung Display QD-OLED | Tie (different tech) |
| Top refresh rate | 480Hz (27GX790A) | 500Hz (Odyssey OLED G6) | Samsung |
| Widest ultrawide | 5120×2160 (45GX950A) | 5120×1440 49" (Odyssey OLED G9) | LG (more vertical pixels) |
| Unique format | DualUp (18:9 dual-page) | Smart Monitor (Tizen OS, no PC needed) | Tie (different niches) |
| Smart-monitor OLED/high-refresh option | None (MyView is 4K IPS only) | Yes — Smart Monitor M9, 165Hz QD-OLED | Samsung |
| OLED gaming value | Frequent $200-off deals | Deeper: G81SF at ~$849.99 vs $1,299.99 list | Samsung |
| Burn-in warranty (US) | 2-year | 3-year (select models) | Samsung |
| Budget curved option | 27GP83B-B, $249-280 | Odyssey G55C, $189.99 record low | Samsung |
Where LG wins
Gaming range and resolution. LG’s UltraGear lineup covers more distinct gaming niches than Samsung’s Odyssey range. The 27GX790A targets pure esports at 480Hz, while the 45GX950A is the only 5120×2160 ultrawide either brand currently sells — a resolution that gives roughly 60% more vertical pixel height than a standard 34-inch ultrawide, useful for anyone who wants widescreen immersion without giving up desktop height.
DualUp for productivity. The LG DualUp 28MQ780 is a format Samsung doesn’t make: an 18:9 panel shaped like two stacked 16:10 monitors, built for side-by-side documents, code, and chat windows without a second physical monitor arm.
LG UltraGear 45GX950A — Best LG Ultrawide
- 45-inch curved WOLED at 5120×2160 — the highest vertical resolution ultrawide from either brand.
- 165Hz refresh with per-pixel OLED contrast and LG's 2-year US burn-in-inclusive warranty.
- DisplayHDR True Black 400 for saturated, high-contrast HDR content.
LG DualUp 28MQ780 — Best Unique Format
- 27.6-inch 18:9 panel — the vertical space of two stacked 16:10 monitors in one screen.
- Ergonomic stand with a small footprint, built for a single-monitor desk that still wants split-screen height.
- No direct Samsung equivalent — this format is LG-exclusive.
Where Samsung wins
OLED gaming value. Samsung’s Odyssey OLED discounts tend to run deeper relative to list price than LG’s. The Odyssey OLED G8 (G81SF) — a 27-inch 4K QD-OLED — has an all-time-low price of around $849.99 against a $1,299.99 list, a roughly 35% discount that undercuts most comparable LG UltraGear 4K OLED pricing at the same panel size.
The high-end Smart Monitor tier. The Samsung Smart Monitor M9 runs Samsung’s own Tizen OS with built-in Netflix, Prime Video, and other streaming apps plus a remote — according to Samsung, no PC connection is required to stream. LG does compete here with its webOS-based MyView line (covered in full in our best smart monitor guide), but MyView is IPS only, topping out at 4K/60Hz — Samsung is still the only brand of the two selling a smart monitor with OLED and a gaming-grade refresh rate.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G81SF) — Best Samsung Value
- 27-inch 4K QD-OLED at 165Hz with Samsung Display's latest-generation panel.
- Frequently discounted to roughly 35% below list — one of the deepest OLED gaming discounts from either brand.
- 3-year burn-in-inclusive warranty per Samsung's US product page — a year longer than LG's 2-year term.
Samsung Smart Monitor M9 (M90SF) — Best All-in-One
- 32-inch 4K panel running Tizen OS with built-in Netflix, Prime Video, and other apps.
- Works as a monitor over USB-C or as a standalone streaming display with no PC attached.
- LG's webOS-based MyView competes on streaming apps but has no OLED or high-refresh option.
Which should you buy?
- You want the widest resolution options → LG. The 45GX950A’s 5120×2160 ultrawide and the DualUp’s 18:9 format cover niches Samsung doesn’t touch — see our best ultrawide monitor rankings.
- You want the best OLED-per-dollar → Samsung. The Odyssey OLED G81SF’s ~35%-off pricing pattern makes it the value pick between the two brands at 27-inch 4K.
- You want a monitor that’s also a smart TV → either, but Samsung for gaming/OLED. LG’s webOS-based MyView line streams the same core apps, but only Samsung’s Smart Monitor M9 adds OLED and a 165Hz refresh rate on top — see our best smart monitor guide for the full breakdown of both lineups.
- You need maximum refresh rate → Samsung, narrowly. The Odyssey OLED G6 hits 500Hz versus LG’s 480Hz ceiling on the 27GX790A — a gap most players won’t notice, but it’s real.
- You’re still deciding between OLED types first → read the panel primer. If you haven’t settled on QD-OLED vs WOLED yet, our QD-OLED vs WOLED comparison explains the underlying panel tech behind both brands’ gaming monitors.
- You want the full lineup for either brand → see our brand guides. Our best LG monitor and best Samsung monitor rankings cover every category, not just the picks above.
LG vs Samsung by the numbers
- ~$849.99 vs $1,299.99 list. Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G8 (G81SF) regularly sells for around $849.99 against a $1,299.99 list — a roughly 35% discount, per recent retail pricing, and one of the deepest OLED gaming discounts from either brand.
- 5120×2160 — LG’s exclusive resolution. According to LG’s own spec sheet, the UltraGear 45GX950A is the only ultrawide from either brand at 5120×2160, giving it noticeably more vertical desktop space than Samsung’s 5120×1440 Odyssey OLED G9.
- 480Hz vs 500Hz. LG’s UltraGear 27GX790A tops out at 480Hz; Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SF) reaches 500Hz, per each brand’s published specs — a difference of about 4% that’s largely imperceptible in practice.
- 3 years vs 2 years of burn-in coverage. Samsung’s US product page for the Odyssey OLED G81SF lists a 3-year warranty that includes burn-in at normal use (select models), the same length Dell and MSI offer on their OLED lines; LG’s UltraGear OLED monitors carry 2 years of burn-in-inclusive coverage in the US, per LG’s statement to TechRadar — the shortest term among the major OLED brands.
The bottom line
There’s no single winner — LG and Samsung split the monitor market by playing to different strengths. Pick LG for the widest resolution and format range, led by the UltraGear 45GX950A ultrawide and the coding-friendly DualUp 28MQ780. Pick Samsung for OLED value and the only OLED/high-refresh smart monitor either brand makes, led by the Odyssey OLED G81SF and Smart Monitor M9 (LG’s webOS-based MyView streams the same core apps at a lower tier — see our full best smart monitor breakdown). Both back their flagship OLED panels against burn-in — Samsung for 3 years, LG for 2 in the US — so if two models are otherwise a coin flip, the longer warranty tips it to Samsung; otherwise the decision comes down to which lineup actually has the monitor you need, not which brand name is on the bezel.
Last updated: October 29, 2026 — corrected the burn-in warranty comparison: LG’s US OLED burn-in coverage is 2 years, not 3, so Samsung’s 3-year term wins this category instead of tying.
Updated October 2026: corrected an earlier claim that LG has no smart-monitor equivalent to Samsung’s Tizen-based line — LG’s webOS-based MyView series competes directly, just without an OLED or high-refresh option.