Electronics Industry Strengthens 'Gaming Monitor' Market

Samsung Electronics recently formed a partnership with the global esports specialist company SK Telecom CS T1 (T1).

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are strengthening their marketing efforts for the gaming monitor market. This is interpreted as a response to the growing demand for gaming monitors due to the emergence of high-spec games and the growth of eSports.

According to the electronics industry on the 31st, Samsung Electronics recently formed a partnership with the global eSports specialist company ‘SK Telecom CS T1’ to target the gaming monitor market. ‘T1’ is an eSports specialist company jointly established last year by SK Telecom and the U.S. media and entertainment group ‘Comcast,’ operating 10 eSports teams including ‘League of Legends’ and ‘Battlegrounds.’

Samsung Electronics exclusively provides T1’s eSports players with Samsung gaming monitors Odyssey G9 and G7. The Odyssey G9 (49-inch) and G7 (32- and 27-inch) feature ▲1ms response time based on G2G ▲240Hz high refresh rate ▲eye comfort certification ▲world’s highest curvature 1000R QLED curved panel, and are scheduled for domestic release next month.

T1 players will wear uniforms bearing Samsung Electronics’ gaming-exclusive unified product name ‘Odyssey’ logo during future eSports competitions. Additionally, Samsung Odyssey monitors will be used for online and offline marketing at players’ fan meetings, the T1 website, and official social media channels.

LG Electronics' 2020 Model 'LG UltraGear'

LG Electronics also strengthened its lineup by unveiling UltraGear gaming monitors and high-performance laptops in March.

The newly released UltraGear gaming monitor features a 27-inch IPS panel, offering a wide viewing angle and clear images even from the side. It supports 1ms response time, 240Hz high refresh rate, and is equipped with NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium features, allowing users to enjoy high-spec games.

Next month, LG will enhance its lineup with a 48-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV featuring NVIDIA’s graphics compatibility function G-Sync. Considering the high price range of several tens of millions of won, which is a drawback of OLED TVs, the product is expected to be introduced as a cost-effective model priced around 2 to 3 million won.

Furthermore, LG Electronics is promoting its products globally by sponsoring the Eintracht Frankfurt eSports team of the German Bundesliga and the North American eSports team Evil Geniuses.

Market research firm IDC forecasted that the global gaming monitor market will grow from about $3.6 billion this year to approximately $4.5 billion in 2023.