A model poses with Samsung Electronics' 55-inch gaming monitor Odyssey Ark, Tuesday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Electronics is seeking to capitalize on the steadily-growing gaming monitor market as the company launched a new 55-inch curved monitor, Tuesday.

The Odyssey Ark monitor is fully capable of offering gamers an immersive gameplay experience, Samsung said, explaining that the product is designed not only to provide a large screen but also to enable users to use it vertically or horizontally.

"Regardless of the slow economy, the gaming market continues to grow. It has grown more during the COVID-19 pandemic period because young people are interested in playing games," Chung Kang-il, vice president of the Visual Display Business at Samsung, said during a press conference in Seoul.

"Being at home is recognized as the safest place to enjoy oneself during this time, therefore, we assume that the game monitor market will continue to increase. The company, which has been No. 1 in global game monitors in the market for three years, has been thinking about how to match the needs," Chung said.

The huge display delivers a 165-hertz refresh rate. A high refresh rate decreases signal latency and allows consumers to enjoy a smoother game-playing experience. Using Quantum Mini LEDs, the monitor also enables users to enjoy ultra-realistic graphics. It also features four speakers, one at each corner, and two woofers to deliver a realistic and rich sound.

The company decided to produce a 55-inch screen for single-person use as it found out that more gamers play their games on larger screens and that a 55-inch screen is the largest size that can be placed on a desk.

"According to our own survey, 51 percent of gamers answered that they want to have a 55-inch screen for game playing. We decided to use a curved screen to deliver a more immersive experience. Also, we enabled users to freely tilt the product," the vice president said.

The Odyssey Ark will be sold in major markets around the world, starting with the U.K. The product will also be displayed at the 2022 IFA tech fair, which will be held from Sept. 2 to 6 in Berlin.

In Korea, Samsung will take orders for the product from Aug. 24, while it will hit stores on Sept. 7. The gaming screen is priced at 3.4 million won ($2,600).