Samsung C24FG70 review: A storming gaming monitor with top-notch image quality

Quantum dot technology is pretty widespread in TVs, but it’s relatively new to consumer monitors. The Samsung C24FG70 brings the technology to life through a 24in curved monitor, which also features 144Hz and 1ms response time, making it ideal for gamers.

But, the technology comes at a cost. The monitor is £297 on Ebuyer, which is a lot to pay for a screen this small with only a Full HD resolution, especially when you can pick up the excellent Acer XF240H (£205) and AOC G2460PF (£240) for a lot less.

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Samsung C24FG70 review: Features, design and build quality

Still, this is a very well-made display, and the design and build quality are second to none. The monitor’s unusual-looking stand – or should I say arm? – provides full height, tilt, pivot and swivel adjustments and despite its rather delicate appearance, holds the display firmly in place.

The Samsung C24FG70 has a 24in curved display, making it a little more immersive for movies and games over conventional 24in flat panels. However, because of the small size of the panel, the overall effect isn’t as dramatic as it is with other curved monitors, such as the Acer Predator X34 and AOC C3583FQ.

As for features, there’s plenty on offer here, with three game mode buttons at the bottom-right-hand corner and a joystick control situated at the rear. The joystick is a welcome addition, as it makes it very easy to navigate the monitor’s onscreen display menus. A blue light beams out from under the monitor rather obtrusively; fortunately this can be disabled through the OSD.

And there’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to adjusting the picture to your liking. Within the OSD, you can tweak gamma and colours individually, the refresh rate, response time and enable Low Input Lag mode among other things.

As for connectivity, Samsung provides two HDMI ports, and a DisplayPort input. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone output jack, but disappointingly, especially considering the target market and price, there’s no USB hub.

The monitor also supports AMD FreeSync, meaning if you own a compatible AMD-GPU, you can enjoy tear-free gaming.

Samsung C24FG70 review: Image quality

The C24FG70’s most interesting aspect, however, is its use of quantum dot technology. It’s the first to employ Samsung’s take on the tech, which aims to provide better colour accuracy and a brighter image.

Coupled with the C24FG70’s VA panel, which ensures ultra-high contrast, this is a fabulous-looking screen. I measured its contrast ratio at a high 2,501:1, which is an impressive achievement and lends onscreen images a tremendous sense of solidity and impact.

Colour accuracy is fantastic, too, with an average Delta E of 0.45 (the closer to 0 the better) meaning the C24FG70 is ideal not just for gaming, but also more serious pursuits. And, when set to sRGB mode, it covers 99.6% of the colour space. These are impressive numbers.

And it just keeps getting better. The monitor is impressively bright, reaching an impressive 379cd/m2, allowing you to use it comfortably in bright conditions. However, it should be noted that if you intend to play games on the monitor and keep the response time to a minimum, the monitor’s brightness level falls to around 250cd/m2. That’s still usable in all but the brightest of rooms, however.

The only negative is that maximum resolution, which at 1,920 x 1,080 is a tad disappointing for the price.

Samsung C24FG70 review: Gaming performance

This is, however, a gaming monitor first and foremost, and on that front, there’s very little to complain about. The monitor runs at up to 144Hz at Full HD and during my tests running Counter Strike: Global Offensive it performed valiantly, with no noticeable ghosting or blurring and ultra fluid motion.

That’s surprising given the monitor is based on a VA panel, which typically are weak in these areas, but it’s all down to Samsung’s advanced motion blur reduction technology – a detailed explanation can be found on Samsung’s website. The technology optimises each frame the monitor displays, by activating the LEDs in four different timings areas. I was also impressed with the complete lack of input lag (with Low Input Lag mode enabled), yet another quality that makes this an ideal gaming display.

If you’ll be gaming competitively, I’d suggest setting the monitor to Faster or Fastest response-time modes. Unlike the AOC AGON AG271QX, which suffers from overshoot ghosting when a similar mode is enabled, there’s no problem at all with the Samsung C24FG70.

Samsung C24FG70 review: Verdict 

The Samsung C24FG70 is a fabulous all-rounder, and with its 144Hz refresh rate, excellent colour accuracy, low input lag and response time and great build quality, it’s hard to fault.

The price at £320 for a 1080p is a touch on the steep side, but if nothing but the very best will do, it’s well worth stumping up for.