The weirdest and best monitor of 2022 is just weeks away from launch

When you imagine one of the best gaming monitors, what pops into your mind? Something a bit wider than the norm, maybe? Something with a bit more aggressive styling? Chances are you don't imagine a 55-inch curved monster that's so big you might need to buy a new gaming desk. But by the looks of it, the Samsung Odyssey Ark could be the best curved gaming monitor you'll see this year – and it could go on sale in a matter of weeks. That's according to Engadget, reporting convincing rumours that the Ark will launch in August. 

I liked the commenter who suggested just buying a 32-inch gaming monitor and sitting close to it. But if you have the cash and the space, this is a huge and hugely impressive bit of kit.

This Ark is almost as big as Noah's

The specification here is wild. The Samsung Odyssey Ark is a quantum mini-LED display with a 55-inch panel and a 1000R curve, a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. And it's 16:9, not 21.9 like many of the best ultrawide monitors. That's handy because the PS5 and Xbox Series X want you to game in 16:9.

But this display isn't really about the specs. It's about the style. You can turn it vertically so you feel like you're sitting in one of those old Star Wars arcade cabinets, or to hide from the boss. As fun as it looks in photos, imagine the neck strain. But it does help demonstrate the styling, which is as premium as I expect the price to be. 

I don't know what the price will be yet, but an educated guess says it'll be north of £2,000/$2,000: the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 is currently £1,666 in the UK and $1,799. That's a brilliant monitor – in our Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 review we gave it the full five stars – and the Ark is poised to be even better. It's way beyond my budget but if you have the cash, this is likely to be the best gaming monitor on the market this year.