Skip to main content

Samsung’s Smart Monitor M8 brings wireless casting and game streaming

Samsung is expanding its smart monitor lineup at CES 2022 with the Smart Monitor M8 (M80B), a sleek new 32-inch 4K display with some impressive wireless capabilities and smart TV functionality.

Initially, Samsung’s smart displays were marketed as an easy way to wirelessly connect to a compatible Samsung smartphone — like the flagship Galaxy S21 series and the rumored forthcoming S22 models — for a desktop-like DeX user experience. But in the era of remote and hybrid work, these wireless monitors have a different goal: To bring a clutter-free, cable-free setup to desks and home offices.

Samsung's latest smart monitor comes with a webcam for video conferencing.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Instead of connecting your laptop to a monitor, for example, with an HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C cable, the Smart Monitor M8 allows you to cast your laptop’s display to the screen without a snaking display cable crawling on your desk. The setup makes desks look tidy and clean.

“The versatile new lineup delivers beautiful picture quality and intuitive features that give consumers more choice when selecting a monitor that fits their exact needs,” Samsung proudly proclaimed.

And to stay productive, the Smart Monitor M8 is a 32-inch 4K UHD display that supports 99% of the sRGB color space, 400 nits of brightness, and 1.07 billion colors.

Samsung is also bundling a number of smart TV and productivity apps directly into the monitor.

In addition to supporting wireless casting, Samsung is also bundling a number of smart TV and productivity apps directly into the monitor, making it a one-stop window for smaller environments, like home offices, dorm rooms, and bedrooms.

Even without having a streaming set-top box or a PC connected, you will have access to the standard selection of entertainment and productivity apps, which the company claimed is ideal for remote working. It even comes with a moveable magnetic SlimFit cam for video calls, making it a terrific video conferencing hub.

One use case is a feature called Workspace, which acts as a hub for your work-related web services, such as Microsoft 365 applications. Another is Game Home, which collects all your game streaming in one place and easily connects to controllers. That’s a lot of functionality for a monitor.

And for a wired connection, the built-in USB-C port supports video and power delivery. The company stated that the goal with the M8 is to provide an all-in-one workstation that doesn’t require any additional docking stations.

Samsung targets creatives with its new high resolution S8 monitor.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In addition to the Smart Monitor M8, Samsung also launched a Samsung High Resolution S8 (S80PB) at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. This 27-inch panel delivers pro-grade performance that’s targeted at designers and creative professionals.

The 4K UHD panel can cover 98% of the wide DCI-P3 color gamut for rich and dynamic color reproduction, DisplayHDR 600 support, and Underwriter Laboratories Glare Free certification. The last bit will help reduce reflection and glares when working under ambient light to help creatives focus on their work without straining their eyes or getting distracted.

Both the S8 and M8 monitors support USB-C 90W power delivery to help charge connected laptops and smartphones. The M8 has an ergonomic stand that supports various adjustments as well as compatibility with the VESA mounting standard.

Samsung did not provide specifics about availability or pricing on either monitor at the show.

Editors' Recommendations

Chuong Nguyen
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
Samsung’s first QD-OLED gaming monitor might be dead on arrival
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 was announced at IFA on Wednesday in Berlin, Germany.

Samsung's first QD-OLED gaming monitor is available now. First announced in August 2022, the Odyssey OLED G8 is a 34-inch ultrawide gaming display sporting QD-OLED technology, but it has a problem -- we've already had this same monitor for nearly a year.

Here's a quick rundown on the specs. The Odyssey OLED G8 is a 34-inch QD-OLED monitor with a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, a 21:9 aspect ratio, and a 175Hz refresh rate. It also comes with some nifty features like up to 65 watts of USB power delivery, and it's earned VESA's DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification.

Read more
Samsung’s new Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor is beautiful, but it has a fatal flaw
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (2023) playing a racing simulator.

At CES 2023, I had a chance to look at Samsung's upcoming Odyssey Neo G9. It's a monster gaming monitor, and you don't need to look further than the spec sheet to see that. Dual 4K resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 32:9 aspect ratio with a 57-inch screen? There's a lot to love.

And after seeing it, I was floored by the quality. It's an insane gaming monitor that looks fantastic, and I can't wait to use one for an extended period of time. But there's a big problem with the new Odyssey Neo G9, and it could be dead on arrival.
DisplayPort 2.1

Read more
CES 2023 is a turning point for the dilemma between TVs and gaming monitors
The Samsung Odyssey OLED 49 in a blue-tinted room.

The past few years have seen a convergence between TVs and gaming monitors, and CES 2023 is starting to see the two display types diverge once again. After all, the LG OLED Flex is a TV that looks like a monitor while the Samsung Ark is a monitor that looks a lot like a TV. This year, we're starting to see the lines between TVs and monitors more clearly.

It's not as clean-cut. Some monitors look like TVs and vice versa, but it seems the world of gaming monitors is exploring more exotic form factors and connectivity standards, while TVs are driving toward higher refresh rates, better panel technologies, and larger sizes.
Exotic form factors

Read more