Samsung 27" Essential S3 (S36GD) Review

The 2024 Samsung 27" Essential S3 (S36GD) Series FHD Curved Monitor enters the market as a highly affordable curved display offering a strong mix of immersive visuals, smooth performance, and practical everyday usability. Sitting at the intersection of budget pricing and trusted Samsung engineering, this monitor has quickly become an Amazon favorite—with over 5,000+ recent purchases and a strong 4.5-star average rating.

In this full-length review, we break down the monitor’s design, display performance, gaming capability, ergonomics, connectivity, real-world user experience, and who it’s best suited for. If you’re considering buying a curved 27-inch display under $150, this is one review you’ll want to read to the end.

Design & Build Quality

The Samsung Essential S3 adopts a minimalist design language—clean lines, slim bezels, and a gentle 1800R curvature. This curvature is a major contributor to immersion, wrapping the screen more closely around your field of vision. For productivity and entertainment, this helps reduce head movement and improves focus by minimizing peripheral distractions.

The monitor is lightweight at 8.4 lbs, making it easy to set up on almost any desk. Assembly is straightforward, requiring only a few minutes. While the stand is sturdy enough for everyday use, it lacks height adjustment. This may be a consideration for users who prefer flexible ergonomics, though a third-party VESA stand can easily solve this.

Overall, Samsung’s design remains simple but purposeful—perfect for both home offices and entertainment setups.

Display Quality & Visual Performance

At the heart of the Essential S3 is a 27-inch Full HD (1920×1080) VA panel with a 100Hz refresh rate. The Full HD resolution at this size provides solid sharpness for general use—documents, browsing, spreadsheets, streaming, and light gaming.

Color & Brightness

The VA panel delivers:

• Good contrast levels

• Richer blacks compared to IPS alternatives

• Crisp and vibrant colors for its price segment

Customer feedback consistently praises the clarity and sharpness. Many note that even YouTube videos and multitasking content appear cleaner than expected for a sub-$120 curved monitor.

Curvature & Viewing Experience

The 1800R curve enhances:

• Depth perception

• Immersion in videos and games

• Ease of split-screen working

Some users mention viewing angles are not as wide as IPS monitors—a typical VA panel trade-off. For direct viewing, however, the experience is excellent.

100Hz Refresh Rate: Smoother Than Standard Budget Monitors

One of the standout features is the 100Hz refresh rate, which is uncommon in monitors at this price point. Most budget models stay around 60–75Hz, making 100Hz a meaningful upgrade.

This higher refresh rate provides:

• Reduced motion blur

• Smoother scrolling

• Better responsiveness during gaming

• More fluid multitasking

While not intended for competitive esports gamers, the Essential S3 offers enough performance for casual PC and console gaming, particularly for titles like Fortnite, Rocket League, FIFA, or racing games.

Gaming Performance

Samsung includes a dedicated Game Mode, which optimizes:

• Contrast

• Color

• Shadows

• Dark-scene visibility

This makes it easier to spot enemies or important details in darker sections of games. The absence of higher-end gaming features like FreeSync, 1ms response time, or 144Hz refresh may be limiting for pro-level users.

However, for its category, the performance is solid:

• Smooth visuals

• Zero flicker

• Surprisingly good color richness

• Immersive curved experience

Many reviewers have also connected Nintendo Switch consoles without issues, making it a solid gaming and entertainment display.

Advanced Eye Comfort: TÜV-Certified Eye Protection

Samsung integrates a suite of eye comfort technologies, including:

• Blue light reduction

• Flicker-free technology

• TÜV-certified comfort for prolonged usage

Multiple user reviews specifically mention reduced headaches and easier long-duration use after switching to this model.

If you work long hours or game late at night, this is a valuable upgrade.

Connectivity & Ports

The Essential S3 keeps connectivity simple with:

• 1 × HDMI port

• 1 × D-Sub (VGA)

While this covers most modern devices, the biggest limitation is the single HDMI port. Users with multiple input sources (e.g., PC + gaming console) will need an HDMI switch.

Notably, the monitor does not include built-in speakers, which matters for console or media-center setups. External speakers or a soundbar will be required.

Real-World User Experience

The Essential S3 is praised across multiple user reviews for the following strengths:

1. Setup and usability

• Easy installation

• Auto-recognition of devices

• Straightforward on-screen menu

2. Productivity

Users highlight:

• Comfortable screen size for multitasking

• Great clarity for office work

• Easy readability even at lower brightness

3. Video and entertainment

• Strong color accuracy

• Deep blacks

• Immersive curved experience

4. Gaming (casual)

• Smooth performance

• Good handling of 1080p gameplay

• Better-than-expected motion clarity

Some criticisms include:

• Only one HDMI port

• No adjustable stand

• No built-in speakers

• Refresh rate may not satisfy hardcore gamers

However, these are expected limitations at this price level, and they don’t significantly undermine the monitor's value.

Who Should Buy the Samsung Essential S3?

This monitor is ideal for:

Office Workers & Students

Perfect for productivity, spreadsheets, web work, and long sessions thanks to its eye comfort features.

Casual Gamers

Good for everyday gaming with smooth motion and a vivid screen.

Home Entertainment Users

Great for streaming Netflix, YouTube, and general multimedia consumption.

Multi-monitor Setups

Many reviewers specifically bought two of these for immersive curved dual-monitor arrangements.

Budget Buyers Seeking Premium Feel

It’s one of the best-priced 27-inch curved monitors from a top brand, often discounted by 30% or more.

Who Should Skip It?

This monitor may not be suitable if you need:

• USB-C or DisplayPort connectivity

• Built-in speakers

• Height-adjustable stand

• 144Hz+ refresh rate for competitive gaming

• QHD or 4K resolution

If these features matter, consider moving one tier up—for example, Samsung’s Odyssey G3 or Dell's S-series QHD displays.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Affordable price for a 27-inch curved display

• Smooth 100Hz refresh rate

• Strong color and contrast from VA panel

• TÜV-certified eye comfort

• Great for productivity and casual gaming

• Lightweight and easy to assemble

• High customer satisfaction and low return rate

• Trusted Samsung reliability

Cons

• Only one HDMI port

• No height adjustment

• No speakers

• Viewing angles not as wide as IPS

• Not ideal for competitive gaming

Is It Worth Buying in 2024–2025?

Absolutely. For users seeking a stylish, immersive, and budget-friendly 27-inch curved monitor, the Samsung Essential S3 (S36GD) is one of the strongest values available. Its combination of reliable Samsung build quality, smooth 100Hz performance, and strong ergonomics makes it a consistently recommended choice for home offices, students, casual gamers, and anyone wanting a curved display under $150.

Given its popularity and high ratings, this is currently one of the best-value curved monitors on the market.

Final Verdict

The Samsung 27" Essential S3 delivers an exceptional package at a remarkably accessible price. It strikes the ideal balance between performance, immersion, and everyday usability. While it lacks some premium features found in higher-end models, it nails the fundamentals—and does so with Samsung’s proven reliability.

If you need a dependable curved monitor for work, entertainment, light gaming, or a dual-monitor setup without spending much, this model is one of the smartest buys!