LG is bringing three new UltraGear gaming monitors to Australia. They’ve got the usual stuff; low refresh rates, curves, large panels, but this time around, it really feels like LG is gunning for something gamers have been asking for: OLED panels.
As a refresher, yes, OLEDs aren’t new to monitors, but they are rare. The panel technology achieves better darkness, that makes playing more cinematic games much more enjoyable. It might not be a highly requested thing from, say, competitive gamers, but even in games like Call of Duty, and obviously in gorgeous titles like Horizon Forbidden West, it certainly makes the visuals pop much better. The technology is far more common on TVs, but recently, new displays from companies like Samsung and LG have been giving PC gamers the panel tech, and there’s been hope that increased focus on the tech could lead to cheaper models.
“Bringing together our market-leading OLED technology with an 800R curvature, the 2024 UltraGear monitor range elevates visual and audio performance for a deeply satisfying gaming experience, making it the ultimate choice for avid gamers,” marketing director of IT/ID at LG Australia Poh Lee Koh said.
This leads us to today’s announcement of three new high-end gaming monitors from LG. Each of these new monitors offer the same base features – OLED, 4K resolution, 240hz (meaning it can go up to 240 fps), 0.003ms response time, G-Sync and FreeSync compatibility, and all the ports you’d want from a gaming monitor. The only major difference is that the most expensive model, the 44.5-inch display, has two inbuilt speakers, and unlike the cheaper monitors, it doesn’t have a USB 3.0 upstream port (the port layout is 2 HDMI, 1 DP, 3 x USB 3.0 Downstream, 4pole H/P out, with a USB 3.0 upstream on the 34 and 39-inch).
Unfortunately, there’s no option with these new monitors that isn’t curved. Curved monitors are such a *fine* thing, like, you don’t really need one, and they kind of ruin the layout of a lot of desks, but they don’t really change anything in use.
Each model is also ultrawide, which again, is also fine, but you don’t really need it. It might make some games nicer to look at, but issues with ultrawide displays specific to individual games are a dime a dozen, simply because of the requirements brought by the dramatically different aspect ratio.
Now, the unfortunate part. These LG’s new OLED monitors are quite pricey:
- The 34-inch model (34GS95QE) starts at $1,999
- The 39-inch model (39GS95QE) starts at $2,499
- The 45-inch model (45GS96QB) starts at $2,999
Thirty-four inches is a perfectly fine monitor size (it’s what I currently use, with a 2K panel and no curve), but 45 inches might be great for you, if you want to back the chair up a bit and really take in a gorgeous game.
Image: Disney, LG