LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B Review: A Sharply Curved, High-Priced Gaming Powerhouse

The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a monitor that immediately grabs your attention. Its sheer size, aggressive curve, and high price tag make it a polarizing option. While it won’t appeal to everyone, its exceptional sharpness and HDR performance are undeniable, making it a top contender for immersive gaming experiences.

The 45GX950A-B’s physical presence is significant. Measuring 45 inches diagonally with a 21:9 aspect ratio, its display area surpasses that of a 49-inch super-ultrawide, such as the Philips Envia 8000, by roughly 15 percent. While not as wide as some competitors, it offers greater vertical screen real estate.

What truly sets the 45GX950A-B apart is its resolution. It’s the first 45-inch OLED ultrawide to boast a 5120×2160 resolution, also known as 5K2K. This is a substantial leap over earlier models like the Corsair Xeneon Flex, which maxed out at 3440×1440.

However, this level of performance comes at a cost. The 45GX950A-B carries a hefty MSRP of $1,999.99. This price positions it as a premium product, far exceeding the cost of many 34-inch OLED ultrawides. It even surpasses the price of 49-inch super-ultrawides like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, which often retails for around $1,000. Image quality and HDR performance are the focus.

A key advantage of the 45GX950A-B is its high resolution. This monitor does not flex physically. There is another model that does this, though this is not it.

Beyond size and resolution, the 45GX950A-B is packed with features. It includes USB-C with Power Delivery for convenient connectivity, supports both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync for smooth gaming, incorporates built-in speakers, and offers a "dual mode" feature that allows for refresh rates of up to 330Hz at a reduced resolution.

Despite its performance capabilities, the monitor’s initial impression is somewhat underwhelming. It shares a similar design language with other LG monitors, featuring a charcoal aesthetic that is both aggressive and subdued. Competitors, like the Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED and Philips Envia 8000, exude a more luxurious feel. For its price point, LG could have invested more in enhancing the monitor’s perceived quality.

In terms of functionality, the LG is well-built. It comes with a compact stand that provides stability and offers adjustments for height, tilt, and swivel. The monitor is also compatible with 100x100mm VESA mounts, a feature not always found in monitors of this size.

The 45GX950A-B’s dimensions are considerable. It measures approximately 41 inches wide and 18 inches tall, making it taller than a typical 32-inch widescreen monitor and almost as wide as two 27-inch monitors placed side-by-side. Its aggressive 800R curve further enhances immersion.

While the monitor can be used for general tasks, its primary focus is entertainment. The aggressive curve can make tasks like video or photo editing feel less natural.

The 45GX950A-B offers a variety of connectivity options, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 2.1, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort and up to 90 watts of Power Delivery. It has only two downstream USB-A ports. The monitor lacks KVM switch functionality and downstream USB-C.

For audio, the monitor includes a 4-pole 3.5mm audio jack with support for DTS:X HP audio.

The monitor’s menus are accessible via a joystick located behind the lower bezel. LG’s menu system is intuitive, and the text is clear. The monitor also supports LG’s OnScreen Control software, allowing users to adjust settings from within Windows.

The 45GX950A-B provides a comprehensive set of image quality controls, including gamma and color temperature adjustments, six-axis color calibration, various brightness modes, and brightness control for both SDR and HDR content.

It also includes gaming-specific features like an on-screen crosshair, timer, frame rate counters, and a dark equalizer.

Picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes are also available, making the monitor a potential alternative to using two separate 27-inch displays.

The 45GX950A-B comes with built-in speakers that offer decent audio quality at low to medium volumes. However, they can distort at higher volumes, so most users will likely prefer headphones or external speakers.

The monitor utilizes an LG WOLED panel with a 5120×2160 resolution. This panel is unique to the 45GX950A-B, providing a sharpness advantage over other 45-inch ultrawides. While the WOLED panel delivers strong overall performance, it falls slightly behind QD-OLED in color performance.

In terms of brightness, the 45GX950A-B reaches up to 280 nits. Its semi-gloss finish helps maximize brightness, though the intense curve can amplify light sources behind the user.

As expected from an OLED panel, the 45GX950A-B offers an effectively infinite contrast ratio, thanks to its perfect black level performance.

Color gamut is a minor weakness. LG’s WOLED panels trail Samsung’s QD-OLED in this area, resulting in slightly less vibrant colors compared to monitors like the Odyssey OLED G8 and Philips Envia 8000.

The 45GX950A-B’s color accuracy is mediocre. Despite this, its overall color performance is sufficient for producing an eye-catching image.

Gamma and color temperature performance are more impressive. The monitor achieves a gamma curve of 2.2 and a color temperature of 6600K at 50 percent brightness.

Sharpness is a standout feature. The 45GX950A-B’s 5120×2160 resolution translates to approximately 125 pixels per inch (ppi), a significant improvement over the Corsair Xeneon Flex’s 78 ppi. This results in sharper fonts and more detailed high-resolution games.

Overall, the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B delivers excellent SDR image quality. While QD-OLED competitors may offer slightly more vibrant colors, the 45GX950A-B excels in its intended purpose of gaming and entertainment.

In HDR, the 45GX950A-B impresses with a peak brightness of 798 nits in a 10 percent window. This high brightness enhances HDR highlights and reveals detail in bright areas.

The monitor’s performance in HDR is particularly noticeable in visually intense scenes. However, like other OLED monitors, its maximum brightness decreases as larger portions of the screen are lit.

The LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a "dual mode" display that can adjust its resolution and refresh rate. It offers a refresh rate of up to 165Hz at 5120×2160 resolution, or up to 330Hz at 2560×1080 resolution. The 45GX950A-B has a gray-to-gray pixel response time of 0.03 milliseconds.

This results in excellent motion clarity. Clarity is improved at 330Hz.

While other monitors provide even better motion clarity with higher refresh rates. Competitive MOBA and FPS fans might prefer a monitor with a higher refresh rate, while simulation, MMORPG, and strategy fans will appreciate the 45GX950A-B’s size and resolution.

Adaptive Sync is supported, with official compatibility for both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync.

In conclusion, the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B is a fantastic ultrawide monitor. Its OLED benefits and 5K2K resolution give a sharper image. It excels in HDR.

The 45GX950A-B’s curve and price limit the monitor’s appeal.

If that sounds like you, go for it. The 45GX950A-B beats its OLED rivals on both sharpness. It is the new top choice for immersive HDR gaming.