LG 34GK950G-B tested: The monitor for gamers and ambitious hobby film-makers?
29.8.2019
Translation: machine translated
With the LG 34GK950G-B, the Korean manufacturer delivers an ultra-wide gamer monitor with G-Sync, 120 Hz and the company's own Nano-IPS technology. Thanks to this, it should be perfect for video editing as well as gaming.
Thanks to the high DCI-P3 colour space coverage of 98.1 per cent, the LG monitor offers vivid and rich colours. Thanks to the wide 178-degree viewing angle, only small shifts in colour, contrast and brightness are noticeable, even when viewed from the side.
What the device can do
The curved 34-inch Nano IPS panel has a peak brightness of 400 nits, a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1 and a colour depth of 10 bits (8 bits + 2 bits FRC).
The LG 34GK950G has a screen resolution of 3440 × 1440 pixels, which corresponds to a pixel density of 110 PPI. The 21:9 aspect ratio offers 33 per cent more horizontal space compared to standard 16:9 monitors.
For games, this means a wider field of view for greater immersion - if the game supports the resolution. If the format is not supported, you will see black bars on the sides of the screen or the image will be stretched.
Here is an overview of the most important specs:
- 34-inch Nano IPS display with 1440p in 21:9 aspect ratio
- Contrast: 1000:1
- DCI-P3 colour space coverage: 98 per cent
- Brightness: 400 cd/m²
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
- Colour depth: 10 bit (8 bit + 2 bit FRC)
- Screen curvature: 1900R
- nVidia G-Sync
What is the device good for gaming?
The 34GK950G does not exhibit any input lag. LG specifies a response time of five milliseconds (grey to grey). That should be about right. You also have the option of making four overdrive settings - Off, Normal, Fast and Faster. From the Fast level upwards, ghosting and motion blur are no longer a topic, even in hectic scenes.
Backlight bleeding is not a topic with my test model and there is no trace of flickering. The integrated blue light filter is pleasant for longer gaming sessions. I also didn't notice any artefacts during my test period.
Of course, I also took the opportunity to measure the monitor with our x-rite i1Display Pro calibration device. The result is what it should be: The manufacturer's specifications do not correspond to my measurements. However, this is the case with every monitor and in defence of the LG monitor, I can say that the deviations are relatively small.
In terms of colour space coverage, I measured 99.6 per cent sRGB, 85.1 per cent Adobe RGB and 91.5 per cent DCI P3. These are all very good values. With these results, you can also easily edit photos and, above all, edit videos after a colour calibration.
The brightness is also impressive. The monitor delivers a more or less homogeneous brightness gradient in the nine fields that I measured. The lowest value is 314 nits at the bottom right and the highest is 341 nits at the top right. However, this difference is not visible to the naked eye. With a measured black point of 0.411 nits, the static contrast is 830:1, while the dynamic contrast is 6074:1.
This can all be adjusted
In addition to the usual suspects such as brightness/contrast, headphone volume, gamma, RGB and colour temperature, the monitor can be overclocked to 120 Hz. The option must first be activated in the OSD. You can access the OSD by pressing the joystick, which is well hidden in the centre of the bottom edge of the screen.
To the right of the joystick is a wheel that you can turn to adjust the brightness of the backlight, called Sphere Lighting. By pressing the wheel, you can change the colour of the LED light ring. Six colours are available.
You can also select five setting modes. Two of them are fully customisable. The usual crosshair overlay for gaming monitors and a black stabiliser are also on board. The latter makes objects in dark parts of video games more visible by changing the gamma curvature.
Nvidia's G-Sync must also be activated in the OSD first. This allows the display to dynamically change its refresh rate. However, you need an Nvidia-compatible graphics card for this. Thanks to G-Sync, screen tearing is a thing of the past.
Smart device with enough connections
The design of the LG 34GK950G is kept simple. The side edges are small at just over one centimetre on all four sides. The stand in the splayed V is quite large. Sphere Lighting is located on the back. RGB technology, which enables ambient lighting through different light patterns and colours.
The screen can be adjusted by 11 centimetres in height, swivelled approximately 20 degrees to the left or right and tilted 6 degrees forwards and 14 degrees backwards. If you want, you can also mount the monitor on the wall.
Everything you need is available in terms of connectivity:
- One USB 3.0 upstream port
- Two USB 3.0 downstream ports
- One HDMI type A 2.0 port
- One DisplayPort 1.2 port
- One headphone connection
- One RJ45 connection
The power supply unit is not integrated into the monitor itself. So you need to allow extra space for it. The monitor operates in energy efficiency class C.
Good monitor with in-house alternative
The LG 34GK950G is a flawless monitor with a fast response time, a high refresh rate and a low input lag. Thanks to the consistently good colour gamut coverage, it is not only suitable for gaming, but also for video editing and photo processing. Admittedly: Over 1200 francs, or just under 1000 euros, excluding at reduced prices, is a lot. But you also get a lot of monitor for your money.
If you don't have an Nvidia graphics card, there's an alternative for Team Red: The LG UltraGear 34GK950F-B supports AMD's Freesync, 144 Hz and DisplayHDR 400.
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
9 comments
later