The LG 45GS95QE is an ultra-wide WOLED gaming monitor that seeks to affirm LG’s position in gaming monitors in addition to delivering the best TVs around. The company’s latest offering falls short of 4K resolution with a 3,440-by-1,440-pixel panel but racks up a blazing 240Hz refresh rate. Its massive size and aggressive 800R curve provide one of the most immersive gaming experiences you’d ever find on a high-end monitor, and the OLED panel promises excellent colors and contrast.
For cinematic games, the 45GS95QE is one of the best money can buy, but out of that class, this UltraGear OLED 45 tends to lose its grip on competitors. For one, the curve makes it less appealing for basic productivity use, as does the low pixel density – but when used for gaming, it does a fine job despite sacrificing some other use cases.
As a whole, it checks almost all boxes, giving gamers with deep pockets a massive display capable of handling Cyberpunk 2077 and other latest releases fluently. And for the price, it’s not cheap, but again, it’s not expensive when compared to other WOLED and QD-OLED gaming monitors, such as the Samsung Odyssey G95SC and the Dell U4919DW, both 49-inch gaming monitors.
About the LG 45GS95QE UltraGear
The LG 45GS95QE is a 45-inch ultrawide monitor that uses an LG WOLED display panel, which is slightly different from the QD-OLED display used on other high-end gaming monitors like the Alienware AW3420DW and the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G93SC. As mentioned, this model comes with a tight 800R curved, a wide and stable base with good ergonomics, a central joystick for adjusting settings, and a touch of rear RGB lighting.
It joins a lineup of other new LG OLED gaming monitors, including the 34-inch LG 34GS95QE-B and the 45-inch 45GS95QE-B, with similar resolutions and refresh rates.
- Display size: 45 inches
- Resolution: 3440 x 1440 pixels
- Refresh rate: 240Hz
- Peak brightness: 275 nits (rated average in SDR); 267.1 nits (tested in SDR), 778 nits (tested in HDR 10% window peak), 886 nits (tested in 4% window peak), 957 nits (tested in 1% HDR window peak), 280 nits 100% HDR window
- HDR support: HDR10, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400
- Color depth: 10-bit
- Color saturation: 98.5% DCI-P3 (rated); 100% sRGB (tested), 96% DCI-P3 (tested)
- Contrast ratio: 1,500,000:1 (rated), 19,360:1 (tested)
- Pixel response time (GtG): 0.03ms
- Ports: 2 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x USB-B (upstream), 2 x USB-A 3.0, 3.5mm
- VRR Support: FreeSync Premium Pro, G-Sync Compatible
- Other features: Hexagon Lighting, PiP/PbP modes, DTS Headphone: X, VESA mount (100×100), three-way adjustable stand, Kensington lock
What we like
Vivid, smooth picture for gaming or movies
Previously, I’ve reviewed ultra-wide OLED displays, some larger, and they all look gorgeous. It’s a little surprising that the LG 45GS95QE simply elevates what was already available out there to newer levels by offering a sharp OLED panel that delivers on what was expected and beyond.
By that, we mean managing to deliver impeccable contrast backed by the ability of OLED displays to turn off individual pixels, resulting in perfect black levels and HDR content rendered more smoothly. As a result, games and movies look natural and lifelike thanks to the wide color gamut (96% DCI-P3 coverage) and the panel’s solid highlights, which can reach as high as 958 nits for small areas and 779 nits across 10% windows make the experience even more enjoyable.
Again, the OLED 45GS95QE has drastically improved on the color fringing issues experienced on earlier OLED monitors like the Alienware AW3423DW. The fringing effect was evidenced by a faint coloring along the edge of fine lines, and while it didn’t distract games and movies, it was more prevalent in text where fine lines are critical. While the fringing isn’t completely eliminated on this monitor, its impact on fine lines has been reduced by a wide margin.
All said, the LG 45GS95QE UltraGear makes a strong showing, giving your eyes some real candy, whether you’re gaming, browsing the web, or binging on a favorite show. Just bear in mind that ultrawide curved support is still a hit or miss when it comes to streaming movies, often marred by letterboxing instead of a brilliant fullscreen experience.
It delivers a stellar gaming experience
Practically, it’s not possible for a properly manufactured and adjusted OLED monitor to deliver a bad gaming experience – based on the ones we’ve tested and reviewed before. And with the super-aggressive 800R, the gaming experience is taken a notch higher as it envelopes you right into the action, and it’s hard to buck once you’re drawn into a game. LG built this display for blockbuster cinematic games, and it does a fantastic job at that.
It’s not the same experience as other OLEDs I’ve reviewed, though. Similar to LG’s other WOLED and Asus’ OLED rival, the LG 45GS95QE comes with a 240Hz refresh rate, and being an OLED panel, it has very low response times. The result is exceptional motion clarity, which is a boon if you play competitive games like Overwatch 2 and Valorant.
For single-player games like Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Horizon Zero Dawn, the UltraGear OLED 45 proves to be a real showstopper. For competitive games, the 21:9 aspect ratio and steep curve feel a little underwhelming, no matter how great the motion clarity really is. That effect is completely eliminated in single-player games, whereby it delivers an immersive gaming experience.
Beyond immersion and excellent HDR, the UltraGear 45GS95QE packs some gaming extras that make it a worthwhile investment. For starters, it’s G-Sync Compatible and certified with FreeSync Premium, so you’re getting a variable refresh rate out of the box, regardless of whether you have an AMD or Nvidia GPU. Additionally, it comes with a headphone jack that supports DTS Headphone: X for virtual surround sound.
What we don’t like
Curve boost glare and no speakers
The 800R curved on the LG 45GS95QE may be the backbone of its exemplary immersion experience, but it brings along a bad effect on glare. When strong light hits the screen, instead of having an accompanying reflection, the glare rests on the display and can cover a large section of the display. Add that to the OLED’s lower overall brightness, and you can have a not-so-pleasant visual experience.
Well, this isn’t a major issue, however. The display has an anti-glare coating that serves to neutralize a good deal of reflections, so it’s not like you’re going to constantly stare at your face when gaming. Overhead lighting won’t also cause this banding effect, but if the sun is beaming from a nearby window, you might have to draw the curtains.
Elsewhere, the 45GS95QE UltraGear doesn’t include speakers. While most gaming monitors don’t include built-in speakers, at over $1,000, I expected the LG UltraGear to do a little more than most gaming displays. The DTS Headphones: X support is a nice addition, but I feel it is still not enough. Just look at the space this monitor is working with, a pair of speakers could be nice.
Bottom Line
The LG 45GS95QE UltraGear is a stellar gaming monitor. It combines a fantastic color gamut with the gorgeous visuals OLED provides, a speedy 240Hz refresh rate, quick pixel response, and other gaming extras like VRR support, all making for a well-rounded gaming monitor. The gaming experience for cinematic titles like Cyberpunk 2077 is engrossing, and you might never want to stop playing.
Outside the gaming borders, the display becomes a lot less practical. It’s especially a tough choice to recommend for general desktop or work use due to the massive size and OLED panel limitations, and while the size would normally suffice for movies, the aggressive 800R curve and specific viewing distance can kill the mood.
Even with those limitations, the LG 45GS95QE UltraGear shoots past displays like the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 in games, delivering an immersive gaming experience that other OLED monitors will struggle to keep up with.
Recommended Configuration
LG 45GS95QE Ultragear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor 45-Inch WQHD 800R 240Hz 0.03ms DisplayHDR True Black 400 AMD FreeSync Premium Pro NVIDIA G-Sync HDMI 2.1 DisplayPort Tilt/Height/Swivel Stand - Black
$996.99 in stock
9 used from $827.50
The Review
LG 45GS95QE UltraGear
The LG 45GS95QE UltraGear is an exceptional curved WOLED gaming monitor that combines a fast 240Hz refresh rate and excellent image quality to deliver a fantastic gaming experience.
PROS
- Superb, massive display
- A very attractive design
- Vivid, smooth picture
- 240Hz refresh rate
CONS
- Curve boosts glare
- No speakers
Review Breakdown
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ARS SCORE
