The LG 27GP850-B replaces the venerable and very popular 27GL850-B and 27GN850, so it has big shoes to fill in. It has the same panel type and basic design concept, but it gets bumped up to 180Hz which is quite close to the 240Hz variants in performance. Let’s check out if the LG 27GP850-B is a worthy upgrade or if its predecessors are better deals now that they are discounted.
LG 27GP850-B Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 180Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 400 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot– Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB 3.0 x 3, 3.5mm Headphone jack x 1
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 24.2” x 22.7” x 11.5”
- Weight: 13.9 lbs
Design and Features
The LG 27GP850-B didn’t change much in design when compared to its predecessors, so most of the improvements are internal. The monitor has the UltraGear aesthetic composed of a classy matte black housing with discrete red streaks in the right spots. The display is bezel-free on three sides so you can enjoy the fast screen with minimal distractions.
It’s not a massive monitor by today’s standards, but the LG 27GP850-B eats up almost a foot of depth from your desk. It has a chunky stand with a wide-reaching base, so you might need to clear some space on your desk. it doesn’t weigh a lot since it’s mostly made out of plastic, so setting up shouldn’t be too difficult for a single person.
Its build quality is excellent as expected, and it is one of the reasons why you won’t be disappointed when going with a top-tier brand. The plastics used are solid and blemish-free, and there is no sign of fragility even if it doesn’t have metal panels. The stand is quite stable and firm so you don’t have to deal with a sagging or shaking display during intense battles.
The LG 27GP850-B has an OSD joystick tucked right under the LG logo on the bottom bezel for easy access. This model is also compatible with LG’s OnScreen Control which lets you manipulate its features via software in Windows. The brand has been implementing this for years and it works, so we don’t think you’ll need anything beyond these two like a dedicated remote.
The stand included with the LG 27GP850-B offers tilt, pivot, and height adjustments for your comfort and convenience. You can’t swivel it left and right, so it’s not a good choice as a side monitor when it comes to ergonomics. You can swap the stand out with a VESA mount, but that will add more cost to your upgrade if you don’t have one yet.
The LG 27GP850-B has more connectivity options than other LG variants, but it is not the best in this regard. You get DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports for video which should be able to handle your PC and some consoles. There is also a trio of USB 3.0 ports for accessories, along with a 3.5mm jack for headphones.
That’s not a lot, but you have to think about the previous LG monitors we reviewed and their lack of USB ports. It seems that you need to go for the upper-tier models if you want better utility, but it is not worth it if you aren’t after its performance. Its also worth noting that the monitor doesn’t have speakers, and we think LG should hook up its fanbase
Display and Performance
The LG 27GP850-B boasts a 27-inch Nano IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, a 180Hz overclocked refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. The backlight has a 400 cd/m2 maximum, while the contrast ratio is listed at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This model uses a 165Hz native module, but it offers a guaranteed overclock to 180Hz which is impressive for a sub-$500 product.
27-inch 1440p monitors are perfect for all-around use since they offer the best sweet spot in the PC display market. It’s sharper with more details making it perfect for games, but it doesn’t go too far to make productivity and legibility suffer. It’s also easier to achieve the maximum refresh rate with a variety of GPUs since the resolution isn’t as demanding as 4K.
The LG 27GP850-B renders 120% sRGB and around 95% DCI-P3 which is impressive in this category. Its default accuracy is decent with a deltaE average of 2.65, but it could be better as far as we’ve seen from LG’s gaming variants. The screen looks great, but it’s a bit warmer than the usual so some white backgrounds might look a bit yellowish.
Calibrating the LG 27GP850-B reduced its dE average to 0.56 which is excellent, but you have to enlist a colorimeter to get this done. Most users will be happy with a few tweaks of their own, so we don’t recommend getting a colorimeter that isn’t cheap just to calibrate this monitor. but if you have it or if your job includes color-critical work, then it’s a must for any monitor, unless you go with the high-end pre-tuned models.
The LG 27GP850-B produced 370 cd/m2 in SDR and around 467 cd/m2 when HDR is active. That’s more than enough for daily use, but its contrast wasn’t as good at 903:1. The monitor looks bright and pumped up, but its downfall is in dark scenes where the black parts look grayish.
Panel uniformity for the LG 27GP850-B isn’t so great since there are some clouding issues on the top and bottom edges of the screen. They start to creep in on nighttime scenes but they aren’t visible when full-color images are on display. Take note that this varies between every unit, so there are better ones out there.
The LG 27GP850-B has an excellent pixel response time so it’s virtually free from blurring and smudging. Fast-paced games look great and clear, so gamers who enjoy competitive titles will love this fast gaming monitor. We recommend staying with its overdrive’s Normal setting since anything higher will induce overshoot.
The LG 27GP850-B is a FreeSync monitor, but it’s also certified to work with Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible mode. This is a must-have feature now so you don’t get stuck with one brand in a time where stock shortages for these parts are common. Input lag sits at 4ms at 180Hz, so there is no need to worry about delays while gaming.
Thoughts on the LG 27GP850-B
The LG 27GP850-B is an excellent choice if you are looking for a vibrant 1440p monitor that’s fast enough for E-Sports use. The 180Hz refresh rate and its excellent motion handling offer the best possible performance outside of the more expensive 240Hz category. It is not factory-calibrated, but you will get by with a few tweaks since it’s not dismally inaccurate like some past offerings.
We like the LG 27GP850-B’s design, but we wish we could get more features such as speakers and even USB ports. It’s not a cheap monitor by today’s standards, so we’d like gamers to get more worth out of their hard-earned cash. This model is a must-buy purely for its speed advantage, but it’s not worlds apart when compared to its discounted predecessors.
Pros:
- Excellent Gamut Coverage
- Fast and Blur-Free
- FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible
- Reasonable Price
Cons:
- Panel Uniformity Needs Improvement
- No Speakers
- Dismal Contrast
About the Author: 
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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