The LG 34GN850 will succeed the very popular LG 34GK950F in the acclaimed UltraGear monitor line that offers superb gaming performance and image quality. This new model shares the same specs and panel with its predecessor, but it gets an overclocked 160Hz refresh rate. 144Hz QHD ultrawides aren’t rampant in the market, and yet they present a more practical alternative to the two-grand 200Hz ultrawides like the Acer X35.
The LG sports a 34-inch Nano IPS panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, 160Hz maximum refresh rate, and a 1ms G2G response time. This model sports a lower 1000:1 contrast ratio and a 400 cd/m2 backlight which opens it up to VESA’s DisplayHDR 400 standard. That doesn’t mean a lot since HDR 400 does not offer compelling improvements in visuals, but there are some models that have decent capabilities.
Another improvement the LG 34GN850 gets is its aesthetic which is simpler and more appealing to a wider audience. The base noticeably has a smaller footprint, while the screen has thinner bezels to make it more immersive. It also looks like they removed the Sphere Lighting feature on this variant which matters less compared to its visual performance.
Another important capability of the LG 34GN850 is its affinity for both FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility. The monitor will release fully certified by both companies, so there should be no issues running Adaptive Sync on both GPU brands. Although for Nvidia users, you might need to update your GPU drivers to ensure that their VRR will function on this model.
The connectivity layout for the LG 34GN850 includes a DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 slots, and a headphone jack for connectivity. We were hoping to see USB-C on these new models, but the brands are still holding back at this time.
The LG 34GN850 is currently available for pre-order on select regions and retailers at around $999. The LG 34GK950F released closer to a grand and a half, so this new pricing is probably the best news we received about this model. You can visit the official product page for the LG 34GN850 if you want to see more information such as an overview of its advertised capabilities.
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 his junior high years. 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.