LG 34GP950G-B Review – Premium 34-Inch Ultrawide Gaming Monitor with HDR 6007 min read

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The LG 34GP950G-B offers premium performance with its 180Hz ultrawide screen that includes attractive features for a high-caliber gaming experience. It’s better-equipped than the LG 34GP83-A, but it’s also more expensive by around $500. Let’s check if the LG 34GP950G-B has enough juice to convince us that it is worthy of that price difference.

LG 34GP950G-B Specifications

• Screen Size: 34 Inches
• Resolution: 3440 x 1440 UW-QHD
• Aspect Ratio: 21:9
• Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
• Refresh Rate: 180Hz
• Response Time: 1ms
• Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
• Brightness: 400 cd/m²
• Built-in Speakers: No
• Stand: Height – Yes
• Stand: Tilt – Yes
• Stand: Swivel – No
• Stand: Pivot – No
• VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
• Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 1, USB 3.0 x 2, 3.5mm Audio Jack x 1
• Dimensions with Stand (WxHxD): 32.1” x 22.8” x 12.3”
• Weight: 15.4 lbs

Design and Features

The LG 34GP950G-B sports the same UltraGear aesthetic we’ve seen in recent variants that don’t look too overbearing. It has a matte black aesthetic and some red streaks in the right spots, so it is not as aggressive-looking as some gaming models. The display is bezel-free on three sides, but you will still see inner borders when you look close enough.

34-inch ultrawides like this model take up a lot of space, so you have to consider its dimensions before pulling the trigger. The LG 34GP950G-B needs more than a foot of depth from your desk, and its width can interfere with large speakers if you have any. It is not too heavy at 15.4 pounds, but it is not unwise to ask for help, especially if you are moving it into a cramped setup.

Build quality for the LG 34GP950G-B is great since there are no cosmetic defects or signs of weaknesses on its parts. It uses plenty of plastic, but the panels are thick enough to prevent flexing and premature cracking. There is a tiny bit of wobbling, but it only happens if you accidentally nudge the screen on its edges.

This variant includes LG’s Sphere Lighting 2.0, which involves RGB LEDs on the rear bulge at its rear. The lights can be synced with sounds or the effects on the screen, but they can also be customized manually. We like that it is all around the attachment point, which casts a bias light that helps with eye comfort during long gaming sessions.

You also get an OSD joystick with the monitor that’s located just under its bottom bezel, along with a wheel controller for the backlight setting. You will need LG’s Ultra Control Center to utilize it, but it’s a good idea to install the brand’s apps anyway. Other brands may include remotes, but this implementation is more than enough, in our opinion.

The LG 34GP950G-B’s stand includes height and tilt adjustments which are sufficient for daily use. Swivel and pivot are unnecessary since ultrawide monitors are not meant for portrait mode anyway, plus it’s ideal to sit at the center since it’s a curved monitor. You can use VESA mounts with this model, but it is completely unnecessary in most cases.

The brand skimped on the 34GP950G-B’s connectivity, which we think could use more considering the high price. You only get DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, plus two usable USB 3.0 ports for accessories. LG could include more such as a USB-C port, but most of their models, including the high-end ones, have limited connectivity.

The LG 34GP950G-B doesn’t have speakers as well, even if it sits at the upper tiers of the brand’s lineup. We know that gamers usually prefer headsets, especially with curved displays, but the brand could add something like their MaxxAudio speakers on its other premium models. They can become useful when it’s too hot for cans, or the user simply wants to sit back and relax while listening to music or watching movies.

Display and Performance

The LG 34GP950G-B boasts a 34-inch IPS panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, a 180Hz overclocked refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. The backlight has a 400 cd/m2 brightness while the contrast ratio is 1000:1 like all IPS panels. This model is HDR 600 certified, and it has a local dimming solution for better lighting performance.

34-inch ultrawides are great for both work and play since they offer more space and crisper details in games. The horizontal upgrade gives you more room for productivity and upgrades your game’s FOV for a more immersive experience. They are usually priced higher like this model, but sub-$500 options with VA panels are now available, like the Gigabyte G34WQC.

The LG 34GP950G-B renders impressive color, starting with more than 100% sRGB and around 96% DCI-P3 coverage. The screen looks richly saturated and extra vibrant, so games will look great with it. It is also factory-calibrated with a dE average of only 1.23, so it is unnecessary to calibrate the monitor to get a balanced view.

Calibrating the LG 34GP950G-B produces a lower dE average of 0.51, even better than the default setting. However, it’s mostly unnecessary unless you are into color-critical work, plus the fact that colorimeters aren’t cheap. Spending the additional for one isn’t practical since this monitor already performs great in color quality.

The LG 34GP950G-B’s backlight reached 441 cd/m2 in SDR, but it can punch up to 650 cd/m2 in HDR. However, its contrast ratio isn’t as impressive at 901:1, which means it cannot produce deep blacks. The monitor has 56 dimming zones, but it can sometimes add clouding issues to the screen instead of highlighting details.

The LG 34GP950G-B’s panel uniformity is great if its local dimming feature is turned off. Clouding issues and noticeable trails from the dimming zone’s transitions can become noticeable in some instances. Take note that this could vary between every monitor out there due to the nature of IPS technology and, of course, the edge-lit local dimming feature of this monitor.

The LG 34GP950G-B handles motion handling like a champion since it barely produces blurring at 180Hz. You only need to set its overdrive setting to Normal to enjoy a smudge and persistence-free IPS panel. Setting the overdrive any higher will induce overshoot, so we highly advise against it.

The LG 34GP950G-B is a G-Sync gaming monitor, but it also works flawlessly with AMD’s FreeSync. Both GPU brand owners can enjoy VRR, plus you won’t be stuck with either if you need to upgrade your card. Input lag sits at 4ms at 180Hz, so there is no need to worry about delays while enjoying your games.

Thoughts on the LG 34GP950G-B

The LG 34GP950G-B is an excellent ultrawide monitor when it comes to gaming performance and image quality. Its IPS panel is capable of excellent color coverage and accuracy, plus it is fast and very responsive. We like its design along with its bias light-producing RGB, although it could use a few add-ons since it’s a premium model.

What we disliked about the LG 34GP950G-B is its underwhelming HDR performance produced clouding and inaccurate lighting in some instances. The device has an excellent peak brightness, but the limited edge-lit zones aren’t as refined as a full FALD backlight. It’s what makes the product more expensive, so we think it’s justified to ask for better refinement in this regard.

Pros:

• Excellent Image Quality and Accuracy
• Fast and Responsive IPS Panel
• G-Sync and FreeSync Compatible
• Great Design with RGB

Cons:

• Expensive
• Limited Connectivity Ports
• Mediocre Contrast and HDR Performance

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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.