The LG 38WN95C-W is an enthusiast’s dream come true thanks to its ability to surf between productivity and gaming. This model is equipped with a 38-inch UWQHD+ IPS panel that goes up to 144Hz, but it’s also a suitable companion for productivity setups thanks to its Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Let’s check out if the LG 38WN95C-W is worth its price since these specifications have a steep entry point for ownership.
LG 38WN95C-W Specifications
- Screen Size: 38 Inches
- Resolution: 3840 x 1600 WQHD+
- Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 160Hz
- Response Time: 1ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 450 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 5 Watts)
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C Thunderbolt 3 x 1, USB 3.0 x 2, 3.5mm Audio Jack x 1
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 35.3″ x 22.9″ x 11.2”
- Weight: 18.3 lbs
Design and Features
The LG 38WN95C-W is dressed for business with a more elegant and minimalist aesthetic compared to its UltraGear counterpart, the 38GN950G. this model uses a matte white chassis that’s accented with a metallic stand which makes it more suitable for offices and workstations instead of gaming setups. The display isn’t bezel-free, but it’s hard to notice the thin and flushed plastic strips on the edges of the massive screen.
Its slightly smaller by a few fractions of an inch compared to the UltraGear variant, plus its also lighter at just a few notches over 18 pounds. However, don’t underestimate the LG 38WN95C-W since it still is a massive monitor that’s almost three feet in width. It needs 11 inches of depth from your desk, but the blank space in the middle of the base should be enough for small peripherals like stream decks or webcams.
Build quality for the LG 38WN95C-W is great thanks to thick plastics that feel like they are expensively made. There is a slight wobble from the stand since the attachment point is quite small, but it mostly happens when you accidentally tap the screen or use the OSD buttons. We did not notice any cosmetic defects on the monitor, indicating that LG’s quality control measures did an excellent job.
One of our favorite characteristics from the brand’s monitors is its user-friendly way to control or manipulate monitor’s functions. The LG 38WN95C-W has a joystick at the bottom, but its also compatible with the brand’s OnScreen control feature. This lets you access some of the settings via an application, so you can select or set a few things using your mouse while inside the OS.
The stand included with the LG 38WN95C-W offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments so you can always maximize your view angle according to your needs. You can’t pivot the screen since it is a curved ultrawide screen. VESA mounts are optional, but we think some will consider them to avoid wobbling issues while saving space at the same time.
The ArcLine design stand is featured on this model, adding to its premium feel and appearance. The large arc equates to good footing for the massive device, but it also consumes a lot of space. You can place small gadgets in between, but those with large keyboards and narrow desks might beg to differ.
The LG 38WN95C-W’s I/O layout is pretty standard since its almost identical with every LG monitor out in the market. You get the standard DisplayPort 1.4 with HDMI 2.0 ports, along with two USB 3.0 slots and a 3.5mm jack for headphones. But what makes this model particularly special is it comes equipped with a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 slot which expands its usability for many users.
The TB3 port supports DP Alt Mode and it can provide up to 94 watts of juice to a USB-C laptop like the MacBook Pro. That’s enough power for the high-spec models, so it will always get topped up even if it’s crunching on heavy tasks. Single cable or docking setups like this are now more preferred due to its simplicity, especially by professionals and designers who use the said products as a workstation.
The LG 38WN95C-W also has a pair of 5-watt speakers which can get loud with decent sound quality. Vocals, dialogue, and mid to low sounds are great and clear, but many will still miss the booming bass that’s necessary for gaming or entertainment. However, it’s a nice to have feature for other applications such as work from home use where playing background music or conference calls are quite common.
Display and Performance
The LG 38WN95C-W boasts a 38-inch Nano IPS panel with a 3840 x 1600 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms boosted response time. The backlight is rated for 450 cd/m2, while the contrast ratio sits at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. This model is HDR 600-compliant, so it should be able to provide noticeable improvements in the depth and details.
The 38-inch UWQHD+ screen on the LG 38WN95C-W isn’t as sharp as a 4K variant, but it still provides crisp images in games. You also won’t struggle with reading text or browsing even if scaling isn’t used due to its balanced appearance. There is a lot of space available on the display, and you can even use screen by screen modes to maximize it.
The LG 38WN95C-W is able to produce more than 100% of the sRGB gamut easily along with 92% of the DCI-P3 color space. Default accuracy could use some improvements with a deltaE average of 2.83, but that’s acceptable for gaming or entertainment use. The screen’s color temperature is already perfect by default, so you won’t have to calibrate it if this is your main concern.
Using a colorimeter on the LG 38WN95C-W can improve its dE to a superb 0.54 which is already ideal for color-critical work. Gamma remained the same for the most part, so there are no perceivable differences in most cases. Take note that this model is already very expensive, so we can only recommend getting a colorimeter if it’s absolutely necessary for work-related use.
The LG 38WN95C-W’s main weakness is its contrast which sat at 930:1 at 60% brightness. The edge-lit local dimming feature of the monitor can improve it exponentially, but they are spread out towards the edges which result in wider lighting zones. The backlight reached as much as 470 cd/m2 in SDR and around 720 cd/m2 in SDR to enable it to reach its HDR 600 certification.
HDR performance for the LG 38WN95C-W is great if we’re basing it alone on its maximum brightness. However, the effects of the local dimming aren’t as appreciable since the screen is bigger than the usual desktop monitor. HDR-enabled games will show noticeable improvements, but the results and opinions will be mixed for the most part.
Panel uniformity is also affected since dark scenes will reveal some clouding issues on the screen’s upper edges. Colored images aren’t as affected, but it worsens the all-black representation of the screen that appears grayish. Take note that this aspect and the actual contrast ratio will vary between every unit, so there are better ones out in the market.
Responsiveness, on the other hand, is excellent on the LG 38WN95C-W since there is no visible motion blur if the screen is running at 144Hz. You only need to use the Fast setting of the overdrive to take care of the already minimal persistence, and you will be good to go. We don’t recommend the maximum level since it will induce overshoot which is even worse and undesirable for any type of gaming.
The LG 38WN95C-W is a FreeSync gaming monitor, but its also certified to work with Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible mode. This monitor will work great with their top-tier cards, especially the latest RTX 3080 and RTX 3090 GPUs. Input lag sits at around 6ms, so there are no delays or desynced instances while enjoying your favorite title.
Thoughts on the LG 38WN95C-W
The LG 38WN95C-W is a well-designed ultrawide monitor with excellent features and a vibrant IPS panel. We like its duality for gaming and productivity which we think is unique or rare in today’s market. The FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility is a great bonus alongside the 144Hz refresh rate, especially in a product that’s also aimed at professional use.
However, the LG 38WN95C-W isn’t perfect, and it’s not as good as the LG 38GN950G in some aspects. The panel uniformity and the low contrast left a lot to be desired since it affected the HDR and imaging performance. The LG 38WN95C-W is a well-equipped premium display, but we expected better performance at its price point.
Pros:
- Wide Gamut Coverage
- High Brightness in SDR and HDR
- Attractive and Functional Design
- 94-watt USB-C Thunderbolt 3
- FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible
Cons:
- Needs Calibration for Accurate Color
- Low Contrast
- Panel Uniformity Needs Improvement
- Expensive
-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.
Jim says
What aspects aren’t as good with the LG 38WN95C when compared with the LG 38GN950G? Thanks!
Paolo Reva says
Hi, Jim! The LG 38GN950G surprisingly has better color accuracy than the 38WN95C, but results will vary with other units since it’s difficult to pin down color accuracy between each one. Personally, the difference is minor, so the only consideration between the two would be this model’s Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
Jim says
Sorry for the delay – thanks for the reply! I’m waiting to see how the Alienware AW3821DW compares. I also found a few web results for a possible Dell U3821DW. I think that one will compare to the LG 38WN95C while the LG 38GN950G compares to the AW3821dw.
Thanks again!