LG 27GX790A 480 Hz OLED review: Bright, colorful, and fast

27-inch OLED gaming monitor with 480 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, and wide gamut color

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LG 27GX790A
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

There’s no better showcase for HDR content than an OLED display, and the 27GX790A is one of the best desktop screens for the format. It automatically senses HDR10 and makes the switch seamlessly.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

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LG 27GX790A
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Most of the desktop OLEDs I’ve tested top out around 440 nits, which keeps them comfortably above the DisplayHDR 400 standard. The 27GX790A and the PG27AQDP drive their panels higher to 763 nits in LG’s case. This test was performed using a 25% window pattern. LG claims 1,300 nits for a 1.5% window and these results cast no doubt. In a side-by-side comparison, the 27GX790A’s extra brightness is easy to see. It retains the infinite blacks all OLEDs are known for, so contrast is also infinite.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

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LG 27GX790A
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

HDR grayscale tracking in the Gamer 1 mode is slightly warm but not enough to cause concern. This can be adjusted if you want a cooler look. Color temp presets and RGB sliders remain available in HDR mode. The EOTF tracks close to the reference with just a little dip as it approaches the tone-map transition at 60% brightness. You can adjust peak brightness and toggle variable brightness if you want a different look for HDR gaming.

In the HDR color test, the 27GX790A accurately tracks the hue points, exhibiting a general but slight oversaturation, which is similar to nearly every HDR monitor I’ve tested. This gives content a nice pop with extra verve that retains fine detail in all parts of the image. If you want greater coverage of BT.2020, you’ll need a Quantum Dot screen to beat the 27GX790A, but it retains the same excellent hue accuracy. Saturation tops out at 85% red, 75% green, and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: The 27GX790A is accurate enough in HDR mode to skip calibration. But LG leaves color temp available which is unusual, in a good way. Luminance tracking is accurate with no tweaking but the option to change it is there which is also an unusual but good feature. With no adjustments, it delivers killer HDR with more brightness than nearly all its competition and that is the best part of all.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.