LG Ultra Gear 45GX950A OLED gaming monitor review: Extreme curve with premium performance

Very curvy OLED gaming monitor with a 21:9 45-inch screen running at 5120x2160 pixels

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LG Ultra Gear 45GX950A
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(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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LG Ultra Gear 45GX950A
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The 45GX950A is very bright, especially given its large size. It draws a bit more wattage than its competitors to achieve this, but it’s worth it for that 457 nits for SDR content. That’s the maximum value with the Peak Brightness option set to high. If you turn PB (variable brightness) off, the peak is around 285 nits. Like all OLEDs, black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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LG Ultra Gear 45GX950A
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration changes nothing about black levels or contrast; they are still unmeasurable. For SDR content, I preferred Peak Brightness off, which is equivalent to constant brightness. When watching videos, PB Low improves the image a bit with brighter highlights. PB High is the go-to for HDR content.

Test Takeaway: The 45GX950A delivers typical OLED SDR brightness and contrast, with output over 450 nits and perfect black levels. It includes variable brightness, which not all OLED monitors have, and you get two settings — a point in its favor.

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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.