LG 27GN950-B 4K 144Hz Monitor Review: One Fast Pixel Mover

One of the fastest 4K monitors we've ever tested

Reviews
By Christian Eberle
last updated
LG 27GN950-B
Editor's Choice
(Image: © LG)

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There is no question that the very fastest monitors, like the 360 Hz Asus PG259QN, are running at 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution. And just behind them are 240 Hz QHD (2560x1440) displays. But many won’t be satisfied with anything less than the highest possible pixel density, and that comes from a 4K panel. With nearly 8.3 million pixels to move, we’re still looking at a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz.

A few premium screens can achieve this, but the price isn't low. And you’ll need equally expensive graphics hardware to run 4K at anything over 100 fps. But the list of choices is a little longer now. Its newest member, LG’s 27GN950-B, delivers speed, quick response and excellent image quality for an almost reasonable $800.

(Image credit: LG)

The main difference between the LG 27GN950-B and the pricier Asus PG27UQ and Acer Predator X27 is the backlight. Rather than a 1,000-nit FALD unit, LG packs in an edge LED array with over 750 nits of peak brightness in HDR mode. And that HDR is further enhanced by an effective local dimming feature. In our gaming tests, it turned out to be one of the better IPS HDR monitors we’ve seen. With local dimming, HDR contrast overall was comparable to a VA monitor. 

In the 4K speed contest, our review focus tied for lowest total input lag with the Asus XG27UQ. That makes a visibly impactful difference in the gaming experience. With a 25ms score, it competes with the best gaming monitors we’ve tested, including some 240 Hz screens. If you have a powerful enough video card to keep frame rates above 100 fps, you’ll be rewarded with a sharp and smoothly moving picture.

No sacrifices have been made to image quality. Out of the box, the 27GN950-B is very accurate and does not require calibration. With a few tweaks though, we found slightly better fidelity. The monitor also has one of the largest color gamuts we’ve encountered, with almost 95% P3 coverage. That extra color shows up in all content, both SDR and HDR. The only flaw we noted was an sRGB mode that didn’t sufficiently shrink the gamut. Purists will be disappointed, but it is possible to fix this error with LG’s True Color Pro Software, if you have a color meter available. 

144 Hz 4K monitors are still rare items selling for premium prices, but the LG 27GN950-B is a worthy addition to the list of choices. At $800, it undercuts the most expensive FALD displays while offering most of their performance. If you’re looking for a 4K monitor to finish off a high-end gaming rig, the LG 27GN950-B is a great choice.

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.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • CXB
    The most recent firmware to the LG 27GN950-B pushes the display rate to 160Hz at 4k (the firmware takes a nervous 30+ minutes to load)
    A very nice monitor, well-suited to DisplayPort, DSC and the new graphics cards coming out (I was lucky to bag an RTX3070)
    Reply
  • Wanderingm00se
    Honestly, if this had an HDMI 2.1 it would have been an instant buy for me running this well. Maybe a refresh next year will have it. Got a series X as video card prices in Canada are insane right now if available and consoles are almost readily available and are cheaper than US pricing after conversion.
    Reply
  • tomy_12
    I heard with this monitor cannot cancel the option that the monitor will go to deep sleep, is kind of big let down when the monitor fall a sleep and can't wake up. I don't want my monitor to fall a sleep, I can make the pc set to sleep mode alone. would be nice if you can mention it in the review.
    Reply
  • CXB
    Well, you may have heard that, but I've just left my PC and my LG 27GN950 alone for 4 hours, and as soon as I hit my space bar on the keyboard, everything just woke up where it had left off.

    What I do find is that sometimes, with a second monitor, the GPU gets in a twist. But that's not a problem related to this monitor.
    Reply