LG DualUp 28MQ780 Monitor Review: A Unique New Display Shape

The LG DualUp is a 28-inch 16:18 monitor.

Reviews
By Christian Eberle
published
LG DualUp 28MQ780
(Image: © LG)

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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.

The 28MQ780 accepts HDR10 signals over all its video inputs and switches automatically to HDR mode. Five picture modes are made available, of which Custom is the most accurate and delivers the best HDR image.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

  • HDR White Luminance – 335.2912 nits
  • HDR Black Level – 0.3111 nit
  • HDR Sequential Contrast – 1077.8:1

The DualUp does not employ dynamic contrast or any sort of zone dimming, so its HDR contrast is similar to its SDR performance. You do get extra output, though, with 335 nits versus the 279 I measured in SDR mode. There’s plenty of color and the EOTF tracking is accurate, as you’ll see below, but the HDR and SDR images are only subtly different.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

Image 1 of 3
LG 28MQ780
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

I observed a slight green tint when viewing and measuring grayscale patterns in the DualUp’s HDR mode. This error is tough to see in actual content. The EOTF chart shows an elevated black level, which is the main cause of its relatively low HDR contrast. Above 10% brightness though, luminance tracks almost perfectly up to and past the tone-map transition point at 63%.

HDR color tracking is excellent, with near-perfect compliance to the DCI-P3 standard in both hue and saturation. HDR color is vibrant and bright, with all the detail present in the original content. When displaying material mastered to Rec.2020, the 28MQ780 hits the targets with slight over-saturation until the monitor runs out of color at around 90%. This is the right way for a DCI-P3 monitor to render Rec.2020. In most content, you’ll see all but a little of the extended gamut.

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.

24 Comments Comment from the forums
  • brandonjclark
    This would be a pretty sweet coding monitor!
    Reply
  • drajitsh
    Consider this vs 2 bog standard (200-250$) UHD monitors with vesa arms
    1 . Games -- how many titles support a single monitor of this resolution vs dual monitor support. Of course both configurations would require some really high end GFX.
    consuming video-- why would you require to see a play list this long.
    Web browsing -- most websites would do better with a UHD in portrait mode, same for coding.
    Photo and video editing -- you can have a professional monitor for the subject (photo or video) and a standard monitor for toolbars/thumbnails etc.
    Request could you also give gamut volume and coverage vs AdobeRGB. Should not take very long and I think it still has relevance in print work. Also, every DSLR and mirrorless supports AdobeRGB
    Reply
  • helper800
    drajitsh said:
    Consider this vs 2 bog standard (200-250$) UHD monitors with vesa arms
    1 . Games -- how many titles support a single monitor of this resolution vs dual monitor support. Of course both configurations would require some really high end GFX.
    consuming video-- why would you require to see a play list this long.
    Web browsing -- most websites would do better with a UHD in portrait mode, same for coding.
    Photo and video editing -- you can have a professional monitor for the subject (photo or video) and a standard monitor for toolbars/thumbnails etc.Request could you also give gamut volume and coverage vs AdobeRGB. Should not take very long and I think it still has relevance in print work. Also, every DSLR and mirrorless supports AdobeRGB
    I think its mainly for productivity and programming while being borderless. Two individual monitors next to each other is never going to be as nice as one large panel with no bezels.
    Reply
  • HideOut
    ...or get a dell professional that rotates 90 degrees...
    Reply
  • srl99
    If you really like the shape, ok. Otherwise, save big $s and get a 4k. You'll also get more pixels.

    If you do buy this, get some protection against problems. LG "warranty" service will leave you with an empty desk for up to a month.
    Reply
  • voyteck
    When the first desktop LCD panels appeared, they too were made in 4:3 aspect like a television.

    It's not entirely untrue since there were indeed 4 : 3 models from the beginning but I suppose you meant 5 : 4, which was the dominant aspect ratio. For example, EIZO in one of their first lineups of LCDs offered two models: L66 (1280 × 1024, 5 : 4) and L360 (1024 × 768, 4 : 3).
    Reply
  • bit_user
    brandonjclark said:
    This would be a pretty sweet coding monitor!
    Not the way I code. I often have about 4-5 files open at a time, usually positioned next to each other. Also, a couple terminal windows on a second monitor (or off in the corner of a single 4k monitor I sometimes use).

    I do want a bit more vertical realestate, but this is too much. I wish 16:10 monitors were more popular. I had a 1920x1200 monitor and it was great. I'd love a 2560x1600.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    helper800 said:
    Two individual monitors next to each other is never going to be as nice as one large panel with no bezels.
    Depends on whether you use them for the same thing. I tend to put terminal windows and API docs on the second monitor, which is slightly off to the side. My primary is bigger and directly in front of me.

    When I switch to a different setup with just a single 32" 4k monitor, I find I miss having the borders of the second monitor for facilitating window placement & layout. First world problems, I know.
    Reply
  • CooliPi
    My question is - how well does it work with Raspberry Pi 4 ? Are two HDMI outputs needed, or does it run with only one (it should)? Are there any problems like EDID information incompatibility, does it run out of the box etc.

    I think this would be a good monitor for coding - fitting most of the functions on one page, hence making better feeling for what's inside what (nested loops etc).

    Raspberry Pi 4 is my personal workstation now, 'cause it's powerful enough for my needs and dead silent. And most of the time I'm doing research on the internet and writing code, browsing long logs, using ssh.

    I've been waiting for this type of aspect ratio since widescreen BS came in. The reason not to get a widescreen monitor and rotate it is subpixel antialiasing though, which greatly helps with horizontal resolution (or vertical, if you rotate widescreen monitor, but I don't consider it usable for nice rendered alphabets).

    Mind you, the vertical number of pixels is even higher than on my 16:10 4k monitor (2880 vs 2400).
    Reply
  • mickrc3
    It sounds possible that this monitor size will become popular but consider that as a poineer device the LG is priced over the cost of many large 4K monitors and most usable 40in-60in 4K TVs. I just bought two LG 32in 32UL500-W 4K monitors during the Eggs sale at ran head-to-head with Prime Days. They were $250 each and though also only 60hz they did have adaptive sync. I'm running an Acer 48in 4K monitor which I used for coding plus I have a Samsung 28in 4K as a secondary monitor and I have an old Seiki 39in 4K which defaults to a TV but is also connected to my PC to function as a third monitor when needed. That's 3840x2160 per monitor and in the L shape that I have them set up in that gives me a tallest vertical of 4320 pixels and longest horizontal of 7680 pixels. I have used both long dimensions before especially when working on large spreadsheets.

    Even though I'm retired now I've kept the same arrangement as I am used to it.
    Reply