32UD99-W

11/9/19 - Previously 4 stars, but reduced to one star, READ BELOW! A quick rundown on this monitor's specifications: 3840x2160p resolution, IPS panel, wide color gamut allowing for 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and 550 nits of brightness for High Dynamic Range (HDR) performance. The monitor has an attractive design with a super thin bezel, a silver crescent stand, is fully adjustable both horizontally and vertically, has two HDMI 2.0a/HDCP 2.2 ports, 2 USB ports, one DisplayPort 1.2, and one USB C input. The USB C input is particularly impressive as it transmits a video signal while simultaneously offering a power stream to charge certain connected peripherals. One word of caution about this monitor though, it is NOT a native 10-bit panel, it’s 8-bit (+FRC) which allows the panel to theoretically reach 1.07 billion colors, as if it were a native 10-bit panel. I've had this monitor for three days and so far it completely blows my ASUS Designo MX279H, Samsung S27E591C, and BenQ GW2760HS monitors out of the water - I mean, it's not even close. Granted, those monitors are 1080p monitors, but still, the overall image quality is far and away better on the LG panel in nearly every respect. Image clarity, obviously, is excellent on the LG panel. The 4K panel - at 31.5 inches - has a pixel density of 139.87 ppi, offering stunningly sharp images, both when gaming and watching 4K movies. As far as I can tell, there is no pixel artifacting or any other other visual oddities to report. Beyond 4K, the panel provides accurate and vivid color reproduction. Pushing 99% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3, this panel produces colors nearly on par with that of OLED screens - only really trailing Samsung's QLED TVs - which can generate roughly 99% of the DCI-P3 color space. The fact that LG has been able to produce such vibrant color with an 8-bit + FRC panel is truly astounding. "Frame rate control" or "FRC" technology does an excellent job expanding the panel's color expression beyond 8-bit/16.7 million colors, effectively "tricking" the viewer into seeing 10-bit/1.07 billion color depth. Google 8-bit + FRC for a more detailed explanation of FRC technology. In terms of HDR, the UD99 performs quite well. Many will likely scratch their heads whe reading that statement. I get it. After all, the UD99 "only" generates 550 cd/m2 brightness, which, many people argue, simply isn’t enough to make HDR "pop." Well, to be blunt, they're wrong. I own a JS8500 Samsung LED SUHD TV and it "only" generates around 530 cd/m2 brightness, but I find it more than adequate for HDR purposes. Hell, even LG's 2016 OLED TV's topped out around 600 cd/m2, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone disappointed with their HDR performance. Simply put, the LG UD99 produces a very bright, very rich - and for an IPS panel - decently contrasted image. I've done some research online, and based on the particular setting you choose on the UD99 (i.e first person shooter, photo mode, etc.) the monitor can range from a paltry 700:1 static contrast ratio, to a relatively impressive 1500:1 static ratio. I've watched a few 4K movies on the UD99, including Underworld: Blood Wars and Ghostbusters - both extremely dark movies - and came away reasonably impressed with the edge-lit IPS panel; blacks were dark, though I would hesitate to call them inky. Don’t expect OLED level performance…but that should really go without saying. Now on to perhaps the best aspect of the UD99: input lag. Lag, known as the time it takes for an input or signal to be displayed onscreen, has been measured at an astounding 4-6ms on this monitor. That is insanely fast. Quite honestly, I've yet to see any competing panel even come close to this measurement - not OLED, not VA, not even TN. There's a caveat though, the UD99's pixel response time, known as the amount of time it takes for a pixel to change color, is between 5.4-9ms (depending on the setting selected), which, while decent, is not great compared to some 1ms VA and TN panels. So while the UD99's input lag is extremely low, it's responsiveness is somewhat mitigated by an average, to at times, below average pixel response time - at least on paper. In reality, I've played the PS4 PRO on the UD99 for a number of hours and have found it to be very responsive. I've noticed little if any input lag, and absolutely zero smearing, streaking, or smudging during fast moving games like BF1 or Driveclub. This monitor is one of the most responsive monitors I have ever tested, making it an excellent choice for console gaming. It's also great for PC gaming, though PC enthusiasts should keep in mind this monitor maxes out at 60hz. Simply put, if you're looking to maximize your PS4 Pro or the upcoming Xbox One X, buy the UD99 with confidence. HDR games like Uncharted 4 look absolutely stunning on the UD99, it's truly something to behold. Add in the extremely low input lag, and you have a console gaming powerhouse. What’s more, the monitor comes with a number of convenient presets, 16 of them to be exact, including "first person shooter", "REC-709", "sRGB", and "HDR effect" just to name a few. Also useful, the monitor automatically detects HDR sources and allows you to choose from a separate list of "HDR presets", like "HDR game", "HDR standard", "HDR vivid", or "HDR cinema." The UD99 is a great monitor, if I could, I'd give it 4.5 stars, but such is not an option, so it's getting 4 stars. Why you might ask? Simply put: IPS glow and blooming. This is not necessarily LG's fault, but rather an inherent flaw with IPS and edge-lit LED panels. In the case of the UD99, the LED runs along the bottom of the screen. During dark scenes in Resident Evil 7 for example, I could see light blooms from the bottom of the panel. At times, it can be a bit distracting, but on the whole, it's not a deal breaker (see pictures). Under normal operation, the blooming is generally not visible. Only during the darkest of scenes does it occasionally rear its ugly head. Again though, this is not OLED technology here, so no one should be expecting perfect blacks. One does wonder if LG could have implemented a full-array backlighting (FALD) system to minimize blooming and maximize contrast. I'm sure such a decision would have driven the price of the UD99 upward though, pushing it out of its admittedly sweet $1000 price point. The UD99 also has what I would deem to be an average amount of "IPS glow." Again, not necessarily LG's fault, but more or less a deficiency with in plane switching technology. As I stated with the blooming, the IPS glow is only visible during particularly dark scenes, and even then, it's not a deal breaker. Just be aware, it's there and you will notice it on occasion. On a side note, the panel is also a bit slow to change input sources. When I change from my PC on HDMI 2 to my Pro on HDMI 1, sometimes it takes the UD99 a few seconds to "catch up" and display the image. It's not too long, maybe on the order of 7-8 seconds, but still, it can be a bit disconcerting the first time it happens. After a while, it can also get a bit annoying. Maybe this is something LG can fix with a future firmware update? In the end, the LG UD99 is a great piece of technology. It is the DEFINITIVE monitor for console gaming. It corners the largely barren 32" 4K monitor market, all while providing HDR, wide color gamut, and incredibly low input-lag. If you want a monitor for your PRO, look no further than the UD99. Likewise, if you want a monitor for surfing the web and working on photos in Adobe, look no further than the UD99. However, if you want a monitor for watching 4K movies, I'd recommend you look elsewhere. Make no mistake, the UD99 produces some remarkably sharp 4K imagery and movies can look truly breathtaking, but its edge-lit, IPS panel does not lend itself well to home theater. If you plan on watching movies a majority of the time, look for a VA monitor from Samsung. Better yet, just get an LG OLED B7. With all that said, I wholeheartedly endorse the UD99 as a console gaming monitor as it has most of the bells and whistles anyone could ask for, and at $1000, it's actually a very good value. UPDATE 9/5/17: After roughly one week of use, the external power brick on this monitor has died, rendering the monitor useless. I know its the power brick because I tried plugging in the power brick/cord from my Samsung monitor and the LG UD99 works. Kind of ridiculous that I have to deal with this after 7 days. Will contact LG and let everyone know how it goes. UPDATE 9/6/17: Got home from work today and the LG external power supply miraculously worked. This is strange as it would not work the previous night - at all, no matter what I did. I will monitor the situation closely and report any findings over the coming days. UPDATE 9/12/17: A/C adapter dead. Contacted LG for new one - they said I'd have it in 7-10 business days. UPDATE 9/19/17: New A/C adapter arrived from LG - works flawlessly. Thanks LG! My customer service experience was great. 11/9/19: Whelp, I absolutely LOVED this monitor when it was functioning properly. As others have stated, I'm starting to get red light/discoloration in the corners of my UD99. It started a couple months ago and has gotten progressively worse. Of course, LG only has a one year warranty so I'm stuck with a $1000 lemon. Again, when working properly, this is one of the best 4K HDR monitors for console gaming. Unfortunately, tons of people have been coming forward reporting the same problem now - the red corners of death. Clearly, there is some defect in the panel that wasn't captured at quality control. I hate to say it, but do yourself a favor and AVOID this product.

I've bought many products through amazon since I've been a prime member for 10 years now. This is my first review because it's not a cheap monitor, but I think it's worth writing a review. For those people who are looking for a great monitor with HDR (High Dyinamic Range) which is a new type of monitor that started coming out early 2017-2018. I've done intensive reserch for months because I needed a second display for my photography editing. I've compared this LG to Dell, Asus, Acer, Samsung and Ben Q this LG 32UD99-W wins. It had everything I wanted except for higher refresh rates, 75hz to 100hz would've been perfect. I have it connected to my 2015 Imac I-7 32gb 1TB fusion drive with a 4gb GPU. If you have the right cable that supports 4K (3840 x 2160) @ 60Hz, connected to display port the 32UD99-W looks absolutely incredible! Keep in mind, my Imac is a 5K 27" display which is amazing too but the LG 32UD99 colors are mind blowing! My HDR landscapes look more vibrant, contrast are accurate & much brighter too. If you happen to read my review my advice to you is not to listen to negative comments. I've had the LG 32UD99-W for about 3 weeks now and I love it. I'm so glad I went with this model. Now for those of you looking for a gaming monitor this 32" mega monster looks INCREDIBLE! I also use this monitor for my Xbox X. I've tested all the latest 4k HDR gaming on this bad boy. With an amazing 4ms response time your gaming will be responsive, intense, giving you an immersive 4k experience! I played Assassin's Creed- Wolfenstein 2- Overwatch- FarCry 5- Gears of War 4- Call of Duty WW2- Battlefield 1- Tomb Raider just to name a few. This LG maxes out at 550 nits of brightness at 3 feet away from your face, is more then enough for gaming and watching HDR movies.... No, it's not concidered true HDR standards at 1000 nits but the 32UD99 is very bright! So don't listen to those negative reviews about that. If you're a hardcore PC gamer using Nvidia cards and were wondering if this monitor will work, it will not. Remember this monitor maxes out at 60Hz. Real PC gamers run their specs at 1440p resolution @144Hz for buttery smooth gaming. If you want an incredible HDR G-Sync monitor look at (ROG Swift PG27UQ) expected to be released sometime in May. Note: RSVP expected to be around 2,000 since the ASUS will deliver vivid relism with HDR for lifelike contrast and color with 1000 nits of brightness. You must be running the latest Nvidia GPU's to maximize that monitor so keep that in mind. :) What I love about the 32UD99 is that it supports Freesync technology which is perfect for Xbox One X. Microsoft's latest 2018 spring update now supports Freesync monitors and 2k 1440p displays. I've tested 32UD99 @ 2k 1440p I noticed a slight improvement on FPS games, but not a huge difference. Ran some tests with apple's 4k TV and watched HDR shows and movies, & WOOOW! Netflix 4K movies looks visually crisp and so does UHD blu-rays! Movies and shows filmed in 4K HDR looks absolutely stunning you have to see for yourself! To maximize your viewing experience it is extremely important that you buy the right HDMI cable. I noticed color banding in the skies with gaming and movies when I used the HDMI cable provided by LG 32U99 and Xbox One. They're good, but not great. So I went out and I purchased a few 4K HDR cables from monster. To my surprise I instantly noticed brighter and sharper images with zero color banding! I will link the cables I purchased below. This monitor has several HDR screen modes, all look great for movies but my favorite is "HDR standard". For gaming 'HDR gaming" was one of my favorites. Hopefully I've provided enough information to convince you and will be on your way to enjoying an incredible visual experience. If your picky like me, click on that "add to cart" and save yourself the time. I've done all the research for you. ;) Tips: If your using apple this monitor is perfect with USB-C. Watching 4k videos @ 60Hz on Youtube look super crisp. This only works with if your using Google Chrome though. Safari won't support 4K playback it only plays up to 1440p videos @ 60hz Ok, the conclusion: If you want a badass monitor for Xbox gaming, movies and UHD blu-ray's look no further. This screen delivers the goods! UPDATED 9-13-18 So this monitor is amazing, but had issues with screen going black for 1-2 secs, only during my gaming. Happened about every 1-2 hours. I called LG tech support, they wanted me to do a factory reset on my monitor. After doing so, problems still continued. The good news is, I found the problem! Turns out, if you install “On screen control” for this monitor you MUST update the software! This only works via usb cable. I had the software installed months ago, but never updated it via USB. Use provided usb cable that your monitor came with. Usb-c to usb-a BOOM! Ha! Problem solved! LG doesn’t mention anything about this! Leave it to up me to figure it out! :D Sincerely yours, Lonely Lando

Received the monitor 3 days ago and promptly connected it to my i7-7700 / GTX 1070i-based computer. Coming from a still excellent 24" Samsung 244T monitor, the increased real estate and the increased brightness on the32" 32UD99 was simply breathtaking! Colors were saturated and bright without being over-saturated. 4K youtube videos (albeit mostly demos) highlighted the pseudo-10 bit spectrum that this monitor provides. The fit and finish of every piece and part (screen itself, adjustable base, etc., was exemplary - absolutely gorgeous. No cheap plastic on this baby. Using 150% scaling in Windows 10 (by default), text was as close to Retina-grade as possible. I really loved this monitor, but I had to send it back as defective. The entire right third of the screen had a light green tint to it, that could not be adjusted out without destroying the balance of the other colors. I tried all of the different color profiles built into the monitor, and some mitigated the green screen tint but would not eliminate it. I started with the DP cable and tried the supplied HDMI cable, but the issue didn't change. Since I do mostly text-based work with a white background, the issue was very irritating. Changing the background to a different color helped somewhat, but I don't like working on a non-white background. Additionally, there was a dead pixel right in the middle of the screen. I really debated about returning the monitor as we were a perfect match, but in the end, the off-color on the screen was overwhelmingly pervasive and bothersome. I am seriously considering re-ordering (replacement was not an option when applying for the RMA), but I'd hate to go through the hassle of returning another one with the same issue. Update: 2/27/2018. I had lamented the return of the first monitor and was undecided about ordering another one. The return process through Amazon was excellent as usual, and went without a hitch. Well, I did order a replacement (albeit at about a $90+ price increase). The replacement monitor arrived intact with some minor shipping damage to the exterior of the box, but upon opening the cardboard box, the protective Styrofoam cushioning had some hairline cracks in it (indicative of some rough handling or dropping), but the screen and ancillary parts were pristine and in perfect shape. At the same time I'd ordered the replacement monitor, I'd ordered a 2 meter long Displayport cable, as the 3' long supplied cable was too short for my particular installation. After the connections were made and everything was powered up, the resulting display was perfect, with none of the issues the first monitor had. With that said, I am upgrading my assessment to a 4-star rating (the monitor itself deserves a 5-star rating), just because of the return hassle with the first one. Yes, I would recommend this beautiful monitor to anyone, sans the hardcore gamer that requires a faster refresh rate. For a professional review, look to a review that tomshardware.com did on the monitor a day or two ago.

4/20/2019 - Starting to see lots of screen retention, which could ultimately lead to burn in, had this happen years ago with a Dell monitor. I'm very surprised, I use this monitor at most four hours per day, some days I don't even turn it on. I'm starting to notice image retention throughout, and this is visible even when changing inputs. I've run my monitor on very low brightness settings since the first day. $1,000 monitor with a 12-month warranty, go figure and this is what you end up with. 2/3/2019 Update - How to enable HDMI Deep Color with FreeSync for Xbox One X - I've seen several people online having issues doing this. You have to first disable extended - FreeSync in the monitor settings, which will then give an option to turn on HDMI Deep Color, turn it on, THEN go to settings and re-enable Extended FreeSync and then both will be enabled. I've been able to do this with any all of the custom profiles. Monitor is still running great, not a single issue since day one. There was recent firmware update that added greater ranges for FreeSync. Simply put, this monitor is an absolute beast, the unit I received was manufactured in July and has the least amount of back-light bleed I've observed on an IPS monitor, and I've used hundreds. I've worked in the graphics industry for years. I had this paired with the Samsung CF791, the difference between this and the Samsung were unbelievable, near comical. I bought this monitor mostly to play games, PS4 Pro, Xbox One X and PC and I wanted something with HDR capability. I was going to buy the Dell UP2718Q, though just couldn't get past it being a 27-inch monitor, vice a 32-inch, IMO, to get the best from a 4K source you are better off with a 32-inch display, or larger. I prefer no bigger than a 32-inch for maximum PPI and it's enough size for text clarity without the need to scale. I play all my games, PS4 HDR and non HDR with brightness turned down to 35, contrast at 65, much more realistic picture and not overly bloomed, due to the excessive brightness. I can't imagine needing a 1000nits, I'm sure it has it's utility in the big scheme and would ultimately be more superior, though this panel has been bright enough (more so) with every game I've played on it. One nice feature your HDR settings, stop and stay with that profile immediately as you close an HDR app, really nice to have your regular settings and HDR independent of each other. I've played at least 30 games or so a few minutes here and there to get a good understanding of how well 32UD99 performs during gameplay. Some of the PS4 Pro HDR games I've tested, NBA 2K17, Infamous Second Son and First Light, Ghost Recon, Knack II demo, Final Fantasy XV, Horizon Zero Dawn, Mass Effect, Last of Us, and then several non-HDR games as well. All of them performed great, no noticeable input lag except for Ghost Recon, which appears to have the poorest HDR implementation. I played one PC HDR game, Halo Wars 2, looked fantastic, surreal to a degree. No issues with brightness or clarity on any game I've played. This monitor is also very fast with gray to gray transitions, even though it's stated as 4ms, it performs nearly as good or better than TNs with advertised 1-2ms. I also own the non-HDR version, LG 32UD59-B, if you don't need HDR, this is LG's 4K VA panel, this monitor is magnitudes better than the Samsung CF791 and UH850, they're just not even in the same league. I wanted so bad to keep the CF791, aesthetically, when turned off, it looked great with the 1500r etc., though once you turned it on in comparison to the 59-B, things were immediately put in perspective. Pros: - Construction quality, attention to detail, LG put their their hearts into this thing, it's their flagship and it shows, it's near monolithic. - HDR capability is much better than I expected, I was concerned given it was an IPS display, less than 1000 nits and without at least 384 dimming zones, typically what you would look for an HDR display. Hence the reason I was considering the Dell, even though it was IPS based as well, I can safely say, those worries were cast aside immediately when I played the PS4 on this, just wow...I was taken back. - AG on this screen is simply the best and clearest I've observed outside of my favorite (glossy displays), this is the next best thing, no glare, absolutely crystal clear. - The calibration sheet I received showed less than 1% deviation, the most accurate calibration I've observed via factory settings. It essentially was a flat line across the sheet, the Samsung CF791 looked like a staircase. - Placement of the inputs, EVERY MONITOR EVER should feature horizontal placement, vice the vertical IMO. - Color purity, screen uniformity, simplicity and an array of image options. Immediately recognized HDR on my PC for when playing Halo Wars 2, no need to change or alter anything. - Speakers for a monitor are really good for music and news, not going to replace my Z-5500's, though more than adequate, very clear and precise audio. - Input lag for HDR gaming is much better than any TV out that I know of. Cons: - Would have been better to have dimming zones and 1000+nits, though hard to complain, the image quality is pristine. Gaming is amazing, just so immersive. I have the Sony 900e and the Vizio P50-C1 and I strongly prefer gaming on this vice my two TVs. 32-inch has always been my favorite size gaming screen, and this is simply the best to ever come out in that regard. I got lucky I guess, mine is flawless, heard some have had BLB, for me, not an issue at all. - Price, to me, monitors have skyrocketed in cost lately, basically corporate greed. Yes, some technologies have emerged, though compared to TVs, monitors are incredibly overpriced. LG is no where near the offender compared to some other manufacturers, though still overpriced.

I've been using this for a few months now with and love it. I'm a designer and a coder and this monitor has delivered solid performance all around. One issue to be aware of with USB-C laptops - it only delivers 60w via USB-C. This is enough to power and charge my 15" MacBook Pro, but if anything starts to stress the processor, the video will start to flicker and cut out. You'll need to plug in another charger to provide the full 85w and power the laptop appropriately. Sounds simple, but it took me way to long to figure this out.

I love the monitor - it's big, bright, sharp, and serves my needs perfectly. But, and it's a big "but," do others think it's having unusual or an unacceptable amount of backlight bleed that would warrant returning it? As you can see the backlight reflection changes depending the viewing perspective. There does appear to be some uneven bleed on the bottom right of the screen. I understand that with current technology all new monitors have some bleed so I am curious if others believe this is an acceptable amount. Thank you!

The USB-C port failed within the first 2 months, but the monitor was fixed by LG and is working well for the past year. The visual quality and viewing angles are superb. The interface and button to use it are well designed on this monitor compared to the competition. "Great" HDR is still a few years off for computer monitors at this size in my opinion, so I wouldn't buy it or any others for that feature. Update 2: It's now December 2019, slightly one year past the purchase date (out of warranty by 1 month) and it won't power on. It was unplugged when we went out of town for vacation, and upon plugging it back in it fails to work. The power brick was tested good so it's something wrong with the monitor again, and no warranty this time. So, 2 failures in 13 months.

Almost, or even mostly, does count when we're talking about a monitor at this price point. Overall, the majority of the display display looks solid. It is a significant step up in image quality from the 32UD59-B that I had tried out. The contrast and colors are much better with this monitor. The issue that I'm seeing, which appears to be inherent to the design of the monitor, is apparent when I'm viewing the screen more closely. Put simply, the sides of the display have an odd effect if you're closer to the screen. I've measured it, and if my eyes are 22-24" away from the screen it isn't really an issue. If I get any closer, say 20" away, then when I look to either side of the screen the edge has a weird effect. It can't quite be captured with a camera as the pictures are not stereoscopic. It honestly make my eyes freak out a bit and it's hard to describe. Based on observation, it seems that in the attempt to make a really small bezel and to have the black frame surrounding the screen (how is that not a bezel?), the screen itself is slightly recessed from that black border/frame. When I move closer to the screen, if I have a window out to the right side, for example, the scroll bar appears to move closer to the edge of the screen and appears to get overshadowed by the black edging. It almost appears as if the edge of the screen is slipping behind that black border as you move closer to the screen while keeping an eye on the edge of the screen. Why might someone be looking more closely at their screen? It's a 4K monitor. Doing detail work typically requires that kind of attention and we're not talking about having one's nose up against it. The 4K pixel density also allows one to get closer to the screen without the image becoming pixelated. You really have to be pretty close to start seeing the pixels. In my case, 16-20" is the range I'm referring to, perhaps 12" at the closest, when the noted effect appears. Why is this an issue? It's a $1,000 monitor and an IPS one at that. The potential distances between my eyes and the screen come nowhere close to the 178-degree viewing angle allowed for with IPS panels. Also, the cheaper VA panel in the 59-B model did not have this as an issue. I believe it's the result of the black frame effectively floating above the panel rather than being mated to it more closely in a flush fashion, as a more traditional bezel would. For example, while being closer to the panel and looking at the shadowy edge, if I press gently on the black border to basically press it against the panel, the weird effect disappears in that area. Release it, and it reappears. Perhaps I have a defective monitor where the black border has somehow become more separated from the panel than it should be all around the display? I would be surprised if that were the case, seeing as how it is not local to one part of either side of the screen, but is demonstrable all along each side of it. See attached images for examples. The issues, as noted, disappear with a greater distance, but for the price of the monitor as well as the IPS panel being used, there really isn't an excuse for such aberrations in viewability for the entire screen. I did get a look at another one of these at a local store and the issues is present on that monitor as well. This leads me to believe this might be an issue for the model as a whole and it's not just me. Other owners of this display, are you seeing this too? Did I get a dud?