If you want better KVM switch performance
Choose ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG. It scores 5.0 vs 1.3 for KVM switch performance, with a 4.2 overall score.
LG 45GX950A-B Monitor Review
Bottom Line
The expansive 5K2K OLED makes games exceptionally immersive, with a 330Hz fallback for faster play. Its aggressive 800R curve, steep price and softer high-speed mode are substantial compromises.
High-end PC gamers who value immersive single-player, RPG, racing or flight-simulator experiences, and who want a tall ultrawide screen that also handles several work windows.
Budget-conscious buyers, compact desks, competitive players who need all HUD elements in view, or anyone using static office applications for long stretches and preferring a flatter screen.
Verdict
The LG 45GX950A-B is at its best with a powerful gaming PC and a desk large enough for its towering 45-inch 21:9 screen. Native 5120×2160 detail, deep OLED blacks, quick pixel response and striking HDR highlights make story-driven games and simulators unusually absorbing. Dual Mode adds a 330Hz option for fast competitive play, although switching to 2560×1080 makes the picture visibly softer. The biggest disagreement concerns the fixed 800R curve: it can feel like a cockpit in racing games, but several reviewers find it excessive for normal gaming or straight-lined desktop work. It has useful HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C connectivity, yet lacks a KVM switch and a more generous hub. Bright full-screen scenes and highly saturated HDR colors also reveal WOLED limitations. For gamers who specifically want this enormous format, the experience can be exceptional; more conventional or budget-conscious buyers have better-balanced alternatives.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
98 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.046 (47%)
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Positive 3.5-4.420 (20%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.420 (20%)
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Negative 1.5-2.410 (10%)
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Very negative below 1.52 (2%)
Pros highlights
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The 5120×2160 resolution finally gives a 45-inch ultrawide the detail it deserves. Games and desktop text look substantially sharper than on older 3440×1440 panels of similar size.
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The monitor earns strong enthusiasm for its screen size, sharpness and immersive gaming, even from those who criticize particular settings. Its steep cost, aggressive curve and a few display compromises keep it from being an easy all-purpose recommendation.
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Native 165Hz is smooth for high-resolution games, and the optional 330Hz mode is enticing for fast play. Achieving the faster rate requires giving up the detailed 5K2K image.
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The choice between detailed 5120×2160 at 165Hz and smoother 2560×1080 at 330Hz makes the monitor unusually versatile. The high-speed mode sacrifices obvious sharpness, and opinions differ on how often that tradeoff is worthwhile.
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The towering 45-inch screen delivers an unusually expansive view and plenty of workspace. It can also dominate an ordinary desk, so buyers should be comfortable with its size.
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The tight 800R curve can feel wonderfully enveloping during gaming and simulations, yet others find it excessive for everyday use and straight-line work. Its shape is a major preference-dependent decision.
Cons highlights
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The launch-level price is a major barrier, even allowing for its unusual 45-inch 5K2K panel. A lower sale price helps, but there are much cheaper OLED alternatives for owners who do not need this exact format.
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Driving 11 million pixels at high settings is demanding, especially in modern AAA games. A powerful graphics card is needed to get the full benefit of 5K2K and high refresh rates.
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Small bright highlights can be punchy for OLED, but sustained bright scenes are comparatively dim. Brightness evaluations vary with content, mode and room lighting.
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Lower-resolution modes look much softer than native 5K2K, and the smaller simulated screen sizes suffer particularly poor scaling. Smoother 330Hz motion does not always make up for the loss of definition.
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The huge panel demands substantial desk width and depth, although its relatively compact flat stand helps recover some usable surface. Measure your workstation before making room for the 800R curve.
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DisplayPort 2.1 offers modern connectivity, but its bandwidth falls short of the UHBR20 maximum, so full-resolution high-refresh signals can require compression. One setup also suffered HDMI-versus-DisplayPort reliability differences.
Use Cases
Best for
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Racing simulations are a natural fit: the wrapped 800R display places track scenery in peripheral vision and keeps the cockpit feeling convincing. The extra height is useful as well as immersive.
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Perfect OLED blacks and bright localized highlights make dark-room play and viewing especially compelling. Dim scenes retain depth without LCD-like blooming.
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HDR games shine in dark scenes, where deep blacks meet vivid sparks, highlights and responsive motion. Calibration limitations and weaker bright full-screen scenes keep the HDR experience from being universally ideal.
Not ideal for
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Budget-conscious buyersIts unusually high price makes it a poor choice for a tight budget. Smaller OLED ultrawides offer much of the gaming excitement for substantially less.
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Long-term ownershipBasic care functions are available and short-term condition can be reassuring, but permanent image retention is a concern with repeated static content. The warranty and limited protection controls temper confidence in years of office-heavy use.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Monitors, this product is above average in Display-mode switching reliability, Remote control usability, HDR highlight detail, near average in refresh rate, overall satisfaction, below average in Power efficiency, Color brightness, premium feel.
Comparison summary
96 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher46 (48%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts23 (24%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower27 (28%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power efficiency | 1.0 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Color brightness | 2.1 | 4.2 | -2.1 |
| Display-mode switching reliability | 4.8 | 2.8 | +2.0 |
| premium feel | 2.0 | 4.2 | -2.2 |
| value for money | 2.1 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| Remote control usability | 5.0 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
| HDR highlight detail | 5.0 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| KVM switch performance | 1.3 | 3.0 | -1.7 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better competitive gaming suitability
Choose LG 27GX790A-B. It scores 4.9 vs 3.7 for competitive gaming suitability, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better curved screen immersion
Choose LG 39GX950B-B. It scores 4.9 vs 4.0 for curved screen immersion, with a 4.1 overall score.
If you want better sharpness
Choose ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCWM. It scores 5.0 vs 4.4 for sharpness, with a 4.3 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: productivity text clarity Dell’s work-focused 5K2K screen is cited as providing sharper text.
- Compared: gaming versus productivity The LG leads for gaming and OLED contrast, while the Dell is favored for sharper text and business-oriented connectivity.
- Better: pixel density for text work The 39-inch LG is said to have sharper text thanks to its higher pixel density.
- Alternative: text sharpness and panel brightness The newer smaller LG improves pixel density, brightness and color purity while retaining 5K2K dual mode.
- Cheaper: resolution sharpness versus size The smaller Asus is presented as substantially cheaper with higher pixel density but far less screen area.
FAQ
Is the LG 45GX950A-B sharp enough for desktop text?
Its 5120×2160 resolution is much sharper than earlier 45-inch 3440×1440 OLED ultrawides. However, smaller 4K displays still have greater pixel density, and some text fringing can remain.
Can it run 5K2K at 330Hz?
No. Native 5120×2160 is limited to 165Hz; its 330Hz mode reduces resolution to 2560×1080. The faster mode boosts motion clarity but makes the image noticeably softer.
How noticeable is the 800R curve?
Very noticeable. The wraparound shape is praised for racing and flight simulation but can distort desktop windows and feel too extreme for some games.
Does it work well with PS5 and other consoles?
It supports modern HDMI 2.1 console connections, but consoles do not use the full 21:9 ultrawide image. Expect black bars on the sides of most console games.
Is the monitor good for work as well as gaming?
The wide and tall screen accommodates multiple windows, editing timelines and large documents. Its strong curve and OLED burn-in concerns make it less ideal for full-time static desktop work.
Is HDR performance good?
Dark HDR scenes look spectacular, with true blacks and vivid highlights. Bright full-screen content is less punchy, and the brightest HDR settings can sacrifice tone-mapping accuracy.
What connectivity does it have?
It includes DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1 inputs and USB-C with up to 90W power delivery. The limited USB hub and lack of a KVM switch are notable omissions at this price.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - HDTVTest
- Review score
- 3.9
YouTube - RTINGS Computer
- Review score
- 3.9
YouTube - Monitors Unboxed
- Review score
- 3.9
Article Reviews
itechguides.com
The LG 45GX950A-B pairs 45-inch 5K2K OLED at 165 Hz with 2560 × 1080 at 330 Hz. See who benefits and the trade-offs in HDR, text, size, and...
- Review score
- 3.6
galaxus.ch
The 45-inch LG 45GX950A provides OLED quality on a massive screen with 5K2K resolution. The result? The best gaming monitor I’ve ever tested.
- Review score
- 3.8
tomshardware.com
Very curvy OLED gaming monitor with a 21:9 45-inch screen running at 5120x2160 pixels
- Review score
- 4.5
t3.com
This monitor is unreal – in the best of ways
- Review score
- 4.1
techradar.com
The LG Ultragear GX9 45GX950A-B is a wonderful gaming monitor that comes with an ultrawide, immersive OLED screen and a price to match.
- Review score
- 4.0
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