LG - UltraGear evo AI GM9 27" 5K Hyper Mini LED 165Hz 1ms G-SYNC FreeSync Premium Gaming Monitor with DisplayHDR1000 - Black

Decided to upgrade to this monitor. I really love the picture quality for every day use. Gaming on it is great too!

As a professional photographer and videographer by trade and a gamer at heart, resolution is the key feature that interests me in display technology. Whether I am gaming for fun, or editing a project for a client, I want to see the best possible image my monitor can display, so choosing a high resolution monitor is one of the most important decisions I can make. The LG UltraGear evo AI is a new breed of Mini LED display technology that uses AI to effectively upscale lower resolution devices to a much higher resolution. While some may scoff at the letters AI, utilizing an AI chip inside a monitor to upscale older devices is a technology that I can appreciate and that I have seen with my own eyes on this LG display. **** FEATURES **** The LG UltraGear GM9 has several specifications that make this a wonderful addition to any gaming or editing setup. For starters, a 27” 5K display, with a 218 PPI (pixel density), has a great amount of screen real estate and is extremely effective at producing sharp text. This is a huge deal for me, especially when editing, because all of the text in my applications control panels looks incredibly detailed and sharp, making longer sessions less fatiguing on the eyes. This is also important because using higher resolutions makes the text smaller, yet still very readable. That said, operating systems and programs are also getting smarter and allowing users to enlarge screen text only, while keeping the higher resolution intact if you choose. I recently set up a TV panel that also utilizes the new Mini LED technology and I was simply blown away by that, so it’s only fitting, and welcome, that we will start to see the same tech on computer monitors. These newer screens are capable of not only being much brighter, but also showcasing extreme blacks, whites, and extremely vibrant colors that are truly a sight to behold. With the GM9 boasting 9,216 LEDs and 14M pixels, the eye candy is certainly front and center. The AI upscaling feature is another feature that has me pretty excited. While I do prefer playing AAA game titles with my PS5 and Xbox, I was really excited to load Zelda on my Nintendo Switch OLED to see how the AI handles the upscaling and the results are pretty astonishing. The Switch has a native resolution of only 1280x720, which is about as low res as it gets these days. The fact that the GM9 takes that small image and upscales it (with AI) to full 5K resolution is really remarkable and it looks pretty amazing. This feature is something I have never seen on a gaming monitor before and the fact that it is hardware driven via an internal chip makes it extremely efficient and removes all of the burden from the device that is plugged in. This also translates to, whatever you plug into the monitor, the monitor will do the heavy lifting and perform any upscaling needed to display the best image possible. Really cool. Since this is hard to capture for sharing without having a complex capture card setup, I have included a photo taken with my full frame mirrorless camera, on a tripod, in low light, showing the fully upscaled version. Online photo upload compression may make this hard to see, but the upscaling is very apparent. Is upscaling from 1280x720 to 5K via AI perfect? Nothing is truly perfect, but the upscaled image, from the HUD text, to the environment, enemies, and yes, Link, all look WAY better to my eyes. The internal AI processor also monitors your input at all times providing real-time scene analysis to minimize blooming while also giving you the option to customize local dimming, effectively maximizing the performance for both daytime work and nighttime gaming use. With the current firmware, as of this review, I have experienced excellent performance for both video editing and intense gaming sessions. This monitor also boasts a dual refresh rate which effectively makes it two monitors in one? Taking advantage of ultra high definition 5K with a refresh rate of 165Hz for editing tasks, but having the option to flip to QHD at 330Hz quickly for fast paced gaming all in the same monitor makes the GM9 even more impressive than it already is. LG claims 1,250 nits (HDR1000 rated) for brightness. There are some strict guidelines to achieve this benchmark including peak brightness surpassing 1,000 nits, 10-bit color (perfect for photo-video editing), and the ability to display true blacks at the same moment the display is showing the brightest level of whites. This ultimately translates into more realism and contrast resulting in a far superior picture that truly looks glorious. Thankfully LG has included built-in speakers. While I can’t find much information regarding wattage, they do sound nice and can get the job done for normal everyday use. The speakers and 3.5mm headphone jack also use the internal AI processing power to deliver the best sound quality possible at all times. The monitor is extremely easy to adjust with the on-screen menu. Adjusting all aspects of the monitor settings, including the refresh rate, is quick and easy. There are several custom game modes built right into the OSD and all are a few button presses away. The monitor design looks very modern and feels very well built. The base is solid metal that has no problem supporting the screen in both portrait and landscape mode. With the standard 100x100mm VESA mount, users can easily snap into the included stand, or mount it on a dedicated monitor arm if preferred. The GM9 includes 2x HDMI ports, a display port, 2x USB-A 3.2 ports, and a USB-C port. The USB-C port allows users to connect their laptop and use the GM9 as a second display while also charging your computer at the same time minimizing desk cable clutter. Excellent! Just keep in mind that the USB-C cable supplied in the box is only a standard type C cable. You will need to have a dedicated Thunderbolt 4 or 5 USB-C cable to run high bandwidth devices, such as laptops and gaming systems. What?! LG should have included this cable in the box as well. Lastly, the power brick. It is massive, but needed to achieve the high level of brightness, run the AI and perform the internal processing. This doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but should be noted. I measured 8” L x 3.75” W x 1 ⅜” thick. **** UPDATES & FIRMWARE **** Upon receiving any new piece of tech, the first thing I check is to see that the firmware is up to date. Firmware is imperative to keep any device running at peak performance and to fix any bugs or issues that have been reported. Thankfully, my GM9 came loaded with the current firmware. There is a direct link to the firmware and instructions for installation on the LG website. The process is simple and only takes a couple of minutes to be sure you are running the current version. **** IN CONCLUSION **** The LG UltraGear GM9 is, for lack of a better term, raising the bar yet again for what can be expected from manufacturers in the near future. It is just as at home displaying any type of game with the dual refresh rate, as it is editing ultra high definition video. It has all of the features I currently need and none that I don't. The AI upscaling, HDR 1000 rating, pixel density, peak brightness, and vivid colors, offer a truly compelling visual experience.

I picked up the LG UltraGear evo AI GM9 27" 5K primarily for gaming and productivity, and it's one of those monitors that's hard to appreciate until it's sitting on your desk. The first thing that stands out is the Mini LED panel. HDR content looks fantastic, blacks are much deeper than a traditional IPS display, and bright highlights really pop without washing out the rest of the image. The 5K resolution is incredibly sharp too. Text is razor sharp, games look incredible, and the extra desktop space makes multitasking much more comfortable than a standard 4K display. One feature I wasn't sure I'd actually use was Dual Mode, but it's surprisingly useful. Being able to switch between full 5K for work and up to 330Hz at a lower resolution for competitive games gives you the best of both worlds without needing two different monitors. Connectivity is another area where LG did a great job. Between DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and USB-C with 90W Power Delivery, I have my desktop, MacBook, and console connected at the same time. The USB-C connection has been especially convenient since it handles video, charging, and data over a single cable. One quick tip for anyone who buys this monitor: don't freak out like I did if the RGB lighting on the back doesn't come on. I spent a few minutes thinking mine was defective before realizing LG ships it with the lighting turned off by default. You just have to enable it in the monitor's settings, and it works exactly as expected. The stand feels solid, the bezels are thin, and the overall build quality is excellent. Everything about it feels like a premium monitor. The biggest downside for me has been the built-in speakers. They're okay for YouTube videos or the occasional Teams meeting, but they're definitely not something I'd use for gaming or watching movies. They sound a little thin and don't have much bass. It's not a deal breaker since I already use external speakers, but I expected a little better at this price point. Overall, this is easily one of the best monitors I've owned. Whether I'm working during the day or gaming at night, it handles both exceptionally well. If you're already shopping in this price range, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the LG UltraGear GM9. Pros 1)Stunning 5K image quality with incredibly sharp text 2)Mini LED HDR delivers excellent contrast and brightness 3)Dual Mode makes it easy to switch between productivity and high-refresh gaming 4)Excellent connectivity with DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and 90W USB-C 5)Premium build quality with a sturdy stand and thin bezels Cons 1)Built-in speakers are just average 2)You'll still want dedicated speakers or a headset for the best audio experience 3)Premium price tag

Good 5k resolution and good matte coating. One of the best matte coatings I’ve used as it’s not overly aggressive. The mini led dimming zones are disappointing as they don’t work that well during standard SDR use.

The monitor has a great selection of inputs and the USB-C with alt display port was key reason to try out this monitor with my M5 base MB Pro. Overall, clarity and screen image sharpness and clarity was great. However, it doesn't handle HDR very well, it's okay but compared to my MB Pro screen it's not even a close comparison. It just doesn't have the dynamic range between the HDR highlights and rest of the image.