Bottom Line
The LG 27UK650 offers an excellent image quality and a smooth performance. When it comes to HDR, console games tend to benefit more with HDR enabled, whereas PC content mostly looks either washed out or oversaturated.
The LG 27UK650 is an affordable 27″ 4K IPS monitor that supports AMD FreeSync and entry-level HDR (High Dynamic Range) which makes it an impressive choice for 4K PC/console gaming, content creation, and other multimedia use.
Image Quality
Just like most 4K IPS monitors at this price range, the LG 27UK650-W is based on an IPS panel with 10-bit color depth (8-bit + FRC), 99% sRGB color gamut, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, and a 350-nit peak brightness.
These specs, along with 4K UHD resolution, ensure a stunning image quality, and while the contrast ratio isn’t as high as that of the VA panel alternatives, you do get more accurate and consistent colors.
This means that you won’t get as vivid black tones as you would on a VA panel display with a static contrast ratio of ~3,000:1, but you will get more vibrant and lively colors.
Furthermore, IPS panels also offer wide 178-degree viewing angles and a quick response time speed of 5ms (GtG), which is enough to eliminate all trailing of fast-moving objects at 60Hz.
On a 27″ screen of the LG 27UK650 monitor, 4K resolution results in a high pixel-per-inch ratio of 163 PPI, which makes for a lot of screen real estate and sharp details.
Because everything (text, icons, etc) will be tiny at 4K on this monitor, you will need to use scaling which will decrease the amount of available screen space, but increase detail clarity.
Performance
While the LG 27UK650 4K monitor supports HDR, besides the boost in peak brightness from 350-nits to 450-nits, you won’t get a notable improvement in HDR picture quality as the display lacks a wide color gamut and local dimming which would raise the contrast ratio.
In fact, the monitor doesn’t even have VESA’s entry-level HDR400 certification.
Overall, enabling HDR for compatible content might make some video games (mostly X1X and PS4 Pro console games) or movies look a bit better, but most of the time you will just get either oversaturated or washed out colors.
For a good HDR viewing experience, we recommend a monitor that has at least VESA’s HDR600 certification though these displays are, naturally, also more expensive.
Other than that, the LG 27UK650 performs quite well. It has low input lag of ~9ms which ensures no noticeable delay between your actions and the result on the screen.
Features
Moving on, the LG 27UK650 display supports AMD FreeSync, which provides a variable refresh rate (VRR) for compatible graphics cards.
This technology removes all screen tearing and stuttering with minimal input lag penalty (~1ms) within the VRR range. The monitor has two VRR modes: Basic (48-60Hz range) and Extended (40-60Hz) range.
While AMD GPUs and the Xbox One consoles work without issues in Extended Mode, compatible NVIDIA cards only worked in Basic Mode, and though the 48-60Hz range may seem too narrow, it’s better than nothing.
Other available features include On-Screen Control, Screen Split, and Black Stabilizer (increases visibility in darker games).
There’s also HDR Effect (simulates HDR for non-compatible content) and pre-calibrated picture presets (FPS 1, FPS 2, RTS, Reader, Photo, Cinema, Dark Room, Color Weakness, Custom, EBU, Rec.709, SMPTE-C, HDR Vivid, HDR Standard, HDR Game, and HDR Cinema).
Design & Connectivity
The LG 27UK650 has a fairly ergonomic stand with up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, 90° pivot, and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility. You cannot swivel the screen to the left/right.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, and a headphones jack. FreeSync and HDR are supported over both HDMI and DP. Note that you can use FreeSync and HDR simultaneously.
Price & Similar Monitors
The LG 27UK650 usually goes for around $400, which is a bit steep considering you can get a similar 4K IPS display for ~$100 less.
LG offers plenty of similar monitors with tiny differences, so we’ll break them down in the table below.
| Monitor | Year Model | Ergonomic Stand | Brightness (cd/m2) | Gamut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG 27UK500 | 2018 | No | 300 | 98% sRGB |
| LG 27UK600 | 2018 | No | 350 | 99% sRGB |
| LG 27UK650 | 2018 | Yes | 350 | 99% sRGB |
| LG 27UL500 | 2019 | No | 300 | 98% sRGB |
| LG 27UL550 | 2019 | Yes | 300 | 98% sRGB |
| LG 27UL600 | 2019 | No | 400 | 99% sRGB |
| LG 27UL650 | 2019 | Yes | 400 | 99% sRGB |
| LG 27UP600 | 2021 | No | 400 | 95% DCI-P3 |
| LG 27UP650 | 2021 | Yes | 400 | 95% DCI-P3 |
At any rate, we recommend checking out the ASUS VG289Q instead. It’s cheaper, yet it has a slightly larger 28″ screen and a wider 90% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Visit our best 4K monitors buyer’s guide for more deals and information.
Conclusion
While the LG 27UK650 is a decent 4K monitor for gaming and other use, the ASUS VG289Q simply offers better value for the price.
| Screen Size | 27-inch |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (Ultra HD) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 5ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive Sync | FreeSync (40Hz-60Hz) |
| Ports | DisplayPort 1.2, 2x HDMI 2.0 |
| Other Ports | Headphone Jack |
| Brightness | 350 cd/m2 |
| Brightness (HDR) | 450 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 (static) |
| Colors | 1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC) |
| HDR | DisplayHDR 400 |
| VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
The Pros:
- Vibrant and consistent colors
- Sharp and vivid details
- Low input lag and quick response time
- AMD FreeSync
The Cons:
- Stand lacks swivel option
- No wide color gamut
- Low contrast ratio for HDR
