LG 34UM69G Review: 2560×1080 75Hz UltraWide IPS Gaming Monitor

The LG 34UM69G-B is a popular 34″ ultrawide monitor with an IPS panel, AMD FreeSync, and USB-C.

Let’s see how it stacks up against similar and newer ultrawide displays in terms of image quality, performance, design and value for the price! 

Image Quality

The LG 34UM69G monitor is based on an IPS panel with 2560×1080 resolution, a 250-nit peak brightness, a 1,000:1 static contrast ratio, and dithered 8-bit color (6-bit + 2-bit FRC) depth for 16.7 million colors.

Now, while there are true 8-bit color monitors at this price range, most IPS models use dithering to achieve 8-bit color.

The difference between true 8-bit and 6-bit + FRC color is not noticeable, so it’s not something worth worrying about.

The peak brightness of 250-nits may seem low on paper, but the monitor is more than bright enough under normal viewing conditions. You’ll most likely want to lower the brightness down from the maximum.

Further, the LG 34UM69G is factory-calibrated, and it has the standard 99% sRGB color gamut, which results in accurate, consistent, and vivid colors fit even for entry-level color-critical work.

For professional-grade accuracy, though, you will need to calibrate the monitor correctly.

The IPS panel technology also includes wide 178° viewing angles, which ensure flawless picture quality without any shifts in color, brightness, or contrast when looking at the screen off-axis.

Generally, the 2560×1080 screen resolution is not ideal for the 34″ sized screen of the monitor.

The pixel density amounts to roughly 81 pixels per inch, meaning that the picture will be a tad pixelated, and since everything (icons, text, etc.) takes up more space, there will be less screen real estate available.

For gaming, watching movies, and other everyday activities, this pixel density is acceptable for most users.

If you’re sitting a bit further from the screen, you won’t even notice that the picture is pixelated. In fact, at around 4ft / 125cm, it’s impossible to distinguish the individual pixels on this monitor.

You can also apply some anti-aliasing in video games to make up for low resolution while the monitor’s ultrawide format alleviates the problem with the lack of screen space.

The 21:9 aspect ratio provides you with extra horizontal workspace and a wider field of view in video games; you can think of the LG 34UM69G as a 27″ 1080p monitor with ~33% of extra width.

Video games that support ultrawide resolutions will feel a lot more immersive, but those that don’t will have black bars at the sides of the screen. Alternatively, you can choose to stretch out or crop/zoom the picture to fill the screen.

So, make sure your favorite games support the 21:9 aspect ratio. Luckily, most newer games do!

21:9 movies will also look a lot better, and the extra horizontal space is excellent for productivity work and video editing.

Performance

There are some advantages to the lower screen resolution as well.

2560×1080 is not nearly as demanding as the higher 3440×1440 ultrawide resolution, allowing you to enjoy smooth 75FPS gameplay even with an entry-level or mid-range gaming graphics card.

The LG 34UM69G display also supports AMD FreeSync with a 40-75Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) range.

As long as your frame rate is between 40 and 75, the monitor will change its refresh rate dynamically, thus eliminating screen tearing and stuttering without introducing noticeable input lag (~1ms).

For FreeSync, you’ll need a compatible graphics card by AMD (most GPUs) or NVIDIA (only GTX 10-series or newer).

Even though the monitor is not certified as ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ by NVIDIA, FreeSync works without any issues with NVIDA’s cards over DisplayPort. For AMD cards, FreeSync works over both HDMI and DisplayPort.

The LG 34UM69G input lag amounts to only ~9ms, which makes for imperceptible delay at 75Hz.

While 75Hz does provide a slight boost in motion clarity as opposed to 60Hz, it’s nowhere near the fluidity of 144Hz.

So, for a more responsive fast-paced gaming experience, we recommend getting a gaming monitor with at least 100Hz, whereas the LG 34UM69G is suited for more graphically-oriented games.

IPS panel monitors also have excellent pixel response time, and the LG 34UM69G is no exception. With 5ms GtG (gray to gray) pixel transition time, there’s no particularly visible trailing behind fast-moving objects.

There are four response time overdrive modes: Off, Slow, Normal, and Fast.

We recommend using the ‘Normal’ mode as ‘Fast’ introduces too much inverse ghosting and no other advantages.

All in all, you get buttery smooth performance with no ghosting or latency issues while the big 34″ screen and vibrant colors provide an immersive viewing experience.

A higher resolution and a faster refresh rate would undoubtedly help, but it would also increase the monitor’s price as well as the CPU/GPU requirements for optimal gaming performance.

Lastly, note that the monitor has a flicker-free backlight and an integrated low-blue light filter. These two technologies help reduce eye strain when using the monitor for prolonged periods.

As it’s the case with all IPS monitors, there is some IPS glow visible, but the intensity of it varies across different units of the monitor; in all but extreme cases, it’s completely tolerable.

Features

In addition to FreeSync, the LG 34UM69G also supports the 1ms Motion Blur Reduction (MBR) technology, which can via backlight strobing reduce perceived ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

This technology can only be activated when FreeSync is disabled, and the monitor’s refresh rate is set to 75Hz.

Further, while active, 1ms MBR introduces screen flicker (invisible to the human eye) and decreases the monitor’s maximum brightness. So, you should only enable it in fast-paced games – granted that you prefer it over FreeSync.

Other features include Black Stabilizer, which improves visibility of objects in shadows in video games and Crosshair (custom crosshair overlays, also referred to as practice/cheat crosshairs).

The OSD (On-Screen Display) menu of the monitor is user-friendly, and you can easily navigate through it by using the joystick placed beneath the bottom bezel of the monitor or via the On-Screen Control desktop application.

You’ll also find the standard picture adjustment tools such as contrast, brightness, color temperature, and input source selection as well as the more advanced tools such as 6-axis hue/saturation and four gamma modes.

Finally, there are several pre-calibrated picture presets available such as FPS, RTS, Reader Mode, etc.

Design & Connectivity

The design of the monitor is robust and includes ultra-thin bezels and even height adjustment up to 120mm. You can also tilt the screen by -5°/20° or VESA mount it via the 100x100mm pattern.

Keep in mind that the monitor has a flat screen instead of a curved one which is usually the case with 34″ ultrawides.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, a USB-C port (with DP 1.2 Alt Mode, but no data or power delivery), a headphone jack, and dual 7W integrated speakers.

Price & Similar Monitors

The LG 34UM69G usually goes for around $350, which is too expensive.

We recommend the MSI MAG301RF instead. It has a smaller 30″ screen, meaning that the 2560×1080 resolution provides a higher pixel density for sharper details. Moreover, the MAG301RF has a high 200Hz refresh rate and a fast 1ms GtG pixel response time for a drastically smoother performance. And it’s much cheaper!

Alternatively, consider investing ~$50 more for a 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz gaming monitor, such as the AOC CU34G2X or the Gigabyte M34WQ.

Visit our best ultrawide monitors buyer’s guide for more information and the best deals available (always up-to-date)!

Conclusion

All in all, the LG 34UM69G is a decent gaming monitor, but there are much better displays at this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size	34-inch
Resolution	2560×1080 (UWHD)
Panel Type	IPS
Aspect Ratio	21:9 (UltraWide)
Refresh Rate	75Hz
Response Time (GtG)	5ms (GtG)
Response Time (1ms MBR)	1ms (MPRT)
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync (40Hz-75Hz)
Speakers	2x7W
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4 USB-C (DP 1.2 Alt Mode)
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (6-bit + FRC)
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)