The LG 32GK850G QHD gaming monitor is designed for gaming bliss. The stirring Sphere Lighting lets you choose from three modes to put on a colorful display to make intuition take over when playing games. It features a 31.5" viewing real estate and a 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution on an edge-to-edge panel. You can have in-game scenes rendered fluidly without delay or blur with 144Hz Refresh Rate, NVIDIA G-SYNC Technology, and Dynamic Action Sync. Gamer-centric features like Crosshair and Black stabilizer let you aim better and win more.
Pros: UPDATE: I've now been regularly using the display for the past 2-3 weeks, and I love it. For reference, I previously tested the following panels: Acer X34, Omen X 35, Dell AW3418DW, Asus PG279Q, and now this. All the IPS gaming panels seem to suffer from poor QC, cheap/tacky design, or both. The LG 32GK850G, once calibrated and tweaked a bit, actually provides a great picture with noticeably improved contrast ratios compared to IPS. Additionally, I'm a HUGE fan of the subdued design: it looks stately and professional on my desk, and the back RGB ring is actually a USEFUL implementation of RGB in a monitor, because it makes looking at the screen in the dark easier on the eyes, and has some nice adjustability. I really wish other monitor manufacturers would take some design cues from this. Overall, after having tested all the previously mentioned monitors, I've settled on this. It's the best combination of pros and cons I've come across, complimented by a nice clean design aesthetic. PREVIOUS REVIEW: I’m actually somewhat shocked: the VA panel is actually pretty good! The off-angle viewing isn’t nearly as bad as other VA panels I’ve seen (like Omen X35), and contrast and lack of IPS glow means dark scenes look great. Even more surprising, response times seem really good. Haven’t noticed any smearing even when at 144Hz.
Cons: UPDATE: The second panel arrived and I'm happy to report there are no dead pixels or dust particles on the screen. The only cons are the same types of issues inherent in most VA panels: - response times aren't as great as TN, but they are noticeably better than other VA panels I've tested, such as the Omen X 35 - the slightly more narrow viewing angles means you'll see some color shifting towards the edges of the screen if you're looking dead center PREVIOUS REVIEW: My unit had a dead pixel so I’ll be swapping that, and there are reports of dust or dirt under some screens, but if I can get a panel without any QC issues I think I’ll be set!
Overall Review: UPDATE: discovered the lights can be turned on and off and adjusted completely independent of whether the panel is on or off, so I now look at it like a decorative desk light and turn it on or off when needed. I still think the option to turn off the lights when the monitor goes to sleep would be WONDERFUL. PREVIOUS REVIEW: Dear LG...please release a firmware update to FULLY disable the lights as an option. When the panel turns on the lights cycle in a rainbow, which is pretty tacky. Believe it or not there are people who want their workspace to feel professional. ;)