By It’s true, but you’d miss it if you blink. There are now smart gaming displays. These days, both LG and Samsung sell gaming monitors with a fully working TV operating system that functions similarly to that of their respective smart TVs. This idea is realized in the LG Ultragear 39GX90SA-W, a large, exquisite OLED panel. It’s not flawless, but it looks fantastic.
Specifications and Features
The LG UltraGear 39GX90SA-W’s size is the most noteworthy feature on the specs sheet. This 39-inch ultrawide has a 21:9 aspect ratio, and although it might not seem much bigger than a 34-inch ultrawide, the display area is increased by 31%. Simply put, compared to a 34-inch counterpart, the 39-inch LG feels much larger.
- 39-inch display with a 21:9 aspect ratio
- Resolution in native: 3440 x 1440
- Type of panel: WOLED
- Maximum refresh rate: 240 Hz
- Yes, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and Adaptive Sync Complementary
- VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 HDR: HDR 10 HDR-certified
- Ports: 1x USB-A (2.0), 1x 3.5mm audio-out, 1x Ethernet, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 65 watts of power delivery
- Extra features: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6, remote control, and LG webOS
- Sound: Among the speakers
- Two-year labor and parts warranty
- At the time of review, the price was $1,599.99 MSRP and $1,299.99 retail.
Another noteworthy feature of the 39GX90SA-W is that it comes with LG’s webOS smart TV operating system. It functions identically to an LG Smart TV and offers a vast array of apps and connectivity to numerous digital content libraries, including movies you may have bought on YouTube. Even cloud gaming services like GeForce Now are supported.
The cost is substantial, but not higher than anticipated. A quick look at pricing tracking websites reveals that the sale price of $1,199.99 is more usual, even if the retail MSRP is $1,599.99. Although pricey, that is to be anticipated for a large, premium OLED monitor.
Design
A 39-inch ultrawide display with an aggressive 800R curve is the LG Ultragear 39GX90SA-W. It takes up a lot of room on a desk and has a significant presence, although it is noticeably smaller than 45-inch ultrawide options. The sharp curvature will be divisive and stand out right away. It’s excellent if you enjoy curved screens. You won’t be able to tolerate it otherwise.
Aside from its size and curved display, the 39GX90SA has a gorgeous ultra-white style. Both the display stand and the rear panel have a simple, clinical-looking appearance that complements minimalist desk arrangements. The bottom half of the stand is made of metal, but the majority of the monitor is made of plastic. The plastics used were strong when I lifted the monitor.
It’s a gigantic stand. The ultrawide display panel is positioned very close to the user’s face thanks to its deep reach, wide neck, and huge base. If your desk is smaller than 50 inches wide or less than 30 inches deep, it may be hard, if not impossible, to find the perfect spot. Given the 39GX90SA’s enormous ultrawide screen, that is to be anticipated, but it’s still vital to remember. The majority of people will discover that a 34-inch ultrawide desk fits them better.
Connectivity
The monitor has numerous video connections, which is a benefit. It features one DisplayPort port, two HDMI 2.1 connections, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort. There are four video inputs in all, and there are plenty of possibilities for connecting gaming consoles, laptops, and desktop computers.
Data and up to 65 watts of power delivery are also supported by the USB-C connector. Having a USB-C port with Power Delivery makes me delighted because it further establishes the monitor’s dual purpose as a work and play display. Owners of a thin and light laptop with USB-C may connect and charge it with just one cable.
Menus and Features
The Ultragear 39GX90SA-W is referred to by LG as a “smart gaming monitor.” What does that signify? In essence, it’s a smart TV.
It functions similarly to any other LG television running LG’s webOS, despite the fact that it lacks a TV tuner, which prevents it from accepting cable or antenna TV input. From Netflix to Crunchyroll, it offers an extensive selection of streaming apps. It also supports cloud gaming apps like GeForce Now, which allows you to play games without a PC or console by pairing a Bluetooth game controller with the monitor. WebOS is speedy, visually appealing, and simple to use.
Using the Game Optimizer mode makes this the most noticeable. When the on-screen menu is opened in this mode, a menu with the Ultragear logo that would not normally be visible is displayed. However, there aren’t many features that can be changed, and it takes a few seconds for a loading icon to appear when switching from the Ultragear menu to the regular menu.
However, the 39GX90SA-W comes with a small remote control that makes it simple to access the monitor settings. Although the menu system’s occasional sluggish performance is bothersome, it’s not as annoying as using a joystick or buttons on the monitor to navigate menus (albeit the monitor still has a joystick in case you misplace the remote). My tested streaming apps, including Netflix and YouTube, performed as planned.
Performance
With a maximum refresh rate of 240 Hz, the LG UltraGear 39GX90SA-W offers a buttery-smooth image in PC games that can achieve such high frame rates. The low pixel reaction time of OLED, which may dip as low as 0.03 milliseconds, is another advantage. In actual use, this lessens motion blur even more. Additionally, at lower refresh rates (such as 60Hz or 120Hz), it results in comparatively little motion blur.
The display offers extensive adaptive sync compatibility with official support for Adaptive Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and Nvidia G-Sync standards, so it’s not only about motion clarity. It’s encouraging to see official support for gamers’ comfort, even though the majority of monitors that support any of them will also unofficially operate with all three.
The sole drawback of the 39GX90SA-W is that, like other features of the device, it is essentially identical to other OLEDs available on the market. While the LG looks fantastic in fast-paced games, it doesn’t look any better than the competition because there is a fairly large selection of displays with a refresh rate of 240 Hz or higher.
Verdict
The LG 39GX90SA-W is another capable addition to their expanding range of OLED monitors. Despite having poor sharpness, it produces an immersive, vibrant, contrast-rich image with excellent motion clarity. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the monitor gives LG’s webOS smart TV operating system access to well-known apps like Netflix and GeForce Now. This implies that even without a PC connected, it can function as a gaming and entertainment display in one.
If you want an ultrawide monitor that is larger and more feature-rich than most of its rivals, the 39GX90SA-W is appealing. A smaller and less costly option, such as the Alienware AW3425DW, will make more sense if you don’t care about smart features in your monitor.
