The LG 27GN850-B is an impressive gaming monitor. It replaces the LG 27GL850-B and is an overall improvement. Gamers should appreciate the incredible response time at its max refresh rate of 144Hz, resulting in minimal motion blur, and it remains fast when gaming at 60Hz. It supports Adaptive Sync and is compatible with both FreeSync and G-SYNC to reduce screen tearing, and the input lag is also incredibly low. It has a large 27 inch screen with a 1440p resolution, which helps deliver an immersive gaming experience without being too heavy on your graphics card. It has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate when viewing from the side. However, that comes at the cost of a low contrast ratio, and without local dimming, blacks appear gray when viewed in the dark.
Our Verdict
The LG 27GN850-B is very good overall. It offers impressive gaming performance because it has a high 144Hz refresh rate with VRR support, the response time is incredible, and input lag is extremely low. Its 27 inch, 1440p screen makes it good for office use and content creators, and it has wide viewing angles if you need to share your screen with someone else. Sadly, it has a low contrast ratio and lacks local dimming, so blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark.
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Wide viewing angles.
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High 144Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
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Extremely low input lag.
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Incredible response time.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Low contrast ratio.
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Mediocre HDR peak brightness.
The LG 27GN850-B is good for office use. Its 27 inch screen size allows you to open multiple windows at once, and its 1440p resolution delivers clear text. It has wide viewing angles, making it easier to share your screen with others. However, it has disappointing ergonomics as you can't swivel it. Lastly, reflection handling is decent, and it gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms.
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Wide viewing angles.
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Good peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
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Large screen and high resolution.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Glare may be an issue in really well-lit rooms.
The LG 27GN850-B is impressive for gaming. It has an incredible response time whether you're gaming at its native 144Hz refresh rate or 60Hz, and the input lag is incredibly low. It has FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. Sadly, it's not a good choice for dark room gaming because of its low contrast ratio and poor black uniformity.
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High 144Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
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Extremely low input lag.
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Incredible response time.
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Low contrast ratio.
The LG 27GN850-B is good for consuming multimedia content. Its 1440p resolution helps deliver crisp images, and it has a large, 27 inch screen. It performs well in bright rooms thanks to its decent reflection handling and good peak brightness. However, it's not a good choice for dark rooms because it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks appear closer to gray.
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Wide viewing angles.
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Good peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
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Large screen and high resolution.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Low contrast ratio.
The LG 27GN850-B is very good for content creators. The large screen and high resolution mean you can easily open multiple windows side-by-side, which is great for multitasking. It has wide viewing angles, so people viewing from the side get the same accurate image as if they would be directly in front. However, it has disappointing ergonomics, making it difficult to position your screen to share with someone.
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Wide viewing angles.
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Good peak brightness and decent reflection handling.
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Large screen and high resolution.
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Disappointing ergonomics.
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Low contrast ratio.
The LG 27GN850-B is decent for HDR gaming. It has impressive gaming performance thanks to its incredible response time, extremely low input lag, and VRR support. HDR content looks alright on it because it displays a wide color gamut, but it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop, it has a low contrast ratio, and lacks local dimming.
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High 144Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
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Extremely low input lag.
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Incredible response time.
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Low contrast ratio.
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No local dimming feature.
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Mediocre HDR peak brightness.
- 7.9 Mixed Usage
- 7.8 Office
- 8.3 Gaming
- 7.8 Multimedia
- 7.9 Media Creation
- 6.9 HDR Gaming
- Updated Jun 01, 2021: We mistakenly indicated the thickness with stand as 32.2 cm instead of 22.2 cm. It has been fixed.
- Updated May 06, 2021: We've changed the FreeSync support from 'Native' to 'Compatible' for consistency.
- Updated Jan 18, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jan 14, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We reviewed the 27 inch LG 27GN850-B, which is also available in a 34 inch size, the LG 34GN850-B. There are other models in LG's UltraGear lineup, some of which are listed below. It's been replaced by the LG 27GP850-B, which has a higher maximum refresh rate and an optional black frame insertion feature.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Refresh Rate | VRR | Notes |
| LG 27GN600-B | 24" | IPS | 1080p | 144Hz | FreeSync | |
| LG 27GN650-B | 27" | IPS | 1080p | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GN750-B | 27" | IPS | 1080p | 240Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GN800-B | 27" | IPS | 1440p | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GL850-B | 27" | IPS | 1440p | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GN850-B | 27" | IPS | 1440p | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GN950-B | 27" | IPS | 4k | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 27GP850-B | 27" | IPS | 1440p | 180Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | |
| LG 34GN850-B | 34" | IPS | 3440x1440 | 160Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified |
If someone comes across a different type of panel or their 27GN850-B doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, such as gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
The unit we reviewed was manufactured in October 2020, and you can see the label here.
Compared To Other Monitors
The LG 27GN850-B is an impressive gaming monitor that has features most people should enjoy, such as VRR support, an incredible response time, and extremely low input lag. In terms of gaming, it's an improvement over the LG 27GL850-B, but if you need it for office use as well, it's lacking on ergonomics. There are similarly-priced options with better ergonomics, like the Dell S2721DGF. Also see our recommendations for the best 1440p 144Hz monitors, the best gaming monitors, and the best LG monitors.
The LG 27GN850-B and the LG 27GN800-B are very similar monitors. They use an almost identical panel, but the 27GN800-B has a much simpler stand with practically no adjustment options. Unless the stand is a dealbreaker, the 27GN800-B may actually be the better choice. While most casual gamers may not notice, the 27GN800-B has a slightly faster response time and a lower 60Hz input lag. These are minor differences, but if you're going to mount your monitor, the 27GN800-B may represent a better value.
The LG 27GN850-B is a slight improvement over its predecessor, the LG 27GL850-B. The 27GN850-B displays wider SDR and HDR color gamuts, meaning it's a better choice for content creators. It also has a quicker response time at its max refresh rate, making it a slightly better choice for gaming. However, the 27GL850-B gets brighter and has better reflection handling, so it's a good choice for well-lit rooms. It also has two USB inputs, which the 27GN850-B doesn't have, so you can easily charge your devices while working.
The LG 27GP850-B is a bit better than the LG 27GN850-B. The 27GP850 has a higher refresh rate, resulting in a faster response time and clearer motion. The 27GP850 also has an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce the appearance of persistence blur, but it's a bit limited and only works over a narrow refresh rate range. Finally, the 27GP850 has slightly better connectivity, with a built-in USB hub.
The LG 27GN850-B and the Gigabyte M27Q are both great 1440p IPS gaming monitors. They perform very similarly gaming-wise; the Gigabyte has a higher refresh rate of 170Hz, but the LG has a better response time. The Gigabyte offers more features, such as a USB-C input that supports DisplayPort and charging, a Picture-in-Picture mode, and a KVM. It also has a wider color gamut for HDR and gets much brighter overall.
The LG 27GN880-B and the LG 27GN850-B are nearly identical. The main differences are that the 27GN880-B has a much better stand that allows for more ergonomic adjustments and a significantly wider DCI P3 coverage.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 S27AG50 is slightly better for gaming than the LG 27GN850-B. They have a few similar features like the 1440p resolution and exceptional motion handling. The Samsung has a faster 165Hz refresh rate, and it's certified by AMD to have native FreeSync support, while the LG is FreeSync compatible. The Samsung also has lower input lag at 60Hz. On the other hand, the LG displays a wider color gamut in SDR and HDR, and it has much better out-of-the-box accuracy, but this can also vary between units.
The Dell S2721DGF is a bit better overall than the LG 27GN850-B, but the two monitors are very similar. The Dell has a max refresh rate of 165Hz, as opposed to the LG's 144Hz, and this results in a slightly quicker response time. It also has much better ergonomics, making it a better choice for office use, and it gets brighter. On the other hand, the LG has much better out-of-the-box accuracy, so you may not need to get it calibrated.
The LG 27GN850-B and the MSI Optix G273QF are two great gaming monitors. They offer similar overall performance with an incredible response time and low input lag. The MSI has a higher 165Hz max refresh rate that delivers a slightly smoother gaming experience. However, the LG supports HDR10, which the MSI doesn't, and it displays a wide color gamut, so it's a decent choice for HDR gaming.
The LG 27GN850-B and the LG 27GL83A-B are two very good monitors with great gaming performance. The 27GL83A-B is a better choice for use in well-lit rooms because it gets brighter and has a bit better reflection handling. Motion also looks smoother on the 27GL83A-B as it has a slightly quicker response time. However, the 27GN850-B is better for content creators because it displays a wider SDR color gamut.
The MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD is a bit better for most uses than the LG 27GN850-B, but they have many of the same features. They both have outstanding response time and low input lag for gaming, but the MSI has a slightly higher 165Hz refresh rate. It also has a BFI feature, but it only works within a narrow range. However, the LG has better out-of-the-box accuracy and colors don't look as over-saturated as the MSI, so you may not need to get it calibrated to enjoy it to the fullest.
The ASUS TUF VG27AQ is a bit better for most uses than the LG 27GN850-B. They're both 1440p monitors with a native 144Hz refresh rate, but the ASUS can be overclocked to 165Hz. The ASUS has much better ergonomics, making it easier to place in an ideal viewing position. The LG has a quicker response time at its max refresh rate and 60Hz, but the ASUS has a Black Frame Insertion feature to clear up motion blur.
The LG 27GN850-B and the LG 27GP83B-B are nearly identical, but the 27GP83B is more recent. The 27GP83B is brighter in HDR, has a slightly faster response time, as well as a faster refresh rate. Other than that, there are no real differences between them.
The LG 32GP850-B is a bit better than the LG 27GN850-B. The 32GP850 has a slightly faster refresh rate, better reflection handling, and it has an optional black frame insertion feature to reduce persistence blur. The 32GP850 also has a larger screen and a built-in USB hub.
The LG 27GN850-B is better for most uses than the LG 27GN750-B, but they have a few different features. The 27GN850-B has a higher 1440p resolution, but it has a lower refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the 27GN750's 240Hz, which also has a lower 1080p resolution. Choosing one over the other comes down to personal preference and whether you need a higher refresh rate at the cost of a lower resolution.
The LG 32GN650-B and the LG 27GN850-B are both good monitors overall, although they use different panel types with different advantages. The 32GN650-B is much better for dark room gaming thanks to its high-contrast VA panel, but the IPS panel on the 27GN850-B has wider viewing angles that are better for co-op gaming. That said, the 27GN850-B has some advantages that might make it a better option if you don't need a larger screen. Both are 1440p monitors, but the smaller size of the 27GN850-B means it has a greater pixel density, resulting in a crisper image. It also has significantly faster response times for clear motion. On the other hand, the 27GN850-B has a lower refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the 165Hz on the 32GN650-B.
The LG 27GN850-B and the Gigabyte AORUS AD27QD are two very similar monitors. The LG is slightly better for gaming because it has a quicker response time at its max refresh rate and 60Hz. However, the Gigabyte is better for office use because it has improved ergonomics and it gets brighter, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms.
Test Results
The LG 27GN850-B has the same style as most of LG's UltraGear monitors from their 2020 lineup, such as the LG 27GN950-B. It has thin borders on three sides with a thicker bottom bezel. It's mainly black with red accents throughout. Unlike the LG 27GL850-B, the V-shaped feet don't sit flat on the desk and are a bit elevated. There's cable management through the stand, and overall it's a fairly well-built monitor.
The wide stand supports the monitor well, and the feet are fairly thin, so there's enough space to put stuff in front.
Like most LG monitors, the ergonomics are disappointing. The tilt range is limited, and you can rotate the screen into portrait mode, but since you can only do it in the clockwise direction, the inputs would be on top. This could be an issue if you have short cables.
The back of the monitor has the same red ring found on most UltraGear monitors, but it doesn't light up. There's cable management through the hook in the stand.
The borders are thin and aren't distracting, which is great for a multi-monitor setup.
Update 06/01/2021: We mistakenly indicated the thickness with stand as 32.2 cm instead of 22.2 cm. It has been fixed.
The screen itself is very thin, but the whole setup gets thicker with the stand attached. You may need a deep desk to put it on.
The LG 27GN850-B's build quality is decent. It's similar to the LG 27GN950-B, and it's made entirely out of basic, plastic materials that feel solid. There aren't any obvious gaps or loose parts. The stand supports the screen well, and there isn't much wobble. However, the hook for cable management feels a bit flimsy, but this may only be a problem if you're constantly removing cables from it.
The LG 27GN850 has a low contrast ratio, which is expected from an IPS panel. Blacks appear gray when viewed in the dark, and there's no local dimming feature to help improve it. This is lower than the advertised 1000:1 contrast, but it may vary between units.
The LG 27GN850-B doesn't have a local dimming feature. The above video is provided for reference only.
The LG 27GN850-B has good SDR peak brightness. It maintains its brightness extremely consistent across different content, and it gets bright enough to combat glare. However, this is lower than the advertised 350 cd/m². We measured peak brightness after calibration in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode with Brightness set to max.
The LG 27GN850 has mediocre HDR peak brightness. It only gets a bit brighter than in SDR, and highlights quickly lose their brightness the longer they stay on the screen. It's not enough to make highlights pop the way the creator intended in HDR. We measured the HDR peak brightness in the 'Gamer 2' Picture Mode.
The LG 27GN850 has an excellent horizontal viewing angle, which is normal for an IPS panel. The image remains accurate as you move off-center, which is great if you want to use it for co-op gaming.
The vertical viewing angle isn't bad. You may notice a loss in image accuracy if you mount the monitor above eye level.
Our unit of the LG 27GN850 has excellent gray uniformity, but this may vary between units. The edges of the screen are a bit darker, but there's no dirty screen effect in the center. Solid colors across the screen, like on a web page or document, look great. Uniformity is even better in near-dark scenes.
Black uniformity is poor, but this may vary between units. There's noticeable backlight bleed in the corners and clouding throughout. This could be distracting when watching dark scenes in a dark environment.
The LG UltraGear 27GN850-B has good out-of-the-box accuracy. White balance is only a bit off, and most colors are slightly inaccurate. The color temperature is a bit on the cold side, giving the image a blueish tint. Sadly, gamma doesn't follow the target curve at all, and most scenes are brighter than they should be.
There's an 'sRGB' Picture Mode, but we didn't use it because it resulted in a less accurate image:
- Color Temperature: 6484K.
- White Balance dE: 4.51.
- Color dE: 2.84.
The LG 27GN850 has remarkable accuracy after calibration. Any remaining inaccuracies with white balance and most colors can't be spotted by the naked eye. Gamma follows the target curve very well, and the color temperature is extremely close to the 6500K target.
You can download our ICC profile calibration here. This is provided for reference only and shouldn't be used, as the calibration values vary per individual unit even for the same model due to manufacturing tolerances.
The SDR color gamut is incredible. It has full coverage of the sRGB color space used in most web content, and excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, which is great for photo editors.
The LG 27GN850-B's color volume is fantastic. Helped by its incredible color gamut and good peak brightness, it displays colors at a wide range of luminance levels. However, it can't display deep colors due to the low contrast ratio.
The LG 27GN850-B has a good HDR color gamut, and it's an improvement from the LG 27GL850-B. It has great coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space and decent coverage of the wider Rec. 2020.
The DCI P3 coverage is much lower than the advertised 98% coverage. This is normal and is due to the way we measure DCI P3. We measure DCI P3 by sending a Rec. 2020 signal, but unlike most reviewers, we limit the colors we're sending to the DCI P3 primaries. This results in a lower, but arguably more accurate measurement.
The HDR color volume is decent. Aided by its good color gamut, it displays a wide range of colors but struggles with darker colors because it has a low contrast ratio.
There are no signs of temporary image retention on our unit of the LG UltraGear 27GN850, but this may vary between units.
The gradient handling is exceptional. There's virtually no banding with any shade.
There's some extremely minor vertical color bleed, but it shouldn't be noticeable with most content.
The LG UltraGear 27GN850-B's reflection handling is decent, similar to the LG 34GN850-B. It performs well in moderately-lit rooms, but the reflections may be too distracting if there's direct sunlight on it.
The LG 27GN850's text clarity is decent. Enabling ClearType (top photo) helps improve the appearance of diagonal lines, such as on R, N, G, and S, but straight lines aren't as bold, as seen on the letters T and I.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
The response time at its max refresh rate of 144Hz is incredible. The recommended overdrive setting is 'Normal' as it results in crisp motion and minimal blur with almost no overshoot. The 'Fast' and 'Faster' settings result in too much overshoot and motion blur.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
The LG 27GN850's response time at 60Hz is outstanding. Like at its max refresh rate, the 'Normal' overdrive setting results in a lot less overshoot than the 'Fast' and 'Faster' settings, and motion looks buttery smooth. This means that you won't have to change the overdrive setting if the frame rate of your game drops.
The LG 27GN850-B has a flicker-free backlight, which helps reduce eye strain.
Unfortunately, the LG UltraGear 27GN850-B doesn't have an optional black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion blur. The replacement model, the LG 27GP850-B, has a BFI feature, but it's only available between a narrow range of refresh rates, and it can't be used at the same time as FreeSync.
Update 05/06/2021: We've changed the FreeSync support from 'Native' to 'Compatible' for consistency.
The LG 27GN850 has an outstanding 144Hz refresh rate. It has native Adaptive Sync support, meaning it supports both FreeSync and is G-SYNC compatible as well. Both FreeSync and G-SYNC work over a DisplayPort connection at its full range, and over HDMI, only FreeSync works between 20-100Hz. If you prefer something with a higher 165Hz refresh rate, then check out the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD.
The input lag of the LG 27GN850-B is incredibly low. It increases a bit at 60Hz, but it shouldn't be an issue for most people. We weren't able to measure the 10-bit HDR input lag because we can only achieve its full 144Hz refresh rate over a DisplayPort connection, and we don't have the tools necessary to measure the HDR input lag over DP. The max 10-bit refresh rate over HDMI is 60Hz. That said, we don't expect the input lag to significantly increase in HDR.
The LG 27GN850 has a great resolution and size. There's enough space to open multiple windows side-by-side, and the 1440p resolution helps deliver crisp images.
The LG 27GN850-B has a few extra features, such as:
- Crosshair: allows you to add a virtual crosshair for FPS games.
- Black Stabilizer: Adjusts the gamma in dark games, so you can see your opponents in the shadows better.
- Low Blue Light: Removes blue light to help reduce eye strain.
