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LG 27GP950-B Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Sep 13, 2021 at 10:37 am
Latest change: Writing modified Nov 07, 2023 at 02:25 pm
LG 27GP950-B Picture
8.1
Mixed Usage
8.2
Office
8.7
Gaming
7.6
Media Consumption
8.3
Media Creation
7.1
HDR

The LG 27GP950-B is a 27 inch 4k monitor with a fast 160Hz refresh rate. It's part of LG's UltraGear lineup of gaming monitors and is one of the first monitors on the market to support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, making it a great choice for next-gen console gamers. It delivers an excellent gaming experience with low input lag, a fast response time, and support for both NVIDIA and FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate technology. Unfortunately, it has disappointing reflection handling, and like most IPS monitors, it's not a great choice for a dark room, as it has low contrast and poor black uniformity. It also has a local dimming feature, but it doesn't do much to improve the picture quality.

Our Verdict

8.1 Mixed Usage

The LG 27GP950 is a great monitor for most uses. The large, high-resolution screen is great for office use or media creation, and it has a superb color gamut in SDR and incredible gradient handling. It's an excellent gaming monitor with low input lag and a fast response time. It's also decent for HDR, with a wide HDR color gamut and high peak brightness, but blacks look gray in dark rooms.

Pros
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • Low input lag.
  • Great peak brightness.
Cons
  • Disappointing reflection handling.
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
8.2 Office

The LG 27GP950 is a very good monitor for office use. The high-resolution screen delivers outstanding text clarity, and it has excellent gray uniformity. It has wide viewing angles, great if you often share your screen, but the stand can't swivel. Unfortunately, it has disappointing reflection handling, but it's still bright enough to overcome glare in most viewing conditions.

Pros
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • Good gray uniformity.
  • Superb SDR color gamut.
  • Great peak brightness.
Cons
  • Disappointing reflection handling.
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
8.7 Gaming

The LG 27GP950 is an excellent gaming monitor. It has a fantastic response time at the max refresh rate and low input lag for a responsive gaming experience. It supports both FreeSync and G-SYNC variable refresh rates, ensuring a nearly tear-free gaming experience from almost any source. It also has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on two ports, making it a great choice for next-gen console gamers.

Pros
  • Outstanding response time.
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • HDMI 2.1 for next-gen console gaming.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Disappointing reflection handling.
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
7.6 Media Consumption

The LG 27GP950-B is a very good monitor for watching videos. The large, high-resolution screen delivers a more immersive movie-watching experience, and the wide viewing angles are great for watching videos with a few friends. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as good in a dark room due to its low contrast ratio and poor black uniformity.

Pros
  • Good gray uniformity.
  • Low input lag.
  • Great peak brightness.
Cons
  • Disappointing reflection handling.
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
8.3 Media Creation

The LG 27GP950 is a great monitor for media creation. The large, high-resolution screen makes it easier to see more of your workflow at once, and the wide viewing angles are great if you often share your screen. It has a superb color gamut in SDR, including good coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, and it has incredible gradient handling. Unfortunately, it has low contrast and poor black uniformity, and the stand can't swivel.

Pros
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • Good gray uniformity.
  • Superb SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Disappointing reflection handling.
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
7.1 HDR

The LG 27GP950 is decent for HDR content. It displays a wide range of colors in HDR, and it has great peak brightness, so highlights pop and colors are vivid. However, it doesn't display deep blacks in dark rooms, and it has a terrible local dimming feature that doesn't do much to improve the picture quality, so it's not a good choice for watching HDR content in dark rooms.

Pros
  • Displays a wide range of colors in HDR.
  • High HDR peak brightness makes highlights pop.
Cons
  • Low contrast and poor black uniformity.
  • Terrible local dimming feature.
  • 8.1 Mixed Usage
  • 8.2 Office
  • 8.7 Gaming
  • 7.6 Media Consumption
  • 8.3 Media Creation
  • 7.1 HDR
  1. Updated Nov 07, 2023: Added that the newer LG 27GR93U-B has better SDR Brightness.
  2. Updated Oct 12, 2023: Clarified that the LG 32GR93U-B has a slightly better Response Time at Max Refresh Rate.
  3. Updated Oct 06, 2023: Added that the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR offers swivel adjustments and has better Ergonomics.
  4. Updated Jun 14, 2023: Added that the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQR is another option to get as a 4k monitor with better Reflection handling.
  5. Updated May 29, 2023: Added that the INNOCN 27M2V gets brighter in HDR.
  6. Updated Apr 14, 2023: Confirmed that 1440p works on this monitor with the PS5.
  7. Updated Dec 23, 2022: We retested the refresh rate range with the latest firmware (4.06, 44, 6.07). Over HDMI, the monitor now supports up to 144Hz at 10-bit, but the optional overclock is still not accessible over HDMI.
  8. Updated Sep 12, 2022: We bought and tested the Sony INZONE M9, and added relevant comparisons to this review.
  9. Updated Aug 25, 2022: We bought and tested the LG 32GQ950-B, and added a few relevant comparisons in the text.
  10. Updated May 02, 2022: We tested the monitor with the PS5's new variable refresh rate feature and confirmed that it's working properly.
  11. Updated Apr 08, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.2, resulting in changes to the results and scores with the Response Time and Input Lag. Added tests for Console Compatibility and macOS compatibility and made minor changes to other tests, which you can see in our Changelog.
  12. Updated Sep 13, 2021: Review published.
  13. Updated Sep 08, 2021: Early access published.
  14. Updated Sep 02, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  15. Updated Aug 31, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  16. Updated Jul 14, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the LG 27GP950-B 27 inch gaming monitor, which is part of LG's UltraGear gaming lineup and is one of the only ones that supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. There are many other monitors in LG's UltraGear lineup with various configurations, some of which you can see in the table below. As they each have different specs, this review isn't valid for any of the other models. There's also a successor to this model, known as the LG 32GQ950-B, which features a larger screen.

Model Size Panel Type Resolution Max Refresh Rate HDMI 2.1
34GP950G 34" IPS 3440 x 1440 180Hz No
34GP83A-B 34" IPS 3440 x 1440 160Hz No
32GQ950-B 32" IPS 3840 x 2160 160Hz Yes
32GP850-B 32" IPS 2560 x 1440 180Hz No
27GP950-B 27" IPS 3840 x 2160 160Hz Yes
27GP850-B 27" IPS 2560 x 1440 180Hz No

If someone comes across a different type of panel or their LG 27GP950 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.

Our unit was manufactured in July 2021; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The LG 27GP950-B is an impressive gaming monitor, and one of the few currently available that support HDMI 2.1, making it an especially great choice for console gamers. It doesn't stand out much for PC gamers, though, so if you're not interested in console gaming, there are better choices available.

Check out our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best monitors for Xbox Series X, and the best monitors for PS5.

Gigabyte M28U

The Gigabyte M28U is slightly better than the LG 27GP950-B overall, but some people might prefer the LG. The Gigabyte has much better reflection handling, so glare isn't as distracting in a bright room, and it has an optional backlight strobing feature. On the other hand, the LG has a faster refresh rate and better motion handling with 60Hz sources. The LG's HDMI 2.1 ports support the full bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, so it's also a slightly better choice for PS5 gamers.

Sony INZONE M9

The LG 27GP950-B is slightly better than the Sony INZONE M9. The LG has much better accuracy out of the box, and colors aren't oversaturated, so it's a better choice for anyone looking for an accurate image. The LG also has better ergonomics, so it's easier to place it in an ideal viewing position. The LG also has slightly faster response times, especially if you're gaming at lower refresh rates, including 120Hz or 60Hz gaming from a console.

Gigabyte M32U

The Gigabyte M32U is a bit better than the LG 27GP950-B overall. The Gigabyte has much better reflection handling, so it can better overcome glare in a bright room. The Gigabyte also has better black uniformity and better ergonomics. On the other hand, the LG is a lot brighter in HDR, and it can display a wider color gamut.

LG 27GR93U-B

The LG 27GP950-B is a higher-end monitor than the LG 27GR93U-B, so it has a few extra features, but they perform similarly otherwise. They each have a native 144Hz refresh rate, but the 27GP950-B has an overclock feature to go up to 160Hz. That said, the motion handling is similar between each. The 27GP950-B also has a local dimming feature, which the 27GR93U-B doesn't have, and it allows it to get brighter in HDR, but the local dimming feature is terrible overall. On the other hand, the 27GR93U-B has better reflection handling and gets brighter, making it the better choice for use in well-lit rooms.

LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B

The LG 27GP950-B is slightly better than the LG 27GP850-B/27GP83B-B. The 27GP950-B has a higher resolution screen, delivering a more immersive gaming experience and better text clarity. The 27GP950-B also has two HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a better choice for next-gen console gamers. On the other hand, the 27GP850-B has much better reflection handling, so it might be a better choice if you're in a bright room.

Gigabyte M27U

The LG 27GP950-B and the Gigabyte M27U are both excellent 4k, 27-inch gaming monitors. They offer similar performance overall, but the LG has a better HDR color volume, and it gets brighter in HDR for a slightly improved HDR experience. The LG also supports the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression. However, the Gigabyte has extra productivity features like a KVM switch and USB-C port.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 and the LG 27GP950-B are both excellent 4k gaming monitors with different screen types. The Samsung is better for dark room gaming as it delivers deeper blacks and its Mini LED local dimming feature is better. It also has a higher 240Hz refresh rate which makes it future-proof. On the other hand, the LG is better for co-op gaming as it has wider viewing angles, and its overall motion handling is a bit better as it doesn't have overshoot.

Samsung Odyssey G7 S28AG70

The LG 27GP950-B and the Samsung Odyssey G7 S28AG70 are both high-end 4k gaming monitors. They have many of the same features with HDMI 2.1 inputs, and even though their native refresh rates are both 144Hz, the LG is overclockable to 160Hz. The LG also has better motion handling at 60Hz, and it gets much brighter, especially in HDR. The HDMI 2.1 inputs on the LG support a higher 48 Gbps bandwidth compared to 40 Gbps from the Samsung, but it doesn't make a difference unless you need to achieve 4k @ 120Hz signals with 12-bit color depth. On the other hand, the Samsung has better ergonomics because you can swivel it.

LG 32GR93U-B

The LG 27GP950-B and the LG 32GR93U-B are both excellent 4k gaming monitors. They perform similarly, but there are a few differences, as the 27GP950-B has an overclock feature to bring the refresh rate up to 160Hz. The 27GP950-B also gets brighter in HDR and has a local dimming feature, which the 32GR93U-B doesn't have, but the 27GP950-B's performance in HDR is limited anyway. On the other hand, the 32GR93U-B has a faster response time at any refresh rate and has much better reflection handling, so it's better to use in a well-lit room.

LG 27GN950-B

The LG 27GP950-B is slightly better than the LG 27GN950-B. The 27GP950-B has two HDMI 2.1 ports, so it's a better choice for PS5 or Xbox Series X gamers. The 27GP950-B is also a lot brighter in real scenes in HDR, and it has a much better HDR color gamut, with significantly better DCI P3 coverage.

Dell G3223Q

The LG 27GP950-B and the Dell G3223Q are similar 4k monitors with 144Hz refresh rates, but there are a few differences. The Dell has much better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms, and it has much better out-of-the-box accuracy. They each display a wide color gamut in HDR, but the LG has much better tone mapping so colors look better. The main difference between them is that the LG supports 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, while the Dell has 24 Gbps, so the LG doesn't require compression for high-frame-rate signals.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 and the LG 27GP950-B are both excellent 4k gaming monitors, each with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. As they have different panel types, they each have strengths and weaknesses. The LG is better for co-op gaming as it has wide viewing angles, while the Samsung performs better in dark rooms as it displays deeper blacks and has better contrast. While the overall picture quality is better on the Samsung, it also has some flicker issues that the LG doesn't have.

LG 32GQ950-B

The LG 27GP950-B and the LG 32GQ950-B deliver a very similar experience overall. The newer 32GQ950 has a larger screen, and it delivers a slightly faster response time, with less overshoot in the best mode. The 32GQ950 also has an updated design and feels better built, but overall, there's very little difference between the two.

Acer Nitro XV282K KVbmiipruzx

The Acer Nitro XV282K KVbmiipruzx is a bit better than the LG 27GP950-B. The Acer has much better ergonomics, an optional backlight strobing feature, and much better reflection handling. On the other hand, the LG has a faster refresh rate and better motion handling with 60Hz sources. The LG's HDMI 2.1 ports support the full bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, so it's also a slightly better choice for PS5 gamers.

Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T

The LG 27GP950-B and the Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses, so the best one varies depending on your exact usage. The LG has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles and a higher-resolution screen. The LG has two HDMI 2.1 ports, so it's a better choice for next-gen console gamers. The Samsung uses a VA panel, and it's a much better choice for a dark room, as it has much higher contrast and better black uniformity.

ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQR

The LG 27GP950-B is a better gaming monitor than the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQR. The main advantage is that it supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which the ASUS model doesn't have, and it lets you take full advantage of gaming consoles or HDMI 2.1 graphics cards. The LG also has better motion handling, particularly at lower refresh rates. However, the ASUS gets brighter and has better reflection handling, making it the better choice for well-lit rooms.

ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR and the LG 27GP950-B are both excellent 4k gaming monitors. They have many similarities, especially in their performance, but the LG has a lower input lag at 60Hz for a more responsive feel. However, most of their differences are minor, as the ASUS has a more ergonomic stand and better reflection handling, making it the better choice for well-lit rooms.

INNOCN 27M2V

The INNOCN 27M2V and the LG 27GP950-B are both 4k, 27-inch gaming monitors, and while they're both excellent for gaming, the INNOCN delivers better picture quality. This is because it has a much better local dimming feature that helps result in deeper blacks and gets much brighter in HDR, too. The INNOCN also has a few extra features the LG doesn't have, like a USB-C port. On the other hand, the LG has a few less bugs as its VRR support works up to 160Hz with any type of connection, it has lower input lag with 60 fps signals.

Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0)

The LG 27GP950-B is a bit better than the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0) for most uses. The LG has a higher resolution screen and much better text clarity, so it's a bit better for media creators or office use. The LG also has two HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a better choice for PS5 or Xbox Series X gamers. On the other hand, the Gigabyte has better reflection handling and an optional backlight strobing feature.

Apple Studio Display

The LG 27GP950-B and the Apple Studio Display are both high-resolution 27-inch monitors meant for different uses. The LG has many more gaming features like a higher refresh rate panel, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and variable refresh rate support to reduce screen tearing. It also has HDMI ports so you can connect gaming consoles. However, the Apple is meant for content creators with macOS devices as it has outstanding out-of-the-box accuracy, and it easily gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms.

LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B

The LG 27GP950-B is better than the LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B. The 27GP950-B has a higher resolution screen, resulting in better text clarity, and it has two HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a better choice if you have or are planning to get one of the next-gen consoles. On the other hand, the 27GL850 has much better reflection handling.

ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQ

The ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQ is better than the LG 27GP950-B overall, but some gamers might still be better off with the LG. The ASUS has an optional backlight strobing feature, better ergonomics, and better reflection handling. The LG, on the other hand, has a faster refresh rate, a faster response time, and it supports HDMI 2.1, so it's a better choice for gaming on the PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Dell S2721DGF

The LG 27GP950-B is slightly better than the Dell S2721DGF. The LG has a higher resolution and much better text clarity, and it supports HDMI 2.1 for next-gen console gamers. The Dell, on the other hand, has much better reflection handling and much better ergonomics.

Gigabyte AORUS FI32U

The Gigabyte AORUS FI32U is slightly better than the LG 27GP950-B overall. The Gigabyte has an optional backlight strobing feature, better ergonomics, better reflection handling, and the unit we bought has better black uniformity. On the other hand, the LG has lower input lag at 60Hz, so it's more responsive when gaming on older consoles.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
No
Curve Radius
Not Curved

The LG UltraGear 27GP950 has a very similar style to the other 2021 LG UltraGear monitors. The chevron-shaped stand is pretty wide but doesn't take up a ton of space, and it supports the monitor fairly well. There's a ring of RGB bias-lighting on the back of the monitor, which can be synced with video or audio playing on your PC.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures N/A
7.0
Design
Build Quality

The LG 27GP950 has decent build quality overall, very similar to the other UltraGear monitors we've tested. It's almost entirely plastic, and there's some flex on the back, but nothing concerning. The stand is fairly stable, but as you increase the height extension there's more and more wobble.

7.1
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
4.3" (11.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-15° to 5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
Yes, Clockwise
Swivel Range
No swivel
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

The LG 27GP950 has decent ergonomics. It has a good height adjustment and an okay tilt range, so you won't have trouble placing it in an ideal position unless you need to turn the screen, as it doesn't offer swivel adjustment. Also, you can only rotate to portrait orientation in one direction, so the inputs will always be on the top. If you care about ergonomics and want a monitor that offers swivel adjustment, check out the ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQR.

The back of the monitor is pretty plain overall. There's a ring of RGB bias-lighting, which LG calls Sphere Lighting 2.0. You can sync the lighting with audio or video from your PC. You can also customize it yourself through LG's software or the physical wheel on the bottom of the monitor. There's a ring of vents around the bias-lighting ring, and there's a fan built-in, which is quiet. There's a hook on the back of the display for cable management, but it's not very effective overall.

Design
Stand
Base Width
16.7" (42.5 cm)
Base Depth
11.5" (29.3 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
8.9" (22.5 cm)
Weight (With Display)
17.2 lbs (7.8 kg)

The stand is wide but doesn't take up a lot of space, so you can still place other things in front of the monitor. The stand supports the monitor well but wobbles a bit, especially at the maximum height extension.

Design
Display
Size
27"
Housing Width
24.0" (61.0 cm)
Housing Height
13.9" (35.4 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
2.2" (5.5 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
12.6 lbs (5.7 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.2" (0.5 cm)
Design
Controls

The joystick control under the front bezel of the monitor is used to navigate the OSD. There's also a jog wheel and switch that's used to adjust the RGB bias-lighting feature.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
External Brick

  • Power cord
  • Power supply
  • DisplayPort cable
  • HDMI cable
  • USB-B cable
  • Mouse holder
  • Mounting screws
  • Calibration report
  • User guide
  • Owner's manual CD

Picture Quality
6.3
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,194 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
1,171 : 1

As expected for an IPS monitor, the LG 27GP950 has mediocre contrast, and blacks look gray in a dark room. Unfortunately, the local dimming feature is ineffective at boosting contrast with our checkerboard pattern due to the large zone size.

2.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Edge

Unfortunately, although the LG 27GP950-B has a local dimming feature, it's terrible. It has about 16 zones, so each zone covers a large area of the screen. Due to the large size, any object on the screen causes an entire column of the screen to light up, resulting in significant blooming. With most real content, this isn't that noticeable, as all zones are usually lit up, so the local dimming feature isn't really doing anything. On the other hand, there's absolutely no black crush, with no loss of fine details in some scenes. Most high-end gaming monitors have much higher zone counts, like the Sony INZONE M9, and they deliver a much better local dimming experience.

The speed of the local dimming feature can be adjusted between three different settings. We did our testing with it set to 'Faster', as this mode delivers the best results with fast-moving objects, but the zone transitions are quite noticeable and can be jarring in some cases. Lower settings average out the backlight across more zones, so this isn't as noticeable, but the local dimming feature isn't as noticeable or effective then.

8.2
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
420 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
383 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
397 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
403 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
405 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
406 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
383 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
396 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
306 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
404 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
406 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.004
Minimum Brightness
75 cd/m²

The LG 27GP950 has great peak brightness in SDR, and it's bright enough to overcome glare in most bright rooms despite its disappointing reflection handling. Unfortunately, with local dimming enabled, the monitor dims our 25% window briefly. This isn't noticeable with regular content, and even with the test pattern, it returns to normal quickly. With local dimming disabled, there's almost no variation in brightness with different scenes or over time, and all scenes are around 400 cd/m². If you want something brighter, though, you can also check out the LG 27GR93U-B.

Sadly, this monitor's minimum brightness is high, which isn't ideal if you want to use it in a completely dark room and are sensitive to bright lights.

These measurements are from after calibration in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode with Brightness set to max, and Local Dimming set to 'Faster'.

8.1
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
DisplayHDR 600
Real Scene
696 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
628 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
656 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
668 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
673 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
676 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
627 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
655 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
513 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
411 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
412 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.032

The LG 27GP950-B has great peak brightness in HDR. It's bright enough to deliver an impactful gaming experience in HDR, and it's bright enough for some video content. However, it can't maintain a high brightness level with large, bright scenes, and there's a significant decrease in brightness over time. The EOTF follows the target PQ curve perfectly until the peak brightness, where there's a slow roll-off, so you don't lose too many details in bright highlights. If you care about HDR brightness and want something even brighter, then look into the INNOCN 27M2V.

These measurements are in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode with HDR enabled, Local Dimming set to 'Faster', and Brightness set to max.

7.6
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
38°
Color Washout From Right
37°
Color Shift From Left
50°
Color Shift From Right
52°
Brightness Loss From Left
42°
Brightness Loss From Right
42°
Black Level Raise From Left
70°
Black Level Raise From Right
70°
Gamma Shift From Left
38°
Gamma Shift From Right
38°

As expected for an IPS panel, the LG 27GP950-B has a good horizontal viewing angle. If you're sitting off to the side, the image can appear washed out, but when sitting close to the screen, the sides remain uniform.

8.0
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
35°
Color Washout From Above
33°
Color Shift From Below
64°
Color Shift From Above
63°
Brightness Loss From Below
37°
Brightness Loss From Above
36°
Black Level Raise From Below
70°
Black Level Raise From Above
70°
Gamma Shift From Below
56°
Gamma Shift From Above
56°

The LG 27GP950 has a very good vertical viewing angle. The image appears a bit washed out at a moderate angle, but this shouldn't cause any issues for most people.

7.9
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.434%
50% DSE
0.143%

The LG 27GP950 has good gray uniformity. The sides of the screen are a bit darker than the center, but there's very little dirty screen effect in the center.

4.8
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.957%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
2.231%

Unfortunately, the LG 27GP950 we bought has poor black uniformity, but this can vary between units. The screen is cloudy throughout, and there are patches of backlight bleed in all four corners. Sadly, local dimming does very little to improve black uniformity.

8.5
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
102.8%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
3.44
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,924 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.26
Color dE (Avg.)
2.11
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Settings
Default
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
9
Measured Brightness
114 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The LG 27GP950-B has excellent accuracy out of the box. It has an sRGB mode that clamps the colors to the sRGB color space, so they're not over-saturated, and most colors are accurate. The white balance is a bit more off though, which affects the shades of white and gray. The color temperature is cold, giving the image a blue tint, and the gamma isn't the best as most scenes are darker than intended. The sRGB mode locks most picture settings, and if that bothers you, you can use the Gamer 1 Picture Mode, but that results in a less accurate image as the colors are too over-saturated and the color temperature is even colder.

9.7
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Gamer 1
sRGB Gamut Area xy
101.0%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.59
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,470 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.18
Color dE (Avg.)
0.36
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Settings
50-48-45
Gamma Setting
Mode 2
Brightness Setting
6
Measured Brightness
100 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

The LG 27GP950-B has outstanding accuracy after calibration. Gamma follows the sRGB gamma curve well, but some scenes are still a bit off. Colors and white balance are nearly perfect, and any remaining issues aren't noticeable without a colorimeter. Unlike the vast majority of monitors, the 27GP950-B supports hardware calibration through LG's Calibration Studio, so you can get an accurate image from any source, even if the source doesn't support ICC profiles.

9.6
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
100.0%
sRGB Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
88.1%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Gamer 1

The LG UltraGear 27GP950 has a superb SDR color gamut. It can display the entire sRGB color gamut used by most current desktop and web content. It also has good coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space but falls short on greens especially.

9.7
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
97.7%
sRGB Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
92.1%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Gamer 1

The LG 27GP950-B has fantastic SDR color volume. It can display the entire range of sRGB colors at most luminance levels, but due to the low contrast ratio, it can't display dark saturated colors very well.

8.8
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
95.5%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
70.1%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Gamer 1

The LG 27GP950-B has an excellent HDR color gamut. It has nearly perfect coverage of the DCI P3 color space used by most current HDR content. However, it has disappointing coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space, which isn't ideal as more content will start to come out with this color space.

9.0
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
91.8%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Gamer 1
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
69.3%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Gamer 1

This monitor has fantastic color volume in HDR. It's limited mainly by the incomplete color gamut, but most colors are as bright as pure white. Unfortunately, it can't display dark saturated colors very well, due to the low contrast ratio.

5.8
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-Gloss
Total Reflections
8.4%
Indirect Reflections
4.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
4.2%

Unfortunately, the LG 27GP950 has disappointing reflection handling. Bright lights can be distracting, but it's bright enough to overcome most glare. If you want a 4k monitor to use in a bright environment with better reflection handling, consider the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQR.

9.0
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
IPS
Subpixel Layout
RGB

The LG 27GP950 has outstanding text clarity. Running the ClearType wizard helps clean up diagonal lines (top photo), but it still looks good in apps that don't support ClearType.

9.9
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

The LG 27GP950 has incredible gradient handling. There are almost no signs of banding in any shade.

Motion
8.5
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
144 Hz

This monitor has an extremely fast refresh rate and an optional overclock. The overclock can only be enabled if Adaptive Sync is enabled, which is a bit strange.

Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Compatible (NVIDIA Certified)
VRR Maximum
160 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes

The LG 27GP950-B supports AMD's FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate technology, but it's also certified to work with recent NVIDIA graphics cards over both HDMI and DisplayPort.

8.8
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
Rise / Fall Time
3.1 ms
Total Response Time
7.5 ms
Overshoot Error
5.6%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
3.7 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
11.6 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
22.7%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
NormalChartTablePhoto
FastChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto

The LG 27GP950 has an excellent response time at the max refresh rate of 160Hz. Like most monitors, the pixel overdrive can be adjusted, and the best setting is 'Fast'. It has a quicker total response time than 'Normal' and much less overshoot than 'Faster'. It still does have overshoot, and 'Normal' is better at lower refresh rates, so if you want a 'set and forget' mode, use 'Normal'. If you prefer something with a slightly better response time, then consider the LG 32GR93U-B.

8.8
Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
4.3 ms
Total Response Time
8.0 ms
Overshoot Error
0.0%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
6.0 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
11.0 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
0.0%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
NormalChartTablePhoto
FastChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto

The response time at 120Hz is excellent, so motion looks smooth on the Xbox Series X and PS5. Unlike at its max refresh rate, the best overdrive setting is 'Normal' because 'Fast' is actually slower and it introduces overshoot.

8.4
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
4.4 ms
Total Response Time
9.4 ms
Overshoot Error
0.6%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
6.0 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
18.4 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
4.4%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
OffChartTablePhoto
NormalChartTablePhoto
FastChartTablePhoto
FasterChartTablePhoto

The LG 27GP950-B has an impressive response time at 60Hz. The various overdrive settings perform like at 120Hz, so the best setting is once again 'Normal' as it has the quickest response time and only has a minimal amount of overshoot.

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
No BFI
Maximum Frequency
N/A
Minimum Frequency
N/A
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
N/A
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
N/A
Pulse Width Control
No BFI
Pulse Phase Control
No BFI
Pulse Amplitude Control
No BFI
VRR At The Same Time
No BFI

Unfortunately, the LG 27GP950 doesn't have an option to introduce backlight strobing to improve motion clarity.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The backlight is completely flicker-free at all backlight settings, which is great, as it can help reduce eye strain during longer gaming sessions. There are a few reports online of random black screens while gaming, usually with VRR enabled. We've tried to reproduce this issue on our unit but weren't able to. It seems to vary between units and possibly indicates a defective unit.

Inputs
8.9
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
4.2 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
4.9 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
9.2 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
N/A

The LG 27GP950 has remarkably low input lag, resulting in a very responsive gaming experience. We encountered a strange issue during testing. For the overclock to work properly, Adaptive Sync has to be enabled in the OSD and on your PC. With VRR disabled on the PC, the monitor appears to actually be running at 80Hz and doubling every frame. This issue is only noticeable at the max refresh rate, even with the overclock enabled. The issue isn't there at a lower refresh rate, even if the overclock is still enabled. Running the overclock with VRR disabled causes the input lag to increase to 7.8ms.

9.0
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution
3840 x 2160
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Megapixels
8.3 MP
Pixel Density
164 PPI
Measured Screen Diagonal
27.0"
Screen Area
310 in²

The LG 27GP950-B has a large, high-resolution screen that's great for multitasking. It has a very high pixel density that delivers a sharp image with very clear text.

10
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

This monitor displays any signal from the PS5 without issue, including 4k @ 120Hz.

10
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The LG 27GP950-B doesn't have any issue with all common signals from the Xbox Series X. 1440p @ 60Hz has to be manually enabled from the Xbox because it isn't natively supported with the monitor, but it works as expected once you enable it.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.1)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
48Gbps (FRL 12x4)
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Audio In
No
3.5mm Microphone In
No

The LG UltraGear 27GP950 has two HDMI 2.1 ports that support the full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 of 48 Gbps. It has even higher bandwidth than some other HDMI 2.1 monitors like the Gigabyte M28U, so you can use any HDMI 2.1 compatible graphics card to achieve high-frame-rate signals, and you won't have to worry about whether or not it supports compression. This is particularly an advantage for PS5 owners because the console doesn't support compression, so it displays chroma 4:2:2 signals instead of 4:2:0, which results in clearer text.

Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
2
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
Yes
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Upstream
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Rated Speed
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Power Delivery
No USB-C Ports
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
No USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
No
Inputs
macOS Compatibility

When connected with a recent Mac computer, the LG 27GP950-B has a max refresh rate of 144Hz, but it can't be overclocked to 160Hz. There aren't any issues with the VRR and HDR support, and when you're not gaming and still have the VRR support enabled, the refresh rate stays at 144Hz. When waking up a MacBook from sleep, sometimes the windows would all move to the laptop, and other times it would stay on the monitor. Also, the default resolution is 1920 x 1080, so you need to adjust it to get a 4k resolution.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
RGB Illumination
Controllable
Multiple Input Display
PIP
KVM Switch
No

The LG 27GP950-B comes with a few extra features, including:

  • Crosshair: Adds a virtual crosshair, allows you to cheat in games that don't normally allow for crosshairs.
  • FPS Counter: Shows the current frame rate received from the source.
  • Black Stabilizer: Adjusts gamma to make it easier to spot objects/players in dark scenes without adjust bright scenes.
  • DAS (Dynamic Action Sync): Helps minimize input lag. This feature is enabled automatically when playing at the monitor's maximum refresh rate and can't be disabled.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)

The LG 27GP950 has a very similar interface to the other LG monitors we've tested recently. You can navigate most of the on-screen display using the joystick located under the bottom bezel of the monitor.

There's also a wheel controller that you can use to adjust the backlight setting. Note that some of the backlight settings require the LG Ultra Control Center software on your computer, and the monitor must be connected to your computer with the USB upstream cable (included) for the control software to work.