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LG 32UD99-W Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.1
Review updated Apr 20, 2020 at 12:04 pm
LG 32UD99-W Picture
7.8
Mixed Usage
8.0
Office
7.7
Gaming
7.8
Multimedia
8.1
Media Creation
6.9
HDR Gaming

The LG 32UD99-W is a good IPS monitor with a great 4k resolution, wide viewing angles, and an excellent low input lag. It supports FreeSync variable refresh rate technology but has very few additional gaming features, and some gamers will be disappointed by the limited 60Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR and displays a wide color gamut, but it's limited by the mediocre HDR peak brightness as it fails to bring out highlights.

Our Verdict

7.8 Mixed Usage

The LG 32UD99-W is a good monitor for most uses. It's a great office monitor thanks to its 32 inch, 4k screen, which is great for multitasking, and it has a sleek and modern style. Fast motion looks crisp thanks to the good response time, and it has an excellent low input lag. Unfortunately, some gamers will be disappointed by the 60Hz refresh rate. However, it has wide viewing angles, good for sharing your screen with others.

Pros
  • Image remains accurate at an angle.
  • Excellent low input lag.
  • Displays a wide color gamut.
Cons
  • Doesn't handle reflections well.
  • 60Hz refresh rate is limiting for gaming.
8.0 Office

The LG 32UD99-W is a great monitor for use in an office. It has a decent stand that has height and tilt adjustments, but can't swivel. The large, 32 inch screen and 4k resolution are perfect for multitasking and it has wide viewing angles if you need to share your screen. It can get bright enough to combat glare in most office environments, although its reflection handling is disappointing.

7.7 Gaming

Good for gaming. Although it's not designed to be a gaming monitor, the 32UD99-W offers an immersive gaming experience with its large size and 4k resolution. The 60Hz refresh rate might be too limiting for some serious gamers, but it has an incredibly low input lag and good response time.

7.8 Multimedia

The 32UD99-W is a very good monitor for multimedia. Fast motion looks good thanks to the good response time, and the high resolution is great for watching your favorite videos online. Unfortunately, it isn't the best monitor for dark room viewing due to the low contrast ratio and mediocre black uniformity. However, it has wide viewing angles if you want to watch videos with a friend.

8.1 Media Creation

The 32UD99-W is great for media creation. The 32 inch screen offers plenty of space to work on and the 4k resolution delivers a crisp image. Unfortunately, it doesn't handle reflections well in bright rooms, and it doesn't get bright enough to bring out highlights in HDR. However, it has an impressive gray uniformity, so solid colors on the screen will look good.

6.9 HDR Gaming

The 32UD99-W is decent for HDR gaming. It displays a wide color gamut, but can't get bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR. The 60Hz refresh rate might be too low for some gamers, but it has a low input lag and a good refresh rate.

  • 7.8 Mixed Usage
  • 8.0 Office
  • 7.7 Gaming
  • 7.8 Multimedia
  • 8.1 Media Creation
  • 6.9 HDR Gaming
  1. Updated Feb 17, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  2. Updated Jan 22, 2019: The 32UD99 was incorrectly listed as having two DisplayPort Connections, there is only one.
  3. Updated Jan 17, 2019: The Wide color gamut result was incorrect. The 32UD99 does have a wide color gamut.
  4. Updated Jan 17, 2019: We tested the monitor's compatibility with NVIDIA's new FreeSync driver. See our full investigation into NVIDIA's FreeSync Drivers here.
  5. Updated Sep 19, 2018: Review published.
  6. Updated Sep 17, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Sep 17, 2018: Early access published.
  8. Updated Sep 15, 2018: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  9. Updated Aug 30, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 32 inch LG 32UD99-W, which is the only model available. There are other 4k monitors available from LG, some of which are listed below. Note that these are different models with different capabilities.

Model Size Native Resolution Refresh rate Notes
32UD99-W 32" 4k 60Hz FreeSync, HDR
32UD59-B 32" 4k 60Hz FreeSync
27UD68P-B 27" 4k 60Hz FreeSync

Our unit was manufactured in July 2018 and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

Comparison picture

Left: LG 27UK650. Middle: LG 32UD99. Right: ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q.

The LG 32UD99-W is a great monitor with low input lag and wide viewing angles, and one of the best 4k monitors we've tested so far, but the added expense for the limited HDR support might not be worth it. See our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best monitors for MacBook Pro, and the best 32-inch monitors.

LG 32UL950-W

The LG 32UD99-W is slightly better than the LG 32UL950. Both offer very similar performance, but the 32UD99-W has a flicker-free backlight, which is great, and it has a slightly higher native contrast ratio. The 32UD99-W has a slightly better stand that is made of metal, and better build quality.

LG 32UD59-B

The LG 32UD99-W is much better than the LG 32UD59-B. The two monitors have a similar design, with a nearly identical frame and bezel, just a different color. The main difference between the two is due to the different panels; the UD59 uses a VA panel whereas the UD99 uses an IPS. The UD99 is brighter, has wider viewing angles, and supports HDR.

LG 32GK850G-B

The LG 32UD99-W is much better than the LG 32GK850G-B. The LG 32UD99 has better viewing angles due to its IPS panel and supports HDR and 4k resolution. On the other hand, the LG 32GK850G-B has a higher native contrast ratio that makes blacks look deep in a dark room. The 32G850G-B is also a better monitor for gaming since it has a faster pixel response time that only leaves a small blur trail, a faster refresh rate, and a lower input lag.

BenQ EW3270U

The LG 32UD99-W is much better than the BenQ EW3270U for most people, unless the deeper blacks of the BenQ due to the VA panel are of great importance. The LG 32UD99 has an IPS panel with significantly wider viewing angles, so you can share your work with your colleagues more easily. At the same time, the much better ergonomics allow you to position the monitor to your liking with ease.

Dell U3219Q

The LG 32UD99-W is somewhat better than the Dell U3219Q. The LG 32UD99-W is flicker-free and has better black uniformity, which is great for dark scenes. Also, the LG 32UD99-W supports FreeSync, which is great if you're a gamer. The Dell U3219Q, on the other hand, has much better ergonomics that allow you to place it comfortably with ease.

LG 27UK650-W

The LG 32UD99-W has very similar performance to the LG 27UK650-W. The LG 32UD99-W has a larger 32" screen that some people might find more comfortable to work on. The 32UD99-W also has a built-in USB hub and a USB-C port that supports power delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode.

ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q

The LG 32UD99-W is better than the ASUS ROG PG348Q for most uses. The LG is brighter, has better gradient handling, and supports HDR. The 32UD99 also has a better dark room performance, with much better black uniformity. The PG348Q and 32UD99-W have similar overall gaming performance, but the ASUS can be overclocked to a 100Hz refresh rate when connected with DisplayPort, and it supports NVIDIA G-SYNC instead of FreeSync.

Samsung CHG70

The LG 32UD99-W is a bit better than the Samsung CHG70, depending on your use. The Dell is better suited for office use thanks to the wider viewing angles and larger, higher resolution screen. The Samsung is better suited for gaming. It has better motion handling, mainly due to the faster 144Hz refresh rate, and it has an optional black frame insertion feature to further clear up motion. The Samsung CHG70 also has better HDR support, with a wide color gamut and much better color volume.

Dell U2718Q

The LG 32UD99-W is slightly better than the Dell U2718Q. The LG has better HDR support, with a better color gamut and much better HDR color volume. The LG handles motion better, with a flicker-free backlight as well as FreeSync VRR support. The Dell, on the other hand, has a better stand that can easily be adjusted to an optimal viewing position.

Samsung C34J791/CJ791

The LG 32UD99-W is significantly better than the Samsung C34J791/CJ791 for most people in the majority of uses. The LG has better viewing angles, due to the IPS panel, better ergonomics, can get brighter, supports HDR, and has a 4k resolution. The Samsung CJ791 has a VA panel and slightly better blacks. It also has a faster refresh rate, a lower input lag, and a curve profile for those who like it.

Dell UltraSharp U2721DE

The LG 32UD99-W is much better than the Dell UltraSharp U2721DE for most people. The LG has a larger, higher-resolution screen, which is much better for multitasking, and it delivers sharper text. The LG also supports HDR and is a more versatile monitor thanks to a few dedicated gaming features. On the other hand, the Dell has much better reflection handling, making it a better choice for a bright office.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Size 32"
Curved No
Curve Radius Not Curved
Weight (without stand)
14.3 lbs (6.5 kg)
Weight (with stand)
18.5 lbs (8.4 kg)

Much like the 27UK650, the 32UD99-W has a sleek and modern design with an all-white back that fits nicely into an office environment.

Design
Stand
Width
15.7" (39.9 cm)
Depth
10.8" (27.4 cm)

The stand is large, and the curved shape prevents you from placing larger objects directly in front of the monitor. The monitor wobbles significantly, even typing on a nearby keyboard causes the screen to shake noticeably. It's slightly better than the LG 32UL950.

6.2
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
4.3" (10.9 cm)
Switch Portrait/Landscape Yes, Clockwise
Swivel Range No swivel
Tilt Range -20Ā° to 5Ā°

Decent ergonomics. The stand allows you to adjust the height of the monitor, and it can tilt a bit. The monitor can also be adjusted from a portrait to landscape orientation, but the stand doesn't swivel.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 100x100

The back is a uniform glossy white finish. There's a small loop for cable management, but it isn't very effective at keeping a clean desk.

Design
Borders
Borders
0.3" (0.8 cm)

The 32UD99-W has thin borders that are good if you plan on mounting it in a multimonitor setup.

Design
Thickness
Thickness (with stand)
7.3" (18.5 cm)
Thickness (without stand)
1.7" (4.3 cm)

Like other LG monitors, the monitor itself is quite thin, but it gets much thicker with the stand attached.

6.5
Design
Build Quality

Update 01/07/2020: We have seen a few reports of increasing light bleed from the corners over time. Some people have seen this start even 1-2 years after receiving their unit. We haven't noticed this on ours.

Decent build quality. The entire monitor including the stand is made out of plastic.

Picture Quality
6.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,613 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
N/A

Decent contrast ratio, but it's one of the best for an IPS panel that we've seen so far.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Edge

There's no local dimming feature. The video above is provided for reference only.

8.0
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene
352 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 2% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 10% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 25% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 50% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 100% Window
363 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
364 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
363 cd/mĀ²
SDR ABL
0.000

Very good SDR brightness. The LG 32UD99-W maintains consistent brightness across all scenes. This is almost the same as the LG 27UK650.

6.3
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene
312 cd/mĀ²
HDR Peak 2% Window
415 cd/mĀ²
HDR Peak 10% Window
394 cd/mĀ²
HDR Peak 25% Window
414 cd/mĀ²
HDR Peak 50% Window
403 cd/mĀ²
HDR Peak 100% Window
528 cd/mĀ²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
330 cd/mĀ²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
331 cd/mĀ²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
332 cd/mĀ²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
332 cd/mĀ²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
330 cd/mĀ²
HDR ABL
0.000

Mediocre HDR peak brightness. It doesn't get bright enough to bring out highlights and make colors pop, and it doesn't remain consistent when different types of content flash across the screen.

7.9
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
43Ā°
Color Washout From Right
42Ā°
Color Shift From Left
53Ā°
Color Shift From Right
55Ā°
Brightness Loss From Left
46Ā°
Brightness Loss From Right
46Ā°
Black Level Raise From Left
70Ā°
Black Level Raise From Right
70Ā°
Gamma Shift From Left
42Ā°
Gamma Shift From Right
42Ā°

As is the case with most IPS panel monitors, the 32UD99-W has good horizontal viewing angles. This is good if you need to share your screen with coworkers or friends.

7.3
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
32Ā°
Color Washout From Above
32Ā°
Color Shift From Below
43Ā°
Color Shift From Above
48Ā°
Brightness Loss From Below
34Ā°
Brightness Loss From Above
35Ā°
Black Level Raise From Below
70Ā°
Black Level Raise From Above
70Ā°
Gamma Shift From Below
41Ā°
Gamma Shift From Above
42Ā°

The 32UD99-W has alright vertical viewing angles. The screen may appear darker at the edges if you sit close to it, but this shouldn't be a problem for most people.

8.4
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.675%
50% DSE
0.119%
5% Std. Dev.
0.391%
5% DSE
0.061%

Impressive gray uniformity. There's almost no visible dirty screen effect in the center, which is great for browsing the web or playing sports games. The edges of the screen are a bit darker than the rest of the screen, but this shouldn't bother most people.

6.4
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
1.696%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

Update 01/07/2020: We have seen a few reports of increasing light bleed from the corners over time. Some people have seen this start even 1-2 years after receiving their unit. We haven't noticed this on ours.

Mediocre black uniformity. There's visible clouding throughout. This is most noticeable when viewed in the dark.

7.0
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
Picture Mode
Photo
Luminance
361 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
18
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Controls
50-50-50
Gamma Setting
Mode 2
Color Temperature
6,680 K
White Balance dE
3.01
Color dE
3.82
Gamma
2.09

Okay out-of-box color accuracy. Most of the colors will be inaccurate, but the color temperature is somewhat close to the 6500K target. That gamma curve doesn't follow the target very well, so most scenes will appear brighter than intended.

9.6
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
Picture Mode
Custom
Luminance
98 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
18
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Controls
51-53-47
Gamma Setting
Mode 2
Color Temperature
6,543 K
White Balance dE
0.65
Color dE
0.51
Gamma
2.19

Excellent accuracy after calibration. Color accuracy is nearly perfect and the gamma follows the target almost perfectly. Also, the color temperature is extremely close to the 6500K target.

You can download our ICC profile calibration here. We don't recommend using this profile, as the calibration values vary per individual unit, even for the same model, due to manufacturing tolerances.

9.2
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB xy
99.5%
Adobe RGB xy
83.5%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Photo

Excellent SDR color gamut. It has near-perfect coverage of the standard sRGB color gamut. Photo editors will be happy with the great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing.

9.3
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
97.7%
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
88.0%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Photo

Excellent SDR color volume. The LG 32UD99-W displays most colors well, but can't display very bright blues or very dark colors, which are both normal for an IPS monitor.

7.5
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
83.3%
Rec. 2020 xy
66.4%
DCI P3 Picture Mode
HDR Standard
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Standard

Good HDR color gamut. Great coverage of the more common DCI P3 color gamut, but the wider Rec. 2020 coverage is only decent, but it still has a wide color gamut. The Samsung CHG70 has a wider color gamut.

6.7
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
72.3%
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
60.8%
DCI P3 Picture Mode
HDR Standard
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
HDR Standard

Decent HDR color volume. The color volume is limited by low contrast ratio, as it can't produce dark colors.

9.8
Picture Quality
Image Retention
IR After 0 Min Recovery
0.07%
IR After 2 Min Recovery
0.00%
IR After 4 Min Recovery
0.00%
IR After 6 Min Recovery
0.00%
IR After 8 Min Recovery
0.00%
IR After 10 Min Recovery
0.00%

As with most VA panels, there are no issues with temporary image retention or permanent burn-in.

9.7
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

Outstanding gradient performance. There's some banding in the darker shades, although most people won't notice this under normal circumstances.

10
Picture Quality
Color Bleed
Pixel Row Error
0.001%
Pixel Column Error
0.000%

There's no visible sign of color bleed on the 32UD99-W.

5.8
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
8.4%
Indirect Reflections
4.1%
Calculated Direct Reflections
4.3%

Disappointing reflection handling. The matte finish struggles a bit to handle light even in average-lit rooms, and the reflections might be too distracting in bright rooms.

9.5
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
IPS
Sub-Pixel Layout
RGB

Text is exceptionally clear on the 32UD99-W. It isn't necessary to enable ClearType, but if you do, text is extremely sharp, as seen on the top photo.

Motion
7.5
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
7.9 ms
Total Response Time
17.2 ms
Overshoot Error
3.4%
Dark Rise / Fall Time
8.9 ms
Dark Total Response Time
15.8 ms
Dark Overshoot Error
2.3%

Overdrive Setting Response Time Chart Response Time Tables Motion Blur Photo
Off Chart Table Photo
Slow Chart Table Photo
Normal Chart Table Photo
Fast Chart Table Photo

Good response time. The best Overdrive setting is 'Normal'. There's a bit of overshoot in most transitions. With the 'Fast' setting, there's slightly more overshoot but not much improvement in response time.

7.5
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
7.9 ms
Total Response Time
17.2 ms
Overshoot Error
3.4%
Dark Rise / Fall Time
8.9 ms
Dark Total Response Time
15.8 ms
Dark Overshoot Error
2.3%

Overdrive Setting Response Time Chart Response Time Tables Motion Blur Photo
Off Chart Table Photo
Slow Chart Table Photo
Normal Chart Table Photo
Fast Chart Table Photo

Since the max refresh rate is 60Hz, the recommended Overdrive setting is once again 'Normal', although there's some overshoot in most transitions.

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

The 32UD99-W is flicker-free at all backlight settings, which helps reduce eye strain.

0
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
No
BFI Maximum Frequency
N/A
BFI Minimum Frequency
N/A

There's no black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion blur.

7.4
Motion
Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
FreeSync
Native
60 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Partially Compatible
VRR Maximum
60 Hz
VRR Minimum
40 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors DisplayPort, HDMI

Alright refresh rate. The native refresh rate of 60Hz can go as low as 40Hz using FreeSync VRR technology, which can be used over DisplayPort or HDMI.

Inputs
9.0
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution
8.9 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
8.9 ms
Variable Refresh Rate
9.4 ms
Variable Refresh Rate @ 60Hz
9.4 ms
10 Bit HDR
9.0 ms
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
N/A

Excellent low input lag on the 32UD99-W, and it only slightly increases with VRR enabled, which is great.

9.2
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution 3840 x 2160
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Megapixels 8.3 MP
Pixel Density
138 PPI
Screen Diagonal 31.7"
Screen Area 432 inĀ²

The LG 32UD99-W has an excellent 4k resolution and large 32 inch screen. This is great for multitasking or for a more immersive gaming experience.

Inputs
Inputs
Inputs
Total Inputs
DisplayPort 1 (DP 1.2)
Mini DisplayPort No
HDMI 2 (HDMI 2.0)
DVI No
VGA No
DisplayPort Out No
USB 2 (USB 3.0)
USB C 1 (USB, USB PD, DP Alt Mode)
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
Microphone In 3.5mm No
Digital Optical Audio Out No
Analog Audio Out RCA No
Power Supply External Brick

There's a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, which allows you to display the image from a compatible device on the screen and at the same time charge the connected device with only one cable.

Features
Features
Additional Features
RGB Illumination
No
Speakers
Yes
HDR10 Yes
Multiple Input Display
PBP

The 32UD99-W has integrated speakers, and it supports HDR10. The included LG Screen Split 2.0 software can be used to simulate multiple virtual screens on the display or to enable picture-in-picture.

There are a few additional features that are typically found on most LG monitors, including:

  • Super Resolution+: An upscaling feature that tries to improve upscaling quality.
  • Black Stabilizer: Improves black shades without affecting white shades.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)
Features
Controls

The monitor's settings can be controlled using the same joystick control found on most LG monitors. It's extremely easy to use and very responsive.

Features
In The Box

  • Color calibration report
  • USB-C to USB-A adapter cable
  • DisplayPort cable
  • HDMI cable
  • Manuals and drivers