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LG 38WN95C-W Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Sep 21, 2020 at 08:32 am
Latest change: Writing modified Feb 01, 2023 at 04:26 pm
LG 38WN95C-W Picture
7.9
Mixed Usage
7.8
Office
8.4
Gaming
7.5
Media Consumption
8.0
Media Creation
7.0
HDR

The LG 38WN95C-W is a great ultrawide, curved screen monitor with an IPS panel. It has a ton of features aimed at improving your workflow at the office. It has a Picture-by-Picture mode, allowing you to display images from two input sources at once. Its Thunderbolt 3 support lets you display an image from a compatible device and charge it at the same time, and provides higher bandwidth and power delivery compared to a DisplayPort Alt Mode connection. Its uncommon 3840x1600 packs in more vertical pixels, allowing you to see crisp, detailed images. Despite being mainly designed for the office, it's packed with gaming perks, such as FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, G-SYNC compatibility, a remarkable response time, and low input lag. It gets very bright and makes highlights pop in HDR, but doesn't perform very well in a dark room. Its low contrast ratio means blacks appear closer to gray, and it has a terrible local dimming feature.

Our Verdict

7.9 Mixed Usage

The LG 38WN95C-W is a great overall monitor. It's very good for office use or watching content, because it gets bright enough to combat glare, has wide viewing angles, and displays a wide color gamut. It's impressive for gaming due to its extremely quick response time, incredibly low input lag, and FreeSync support. HDR content looks good as it gets bright enough to bring out highlights, but it has a low contrast ratio and the local dimming feature is terrible.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Gets very bright.
  • Remarkable response time.
  • High resolution.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • Terrible local dimming feature.
7.8 Office

The LG 38WN95C-W is very good for office use. The 38 inch, 3840x1600 screen provides enough space for you to open multiple windows at once. It gets bright enough to combat glare, but the reflections may be too distracting if it's placed opposite a window. Even though the stand doesn't offer much in terms of ergonomics, it has wide viewing angles, making it easier to share your screen with others.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Gets very bright.
  • Thunderbolt 3 support.
Cons
  • Disappointing ergonomics.
  • Struggles with direct sunlight.
8.4 Gaming

The LG 38WN95C-W is impressive for gaming. It's packed with gaming features such as FreeSync support, G-SYNC compatibility, low input lag, and a remarkable response time. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a Black Frame Insertion feature to improve the appearance of motion. The low contrast ratio means it's not ideal for dark-room gaming. However, it has wide viewing angles, great for co-op gaming.

Pros
  • VRR support.
  • Remarkable response time.
  • Incredibly low input lag.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
7.5 Media Consumption

The LG 38WN95C-W is very good for multimedia use. Its 3840x1600 resolution allows you to watch high-resolution videos online, and the wide viewing angles means you can easily watch content with friends. Unfortunately, it has a low contrast ratio, so blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark. Fortunately, it performs well in bright environments because it gets bright enough to combat glare.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Gets very bright.
  • High resolution.
Cons
  • Disappointing ergonomics.
  • Low contrast ratio.
8.0 Media Creation

Great for media creation. The LG 38WN95C-W's high resolution allows you to see images in fine detail. It has excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing, and it displays a wide color gamut for HDR content. It has limited ergonomics, so it may be difficult to place in an ideal position, but it has wide viewing angles if you need to share your screen with others.

Pros
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Gets very bright.
  • Thunderbolt 3 support.
  • Exceptional gradient handling.
Cons
  • Disappointing ergonomics.
  • Low contrast ratio.
7.0 HDR

The LG 38WN95C-W is decent for HDR. It displays a wide range of colors in HDR for a life-like image and gets bright enough to make highlights stand out thanks to its great peak brightness. However, it struggles in dark rooms because of its low native contrast ratio, and while it has a local dimming feature, it performs terribly.

Pros
  • Gets very bright.
  • Exceptional gradient handling.
  • High resolution.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio.
  • Terrible local dimming feature.
  • 7.9 Mixed Usage
  • 7.8 Office
  • 8.4 Gaming
  • 7.5 Media Consumption
  • 8.0 Media Creation
  • 7.0 HDR
  1. Updated Feb 01, 2023: Added text in the macOS Compatibility and Console Compatibility boxes and clarified text throughout as part of Test Bench 1.2.
  2. Updated Feb 01, 2023: 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.
  3. Updated Sep 21, 2020: Review published.
  4. Updated Sep 15, 2020: Early access published.
  5. Updated Aug 31, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Aug 31, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Aug 24, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the LG 38WN95C-W, which is the only size available for this monitor. If you have this monitor and it's different from ours, let us know and we'll update the review.

Note that some tests, such as gray uniformity, may vary between units. Our unit was manufactured in May 2020, and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The LG 38WN95C-W is a great ultrawide monitor that's very versatile. It's great for office use, and if you want to game with it after work, it provides all of the gaming features you need. It's also one of the brightest we've seen in HDR, which is a nice touch. However, it's the same price as some larger TVs, and if you don't need all of its extra features, there are cheaper ultrawide options out there, like the Dell U3818DW. Also see our recommendations for the best ultrawide monitors, the best 34-49 inch monitors, and the best office monitors.

Dell Alienware AW3821DW

The LG 38WN95C-W and the Dell AW3821DW are each very good overall monitors. They're both 38 inch models with a 3840x1600 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. The LG is mainly designed for office use, but it's slightly better than the Dell for gaming because it has a quicker response time, resulting in clearer motion. It's also slightly better for HDR gaming because it gets much brighter in HDR. However, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, the Dell may be a better choice for you because it has native G-SYNC support.

LG 38GL950G-B

The LG 38WN95C-W and the LG 38GL950G-B are similar-performing monitors aimed at different uses. The 38WN95C-W is an office monitor that supports Thunderbolt 3 and has built-in speakers. It also gets brighter in HDR, displays a wider color gamut, and has better ergonomics. However, the 38GL950G-B is a gaming monitor with native G-SYNC support, a 175Hz refresh rate, and quicker response time at 60Hz.

LG 38GN950-B

Although the LG 38GN950-B and the LG 38WN95C-W are very different in their outer design, they're actually quite similar. The main difference is that the 38GN950-B's 144Hz refresh rate can be overclocked up to 160Hz. The 38GN950-B has a better HDR color gamut and volume, and it gets a bit brighter overall. The 38WN95C-W has a few more features, like a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support and built-in speakers.

LG 40WP95C-W

The LG 38WN95C-W is more versatile than the LG 40WP95C-W, but if you're a professional content creator, the 40WP95C-W is a better choice. The 38WN95C-W has a much higher refresh rate, better motion handling, and it's a lot brighter, so it's a better choice for gaming or watching videos. The 40WP95C-W is better for media creators or office users as it has a much higher native resolution and better text clarity, as well as better connectivity.

Dell U3818DW

The LG 38WN95C-W is much better than the Dell U3818DW. The LG gets much brighter, supports HDR, displays a wider color gamut, and it has more gaming features like VRR support and a 144Hz refresh rate. However, the Dell has better ergonomics, has better color accuracy, and there two more USB ports.

LG 34GN850-B

The LG 38WN95C-W is slightly better overall than the LG 34GN850-B. The 38WN95C-W gets much brighter, it has wider viewing angles, supports Thunderbolt 3, has built-in speakers, and it's bigger. However, the 34GN850-B has a higher refresh rate, quicker response time, and better reflection handling.

Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx

Overall, the LG 38WN95C-W is slightly better than the Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx, mainly due to its faster response time, higher peak brightness, and better HDR color gamut. However, the Acer has significantly better ergonomics and reflection handling, and a Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur.

LG 35WN65C-B

The LG 38WN95C-W and the LG 35WN65C-B are both ultrawide office monitors, but they have a few differences. The 38WN95C-W has many more features like a USB-C input and a higher resolution with a bigger screen. It also gets much brighter, making it the better choice to use in a well-lit room. The 38WN95C-W also has wider viewing angles, making it ideal for sharing your screen with others as the image remains accurate from the sides.

Dell UltraSharp U4021QW

The LG 38WN95C-W and the Dell UltraSharp U4021QW are both ultrawide monitors with different advantages and disadvantages. The LG is better for gaming, as it has a much faster response time for clear motion, lower input lag, 144Hz refresh rate, and VRR support. The Dell, however, is a bit bigger, and its 5120x2160 resolution delivers an incredibly crisp image and exceptional text clarity that may appeal to some despite its lack of extra bells and whistles.

LG 49WL95C-W

The LG 38WN95C-W is better overall than the LG 49WL95C-W. The 38WN95C-W gets much brighter, it has more accurate colors, and it has more gaming features like VRR support and much quicker response time. However, the 49WL95C-W has a bigger 32:9 aspect ratio, it has two more USB inputs, and has much better reflection handling.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
Yes
Curve Radius
2300R

The LG 38WN95C-W is a curved screen, ultrawide monitor that looks a lot like the LG 49WL95C-W. It has a gray arc-shaped stand that's very wide, but you can still place stuff in front of it. The back of the monitor is white, while the bezels in front are black, and it should look good in any office environment. It feels well-built, but the monitor does wobble quite easily.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

Good build quality. The LG 38WN95C-W is made of good-quality plastic that feels solid, and the stand holds it well. The screen wobbles quite easily, and it even tilts a bit to the left and right. We don't know if this is an issue with our unit or a common problem. If you have this monitor, let us know in the discussions.

6.3
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
4.3" (11.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-15° to 2.5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
-20° to 20°
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

It has mediocre ergonomics, which is typical of LG's office monitors. It has a fairly narrow tilt and swivel range, and as expected from an ultrawide, you can't rotate it into portrait mode.

It has a plain, white back panel. There's a quick-release button if you need to remove the stand to VESA-mount it. Also, there's a hook on the stand for cable management.

Design
Stand
Base Width
21.7" (55.2 cm)
Base Depth
11.1" (28.2 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
9.0" (22.8 cm)
Weight (With Display)
18.5 lbs (8.4 kg)

The monitor has a wide arc-shaped stand. It's big, but there's still space in front to put stuff like a keyboard. It's well-made and supports it well.

Design
Display
Size
38"
Housing Width
35.4" (89.8 cm)
Housing Height
15.7" (39.9 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
3.8" (9.6 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
14.3 lbs (6.5 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.4" (1.1 cm)
Design
Controls

There's a single joystick control underneath the center of the LG 38WN95C-W that allows you to control the on-screen menu.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
External Brick

  • Thunderbolt cable
  • HDMI cable
  • DisplayPort cable
  • Power supply and cable
  • User manual and driver

Picture Quality
5.8
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
898 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
918 : 1

The LG 38WN95C-W has a disappointing contrast ratio, which is expected from an IPS panel. Blacks appear closer to gray when viewed in the dark, and the local dimming feature doesn't improve it very much.

1.5
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Edge

Like most monitors, the LG 38WN95C-W has a terrible edge-lit local dimming feature. The lighting zones are very large, so zone transitions are easy to see. If there's a bright object on the screen in real content, most of the zones light up, and it doesn't look good. If a single zone lights up in a completely dark scene, it causes a distracting flicker.

8.4
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
447 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
475 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
476 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
476 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
477 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
477 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
474 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
476 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
475 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
476 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
476 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000
Minimum Brightness
80 cd/m²

The LG 38WN95C-W has impressive brightness in SDR, and it's a lot brighter than the LG 40WP95C-W. It easily gets bright enough to combat glare, and its brightness remains very consistent with different content, which is great.

We measured peak brightness after calibration with Local Dimming on.

8.1
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
DisplayHDR 600
Real Scene
711 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
719 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
692 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
695 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
696 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
696 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
718 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
520 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
521 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
521 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
522 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.020

The LG 38WN95C-W has great peak brightness in HDR. It gets bright enough to truly bring out highlights in HDR. Its EOTF also follows the target PQ curve very well until there's a slow roll-off at the peak brightness, meaning it preserves bright details well.

We measured HDR brightness in the 'Custom' Picture Mode with Local Dimming on.

7.8
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
42°
Color Washout From Right
41°
Color Shift From Left
51°
Color Shift From Right
53°
Brightness Loss From Left
47°
Brightness Loss From Right
46°
Black Level Raise From Left
70°
Black Level Raise From Right
70°
Gamma Shift From Left
39°
Gamma Shift From Right
36°

Good horizontal viewing angle, which is expected from an IPS panel. The image remains accurate when viewing from the sides, which is ideal if you need to share your screen with others.

7.2
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
31°
Color Washout From Above
32°
Color Shift From Below
41°
Color Shift From Above
43°
Brightness Loss From Below
34°
Brightness Loss From Above
35°
Black Level Raise From Below
70°
Black Level Raise From Above
70°
Gamma Shift From Below
42°
Gamma Shift From Above
41°

Decent vertical viewing angle. The image remains fairly accurate if you mount it above eye-level.

7.5
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.761%
50% DSE
0.165%

The LG 38WN95C-W has good gray uniformity. The edges of the screen are a bit darker, but there's no visible dirty screen effect in the center, which is great. Uniformity is much better in near-dark scenes.

6.4
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
1.724%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
1.614%

This monitor has mediocre black uniformity. There's clouding throughout the entire screen and some backlight bleed along the top and bottom edges, especially near the bottom-right corner. The local dimming feature doesn't really improve the uniformity.

8.4
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
104.0%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
2.67
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,676 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.17
Color dE (Avg.)
2.46
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Settings
Default
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
35
Measured Brightness
130 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The LG 38WN95C-W has impressive accuracy before calibration. It has a dedicated sRGB mode that locks the colors to the sRGB color space so that they aren't oversaturated. The white balance is good, and the color temperature is very close to the 6500K target. Gamma is also good, but it's too dark for dark scenes and too bright in bright scenes.

Unfortunately, the sRGB mode locks many settings, including the Response Time and Color Adjust settings. If you want to keep those enabled, you need to use another picture mode that has oversaturated colors.

9.8
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Custom
sRGB Gamut Area xy
100.4%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.53
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,507 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.19
Color dE (Avg.)
0.31
Contrast Setting
70
RGB Settings
50-50-48
Gamma Setting
Mode 2
Brightness Setting
3
Measured Brightness
100 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

After calibration, it has remarkable color accuracy. Any remaining color and white balance inaccuracies aren't visible to the naked eye. Gamma is slightly below the target of 2.2, so some scenes are still brighter than expected.

9.5
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
100.0%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
85.6%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom

Outstanding SDR color gamut. The LG 38WN95C-W has full coverage of the sRGB color space used in most content, and it has excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing.

9.6
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
97.0%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
89.6%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom

The LG 38WN95C-W has a superb color volume. It displays colors at a wide range of luminance levels, but due to its low contrast ratio, it has trouble displaying dark, saturated colors.

8.7
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
94.1%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Custom
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
69.4%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Custom

The HDR color gamut is excellent. This monitor has impressive coverage of the commonly-used DCI-P3 color space and okay coverage of the wider Rec. 2020.

8.2
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
83.9%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Custom
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
67.8%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Custom

Good HDR color volume. Due to its wide color gamut, it can display a wide range of colors; however, it can't display dark colors well because of the low contrast ratio.

6.9
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
6.4%
Indirect Reflections
3.4%
Calculated Direct Reflections
3.0%

The LG 38WN95C-W has okay reflection handling. It performs exceptional well in moderately-lit rooms, but really struggles with direct sunlight on it.

7.5
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
IPS
Subpixel Layout
RGB

Good text clarity. It can be improved by enabling ClearType (top photo). This helps the appearance of the diagonal and curved lines as seen on the letters R, N, G, and S. For a monitor with exceptional text clarity, see the Dell UltraSharp U4021QW.

9.9
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

Exceptional gradient handling. There are no signs of banding, which is fantastic for HDR content.

Motion
8.3
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
75 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
120 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
30 Hz

You can only reach this monitor's max refresh rate with a DisplayPort connection due to bandwidth limitations over HDMI.

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

The LG 38WN95C-W has native FreeSync support, and it's certified by NVIDIA to be G-SYNC compatible with a DisplayPort connection. Over HDMI the minimum refresh rate is 48Hz and only FreeSync works.

9.0
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
3.9 ms
Total Response Time
7.1 ms
Overshoot Error
0.3%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
4.9 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
9.0 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
3.0%

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

This monitor has a remarkable response time at its max refresh rate of 144Hz. Motion looks very smooth and there's hardly any motion blur. The recommended overdrive setting is 'Normal' because it has a faster total response time and less overshoot than 'Fast'.

8.9
Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
3.9 ms
Total Response Time
7.4 ms
Overshoot Error
0.9%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
4.8 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
10.8 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
7.2%

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

The response time at 120Hz remains extremely quick. Once again the recommended overdrive setting is 'Normal' as 'Fast' has more overshoot.

8.1
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
3.9 ms
Total Response Time
11.5 ms
Overshoot Error
2.4%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
4.8 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
21.6 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
13.1%

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

The LG 38WN95C-W has a great response time at 60Hz. The 'Normal' overdrive setting remains the recommended one because 'Fast' has a lot more overshoot at 60Hz. This means you can use 'Normal' as a set-and-forget mode if the frame rate of your game drops.

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

The LG 38WN95C-W doesn't have a backlight strobing feature, even though LG advertises that it has Motion Blur Reduction.

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

The backlight is completely flicker-free, which helps reduce eye strain.

Inputs
8.9
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
4.1 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
5.1 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
9.3 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
N/A

The LG 38WN95C-W has amazing low input lag for a responsive feel while gaming.

8.6
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution
3840 x 1600
Aspect Ratio
21:9
Megapixels
6.1 MP
Pixel Density
111 PPI
Measured Screen Diagonal
37.5"
Screen Area
498 in²

The LG 38WN95C-W has an excellent and uncommon 3840x1600 resolution. It has about the same pixel density as a 34-inch 1440p monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio, such as the LG 34GN850-B. This screen provides you enough space to open multiple windows at once, and it delivers crisp images.

6.0
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
No
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
No

The LG 38WN95C-W doesn't support all common resolutions from the PS5. Only 1440p works with 120Hz signals, even if you set your resolution to 4k, and 4k @ 120Hz doesn't work due to bandwidth limitations. If you want to play 4k @ 60Hz games, you have to disable 120Hz first. Because the PS5 doesn't support ultrawide gaming, you'll see black bars on the sides.

9.2
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

Unlike with the PS5, this monitor doesn't have many issues with the Xbox Series X. 1440p @ 120Hz and 1080p @ 60Hz only work with the manual HDMI Override, which also displays VRR. However, VRR and HDR work without issue with 4k @ 60Hz. Because the Xbox doesn't support ultrawide gaming, you'll see black bars on the sides.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.0)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
No HDMI 2.1
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Audio In
No
3.5mm Microphone In
No
Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
2
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
No
USB-C Ports
1
USB-C Upstream
Yes
USB-C Rated Speed
40Gbps (USB4)
USB-C Power Delivery
90W
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
Yes
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt 3

The LG 38WN95C-W has a USB-C input that supports Thunderbolt 3, allowing you display an image from a compatible device and charge it at the same time. Thunderbolt 3 has a higher power delivery and bandwidth than a DisplayPort Alt Mode connection. If you need higher bandwidth or support for daisy chaining, check out the LG 40WP95C-W instead.

Inputs
macOS Compatibility

The LG 38WN95C-W works well with recent M1 MacBooks over its USB-C connection. You can close the lid of the laptop and continue working on the monitor, and there aren't any issues when opening the lid again. HDR looks okay, but it doesn't get very bright. Unfortunately, VRR doesn't work with the USB-C connection, so you need to connect to it via DisplayPort for VRR to work. However, using that connection also causes stutter with low-frame-rate signals.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
Yes
RGB Illumination
No
Multiple Input Display
PBP
KVM Switch
No

This monitor has built-in speakers and supports Picture-by-Picture mode, allowing to display images from two input sources at once. It also includes the following features:

  • Super Resolution Plus: Upscales lower-resolution content.
  • Auto Brightness: Automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen based on the brightness of the room.
  • Low Blue Light: Removes blue light to help reduce eye strain.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)