The LG OLED Flex is a 42-inch TV that's also popular to use as a monitor. It's a new model that's part of LG's 2023 OLED lineup, and its main feature is its customizable curve on the screen that you can set from a flat display up until a 900R curve. This provides versatility for when you want to sit back and watch a movie or if you want to sit up close for gaming and bring the edges more within your field of vision. As it's a TV, it has features most monitors don't have, like an α9 Gen 5 AI Processor 4K processor, webOS smart platform, and eARC for audio passthrough. Because of this, it's also missing some things you normally find on monitors, like a DisplayPort connection and a higher refresh rate, but with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it can still take full advantage of current-gen gaming consoles.
We also tested the same display on a TV, and you can read the full review here. However, the results aren't comparable between the two reviews because of our different testing methodologies, and we also tested it with different settings for each review.
Our Verdict
The LG 42 OLED Flex is excellent for most uses. Thanks to its outstanding motion handling, low input lag, and extra features, including HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it's an amazing gaming monitor. It's also fantastic for watching content in SDR or HDR as it displays a wide range of colors and makes them look accurate, and it displays deep and inky blacks when you're using it in a dark room. While it's good enough for productivity and content creation, there are some limitations as it's prone to burn-in, so exposure to the same static elements over time can damage the screen.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Exceptional reflection handling.
- HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming.
- Perfect black levels.
- Large 42-inch screen with a customizable curve.
- Limited ergonomics; can't take screen off stand.
- OLEDs are prone to burn-in.
- Low SDR peak brightness in PC mode.
The LG 42 OLED Flex is decent to use as an office monitor, but it isn't suggested. OLEDs like this one are prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, which can be problematic with UI elements like taskbars or icons on the screen all day. However, for occasional productivity, it has wide viewing angles and exceptional reflection handling, but it doesn't get bright enough in SDR to fight intense glare when in PC mode.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Exceptional reflection handling.
- Decent text clarity.
- Limited ergonomics; can't take screen off stand.
- OLEDs are prone to burn-in.
- Low SDR peak brightness in PC mode.
The LG 42 OLED Flex is an amazing gaming monitor. Its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth lets you take full advantage of current-gen gaming consoles, but because it doesn't have a very high refresh rate or doesn't have a DisplayPort connection, there are some limitations for PC gamers. Luckily, it has a near-instantaneous response time for smooth motion, low input lag, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing. It's also fantastic for dark room gaming thanks to its deep blacks and perfect black uniformity.
- Near-instantaneous response time.
- HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming.
- Low input lag.
- Perfect black levels.
- Large 42-inch screen with a customizable curve.
- No DisplayPort connection.
The LG 42 OLED Flex is fantastic for media consumption. Its 42-inch, 4k screen is great for watching content with others and has wide viewing angles. Its built-in smart platform lets you easily stream content without needing a PC, and it has extra processing features most monitors don't have. Lastly, it delivers excellent picture quality thanks to its deep blacks, accurate colors, and bright highlights.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Perfect black levels.
- Wide range of accurate colors.
- Large 42-inch screen with a customizable curve.
- Low SDR peak brightness in PC mode.
The LG 42 OLED Flex is good for content creators but has some limitations. As OLEDs are prone to burn-in, leaving static elements from your editing software on the screen all the time can eventually damage the panel. However, it still displays a wide range of accurate colors in SDR, and its wide viewing angles ensure that the image remains consistent no matter where you view it from. However, it has limited ergonomics, so moving the screen to share it with a coworker or client can be difficult.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Exceptional reflection handling.
- Wide range of accurate colors.
- Large 42-inch screen with a customizable curve.
- Limited ergonomics; can't take screen off stand.
- OLEDs are prone to burn-in.
- Low SDR peak brightness in PC mode.
The LG 42 OLED Flex is incredible for HDR. It has good peak brightness as small highlights stand out, and it displays most content at the brightness that the creator intended. It also displays a wide range of colors in HDR, and they look vivid thanks to its great color volume. It displays deep and inky blacks due to its near-infinite contrast ratio, and it has perfect black uniformity, making it a fantastic choice for watching HDR content in dark rooms.
- Perfect black levels.
- Wide range of accurate colors.
- Large 42-inch screen with a customizable curve.
- Good HDR peak brightness.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 28, 2023: Added a mention of the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 in Style to clarify that the curving mechanics are manual.
- Updated Jun 09, 2023: Added in Ergonomics that the Samsung Odyssey Ark S55BG970 is another curved monitor that can be rotated into portrait mode.
- Updated May 12, 2023: Review published.
- Updated May 04, 2023: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 42-inch LG OLED Flex as a monitor and tested the same unit as a TV, which you can read the full review for here. It's only available in this size, and no other variants exist. Remember that the full model code, particularly the last three letters, can change between regions and retailers.
| US Model Code | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42LX3QPUA | 42" | OLED | 4k | 0-900R |
Our unit was manufactured in January 2023; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The LG 42 OLED Flex is an amazing gaming monitor that combines the best of both worlds from gaming TVs and monitors. Its bendable screen provides versatility for when you want to sit back and watch a movie or when you want to get close and game on it. However, it's very expensive and isn't worth getting unless it goes on sale because you can get other OLED displays that offer similar or better picture quality, like the LG 42 C2 OLED or the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85, for significantly less.
See our recommendations for the best 4k gaming monitors, the best monitors for Xbox Series S, and the best 4k HDR monitors.
The Corsair XENEON Flex 45WQHD240 and the LG 42 OLED Flex are both bendable displays, but they have a few differences. They even have different bending mechanisms, as the Corsair has a manual adjustment, while the LG is mechanical, so you can fine-tune the curve on the Corsair a bit more. Besides that, they are different types of displays, as the Corsair is an ultrawide with a lower 3440x1440 resolution compared to the 4k resolution on the LG, so images are sharper and more detailed on the LG. The LG also gets brighter in HDR for a more vivid experience. On top of that, the LG has many extra features, like a built-in smart system, a processor, and eARC support.
The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ and the LG 42 OLED Flex are similar 42-inch OLED displays but have different features. The LG has a bendable screen that can go from flat to a 900R curve to bring the edges within your field of vision. The LG is also a TV with extra features like processing and a built-in smart system. It also has a glossy screen coating that better reduces light from strong light sources than the ASUS. However, the ASUS has some features normally found on monitors, like a DisplayPort connection and an overclock feature to increase the refresh rate to 138Hz.
The LG 42 OLED Flex and the LG C2 42 OLED are very similar TVs that are popularly used as monitors. The main difference is that the OLED Flex has a bendable screen that can go up to a 900R curve, while the C2 has a flat screen. The OLED Flex also has an ergonomic stand like a typical monitor, which features RGB lighting. Another difference is that the OLED Flex uses a slightly different screen coating, resulting in better reflection handling. Regarding picture quality, the OLED Flex also gets brighter and displays a wider range of colors in SDR and HDR.
The LG 45GR95QE-B and the LG 42 OLED Flex are different types of OLED displays. The 45GR95QE-B is a gaming monitor with an even higher 240Hz refresh rate than the 120Hz refresh rate on the OLED Flex, and its ultrawide screen provides a more immersive gaming experience. The 45GR95QE-B has a fixed 800R curve, but the OLED Flex has a bendable screen that you can customize from a flat screen to a 900R curve. The OLED Flex is a TV with some extra features like a built-in smart system and processing, while the 45GR95QE-B has a DisplayPort connection.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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