LG 34UM95 Monitor Review
by Chris Heinonen on June 18, 2014 7:00 AM ESTOn prior 21:9 monitors I always felt they had a niche where they worked well, but they weren't a product for everyone. Perhaps it is just using too many 27' monitors at this point, but only having 1080 vertical pixels with such a wide screen feels very limiting. With menu bars and everything else that occupies program windows, you are left with very little vertical space and a plethora of horizontal space. For gaming and movies it works very well, but for a regular monitor it leaves me wanting.
With 1440 vertical pixels, the LG 34UM95 frees me of that problem. Using the 34UM95 as my only monitor for two weeks I never feel cramped or that I am lacking the space for work. On the contrary, it does a very good job of providing space for two programs side-by-side and allows me to actually be productive in both of them. While editing this article I almost have the space to run three programs at once since they need very little horizontal space but the vertical space is far more important.
When I started using dual monitors ages ago, like most I started with a pair of 17" or 19" CRTs. Having those two screens opened up productivity but dominated space on the desk. The LG 34UM95 is a very similar design to having two of those old 4:3 or 5:4 CRTs on your desk again. The resolution is higher, and the depth is much slimmer, but the overall experience is similar. Make no mistake: 34 inches is a lot of display for a desk, but if you're used to dual monitors already that shouldn't be a problem.
The little gaming that I do on the LG 34UM95 is also very enjoyable. I have covered this more in my prior 21:9 reviews, but the extra field of view makes for a more immersive environment than 16:9. The larger screen size of the 34UM95 compared to prior 21:9 monitors only increases that. It also has a very low input lag, making it a useful choice for those that are competitive at FPS and other games.
A direct competitor here is the Apple Thunderbolt Display. It is the only other Thunderbolt display on the market but it's a few years old now. It is lower resolution and lacks the HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, USB 3.0 support, and cannot use a VESA mount without an adapter. The Apple display includes a (now outdated) MagSafe adapter, webcam, Firewire 800, and Gigabit Ethernet Ports. Given the choice of the two, I would pick the extra resolution of the LG. The contrast ratio of the LG, and the uncalibrated numbers, are superior as well.
At $1,000 you have a number of display choices. The 24" Dell UP2414Q is a 4K panel available for the same price right now that offers even higher resolution. It has the 4K limitations involving DisplayPort 1.2 and MST that I mentioned in my other 4K reviews, so it won't work quite as easily. You will also need DPI scaling on it which can lead to some OS or Application appearance issues, but those should work out over time. The main thing is you're still in the 16:9 aspect ratio, so running two apps side-by-side isn't as easy as it is with the 21:9 ratio. Dual 27" monitors will provide more space for even less money than the LG 34UM95, but they also take up far more of your desk.
If I sound like I've come away liking the LG 34UM95 a lot, I really have. It has surprised me at what a difference the extra vertical resolution makes with 21:9. It does a wonderful job as a single monitor while not impacting my ability to multitask at all. Even though I don't play many games that would utilize the extra field-of-view I would still strongly consider the LG 34UM95 as my only monitor. It performs very well on the bench, it looks very good in use, and most importantly it helps me get things done. If you've previously discarded 21:9 as a niche, obscure format, you should try out the 34UM95. It has managed to convince me that 21:9 isn't so much of a niche anymore.
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SeanFL - Tuesday, June 24, 2014 - link
Thoughts on moving from using two 24" 1920 x 1200 monitors to this one? I'll lose some horizontal pixels and pick up some vertical. Used mainly for video and audio editing.scottrichardson - Thursday, July 3, 2014 - link
SeanFL, I'm in the same boat as you. Running two Apple LED 24" Cinema displays but one is about to die. Apple doesn't sell a replacement display compatible with my 2009 Mac Pro, so I'm looking at this LG. The extra vertical resolution will be nice, and possibly more useful in many cases for my design/coding work.Wondering if there are any further updates on the backlight bleed issues?
SeanFL - Saturday, July 19, 2014 - link
Scott, I picked one of these up a few days ago and am very impressed. No backlight issues that I can detect, and the display is beautiful. A much nicer display than the Dell Ultrasharp 2407. Not having a bezel in the middle of my workspace has also been an upgrade. Haven't missed any of the vertical pixels that I gave up when setting aside two 1920 x 1200 monitors.Now I'm looking for a mount to be able to switch between sitting and standing. The
Ergotron LX seems like a nice fit.
SeanFL - Saturday, July 19, 2014 - link
correction, make that horizontal pixels I gave up. btw, mine was manufactured June 2014, mentions rev02 on the back.scottrichardson - Monday, July 21, 2014 - link
That's great news Sean. I have mine ordered through my local computer store. They were told there's a 'worldwide shortage' and are not expected to hit the country until after the end of July. I don't mind waiting. Apple ended up replacing the panel in my 5 year old 24" LED display for FREE, which was very nice of them (after how much I paid for my Mac Pro setup, they felt it was fair!!!). Really looking forward to the display for the same reasons you are enjoying yours. No bezel in the middle, extra vertical pixels etc.inperfectdarkness - Wednesday, July 9, 2014 - link
Never! There shouldn't even be 22/9 screens. We need more 16:10 screens. Screw hollywood's ridiculous widescreen formats.gochichi - Thursday, July 31, 2014 - link
You're so right about this. Just to think about how simple the connection would be at this point to a 2560x1600 screen. I have no clue why 2560x1600 is stuck at a 30" display option and no other option. I would love to see 2560x1600 at 20", 23", 25", 27" etc. It would so awesome, and finding a computer or laptop with a DisplayPort is all that would be required. We can dream...gochichi - Saturday, July 26, 2014 - link
This technology segment has had a true lapse in innovation in very many years. So much so, that these obvious products finally coming is more than welcome. And if I have to bite my tongue and call it "innovation" then I will.I think that companies assume that people don't have decent eyesight way too much.
Where is the obvious 23" 2560x1440? Where is it? Where in this stagnant,-no-good market is such a product? We have 11" laptops with 2560x1440... but no 20" or 23" desktop monitors?
Well, I got tired of waiting, so I got the UP2414Q which is really fantastic. So much less dorky looking than the 27" displays. But it won't run flawlessly on every machine.
Here's the difference between stupid reality, and the wonderful non-innovation that should really be: I WILL buy an $800-$1000 display for myself, but if the market weren't so retarded... I'd buy 70 units of 23" 2560x1440 IPS displays (with DisplayPort and HDMI) for $500 a pop. I'd buy 70 units, if not more.
So this whole market is stagnant from sheer greed and this imaginary notion that nobody cares, where the reality is that anybody with a 2010+ MacBook (Air or Pro) would love nothing more than to plug into a 23" "retina" display for that price.
Example of devices that run 2560x1440 flawlessly, but 4K at only 30Hz
Surface Pro, X1 Carbon, MacBooks,
Just to be completely clear, I would, and so many others would too... prefer to spend $500 on a 23" instead of the 27" units available for years now.
I'm so disgusted with this market... sure this particular product is less stale than most, just like my Dell UP2414Q is also less stale. But why not have a vibrant product that everyone could enjoy? Why are they pretending that there's a niche market when the reality is that there's a massive, unaddressed market of people who want nice, and need practical. Of people that need other things on their desks other than a screen. Of people who have money but don't want to waste it on junk.
Gadgety - Friday, August 1, 2014 - link
Thanks for the review. It's a tempting proposition when looking at the screen, but taking everything into account I find that $999 is too much money for what I'd get. I'll stay with a 29 inch 21:9 instead, and I'll get some daylight on my desk as well....GerardFreeman - Tuesday, September 16, 2014 - link
Can some one tell me what GPU will run this monitor at full res?