LG 34UM95 Monitor Review
by Chris Heinonen on June 18, 2014 7:00 AM EST_678x452.jpg)
21:9 monitors have done a good job of filling a couple niche positions in the marketplace. For someone that wants a single display to watch movies and use with the PC, the aspect ratio can work well. With many games, the wider field-of-view enhances games with more information on screen at once and a more immersive experience. Where they have fallen short is with their vertical resolution of 1080 pixels. Running two applications side-by-side makes everything feel cramped. For regular office work a 27” display for the same price has provided a better user experience.
Now we have the first 21:9 aspect ratio monitor with 1440 pixels of vertical resolution, the LG 34UM95. That provides the same vertical area as a 27” display but 3440 horizontal pixels instead of 2560. The larger size makes running two programs side-by-side equivalent to dual 20” displays at 1720x1440, or a 6:5 aspect ratio. Furthermore, the additional real estate makes it much easier to use for non-gaming or movie use. From spreadsheets to word processing, image editors to web browsers, the additional vertical space makes a large difference.
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The LG 34UM95 is also the first non-Apple display to include Thunderbolt support. With three integrated USB ports you can use a single cable to drive the 34UM95 display and connected devices from a Thunderbolt equipped computer. An additional Thunderbolt connection allows you to connect another device directly to the 34UM95 as well. Unlike the Apple display there isn’t an Ethernet port, but there is integrated audio.
For traditional video cards the display includes a DisplayPort input and two HDMI ports. The HDMI ports are still revision 1.4a so they cannot support 60Hz refresh rates at the monitor's native resolution, but DisplayPort will run at 3440x1440 at 60Hz without any issues, including audio support. The monitor includes a full color management system with a 1-point white balance. As with previous LG displays, I have found that the CMS doesn’t work well and should be avoided. It improves the 100% readings but makes everything below that worse.
The 34UM95 includes two “Reader Modes” designed to make reading documents on-screen easier. In use what they do is pump up the red in the white balance. Since most displays ship with an overly-blue image by default, and people are used to that, this will help those people. If you have the display calibrated correctly, you wind up with an image that is very red and large errors in gamma and grayscale. Since these are easy to enable and disable in the menu system, if you like them it is easy to utilize it.
| LG 34UM95 | |
| Video Inputs | 2x HDMI 1.4a, DisplayPort |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.2325mm |
| Colors | 1.07 Billion |
| Brightness | 320 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 |
| Response Time | 5ms GtG |
| Viewable Size | 34" |
| Resolution | 3440x1440 |
| Viewing Angle (H/V) | 178 / 178 |
| Backlight | LED |
| Power Consumption (operation) | 56W |
| Power Consumption (standby) | 1.2W |
| Screen Treatment | Anti-Glare |
| Height-Adjustable | No |
| Tilt | Yes, -5 to 15 degrees |
| Pivot | No |
| Swivel | No |
| VESA Wall Mounting | Yes, 100mm VESA |
| Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD) | 32.7" x 18.5" x 6.8" |
| Weight | 17 lbs. |
| Additional Features | 3.5mm stereo out, 2x Thunderbolt, 2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, 2x7W speakers |
| Limited Warranty | 1 year |
| Accessories | DisplayPort Cable, HDMI Cable |
| Price | $999 |
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Sm0kes - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
Thanks for the review. I've had this on pre-order for a couple of weeks. For someone with both a Mini-ITX gaming PC and a Macbook Air, the inclusion of both DP/HDMI and Thunderbolt is a nice touch.Like many, I've been considering the jump to 4K, but it still feel like there's too many compromises given the price. The Asus ROG 27' 1440p display is interesting (despite the TN), but I'm tired of waiting.
Azurael - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
It's a shame it doesn't support running at 1/2 its native resolution when pretending to be two monitors. I frequently watch full screen video in one of my monitors whilst working on the other, which doesn't really work the same on one wide monitor, else it'd be perfect. Oh well, I'm sure somebody will release something that meets my needs eventually. I just hope it happens before much more of the backlight on one of my 2405fpws turns yellow...Gast - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
Can we get a good picture with this display on a desk with a keyboard & mouse so we can get a good feel for the size? And maybe one with a standard 24" and/or 20" display for comparison?cheinonen - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
I can try to place it next to a standard 20" 4:3 display and a 27" 16:9 display today or tomorrow. I'll use my wife's desktop since no one needs to see the mess that is my workspace.crazysurfanz - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
there is such a picture (your first request at least) on the forum thread at ars that mackjam linked earlier: http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=19&am...Mark_gb - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
Just over a month ago, I purchased a 29" AOC ultra-wide 21:9 format monitor. AOC 2963Pm. I've been using monitors on computers since they were experimental (and they were TV's at first). Thats going back to the 1970's. This is my first Ultra-Wide. You will not get me to ever buy another "normal" monitor again. If I had known this one was coming out, I might have waited for it. I have no use for thunderbolt ports and those are expensive add-ons, so they must be going after the Apple market more with this monitor.In any case, when I need another monitor, I will be looking for the largest affordable ultra-wide monitor that I can get.
And please dont call these a niche product. You should hear the oooohs and aaaahs I get when people see my screen. The more that people see these,, the more they will sell. I believe that eventually, most monitors will be ultra-wide.
Just use one. Then you will know.
madmilk - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
So what benefit does your 29" 2560x1080 21:9 monitor have over a 32" 2560x1600 16:10?fokka - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
@anandtech: not wanting to step on anyone's toes, but i think the product pictures could use a bit more polish. better lighting could go a long way in this regard. kthxbye!crazysurfanz - Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - link
I have to politely agree with you on that one, they are not great.cheinonen - Thursday, June 19, 2014 - link
I wish I had the space for a better picture setup, but I really do not right now. Finding the space to photograph a small device (smartphone, tablet) isn't too hard, but for a 34" monitor it is a challenge.