Review: LG 34UM67 Ultrawide FreeSync Monitor
No doubt by now you’ve seen or you’ve at least heard of the new UltraWide monitors from LG. They’re sleek, sexy looking, and as the name implies, they’re ultra-wide. Not only that, they’re Freesync enabled, which is a big plus indeed. Could one 34” monitor really replace my two beloved 27” monitors?
We’ve gotten our hands on an LG 34UM67 UltraWide Freesync Monitor for review purposes, and to say it’s impressive would be an understatement. They’re great for design work, general computing, and they’re phenomenal for playing video games.
Features
- AMD Freesync – AMD’s Freesync technology eliminates screen tearing, a horrible thing that can happen when monitors and GPUs are out of sync. Vsync used to be the best possible solution to screen tearing, but it negatively affected games by slowing down the framerate and performance of the GPU. AMD Freesync allows your display to communicate with your GPU and dynamically alter its refresh rate to suit the GPU’s creation of new frames. This prevents tearing and stuttering frame rates.
- 21:9 UltraWide Display – Most monitors we’re used to are 16:9 aspect ratio. 21:9, is wider still, allowing for fantastic looking 21:9 movies and a greater field of view for video games, and yes, there are a number of 21:9-friendly games.
- IPS (In-Plane Switching) – IPS monitors have a reputation for brilliant colour reproduction and viewing angles, as well as fantastic contrast and black levels.
- Cinema Screen with Stereo Speakers – The ultra thin frame and flat screen offer minimal distraction compared to thicker bezel older style monitors, and the two 7W stereo speakers provide powerful output sound.
- Dynamic Action Sync – Dynamic Action Sync aims to minimise input lag, meaning that gamers will be able to react more quickly in-game.
- Multiple profiles for multiple game types – Gamer Mode allows for custom settings, while RTS mode optimises settings for real-time strategy games. FPS 1 optimises the monitor for shooters set in daylight, while FPS 2 optimises the game for night/darkness-based environments in shooters.
- 4-Screen-Split – 4-Screen-Split allows for the best possible screen space for running multiple programs at once.
- Flicker-safe technology – Flicker-safe reduces the amount of screen flicker. Screen flicker can cause eye strain and damage to the eyes when gaming for rather lengthy periods of time. The LG34UM67 boasts screen flicker so minimal that you’ll be able to game indefinitely without getting tired or strained eyes.
Technical Specs
- Screen size – 34 inches
- Panel type – IPS
- Aspect Ratio – 21:9
- Resolution – 2560×1080
- Brightness (cd/m2) – 300
- Response Time (ms) – 14
- Viewing Angle – 178/178 (CR≥10)
- Colour Depth – 7M
- Surface Treatment – Hard Coating (3H), Anti-glare
- Inputs – DVI-D, 2xHDMI, DisplayPort, PC Audio In, Headphone Out
- Base Detachable – Yes
- Tilt – -5 ~ 15 Degree
Power Specs
- Type / Input – Adaptor / 100~240V
- Consumption Normal On (Typ.) – 53W
- Normal On(EPA) – 43W
- Consumption Power Save/Sleep Mode(Max) – 5W
- DC Off (Max) – 5W
Weight Specs
- Set with Stand (Kg) – 3
- Set without Stand (Kg) – 3
- Shipping Weight (Kg) – 9
The Look
Of course, the first thing you notice about the LG 34UM67 is the UltraWide 34 inch screen. It’s wide, but its minimal frame and flat screen mean that it doesn’t feel bulky or ugly. The stand is transparent, which is a nice touch as the monitor almost looks as though it’s floating – it also hides the base itself, which as you can imagine needs to be rather thick and wide to help protect and support the monitor’s screen.
The stand itself is perspex with a metal base only visible from underneath. While other display manufacturers can tend to mismatch their large displays with a weak base, LG have managed to deliver the perfect base for the UltraWide 34 – it’s thick, reliable and study, without being an ugly brick.
My only complaint with the design of the monitor is its frame. It’s a shiny black plastic, and as someone who often has to adjust his monitor for a range of activities, I can foresee fingerprints making themselves welcome in the long run. A fairly minimal complaint, and that’s why we have cleaning cloths, I suppose.
The Performance
Here we are – performance. What really matters with a monitor. You can have the prettiest frame you can find around a painting, but it’s the painting itself that really matters. Thankfully, the LG 34UM67 doesn’t disappoint with performance, either.
I suppose for the first hour I was entranced by the sheer scale of the images the UltraWide 34 offered. After browsing 2560×1080 images and video, it was time to knuckle down and put this display to the test. I played a variety of games from a variety of different game genres and here are my findings.
Playing Tindalos Interactive’s Etherium on the monitor was great. The 21:9 ratio is perfect for an RTS, and the wider field of view allows for quite the advantage when strategising on the battlefield. One of the biggest pains previously with real-time strategies was the need to zoom the camera out of the action so you can monitor your units currently in battle as well as the reinforcements you’ve dispatched. With a 21:9 2560×1080 monitor, I was able to keep my eye on all the chaotic action, without having to zoom or pan that much at all.
My only complaint about my Etherium experience, was that the RTS Mode preset on the monitor felt as though it saturated the colours a little too much. Desert sands became very yellow, and rocks and cliffs became an unrealistic shade of brown. The contrast levels were better, though the colours definitely took a bit of a strange turn. The RTS might work on other games, but for the few I used I was better off playing with other picture settings.
Next up, was some Nosgoth. This game really benefitted from the FPS2 preset on the UltraWide 34. The FPS2 preset provided brilliant contrast and richer blacks, without compromising any other settings or aspects of the picture quality. Another game that looked brilliant with the FPS2 preset, was Left 4 Dead, which many of you will know as my go-to game for tech reviews. I can honestly say I’ve never played a better game of L4D. The UltraWide field of view made me near impossible to sneak up on, and the deep blacks and contrast helped balance out the often too dark lighting.
Battlefield Hardline was next, which I played using the FPS1 preset. FPS1 is more subtle than the other presets, but the slight tweaks for daylight FPS games work fine. It’s definitely worth using, let’s put it that way.
You might have noticed earlier that I mentioned the LG UltraWide 34 is an AMD Freesync monitor. I’ve already covered what AMD Freesync is but allow me to tell you how it benefitted by gaming experience on the monitor. Even with an impressive gaming rig, screen tearing can occur. Playing Battlefield Hardline without Freesync sees a moderate level of screen tear, especially during frantic multiplayer sessions. Playing with a Freesync enabled monitor and GPU eliminates screen tearing entirely, which of course, adds to the enjoyment and immersion experienced when playing a game!
Overall I’ve got to say I’m pretty impressed with the LG 34UM67 UltraWide Freesync Monitor from a performance perspective. It’s bright, colourful, crisp and the 2560×1080 resolution is an absolute joy – especially for gaming. I should also mention that there is minimal input lag, which can make or break your experience with online games (or when shoving back the infected in Left 4 Dead).
The speakers do a surprisingly good job, considering they’re on board. I’ve played a number of Xbox One games through the monitor too, and I didn’t even have to bother hooking up the Xbox One to my stereo. Impressive stuff.
Summary
Given the value for its price point, you’d be hard pressed to find a better monitor than the LG 34UM67 at present. Sure, it’s not 4K resolution, but it’s 21:9 aspect ratio combines with impressive features such as AMD Freesync, multiple picture presets for gaming, minimal input lag and overall stellar picture quality to deliver a fantastic piece of kit. I really can’t overstate how mindblowing gaming in a 21:9 aspect ratio is. I’m off to play more games!
LG 34UM67 UltraWide Monitor
Pros
- - Freesync enabled - goodbye screen tearing and shoddy frame rates!
- - Multiple presets ensure the best picture settings for multiple game types
- - Powerful and high quality 7W stereo speakers
- - The 21:9 aspect ratio is simply gorgeous
Cons
- - D-pad style control along the bottom of the screen can be fiddly
- - Pity there's no remote for it as it will replace your TV as your primary gaming display
