LG 34UM69G-B Review
The LG 34UM69G-B is a generously sized affordable gaming monitor that might not tick all the boxes. Yet it has plenty of features that make it a great display.
Our in-depth review covers all the good and the bad to make your buying choice easier.
LG 34UM69G-B Review Summary
Content Outline
- Image Quality
- Performance
- Similar Gaming Monitors Which You Might Like
- Design And Build Quality: Gamer-centric Or Professional?
- OSD: What You Should Know About The Settings
- Connectivity
- Features
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts: Is The LG 34UM69G-B Worth It?
Specifications
Screen size: 34-inches | Panel Type: IPS | Resolution: 2560×1080 | Refresh Rate: 75Hz | Brightness: 250cd (typ)/200cd (Min) | Response Time (G-t-G): 5ms | Color SRGB Coverage: over 99% | Aspect Ratio: 21:9 | Signal Input: 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x USB C, 1x Headphones Port
PROS  Low input lag Engrossing experience thanks to 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio CONS  Mediocre Ergonomics Poor Contrast And Black Uniformity Check Price On Amazon |  |
Image Quality
| For a screen size of 34”, the LG 34UM69G-B’s screen resolution of 2560×1080 does sound low, amounting to a pixel density of approximately 82 ppi. While this certainly won’t be an issue for gaming, but as far as text-intensive work is concerned, the text appears pixelated rough and even blurry whilst sitting very close to the monitor. Of course, no one welcomes the idea of suffering from headaches due to reading jagged text all day long! However, you might just be able to get away with it by sitting about 4 feet away from the monitor. While this is certainly a drawback for those hoping to get LG 34UM69G-B for office work, an advantage that comes with the ultra-wide screen is that one can open more than one application side by side for greater efficiency. It’s great to be able to surf the web and work on spreadsheet files at the same time – let the multitasking begin! |  |
The LG 34UM69G-B puts up a reasonably good color performance. The monitor comes with an sRGB color gamut coverage of more than 99% to its name and it is factory calibrated, though we do recommend re-calibrating it to eliminate any remaining color inaccuracies. It has a dithered 8-bit color depth (which isn’t something unseen in IPS panels). The monitor is not plagued majorly by color banding. Overall, the colors on LG 34UM69G-B are rich and vibrant, though this monitor lacks HDR and its components, meaning it doesn’t have a wider color gamut to further complement its color rendition. Furthermore, the monitor benefits from IPS panels’ customary advantage of possessing great viewing angles as there is no color variation to observe when viewing the monitor from wide angles.
High level of brightness is something that’s always appreciated, no matter what you are using the monitor for. The LG 34UM69G-B has a brightness of 250 cd/m2, which should be undoubtedly fine for most users in most circumstances. However, one cannot deny that there are plenty of monitors available in the market with much better brightness levels. Though it will be good for well-lit rooms, glare can become a nuisance if placed in a very bright room or facing a window.
IPS panels have never had a good standing in regards to contrast and indeed, the LG 34UM69G-B is no exception. The monitor does not possess the coveted local-dimming feature and not surprisingly the black uniformity is disappointing – blacks seem dark grey at best. However, a thing to always keep in mind is that contrast and black levels matter most during dark scenes. Whilst playing a game that is heavily laden with dark scenes, such as Witcher 3, etc, the monitor doesn’t put its best foot forward. Playing such games with the Black Stabilizer turned on, does improve the contrast a little.
Of course, it would have been great if this monitor checked all the boxes, but 4k for such a low price is definitely not a bad bargain.
The LG 34UM69G-B delivers splendid viewing angles, free of any variation in color and brightness when viewed at angles. The colors don’t shift at wider angles making this monitor a great choice for co-op gaming.
Backlight bleeding and especially IPS glow is something that isn’t unusual to be observed with IPS panels. However, as always, this is something that differs from unit to unit.
PERFORMANCE
| The LG 34UM69G-B is a responsive monitor and has a fairly low input lag, which makes it a good monitor for fast-paced gaming. Though the 75Hz refresh rate is appreciable and those coming from 60 Hz will find it as an improvement, it is not comparable to a 144Hz gaming monitor. This monitor like any 75hz monitor is most suited for slower genre RTS and MOBA games, however, if you are into first-person shooters then you require a monitor with higher refresh rates. |  |
| The AMD RADEON FreeSync enables one to enjoy games without worrying about tearing and stuttering. Freesync is active between 40-75 Hz, allowing smooth gameplay as long as the framerate doesn’t dip lower than 40 Hz. The monitor is also compatible with an NVIDIA graphics card over DisplayPort. While an AMD graphics card can sync with the monitor over both DisplayPort and HDMI. Marketed as a gaming monitor, the LG 34UM69G-B possesses eminent motion handling and comes with 1ms Motion Blur Reduction technology. Amongst the three settings of Response Time available (Slow/Normal/Fast), we preferred the ‘Fast’ setting for relatively faster games. However, this mode did introduce some overshoot/inverse ghosting. While we found it not to be overly distracting, it is something that depends on your tolerance against overshoot. |  |
Similar Gaming Monitors
Some similar gaming monitors which you might want to check out:
| AOC Agon AG352UCG6 | 35″ | MVA | 3440×1440 | 120Hz | Read Full Review |  |
| Sceptre C305B-200UN | 30″ | VA | 2560×1080 | 200Hz | Read Full Review |  |
| LG 27GL83A-B | 27″ | IPS | 2560×1440 | 144Hz | Read Full Review |  |
DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY
Aesthetics: The LG 34UM69G-B comes with a black colored plastic body and a stylish v-shaped stand. The v-shaped foot is black colored on the front while has eye-catching red color at its back. The back of the monitor is pretty simple, with no RGB lightings often found on the backs of many gaming monitors. The stand is steady and won’t wobble easily. The monitor won’t take a huge amount of desk space, though you can also mount it on wall using VESA 100×100 mount.
Overall, the LG 34UM69G-B comes with pretty good build quality. Of course, you don’t get to have a metallic finishing but given the price, you won’t be disappointed.
Ergonomics Options: The ergonomics section is where the LG 34UM69G-B heavily disappointed. The monitor does NOT support swivel or pivot. It only supports:
- Tilt (-5~20 Degree)
- Height Adjustment (120mm)
OSD
Like many other LG monitors, the LG 34UM69G-B comes with a single 4 way joystick-styled button which we found pretty easy to use. You can adjust the volume of the monitor by moving the joystick left/right, while moving the joystick upwards will display details regarding the current input. Similarly, moving the joystick downwards will open up the Game features, while the Main Menu can be accessed by pressing the joystick-styled but
When in the Menu, moving the joystick to the right will set the Input Mode, while moving it downwards will set the Game Mode. Moving the joystick upwards will turn off the monitor (Power Off), while moving it to right will open up the Menu, where you can configure the settings.
In the Menu, you can access the Quick Settings, the Input settings, Picture settings, Sound settings and General settings.
In the Quick Settings, you can adjust the Brightness, Contrast and Volume of the monitor. In addition, you also enable/disable Maxxstudio feature, which tends to provide a superior listening experience.
Moving on, in the Input settings you can select the input mode and choose an Aspect Ratio from Full Wide/Original/Cinema1/Cinema2. A thing to note is that Cinema1 and Cinema2 options won’t be available if FreeSync is turned on.
The Picture settings further contain Picture Mode, Picture Adjust, Game Adjust, Color Adjust and Picture Reset options. The Picture Mode allows you to switch between different modes:
- Custom: enables user to customize on their own
- Reader: A mode deemed suitable for reading documents. The brightness can be adjusted in this mode
- Photo: optimal for viewing photos
- Cinema: optimal for viewing videos
- Color Weakness: a mode designed for users with color weakness, enabling them to distinguish between red and color
- FPS Game 1: a mode optimized for FPS games
- FPS Game 2: a mode optimized for FPS games, with higher Black Stabilizer level than FPS Game 1 mode
- RTS Game: optimal for RTS games
- Custom (Game): enables users to configure game related settings
In the Picture Adjust option, you can adjust the brightness, contrast and sharpness of the monitor and set SUPER RESOLUTION+, choosing from Off/Low/Middle/High. In addition, you can enable/disable DFC as well as set the Black Level, choosing from Low/High.
Moving on, in the Game Adjust option you can set the Response Time, choosing from Off/Slow/Normal/Fast. Moreover, here you can enable/disable FreeSync, Black Stabilizer, Crosshair as well as 1ms Motion Blur Reduction.
In the Color Adjust option you can set the Gamma mode, choosing from Mode1/Mode2/Mode3/Mode 4, with Mode 4 having fixed settings. Moreover, you can customize the Red, Green and Blue colors of the screen as well as enable/disable Six Color feature, which is designed to fulfill user’s color requirements by adjusting hue and saturation of six colors. In addition, here you also set the Color Temp, choosing from Cool/Medium/Warm/Custom. Furthermore, you can also reset the picture settings by using the Picture Reset option.
The Sound option is where you can set the volume level of your headphone/speaker as well as enable/disable MaxxAudio. Moreover, you can also set the sound quality manually using the MaxxAudio Settings, choosing from MaxxBass/MaxxTreble/MaxxDialog/Maxx3D/MaxxAudio Reset. There is also a Midnight Mode, meant to let you enjoy rich sound at a low volume.
Finally, in the General settings, you have access to the basic monitor settings. This includes setting the Language, enabling/disabling DisplayPort1.2, Automatic Standby, Power LED, and OSD Lock. Furthermore, here you can also set the Smart Energy Saving, choosing from Off/Low/High.
Connectivity
LG 34UM69G-B comes with:
- 1x DisplayPort 1.2
- 1x HDMI 1.4
- 1x USB-C (DP Alt.Mode)
Being a gaming monitor, the LG 34UM69G-B does come with some gaming features:
Features
- Black Stabilizer: It is meant to improve visibility in dark gaming scenarios
- Dynamic Action Sync: Tends to minimize input lag
- Crosshair: A fixed target-point in center of the screen to aid in shooting
- 4 Screen-split
- 1ms Motion Blur Reduction
- Speakers (7W x 2 Maxx Audio)
Needless to say, the LG 34UM69G-B isn’t one of the gamer’s ‘dream monitor’. If you are into competitive gaming, the 75 HZ refresh rate will not be able to satisfy your demands, meaning you might find it hard to stay on par with those having much faster, responsive monitor. However, it is obvious that a faster monitor will also require you to dig deeper into your pocket. While LG 34UM69G-B might not be the fastest monitor, it isn’t being priced that way either. If you are on the search for a budget gaming monitor, the LG 34UM69G-B is one worth consideration. Indeed, it might not have lots of adjustments or a mesmerizing design, but given its competitive pricing there are trade-offs you must be willing to accept.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LG 34UM69G-B Suitable For Photo/Video Editing?
- LG 34UM69G-B possesses a coverage of over 99% of sRGB color gamut
- The monitor has a dithered 8-bit color depth (6bit + A-FRC)
- It has negligible color banding
- The contrast of this LG monitor is disappointing (discussed earlier), with blacks appearing grey at most
- It has great viewing angles, meaning there won’t be any variation in color to be observed when panel is viewed at an angle
- The adjustment options of this monitor are very limited (discussed later), meaning you won’t be able to adjust the monitor according to your own comfort
- The monitor does not support HDR or its components, meaning it does not have wide color gamut
- The ultra-wide screen means more real estate. For example, during editing you will be able to see much more timeline at once – now that’s something really appreciable!
Is the LG 34UM69G-B the best monitor for photo/video editing? Certainly not, but in this price range, it is seriously worth considering. Indeed, one can argue about the contrast and lack of a real 8-bit color depth, but a thing to remember is that this isn’t something uncommon in IPS panels and given the competitive price, there isn’t much left to complain about.
Is LG 34UM69G-B Suitable For Multimedia Usage?
- LG 34UM69G-B has flicker-free and low blue light filter technology to aid in lessening eye-fatigue
- It possesses notable viewing angles – so those watching the video/movie at angles to the panel won’t have their experience spoiled by having to bear watching pale colors
- The monitor’s adjustment options are pretty limited (discussed later), meaning you won’t have the ease of setting it up according your own comfort
- The poor contrast means you won’t get the most enjoyable experience when watching dark scenes
- Most latest movies have a 21:9 aspect ratio
- Though the brightness (discussed earlier) will be sufficient for most rooms, you might have to face glare in a very bright room
Thus, the LG 34UM69G-B serves well for watching videos/movies. With such competitive pricing, it should not be overlooked.
Is LG 34UM69G-B Suitable For Office Use?
- LG 34UM69G-B has a low pixel density, meaning text won’t appear very sharp
- It has very limited adjustments, meaning you won’t be able to share your work with your colleague easily
- It supports screen splitting, meaning you can work on more than one applications at a time, thus promoting multi-tasking
- It has eminent viewing angles, which might be able to serve as compensation for poor ergonomics
- It possesses flicker-free and low blue light filter technology to help reduce eye-strain
- The monitor does not have an excessively ‘gamer-eccentric’ style and thus fits well in an office environment
The LG 34UM69G-B is pretty decent for office usage. However, if using the monitor for work is your main priority, we recommend getting a monitor with better ergonomics and a higher pixel density.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you are interested in a 4K gaming monitor that renders excellent images and supports Freesync then please read our in-depth LG 24UD58-B Review.
Our recent reviews have also covered high refresh rate monitors, which include the LG 27GL83A-B 144 Hz IPS gaming monitor and Dell S2719DGF 155 Hz TN gaming monitor. Our more popular reviews include the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q 165 Hz IPS gaming monitor and the Dell Alienware AW2518HF gaming monitor.