With RTX 5090, gaming monitors have taken another significant step forward. At CES 2025, I got to try a 4K OLED panel running at 240Hz and my mind was blown. But what if I wanted more? What if 4K is just not enough?
Honestly, it’s a question I never thought I’d ask myself. But LG Display has just begun mass production of a 45-inch OLED gaming monitor that packs a 5K2K resolution — 1.3 times higher than 4K — that I’m left questioning whether my eyeballs weren’t treated well enough with a mere UHD.
Of course, I kid. But let me talk you through this new screen, as it’s got some big tricks up its sleeve beyond having the world’s best picture quality in this space.
Super crispy
So let’s tackle the big thing here first (emphasis on “big). This is a 45-inch 21:9 curved monitor — essentially a regular 16:9 4K screen but with more 4K resolution bolted on either side to reach a mind-blowing 5,120 x 2,160-pixel resolution. A pixel density like that in an ultrawide monitor is basically unheard of (until now).
And since the screen is OLED, you’re getting that flash flood of color (something I’m confident in saying after having my eyes mesmerized by the LG G4), and an immersive contrast ratio that provides impressive depth in dark scenes. Oh, and it also has the highest brightness of practically any OLED gaming monitor at 1,300 nits.
One of the biggest developments in gaming panels that aren’t LCD-based has been speeding up that refresh rate. LG Display has managed to hit 165Hz with this screen. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not quite the 240Hz of options from the likes of Asus, but I think that’s because of one particular trick the company has up its sleeve.
Super smooth
This comes down to what LG calls its Dynamic Frequency and Resolution (DFR) technology. You may have seen something similar when my colleague, Computing Editor Alex Wawro, reviewed the Alienware 27 4K Dual-Resolution monitor.
You see, not only do you have the choice of 5K2K at 165Hz, you could go full speed and opt for FHD at 330Hz. Once again, this isn’t as fast as hitting the full 600Hz you can get from something a lot more meant for pro esports athletes.
But with this, LG Display is giving you the choice, and you’re not locked to a single option — with that option restricting you to the certain trade offs it has, such as the dull color and lower resolution of that faster speed.
Outlook
Outside of what LG Display has announced about the specs on board, details are a little thin on the ground. We don’t know how much this thing will cost — given how you’re looking at over $1,000 for the current crop of 4K OLED 240Hz gaming panels, expect this to be more.
But I got to say. This is a tempting dual-resolution monitor that gives you the versatility between going for more of an esports nature of a higher refresh rate or making the games look super crispy with a higher resolution.
And this is all on a gigantic 45-inch screen… Not only that, but beyond this big boy that’s gone into mass production, LG Display plans to get this tech into a full line-up of OLED panels starting at 27 inches. The battle for the best gaming monitor is heating up!
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