LG 32GS95UE – OLED 31.5″ with 4K @ 240Hz and 1080p @ 480Hz Support - The death knell of LCD panels

RTings will now test for VRR flicker and will give monitors a score based on how they perform: https://www.rtings.com/monitor/learn/research/vrr-flicker

Interestingly, monitors that share the same panel can have a difference in how bad the VRR flickering is. The Corsair and Asus share the same WOLED panel but Asus performs better.

1713982244226.png
 
Might be because the WOLEDs are paired with a variety of Tcons where as the QD-OLEDs use the one Samsung provides.
 
My AW3423DW had real bad VRR flicker when it launched but a later firmware update improved it.

That would suggest that the software / hardware running the panel has an impact on it which would attribute to a difference between manufactures.
 
Last edited:
Hardware unboxed simply has VRR flicker as a checkbox in a data sheet, which they show near the end of their reviews. and then they may or may not very briefly mention it. Sometimes they will go so far as to say something like "no flicker in any of our test patterns".

But, that's the most they might say. it still leaves a lot of room, IMO.

Its kind of strange and well....dumb, how slowly OLED has progressed. I mean, these brands advertise and get supposed certifications for Freesync and Gsync compatibility it: But it doesn't look good at all, with the all the flickering.

I would love to be buying something else with similarly good image quality, which actually works. But, there aren't any other choices.
 
chameleoneel said:
Hardware unboxed simply has VRR flicker as a checkbox in a data sheet, which they show near the end of their reviews. and then they may or may not very briefly mention it. Sometimes they will go so far as to say something like "no flicker in any of our test patterns".

But, that's the most they might say. it still leaves a lot of room, IMO.

Its kind of strange and well....dumb, how slowly OLED has progressed. I mean, these brands advertise and get supposed certifications for Freesync and Gsync compatibility it: But it doesn't look good at all, with the all the flickering.

I would love to be buying something else with similarly good image quality, which actually works. But, there aren't any other choices.
Click to expand...

You can mitigate most VRR flickering by maintaining as consistent of frametimes as possible. I've always had VRR flickering when it came to loading screens but not much in actual gameplay so I haven't too bothered by it. I honestly don't think this is something that will ever be fixed even with a physical Gsync module as the original Alienware QD-OLED showed. I really hope I'm wrong on this though because a truly flicker free OLED would be great.
 
In my experience, VRR flicker mostly happens on menus/loading screens where the frames can radically vary, specially in solid color backgrounds. I've never seen it happening in actual gameplay. It might be more noticeable on OLEDs but it also happens on LCDs, I notice it big time on my Odyssey G7.
And just like RTings pointed out, it's only a problem with wild swings in FPS, which doesnt reflect real usage scenarios most of the time.
The game cycles the frame rate limit from 10 FPS to the monitor's maximum refresh rate, creating a rapid and vast swing in the frame times generated by the GPU and thus displayed on the monitor.
Click to expand...
 
tongshadow said:
In my experience, VRR flicker mostly happens on menus/loading screens where the frames can radically vary, specially in solid color backgrounds. I've never seen it happening in actual gameplay. It might be more noticeable on OLEDs but it also happens on LCDs, I notice it big time on my Odyssey G7.
And just like RTings pointed out, it's only a problem with wild swings in FPS, which doesnt reflect real usage scenarios most of the time.
Click to expand...
I've had 4 VRR monitors now.
One 32 curved VA from Samsung. Which had no flicker, ever.
One 27 inch 75hz Asus ProArt. No flicker, ever.
One 27 inch 240hz Monoprice Dark Matter (made by KTC). No flicker, ever.
Once 27 inch KTC OLED. Flickered often in the opening forest segment of Alan Wake 2, where you play as Saga. Completely repeatable. (I only owned it for a couple of days before returning (For dead and clouded pixels). I only played 3 games on it. Tekken 5 demo, Alan Wake 2, and Elden Ring.)
 
This monitor is for sale at Bestbuy and in been in stock all morning.

Personally I don't think it's worth the price you would pay there especially with the recent discount stacking on LG but if you want the Geeksquad burn in warranty or to get it sooner it's up to buy.
 
chameleoneel said:
I've had 4 VRR monitors now.
One 32 curved VA from Samsung. Which had no flicker, ever.
One 27 inch 75hz Asus ProArt. No flicker, ever.
One 27 inch 240hz Monoprice Dark Matter (made by KTC). No flicker, ever.
Once 27 inch KTC OLED. Flickered often in the opening forest segment of Alan Wake 2, where you play as Saga. Completely repeatable. (I only owned it for a couple of days before returning (For dead and clouded pixels). I only played 3 games on it. Tekken 5 demo, Alan Wake 2, and Elden Ring.)
Click to expand...
I always use Alan Wake II as my VRR flicker test. That opening section really demonstrates it well even with crazy hardware.

Yeah I don't really think this monitor is worth anywhere near $1300. It will eventually settle at around $1000 with deals lowering it which I think is more appropriate. Its biggest advantage is that its from LG so the panel refresh implementation is sound. I think literally every single QD-OLED monitor other than Dell's version has some goofy refresh cycle bug/problem.
 
IMO VRR Flicker is over-hyped as an issue. Yes I may see it a little in game menu's, but I don't go crazy over it.
 
I ordered from BB, will keep my order from LG for now. At least I can try it and return it from BB, LG has a 15% restocking fee if I end up wanting to return it.
 
SoCali said:
I always use Alan Wake II as my VRR flicker test. That opening section really demonstrates it well even with crazy hardware.

Yeah I don't really think this monitor is worth anywhere near $1300. It will eventually settle at around $1000 with deals lowering it which I think is more appropriate. Its biggest advantage is that its from LG so the panel refresh implementation is sound. I think literally every single QD-OLED monitor other than Dell's version has some goofy refresh cycle bug/problem.
Click to expand...
At Best Buy you can recycle on old monitor and get 10% off LG and Samsung monitors. Stack with retailmenot 4%.
Not as good as the LG.com stacks. But, solid.

Seems to me the only "issue" with MSI's pixel clean, is that it turns the monitor off when finished. And people don't seem to want that.
Even though it makes complete sense, to me.
 
1714064196215.png


Yikes a bit pricey, especially when you were able to get the monitor for under a grand before.
 
chameleoneel said:
At Best Buy you can recycle on old monitor and get 10% off LG and Samsung monitors. Stack with retailmenot 4%.
Not as good as the LG.com stacks. But, solid.

Seems to me the only "issue" with MSI's pixel clean, is that it turns the monitor off when finished. And people don't seem to want that.
Even though it makes complete sense, to me.
Click to expand...

The monitor powering off after pixel refresh really isn't a big deal to me. The SDR/HDR color profile bug also isn't a big deal as you should just always leave HDR enabled on the MSI. It doesn't have any problems with washed out picture when Windows HDR is enabled like some monitors do and all SDR content is properly displayed as SDR. It's very useable as is with the launch firmware as long as you aren't too lazy to power the monitor back on after pixel refresh cycles. The only monitor I would consider upgrading from the MSI to is something that can at least do close to 1000 nits real scene HDR like the Asus PG42UQ, I'm hoping the upcoming PG32UCDP can reach those levels. Color volume on QD-OLED means nothing when your capped to 450 nits.
 
StOCK said:
I don't think there's the same demand, 34" oleds have been available for awhile now, still low DPI and it has an 800R curve.
Click to expand...

The higher demand can easily be filled in by QD-OLED though, and almost all of them are cheaper than the LG. People are now starting to get their QD-OLEDs left and right anything from the MSI to Asus and even Gigabyte models now. So while the demand is definitely higher, there are also a ton of cheaper options out there to make the LG a tough sell at it's asking price.
 
MistaSparkul said:
The higher demand can easily be filled in by QD-OLED though, and almost all of them are cheaper than the LG. People are now starting to get their QD-OLEDs left and right anything from the MSI to Asus and even Gigabyte models now. So while the demand is definitely higher, there are also a ton of cheaper options out there to make the LG a tough sell at it's asking price.
Click to expand...
The LG does have some extra features, though. I do think it should cost less. But, I don't think it should necessarily cost less than QD-OLED monitors.

Decent speaker solution
optical out
headphone out
480hz/1080p mode, with monitor integer scaling.
hardware calibration

However, it does lack USB-C, at all. And their warranty sucks.
 
chameleoneel said:
The LG does have some extra features, though. I do think it should cost less. But, I don't think it should necessarily cost less than QD-OLED monitors.

Decent speaker solution
optical out
headphone out
480hz/1080p mode, with monitor integer scaling.
hardware calibration

However, it does lack USB-C, at all. And their warranty sucks.
Click to expand...

Oh I agree it shouldn't be cheaper than QD-OLED, but $1400? It should be $1200 MSRP instead which is how much it costed with the HECA promo code and it would matche the Alienware.
 
I also think the LG is by far the best design. It has no chin and looks super clean. If you're someone who is anti monitor arm the stand is also really unintrusive.
 
Preordered mine from LG on 4/6 and I got the shipment email last night. I used the 15% off code that appears to be no longer valid. Probably would prefer QD-OLED colors, but my environment is pretty bright and I don't want to change it.
 
Even though I canceled this monitor like two weeks ago, it shows up unannounced today. Guess I will give 480 Hz a try!
 
Vega said:
Even though I canceled this monitor like two weeks ago, it shows up unannounced today. Guess I will give 480 Hz a try!
Click to expand...
Did you get refunded?

I've been dealing with LG customer service recently and it has been pretty poor. Been waiting till its all over, to post about it.
 
They seem to really lag with cancelling and you have to contact them multiple times to ensure it is in fact cancelled.
 
chameleoneel said:
Did you get refunded?

I've been dealing with LG customer service recently and it has been pretty poor. Been waiting till its all over, to post about it.
Click to expand...

I got charged. For a minute I was like "what if I got a free monitor" then got deflated when I viewed my CC statement. 🤣
 
Hypez said:
How's the brightness look on it?
Click to expand...
I'll have more thoughts on it tomorrow during the daylight as I've only used it this night.

The colors aren't as bad as I was thinking they may be versus the QDOLED, but I have to do a side by side.

My Viewsonic XG321UG also arrives tomorrow, so I'll literally have three top displays to compare side by side.

But if remember correctly you can't have more than one in HDR at a time..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hypez
like this
Vega said:
I'll have more thoughts on it tomorrow during the daylight as I've only used it this night.

The colors aren't as bad as I was thinking they may be versus the QDOLED, but I have to do a side by side.
Click to expand...
LG tuned down the white sub-pixel's brightness curve to be more similar to the colored sub-pixels, for the beginning and middle of the window sizes. Its only in approximatley somewhere after the 20% range, that its brightness ramps up and away from the colored sub-pixels.
So, larger elements on screen, should have plenty of color volume. A QD-OLED may still have more-----but they are also over saturated in more situations than an LG panel. So in some situations, an LG panel may actually look more accurate and 'better'.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vega
like this
After testing a while switching between 1080p/480 and 4K/240, I think I overall prefer 4K/240 with higher graphics than 1080p/480 and lower graphics. What I gain in speed with 480 I lose in target detection detail/eye candy at 1080p in FPS's. So right now for me the holy grail is 4K/480 but I don't see hardware being able to run that before 2030.
 
Vega said:
After testing a while switching between 1080p/480 and 4K/240, I think I overall prefer 4K/240 with higher graphics than 1080p/480 and lower graphics. What I gain in speed with 480 I lose in target detection detail/eye candy at 1080p in FPS's. So right now for me the holy grail is 4K/480 but I don't see hardware being able to run that before 2030.
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone buying this monitor intends to permanently use the 480hz mode. Its something you flip to for a specific game (shooter/sidescroller/emulation) and go back to native as soon as you you're done.
 
Another picture of the coating.

1714501002700.png


Yeah this is looking more like a semi gloss rather than a matte. If I look at my InnoCN the reflection isn't anywhere near as defined as on that LG. Guess this wasn't such a big deal after all.
 
SoCali said:
I don't think anyone buying this monitor intends to permanently use the 480hz mode. Its something you flip to for a specific game (shooter/sidescroller/emulation) and go back to native as soon as you you're done.
Click to expand...

Correct, but I don't plan on using the 480 at any point it looks like, so to me the QD-OLED may be better.
 
Vega said:
Correct, but I don't plan on using the 480 at any point it looks like, so to me the QD-OLED may be better.
Click to expand...

QD OLED is dim as hell don't bother lol. The whole color volume talk can be thrown out the window when the monitor can't do anymore than 450 nits. I'd rather take the Asus WOLED if it can do close to 1000 nits real scene HDR brightness.
 
MistaSparkul said:
QD OLED is dim as hell don't bother lol. The whole color volume talk can be thrown out the window when the monitor can't do anymore than 450 nits. I'd rather take the Asus WOLED if it can do close to 1000 nits real scene HDR brightness.
Click to expand...

I'm about to put my AW32 QD-OLED and this LG next to one another and see what the differences are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hypez
like this
MistaSparkul said:
QD OLED is dim as hell don't bother lol. The whole color volume talk can be thrown out the window when the monitor can't do anymore than 450 nits. I'd rather take the Asus WOLED if it can do close to 1000 nits real scene HDR brightness.
Click to expand...
Hahaha, don't hold your breath on 1000 nits real scene.
 
The Asus version might get 10-15% brighter on a 10% window. Until a data sheet is available, we won't know what the panel is really capable of at that window size because all of these manufacturers love quoting 1-3% to attract noobs.
 
chameleoneel said:
Hahaha, don't hold your breath on 1000 nits real scene.
Click to expand...

It's not doing 1000 for sure, but it might be able to get a lot closer to it like the PG42UQ and PG27AQDM.

1714506298723.png


1714506319305.png


I would be more than happy to have that kind of HDR performance vs what QD OLED offers.

1714506362429.png


1714506460812.png


Again color volume can be thrown out the window when this is all the panel is capable of.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top