Just when we thought gaming monitors were already going a little too hard on high refresh rates, LG shared Thursday details on a few of next year’s pro gamer monitors that put too much stress on the “pro.” The company’s upcoming display is yet another 4K OLED that can hit 4K resolution at 240 Hz. Sounds solid; I guess we’re done here…
But wait, there’s more. LG claimed that with a single flick of a switch, the monitor switches to a 1080p resolution to push a massive 480 Hz refresh rate.
LG calls this its first “dual-Hz” 16:9 gaming monitor with its ability to switch from a 4K to an FHD resolution. The company claims the switch function can be mapped to a keyboard or controller, so they can instantly limit graphical fidelity for the sake of ultra-high framerates. Of course, the high framerate option is meant for “fast-paced action titles and shooting games,” while the mere 240Hz is for “visually rich story-driven” titles. The monitor also comes with built-in speakers, including two front-facing woofers, if you weren’t also looking to invest in a high-quality soundbar.
It’s the kind of feature advertising to the capital “G” gamer who is hoping that a higher refresh rate will give them an edge over the competition in some online games. To hit that touted 480Hz, you’ll need a real beast of a machine, but even 240Hz is more than enough for practically any twitch-based shooter. Otherwise, the new UltraGear display OLED boasts a 0.03ms response time, which isn’t the absolute peak of pixel change rate, but on a 32-inch monitor, the on-screen motion should look nice and clear.
What’s probably more exciting is the advent of ultra-wide, curved monitors that can reach the pro-level refresh rates. The company also revealed several new curved UltraGear OLED monitors that all boast a 240Hz refresh rate. This includes a 34- and 39-inch 800R curved UltraWide OLED with minimal screen bezels. In addition, there’s a 27-inch and massive 45-inch ultra-wide to add to the company’s existing warped monitor models.
LG’s upcoming dual Hz display is the largest monitor to date that can push such high framerates, beating out Alienware’s 24.5-inch, 500Hz monitor first revealed at CES earlier this year. If we were to be honest, the astronomical refresh rate is a bit much, considering that most monitors at professional gaming events are standardized to either 240Hz or 144Hz, depending on the game. If you really want to stomp noobs online, then sure, a higher fresh rate could, maybe—potentially—offer a small advantage, but at that point, massive refresh rates still feel like a gimmick that doesn’t make up for their price tag. LG hasn’t revealed pricing on its new monitors, but Alienware’s 25-inch, high refresh rate display will set you back $830 MSRP if you buy it not on sale.
LG was so excited about this year’s monitors that it didn’t want to wait until January and CES to show off its new monitor, which is capable of pushing utterly ludicrous refresh rates. We’ll be there to provide you with the other big monitor news out of Alienware and other major brands, so stay tuned for next year when the big, high-Hz monitor wars will likely heat up.