Think back to early 2014, when people were amazed to get a 4K-resolution monitor using inferior TN technology and a useless 30Hz refresh rate for $700.
Now peep this: LG just announced its new 27MU67 monitor with 4K resolution, an IPS panel for $600. Not enough: It even supports AMD’s FreeSync variable refresh technology.
As the cigarettes said: You’ve come a long way, baby.
LG said this 27-inch monitor will hit 99 percent of the Adobe sRGB color spectrum and come with two HDMI 2.0 ports supporting HDCP 2.2, plus DisplayPort 1.2. That last point is important, as it doesn’t appear that all new HDMI 2.0 panels are supporting HDCP 2.2 across all ports. LG seems to imply that both are HDCP 2.2-compliant, though.
The monitor is rated at 300 nits and has a 5ms response time. LG says it’s actually aimed at more discriminating gamers who need IPS for color critical work but also want to game.
The new monitor has as maximum refresh rate of 60Hz, and with its FreeSync support will sync down to 40Hz. This last feature is also something that’s become a point of contention in the variable refresh rate wars.
Why this matters: We’re hot and heavy in a pricing-slash-standards war over variable refresh rate technology. AMD and Nvidia can’t even agree whether they’re fighting—Nvidia officials deny it because FreeSync is so far beneath contempt, apparently. AMD claims its strength in numbers will prevail, while Nvidia says its superior technology and greater popularity with gamers will decide in the end. LG’s new monitor puts another log in the fire.