LG 21:9 Ultrawide 38UC99 Monitor Review
By Anthony Taormina 16 January 2017
When first setting up the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 Monitor it’s hard not to be impressed. With a 37.5-inch diagonal wingspan, a curved profile, and a sleek form factor, the LG monitor is nothing short of stunning. Moreover, it’s an imposing addition to any PC gamer or PC user’s setup – one that offers all the usual bells and whistles, and then some.
In terms of its set up, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 may be large, but it is in no way bulky. The monitor is easy to remove from its packaging and simple to put together. More importantly, while the 21:9 monitor does offer a lot in terms of visual real estate, it does not leave a large imprint on the desk. Its smaller stand, with options to raise the monitor to various heights, ensures that PC gamers will still have plenty of room for their favorite gaming keyboards and mice.
The real appeal of the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 monitor, of course, are its visual reproduction and feature set, which are second to none. Boasting QHD, 3840×1600 resolution, the monitor can fit all the needs of a modern gamer. It may not have 4K support, but the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 still meets or exceeds any tests in its class. Top tier games like DOOM, The Witcher 3, and Battlefield 1 are all gorgeous and well represented on the monitor, and more immersive thanks to its dimensions and curved display profile.
Those who want to tweak will also find that the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 offers plenty of options to do so, and several presets to fiddle around with as well. The monitor has no problem accurately reproducing the vibrant colors that are necessary for immersive gaming experiences, from the varying tones of green in CG grass to the rich blacks in dark corners. There are also a few features to reduce lag time, like the 1ms blur reduction, support for AMD FreeSync, and dynamic action sync. The monitor even has high quality built-in speakers, which is a rarity for monitors these days.
Obviously not every game will have support for 3840×1600 or an ultrawide permutation, but those that do are stunning on the display. And even those games that feature borders on the sides still look impressive. Keep in mind, though, that the monitor is built for PC use and therefore not meant for console players.
Alongside top tier support for gaming, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 monitor is also the perfect compliment for the home office. With so much real estate to work with, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 gives users space to keep several windows open at appropriate sizes. This is especially useful for PC users that need a few reference or Photoshop windows open at a time.
The LG Ultrawide 38UC99 even offers a few baked-in options that make power using that much easier, like Screen Split options that determine how windows are arranged on the screen, and dual support for PC and Mac on opposing halves of the monitor. For someone that spends a lot of time managing tabs or simply staring at a monitor, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 has nearly everything they could want, and even some features they didn’t know they needed.
In order to deliver all of these impressive features, however, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 monitor commands a hefty price tag of $1499 at retail. That’s substantially higher than a bare bones display and a high-end PC gaming monitor. Truly, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 is for a very specific subset of PC gamers and users looking for a device that fits a wide range of situations. At that price point, though, the monitor never disappoints, delivers crisp, clear visuals, and has bells and whistles that meet a variety of needs. If you’re looking for a centerpiece to your home office or high-end PC gaming setup, the LG Ultrawide 38UC99 monitor is well worth a look.
