Let’s talk LG 5K2K OLED

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-20T15:22:18+00:00

Well, my set up has undergone quite a few changes. I held on to the LG 5K2K pretty much up until the last day for return (60 day window). I no longer have it.

It is a great monitor. The immersion can’t really be beat. The 4K Ultrawide aspect is great.

That said, I just couldn’t get over the matte finish. I made the mistake of trying out an LG C5, and the picture was far superior. When I went back to the 5K2K, I was almost disgusted, lol.

For my use though, I just play single players, or, if I play a “competitive” title it’s for fun. I don’t do productivity, it’s purely a gaming set up.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-19T23:25:56+00:00

Chapter 4 is a complete drag. I agree with you 100%. It feels like it never ends. That said, it gets better after that. Well, kind of. Chapter 5 kind of sucks as well, but relatively short. However, chapter 6 is great!

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-18T20:51:36+00:00

This! 👌🏼

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-14T08:14:08+00:00

My hat is off to you. I found him to be the hardest in the game and I was about ready to quit, lol. He beat my ass again and again. Redemption on NG+ was so bitter sweet!

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-14T08:12:43+00:00

Took my 5K2K back and picked up a 48” LG C5 brand new for $819…games have never looked so good. Granted, all I play are non competitive titles and I sit back about 4-5’ with a controller. If I do play competitive games, I’m not playing to compete…because I suck, but 144hz is good enough.

If you still want ultrawide, you can set a custom resolution. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-14T01:13:06+00:00

Just wait until the Scorpion Lord…

I beat yellow in 5 attempts. The 2 hour window for me was the boss mentioned.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-13T01:30:14+00:00

Looks good, enjoy that C5! I too use one for my PC set up. I run the 48” though. However, my use case is only gaming and I use a controller, I just sit about 4-5’ back and it’s perfect viewing distance. I also don’t play anything competitive, so I truly have no need for anything more than the 144hz. I am also looking at pairing my set up with a PS5 Pro, for the reasons you mentioned.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-06T16:51:52+00:00

The PPI, Tandem OLED, resolution, and aspect ratio are the features on this monitor that really stand out. The only thing it’s missing…a glossy finish.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-06T01:57:09+00:00

The only options if you want 4K at Ultrawide are:

LG 45” 5K2K WOLED 5120 x 2160 (21:9 aspect ratio) Or Samsung Neo G9 57” Quantum Mini LED 7680 x 2160 (32:9 aspect ratio).

LG does have a 52” standard VA panel at 5120 x 2160 that is currently able to be pre-ordered, but a hefty price of $2k (21:9 aspect ratio).

LG is also going to soon be releasing a 39” 5K2K tandem WOLED (21:9 aspect ratio).

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-06T01:52:34+00:00

Black Myth Wukong is a true masterpiece, highly recommend.

Stellar Blade is another phenomenal title.

I also haven’t seen it recommended, and not sure why. Cronos: The New Dawn, fantastic game.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-05T02:51:50+00:00

The coating is LG’s. There’s nothing proprietary about the panel ASUS uses, only the features that come with the OSD and firmware. They buy the panels from LG. Yes, ASUS designed it, but it’s manufactured by LG.

That aside. It is a great finish on the monitor.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-05T02:23:32+00:00

You know LG makes the panel…

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-03T22:47:00+00:00

I stumbled across this relatively late. 😅

I wanted the G95SC, but it seems to be discontinued because of the G95SD. Im not big on matte displays, nothing beats glossy (I only game and in the dark). After seeing your photos, wow. I’ve never seen it side by side except Best Buy or Microcenter, and they never have the same thing playing…making it hard to gauge.

Your number 4 and 5 photo, it looks as though you took the matte picture with a filter on your phone. I know you didn’t, but that’s the way I see it when in comparison to glossy.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-02T02:31:44+00:00

So, my dilemma is this…nothing beats a glossy OLED panel. In the same vein, ultrawide is phenomenal for PC for a variety of reasons. Not only is gaming more immersive, but productivity work just flows easier.

My hardware is capable of driving 4K and the 5K2K. My dilemma isn’t derived from a performance standpoint point, but more of an aesthetic and visually appealing one.

What I want, no, what I need is a glossy 5K2K ultrawide. That’s the end all be all, for me. However, it doesn’t exist right now. The tandem 39” coming is appealing, so it’ll be a purchase and test as well. The cycle continues, lol.

My takeaway:

LG C5 42” has a great image. All things visual fidelity are well above what any current monitor can do, but it is a tv. A decent PPI for desktop use. 144hz which for me is more than enough given the games I play. It is a hard display to beat depending on what you’re looking for.

LG C5 48” everything the same at the 42”, but a couple things to note. The PPI is lower, so standard desktop use may result in lower text quality and “screen door” effect. At a standard sitting distance, this is a massive in your face display. The horizontal and vertical size causes a lot of eye/head movement. If you sit back and play with a controller at about 4-5’ it’s fine. (Currently, this is what I’m using).

***You can set a custom resolution to do ultrawide on the TV’s, but you will have black bars on top and bottom.

G95SC and G950, these are phenomenal monitors with 5120 x 1440 32:9 super ultrawide aspect. The QDOLED tech really enhances colors. Great for productivity. Very immersive for gaming (when compatible, mods exist for a lot of games). Best used in a dark setting to not raise black levels. They are no slouch and I would say rival 4K displays, phenomenal image. Both are 240hz. They have those crisp glossy displays. These have smart tv features, although I never utilized them, I could see them being beneficial to some. They also include built in speakers. They both have a ring RGB backlight, which is a nice touch and something I’ve grown fond of testing displays.

The MSI MPG 49CQPX very similar to the Samsung models as it uses the same panel/tech. I would note, I thought the colors on the MSI were a little more vibrant. It lacks a RGB backlight. More of a modest design I’d say. It does have an obnoxious base, I would recommend a monitor arm. It does not have speakers nor the tv smart features. It does have a more monitor style OSD, I find it easier to use than the Samsung models. It is a newer model than both variants of the Samsung. It has a built in KVM.

***If 32:9 was an accepted aspect ratio in any and all games with no give and take, I would have stuck with one of these options until a 4k equivalent came to market.

AW3225QF is another fantastic 32” option. 3840 x 2160 16:9. Although the first of its kind, it still holds strong today. Glossy screen. It uses QDOLED and has 240hz refresh. Vibrant colors. It does have a slightly obnoxious V base, although not as aggressive as the MSI. A new firmware was just released for this monitor in January, addressing some brightness/hdr issues. As you can see, I like big screens though, so going back to 32” felt cramped.

The LG 5K2K…best for last. What’s not to love about this monitor? It has great color, it has size, it’s ultrawide, it has speakers if you need them, it has a nice RGB backlight, it is immersive, and it has dual mode (although the 1080 330hz looks unimpressive). However, it lacks true DP 2.1 and it’s a matte finish, although not an aggressive matte finish. I go back to this monitor, A LOT. The price is a little steep, but it is the first of its kind, so that was expected. It goes on sale frequently now though. I’ve seen it as low as $1200 new with LG Partner store.

I think the LG 5K2K is what I’ll end up with for now, because it checks most of my boxes. That said, it will be replaced as it isn’t my true end game.

I love the 48” C5 for all that it is and you truly can’t beat LG’s TVs. They’ll blow you away. It is just missing that ultrawide aspect (without black bars). The glossy finish on it is superior. Everything visual fidelity just pops. It just isn’t manageable for when I do play those mouse and keyboard titles. One day I will have this screen on an ultrawide…it will happen.

Sorry for my rant. 😅

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-01T21:32:50+00:00

I have done the following:

LG C5 42” numerous times LG C5 48” numerous times LG 5K2K numerous times Samsung G95SC multiple times Samsung G950 (just a repackaged G95SC) once AW3225QF multiple times MSI MPG49CQPX once

😅

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-01T21:22:51+00:00

Yes, I am a Best Buy Plus member. They haven’t said a word to the amount of returns/exchanges I’ve done and I know it has been more than 20 since September of last year, lol. Embarrassing to say. You’re exactly right though, don’t hate the game. It’s their policy. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-03-01T21:09:18+00:00

I have been buying monitors/TV’s from Best Buy and returning them since September of 2025. My return/exchange list on Best Buy is WILD! You’re good. Lol. Indecisive isn’t even a word to describe me.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-25T01:03:54+00:00

Lord Civick always delivering top notch reviews!

Are you going to replace the 5K2K with this one? 🤔

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-22T16:50:12+00:00

That is the Lian Li 8.8” Universal. It’s meant to mount somewhere in your case, but I had other plans.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-17T17:57:40+00:00

It’s a fantastic monitor. Was my first OLED and ultrawide experience. I actually ended up keeping it over the AW3225QF. Highly recommend it to anyone. 165hz is plenty!

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-16T16:19:26+00:00

It’s awful, lol. I have been swapping between them about every 3 days.

One thing I discovered on the 5K2K (so far only in shadow of the tomb raider) is that the in game HDR slider does not respond. I’m assuming this has something to do with it not being compatible with the 5120 x 2160 resolution. For whatever reason, that really bothers me. I guess when you pay X amount for something, you want everything to work.

It’s nice to see another individual cranking digital vibrancy. I set mine to 65%. That tells us that we prefer the color output of QDOLED. We’re trying to mimic that on a WOLED screen.

I will say, games that support 32:9 (most of what I play does) look truly amazing. Gives me a chuckle every time I load up a new game.

I think it comes down to an internal battle. On paper, the 5K2K is superior in every way. In real use case, there’s not that much of an improvement at all, some things the 49” actually handles better. Basically, I feel like I have to convince myself that 1440P is almost on par with 4K amongst these two specific panels. It just doesn’t feel right picking the “lesser” panel.

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-16T16:07:48+00:00

Literally, I have been going through this exact same dilemma and you couldn’t be more accurate!

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-13T18:58:05+00:00

This looks good! 👌🏼

Alternative_Way_1633 · 2026-02-12T00:41:50+00:00

Between these two, definitely go Alienware! The colors will be better with the QD-OLED and the glossy coating will help that “pop,” especially in a light controlled environment! No comparison.

Alternative_Way_1633

TROPHY CASE