I just tested this 45-inch OLED gaming monitor — and it's so good it could be your next TV

Earlier this year, I found out that the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA is living a secret double life — both as a seriously good gaming monitor and an impressively well-featured OLED TV.

But as someone who has used more traditional single-function gaming monitors, I was a little unsure about exactly how much I’d use these additional features. Like, how much would I actually jump over to Netflix on webOS vs just using it on my desktop?

Well, as it turns out, after using it as the main screen in my rather tiny apartment, the answer is “a lot,” and I can 100% see the appeal over the long-term in this being one of the best gaming monitors you can buy.

To be able to use the same screen for my day-to-day work and gameplay by night is one thing, but to be able to kick back and enjoy this 45-inch OLED panel as a TV can make this the central focal point of any studio apartment.

Being able to dual-purpose this screen has been a revelation in minimizing the aesthetic of my usually chaotic room.

But to get there, you need to find $1,700 and the speakers are a bit too tinny for the full binge watching experience. That being said, for the amazing couple of weeks I had using this over a TV taking up way too much room, this is a great buy.

LG UltraGear 45GX90SA: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? This is a big-screen ultrawide curved OLED gaming monitor with smart TV capabilities, courtesy of webOS.
• Who is it for? This one’s for the enthusiasts
• What does it cost? You can pick one up for $1,699 / £1,499.
• What do I like? The all-immersive OLED on a curve looks phenomenal with a burst of color and brightness, while all kept impressively smooth. On top of that, webOS drastically expands its usability beyond being just a window to your content.
• What don’t I like? At $1,699, this is a pricey investment to make. And given the size and price of it, the speakers are rather tinny.

LG UltraGear 45GX90SA: Specs

LG UltraGear 45GX90SA: The ups

Yes, it’s rather heavy, so two people are definitely needed. But outside of the weight, setting it up as a cinch. Once I fired up the 45GX90SA in my bedroom, my living room was a distant memory and studio apartment living made sense.

A mesmerizing panel

Let’s get to the obvious bit this has to do well — pack a good picture, and oh boy the 3440 x 1440-pixel OLED screen is gorgeous here.

It’s the kind of numbers you’d expect when paying a big price for the screen — strong color accuracy, big brightness and immersive HDR.

Whether it’s bright and colorful games like the fast-moving surroundings of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5, or the neon-soaked streets of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077, this is simply a mesmerizing trip with every frame.

Plus, things are kept buttery smooth and responsive with a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time, which all comes without a hint of that OLED flicker you see on other gaming monitors of this caliber.

Top it off with color accuracy that gives you confidence in your creative work, and you’re onto a winner.

Not just for work and play

But there’s a whole second mode here too. Thanks to the implementation of webOS here, this is a pretty fully-featured smart TV.

Off the rip, you’ve got all your usual streaming suspects included and even some cloud gaming. Basically, this meant I could shut down the power-hungry PC and watch my favorite shows (and even have a sample of some games) without needing to run up the electric bill — all while making the most of that inky OLED screen.

Because at the end of the day, I don’t need an RTX 5070 Ti whirring in the background to watch ‘Love Island USA’ with my fiancée and dish. This makes the 45GX90SA what I will call the optimal everything screen: something that fits multiple purposes just great, and can be expanded with the LG content store with more apps down the line.

Also shout-out to the LG remote. Not only is it a cinch to use for navigating webOS with preset buttons for the most popular streaming services, but it’s infinitely easier to tweak monitor settings for your gameplay over using the built-in buttons and joystick.

LG UltraGear 45GX90SA: The downs

But as I went from firing up my favorite games and getting work done, to binge watching to my heart’s content, two things felt a bit off with the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA.

The speakers are tinny

Not much more I could say about this beyond that subheading. For its weight and size, I was expecting there to be at least a little more oomph to the speakers on here — especially important given you’re billing this as both a desktop monitor and smart TV-esque hybrid.

That’s not to say there’s clarity here. Even at high volumes, there is no sign of distortion, and for monitors, that should be applauded. However, the bass is lacking here to really make dramatic moments of games and movies really land.

$1,699 is a big ask

The retail price of the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA is a steep one — nearly $1,700. I know that you’re getting something mightily impressive here that can do double duty.

But of course there are some lower cost options kicking about that could do the job too, as well as just getting a regular monitor and using the PC connected to it for all your streaming needs. Yes, I’m aware that webOS is not necessary, but it does create good separation and keeps the power demands down.

LG UltraGear 45GX90SA: Verdict

At its core, the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA is a phenomenal gaming monitor — packing vivid color production, a buttery smooth refresh rate with rapid response time and an impressive brightness that really brings that deep 800R curve to immersive life.

But it's so much more than that. With impressive connectivity, it can be the central hub to all of your devices, and in one fell webOS swoop, it has the size and capability to be your main screen in a studio apartment (or an ultimate distraction at your desk when you’re supposed to be working…sorry boss).

Though it isn’t completely blemish free. The speakers are pretty tinny, and at $1,699, it’s a pricey purchase. But I can’t ignore that this is one of the most fully-featured gaming monitors I’ve ever used — great for tiny dwellers and gaming enthusiasts alike.