LG Ultrafine 6K announced

[EugW]

Note re: the 45" 5k/2k OLED. It's due out later this year in 39" which makes it a much more productivity-friendly 140ppi, which is the same as the current Dell and LG used by many. It's *also* due in 34" which will have an even higher PPI though I'm too lazy to do the math right now.

https://www.pcgameshardware.de/screenshots/1020x/2024/01/LG-Roadmap-2025-pcgh.jpg

5120x2160:

45" - 123.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 27.8"
39" - 142.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 24.1"
34" - 163.4 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 21.0"
30" - 185.3 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 18.6"
27" - 205.8 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 16.7"

The first two sizes are non-starters for me. The 34" at 163 ppi would be OK, but I want an upgrade from my current 163 ppi monitor. As mentioned earlier, a hypothetical 30" monitor at 185 ppi would be great, but it's not on the roadmap.

I sit at around 22-25" away from the screen, which is why that 34" 5K2K monitor would work, with its minimum recommended seating distance of 21", but nonetheless with 163 ppi I still do notice text isn't quite perfectly crisp when non-integer scaling is used.

Thus, I will stick with the plan of getting a 5-6K 31.5-32" monitor.

5120x2880 31.5" - 186.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 18.4"
6016x3384 31.5" - 219.1 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 15.7"
6144x3456 32.0" - 220.3 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 15.6"

BTW, here are the Asus 6K specs. Technically it says 218 ppi (like Apple's monitors). Rounding error above, but close enough.

 

[anthonymoody]

5120x2160:

45" - 123.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 27.8"
39" - 142.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 24.1"
34" - 163.4 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 21.0"
30" - 185.3 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 18.6"
27" - 205.8 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 16.7"

The first two sizes are non-starters for me. The 34" at 163 ppi would be OK, but I want an upgrade from my current 163 ppi monitor. As mentioned earlier, a hypothetical 30" monitor at 185 ppi would be great, but it's not on the roadmap.

I sit at around 22-25" away from the screen, which is why that 34" 5K2K monitor would work, with its minimum recommended seating distance of 21", but nonetheless with 163 ppi I still do notice text isn't quite perfectly crisp when non-integer scaling is used.

Thus, I will stick with the plan of getting a 5-6K 31.5-32" monitor.

5120x2880 31.5" - 186.5 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 18.4"
6016x3384 31.5" - 219.1 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 15.7"
6144x3456 32.0" - 220.3 ppi - Minimum retina seating distance 15.6"

BTW, here are the Asus 6K specs. Technically it says 218 ppi (like Apple's monitors). Rounding error above, but close enough.

Thanks for doing the math! I'm on the current/old 40" LG so the 39" would be a cross grade in PPI but obviously a massive improvement in other specs.

I wonder for the 6K under discussion here what the HiDPI resolutions are? I use 3840 x 1620 on the 40" I have and get 3 columns which I consider to be full width for my needs. Just guessing but based on physical real estate a 32" 6K may function more like a 2-column screen. That would be tough for me to accept after getting so used to 3.


Sorry EugW not sure how this quote got here and I can't figure out how to delete it.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Note re: the 45" 5k/2k OLED. It's due out later this year in 39" which makes it a much more productivity-friendly 140ppi, which is the same as the current Dell and LG used by many. It's *also* due in 34" which will have an even higher PPI though I'm too lazy to do the math right now.

https://www.pcgameshardware.de/screenshots/1020x/2024/01/LG-Roadmap-2025-pcgh.jpg

That slide refers to panel production. The displays wont be out on the market until spring 2026.

 

[anthonymoody]

That slide refers to panel production. The displays wont be out on the market until spring 2026.

I've waited this long so 😂

 

[EugW]

As LG's stunning new 45" curved 5K OLED has been priced at 2000, would it be safe the say the new 6K Ultrafine will be around this price too?

An Update on Pricing and Availability for the LG 45GX950A and 45GX990A 45" 5K2K OLED Monitors - TFTCentral

Share this contentOriginally published 26 Feb 2025, last updated 24 April 2025 As we discussed in our recent video “5K2K Ultrawide OLEDs are Coming!“, the first wave of 45” OLED....[click link for more]

tftcentral.co.uk

 

[Pezimak]

Its a BEAST 😂😂

 

[sparkie7]

Any update on this LG UltraFine™️ 6K Monitor (Model 32U990A) ?

Availability / launch date. Does it have at least 2x Thunderbolt 5 ports for daisy chaining multiple displays?

 

[Pezimak]

Any update on this LG UltraFine™️ 6K Monitor (Model 32U990A) ?

Availability / launch date. Does it have at least 2x Thunderbolt 5 ports for daisy chaining multiple displays?

Yes, their Greek website state a release next month September:

Οι καινοτόμες οθόνες της LG βραβεύτηκαν με Red Dot Design Award 2025

Δύο προηγμένα μοντέλα της LG Electronics (LG) ξεχώρισαν στον παγκοσμίως αναγνωρισμένο θεσμό Red Dot Design Awards 2025, αποσπώντας διάκριση για τον καινοτόμο και λειτουργικό σχεδιασμό τους: η LG UltraFine™ 6K Monitor (μοντέλο 32U990A) και η LG Smart Monitor Swing (μοντέλο 32U889SA).

www.lg.com

“The LG UltraFine™ 6K, the world’s first display with 6K resolution and Thunderbolt™ 5 support, combines top-tier technical features with refined design. Equipped with a Nano IPS Black panel, it delivers exceptional color accuracy, a wide color gamut (99.5% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3), and a high contrast ratio. Its slim and geometrically balanced design merges aesthetics with ergonomics, perfectly meeting the needs of professional content creators as well as demanding users.

On the other hand, the LG Smart Monitor Swing, which also received recognition at this year’s CES Innovation Awards, impresses with its versatility and user-friendliness. Featuring a rotating stand with ergonomic design, a 32” 4K UHD touchscreen, and the webOS operating system, this smart monitor fully adapts to the user's personal and professional needs—whether for entertainment or work—without the need to connect to a computer.

This double distinction at the Red Dot Awards confirms LG’s commitment to designing innovative products that offer high aesthetics, functionality, and technological excellence.

The two award-winning monitors are expected to arrive on the Greek market starting in September. Finally, all LG professional monitors come with a 3-year comprehensive warranty and a 3-year zero pixel defect warranty.”

Some places are reporting it will have 120HZ too due to Thunderbolt 5, but without any sources being provided.

Some new pics here too but they aslo show it has thicker bezels then originally advertised:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1957703980907151654

I am going to take a look at this one once it is out, but am also tempted to get a Pro Display XDR once it has been updated, or see we what the new Studio display is like, thinking Mini LED may be better with better HDR and local dimming. And no risk of burn in with static windows like on OLED.

 

[Pezimak]

Apparently this monitor will still have a 60HZ refresh rate, which IMO makes the inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 utterly useless and a waste of money if they charge a premium for it.

 

[Dark-Signature]

For me, the reason why the LG is not an option at all is that it does not use a glossy coating. When will manufacturers realize that a matte coating reduces display quality so much that there is hardly any rational reason to buy a high-resolution monitor?

 

[EugW]

For me, the reason why the LG is not an option at all is that it does not use a glossy coating. When will manufacturers realize that a matte coating reduces display quality so much that there is hardly any rational reason to buy a high-resolution monitor?

That's just not true. Manufacturers sell monitors with matte screens partially because a lot of people prefer them, even on Retina-class or near-Retina-class monitors. Hell, even Apple sells - for more money - their nano texture glass. My web design friend loves his Apple Studio Display with nano texture glass. It's not for me though since I'm not willing to pay the price premium. However, for the coming 6K displays, the matte surface is not a deal-breaker by any means.

If you check out the various reviews, you'll see that a LOT of people prefer the non-glossy display, even for expensive monitors like the Apple Studio Display.

 

[leifp]

For me, the reason why the LG is not an option at all is that it does not use a glossy coating. When will manufacturers realize that a matte coating reduces display quality so much that there is hardly any rational reason to buy a high-resolution monitor?

Shiny = no buy for me. The enhanced contrast gets destroyed by any and all reflections. Matte is where it’s at. I’m happy that there’s a choice for those of us who prefer it… much as there’s a choice for those who prefer shiny.

Context: former photographer and designer who detests seeing any of the real world obscuring the images on my computer. Even my gaming monitor is matte. I hate that my TV is shiny… showing a sliver of trees and my car during daylight hours…

 

[Dark-Signature]

Shiny = no buy for me. The enhanced contrast gets destroyed by any and all reflections. Matte is where it’s at. I’m happy that there’s a choice for those of us who prefer it… much as there’s a choice for those who prefer shiny.

Context: former photographer and designer who detests seeing any of the real world obscuring the images on my computer. Even my gaming monitor is matte. I hate that my TV is shiny… showing a sliver of trees and my car during daylight hours…

That's a good point: TVs and gaming monitors, because there you can see very clearly how a matte surface permanently impairs the brilliance of the image. Accordingly, there are also developments in these areas (e.g., in the gaming sector, 90% of screens are glossy OLED high-frequency screens). Once you have noticed this matte effect, the gray haze of the matte coating can no longer be ignored. A glossy coating is certainly not ideal either, but it is far more tolerable than a matte coating.

 

[tenthousandthings]

For those who missed it in the 32" 6K thread, here's the regulatory documentation (dating to July 31):

EU Product Information Sheet for energy labeling [PDF]

US EnergyStar certification listing

VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification listing

 

[tenthousandthings]

Yes, their Greek website state a release next month September:

Οι καινοτόμες οθόνες της LG βραβεύτηκαν με Red Dot Design Award 2025

Δύο προηγμένα μοντέλα της LG Electronics (LG) ξεχώρισαν στον παγκοσμίως αναγνωρισμένο θεσμό Red Dot Design Awards 2025, αποσπώντας διάκριση για τον καινοτόμο και λειτουργικό σχεδιασμό τους: η LG UltraFine™ 6K Monitor (μοντέλο 32U990A) και η LG Smart Monitor Swing (μοντέλο 32U889SA).

www.lg.com

“The LG UltraFine™ 6K, the world’s first display with 6K resolution and Thunderbolt™ 5 support, combines top-tier technical features with refined design. Equipped with a Nano IPS Black panel, it delivers exceptional color accuracy, a wide color gamut (99.5% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3), and a high contrast ratio. Its slim and geometrically balanced design merges aesthetics with ergonomics, perfectly meeting the needs of professional content creators as well as demanding users.

On the other hand, the LG Smart Monitor Swing, which also received recognition at this year’s CES Innovation Awards, impresses with its versatility and user-friendliness. Featuring a rotating stand with ergonomic design, a 32” 4K UHD touchscreen, and the webOS operating system, this smart monitor fully adapts to the user's personal and professional needs—whether for entertainment or work—without the need to connect to a computer.

This double distinction at the Red Dot Awards confirms LG’s commitment to designing innovative products that offer high aesthetics, functionality, and technological excellence.

The two award-winning monitors are expected to arrive on the Greek market starting in September. Finally, all LG professional monitors come with a 3-year comprehensive warranty and a 3-year zero pixel defect warranty.”

Some places are reporting it will have 120HZ too due to Thunderbolt 5, but without any sources being provided.

Some new pics here too but they aslo show it has thicker bezels then originally advertised:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1957703980907151654

I am going to take a look at this one once it is out, but am also tempted to get a Pro Display XDR once it has been updated, or see we what the new Studio display is like, thinking Mini LED may be better with better HDR and local dimming. And no risk of burn in with static windows like on OLED.

Those photos show the I/O. The resolution isn't great, but I think (starting at the top): 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort (in use), 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 5, and a 3x USB-C Hub. The external power supply is the lowest plug (in use).

So Thunderbolt 5 daisy chain capability seems probable.

 

[leifp]

That's a good point: TVs and gaming monitors, because there you can see very clearly how a matte surface permanently impairs the brilliance of the image. Accordingly, there are also developments in these areas (e.g., in the gaming sector, 90% of screens are glossy OLED high-frequency screens). Once you have noticed this matte effect, the gray haze of the matte coating can no longer be ignored. A glossy coating is certainly not ideal either, but it is far more tolerable than a matte coating.

For you, matte is a blurry mess. For me, shiny ruins everything. I will choose matte over shiny every single time. And I work with fine detail on my monitors.

It’s really a question of what bothers you. Some are motion sensitive: e.g. playing inconstant frame time games or at 30 fps is frustrating for me; others don’t notice it. Some like the soap opera effect of “fluid motion” but it drives me crazy. Some love LED LCDs (only Apple’s MacBook Pro screens have ever been decent versions of this in my experience) others prefer OLED (myself) or even CRTs (win some, lose some). Colour depth (e.g. HDR) and true to life (accuracy) are important to some but not to others. I’ve found the list endless for what bothers one that another loves. Find your sweet spot and buy it! Don’t knock the preferences of others…

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

For you, matte is a blurry mess. For me, shiny ruins everything. I will choose matte over shiny every single time. And I work with fine detail on my monitors.

It’s really a question of what bothers you. Some are motion sensitive: e.g. playing inconstant frame time games or at 30 fps is frustrating for me; others don’t notice it. Some like the soap opera effect of “fluid motion” but it drives me crazy. Some love LED LCDs (only Apple’s MacBook Pro screens have ever been decent versions of this in my experience) others prefer OLED (myself) or even CRTs (win some, lose some). Colour depth (e.g. HDR) and true to life (accuracy) are important to some but not to others. I’ve found the list endless for what bothers one that another loves. Find your sweet spot and buy it! Don’t knock the preferences of others…

While I can appreciate that people have different preferences, matte is objectively bad for text clarity, which is the whole point of a high PPI screen. Here is a photo of the 5k ASUS. Rtings noted that due to the matte coating the text clarity is only slightly better than on a 4k panel of the same size.

So sure you don't have to look at reflections, but it's at the cost of the text clarity.

 

[drrich2]

Here is a photo of the 5k ASUS. Rtings noted that due to the matte coating the text clarity is only slightly better than on a 4k panel of the same size.

So sure you don't have to look at reflections, but it's at the cost of the text clarity.

That's worth delving into a bit. From Rting's review:

"It has superb ergonomics and fantastic text clarity, though its strong matte coating means it's not as sharp as many other 5k displays. Additionally, it easily overcomes even the brightest glare with its amazing brightness and incredible reflection handling."

I didn't even think there were 'many' other 5k displays (yeah, Apple, LG, Samsung, recently BenQ I believe...). Most of them are matte, though here it claims the ASUS has strong matte coating. So...not as sharp as many others but text clarity is fantastic. Does that mean the deficit is so tiny many people wouldn't notice or be impacted by it?

"Fantastic text and image clarity."

In a comparison it does say the Apple Studio Display has sharper text, but the 5K ASUS has slightly sharper text than the 4K Dell U2725QE.

If you meant to suggest the 5K ASUS doesn't offer much over a 4K (27" displays), I wonder if that's as true on Macs (with their scaling issues) as on Windows? People make more of an issue on 'retina' class dpi on Macs.

"As a result, this monitor's text clarity is a bit worse than a 27-inch 5k display like the Apple Studio Display. However, it's slightly better than a 4k 27-inch display with a regular matte coating."

'A bit worse' sounds pretty minor, but minor is in the eye of the beholder. They scored it at 9.0 (out of 10?) on text clarity.

 

[mintshows]

In a comparison it does say the Apple Studio Display has sharper text, but the 5K ASUS has slightly sharper text than the 4K Dell U2725QE.

We just need some Youtuber with a $15,000 budget to buy the XDR, Asus 6k, Kuycon, and Dell for an ultimate showdown!

 

[Dark-Signature]

We just need some Youtuber with a $15,000 budget to buy the XDR, Asus 6k, Kuycon, and Dell for an ultimate showdown!

"This YouTuber" should also have very good eyesight and an eye for image quality. There's no question that you can see and read everything even on a screen with a matte coating. But if you want to spend a lot of money on a very high-resolution monitor (and I count myself among those people), then I also want the best possible quality, and I have looked at various monitors in 4K and 5K and now also 6K, and a matte coating has always (!) disappointed me so far. Even Apple's nano texture solution on the XDR was an absolute step backwards for me compared to the glossy XDR. In my opinion, one of the main reasons why matte displays are still offered is because of bureaucratic requirements from companies, who want to avoid complaints that there could be reflections in the image. But no one cares that this downgrades the quality.

 

[drrich2]

"This YouTuber" should also have very good eyesight and an eye for image quality.

Ideally, it would be at least 3 reviewers, each giving an independent assessment of image quality, particularly text quality. One should be a fine detail stickler professional type with sharp eyesight, ideally using a Mac to drive the display and familiar with the ASD, to opine on how relevant the matte vs. glossy issue is with this display. Does he notice without scrutinizing for it, how concerning is it, etc...

Then we should have someone who's more of a 'Joe Average' home user, also familiar with the ASD, to opine on the issue in general use - so word processor and browser windows with some fairly small text, etc...

And paying attention to consider to what extent the text looks less sharp objectively vs. the effect of the colorful 'pop' of glossy over matte impacting perception.

We need the mix because we get different reports from different people. Matte's effect on text sharpness can vary from barely detectable to what to me sounds like looking through a very fine layer of dust on your screen, depending on who you listen to.

 

[Monomono]

We just need some Youtuber with a $15,000 budget to buy the XDR, Asus 6k, Kuycon, and Dell for an ultimate showdown!

I have a Dell 6k and XDR, Studio Display, and Samsung 5k display. Samsung and dell are matte which do make them less clear to me.