LG Ultragear 45GR75DC-B: A Budget-Friendly Super-Ultrawide Option
Nothing short of VR can beat the immersion of a super-ultrawide monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio. But big monitors often carry a big price tag, and many models come in at $1,000 or above. The LG Ultragear 45GR75DC-B offers a more affordable alternative with a 45-inch panel and an MSRP of just $899.99 (or $799.99 if you opt for the 45GR65C, which ditches USB-C connectivity). The low price requires a few compromises, but the 45GR75DC-B remains a great onramp to super-ultrawide bliss.
Design
I’ll start with the obvious first. This is a 45-inch super-ultrawide, which differs from the common 49-inch super-ultrawide format. Does the loss of four inches matter? Not really. The 45GR75DC-B’s screen is roughly 4 inches more narrow and an inch shorter than a 49-inch alternative. It’s smaller, but I doubt most people would notice it without a side-by-side comparison.
What you will notice is the monitor’s simple, professional design. LG rethought the Ultragear line’s look for 2023, replacing the gaudy red plastics of past models with matte black. It’s a reserved look and doesn’t impress, but also avoids offense. The 45GR75DC-B ships with a heavy, wide stand that keeps the monitor firmly planted and minimizes display wobble if you bump or jostle your desk. It also offers ergonomic adjustment for height and tilt. The stand’s neck is deep, though, which is a problem if you have a narrow desk. On my desk, which measures about 25 inches deep, I couldn’t push the monitor back far enough to place the screen at a comfortable distance from my eyes. Fortunately, a third-party stand is an option. The monitor supports a 100mm x 100mm VESA mount. The display panel is relatively light (for a super-ultrawide) at 13.7 pounds, so most mid-range monitor arms and stands will be able to support it.
Connectivity & Features
LG released not one but two 45-inch super-ultrawide monitors: the 45GR75DC-B and the less expensive 45GR65DC-B. They differ only in connectivity. The 45GR75DC-B, which I received on loan for this review, has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode (meaning it can handle video input) and up to 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. The 45GR65DC-B lacks USB-C. Both monitors have HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort input 1.4. All video inputs are rated to support a refresh rate up to 200Hz at the native resolution of 5,120 x 1,440, which is nice to see. A couple USB downstream ports and a 3.5mm audio-out jack round out the connectivity. The 3.5mm audio-out is a four-pole jack that supports DTS:X audio, but I didn’t have compatible headphones on hand to try this feature for myself.
Gaming Image Quality
The LG Ultragear 45GR75DC-B isn’t the least expensive super-ultrawide monitor available but, at $899.99 (or $799.99 for the model without USB-C), it’s close. LG achieves the price by sticking with a basic display panel that lacks fancy features like a Mini-LED backlight, but the monitor still looks attractive.
Let’s talk contrast. The 45GR75DC-B, like most super-ultrawide monitors, has a Vertical Alignment (VA) panel. Panels of this type are known for reasonably deep and immersive contrast. The LG doesn’t disappoint with a maximum measured contrast ratio of 3650:1. Dark scenes offer good detail and usually reach deep, inky black levels. The panel has its limits, though. Viewing the 45GR75DC-B in a dark room will reveal a slight glow to the screen, even when it should be perfectly dark. That’s a problem if you like games that lean towards a dark presentation, like Diablo IV or Resident Evil: Village. Gamers looking to eliminate that problem will need to upgrade to an OLED or Mini-LED display. However, super-ultrawide displays with better contrast ratio are more expensive. The Samsung Odyssey OLED G95SC is gorgeous, but it carries an MSRP of $1,799.99 and often retails near or above $1,500.