

Above: Some of the original overclocked ultrawide IPS displays. The Acer Predator X34 and Asus ROG Swift PG348Q with 34" 100Hz panels

Apart from those 27” AU Optronics panels with 144Hz talked about above, there were no IPS-type panels available at the time of originally writing this article in September 2016 which natively support high refresh rates. In the larger display space, display manufacturers had some solid success in overclocking a curved 34” 3440 x 1440 resolution panel which has been around for quite some years, produced by LG.Display. This IPS panel is actually natively 60Hz, but when it is combined with a G-sync module it has been possible to overclock that refresh rate up to 100Hz successfully. Monitors like the Acer Predator X34 and Asus ROG Swift PG348Q (both reviewed) were two very popular options based on this panel, and overclocked with a lot of success 3440 x 1440 @ 100Hz. They offered high refresh rate support and response times suitable to keep up the demands of the frame rate.

Ultrawide IPS panels with native high refresh rates

LG.Display were later than AUO to develop high refresh rate IPS-type panels, but their focus was largely on ultrawide models at the beginning. As a side note, all the way back in late 2015 LG.Display did actually have a 27” module (panel part LM270WF8) in their road-map which would have been their first venture in to high refresh rate IPS tech. That was a planned 1920 x 1080 @ 144Hz module, but as far as we know it was dropped and never emerged. Thankfully LG.Display are now investing in other high refresh rate IPS options, including many in the ultrawide space:



Above: LG 34UC79G with 2560 x 1080 @ 144Hz LG.Display IPS panel

34” curved ultra-wide with 2560 x 1080 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate - production in August 2016 (panel part LM340WW2). This represented LG.Display’s first available native high refresh IPS panel. We have tested the LG 34UC79G (reviewed) which features this panel with FreeSync support. A G-sync module version was also produced since Jan 2017. Although not listed in the most recent roadmaps we've seen, LG.Display appear to have a slightly updated version of this panel in production during H1 2019 with the same 2560 x 1080 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, but an increased brightness spec of 300 cd/m2 compared with the earlier 250 cd/m2 specs. That is used in the LG 34GL750 which was released late in 2019.



Above: Dell Alienware AW3418DW and Asus ROG Swift PG349Q, with 34" ultrawide LG.Display IPS panel with 100Hz native, 120Hz overclocked

34” curved ultra-wide with 3440 x 1440 resolution and 100Hz refresh rate - there is also already a 3440 x 1440 resolution @ 100Hz IPS (LM340UW4) panel available and used in some popular displays like the Dell Alienware AW3418DW (reviewed) for instance, where it is also paired with a G-sync module to offer an overclocked 120Hz refresh rate. There is also the Asus ROG Swift PG349Q which uses the new 100Hz native refresh rate panel and thanks to a G-sync module also allows a 120Hz overclock. Note that the PG349Q replaced the PG348Q which was a 60Hz panel overclocked to 100Hz. Other screens with FreeSync support are also available including the Acer Predator XR342CKP for example.





Above: LG 34GK950F/G (left) and Dell Alienware AW3420DW (right) with 3440 x 1440 resolution and 120/144Hz refresh rate



34” curved ultra-wide with 3440 x 1440 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate - The 100Hz UW4 panel mentioned above has now been superseded by a higher refresh rate options, with 144Hz. There was originally a couple of new versions of the older LM340UW3 panel (which is already available as a 60Hz option) planned around late 2017 with 144Hz, but it looks like those have been scrapped and replaced by the LM340UW5 instead. This UW5 panel has been used in a couple of screens already including the LG 34GK950F and 34GK950G that we have reviewed in full. Where it has been combined with a G-sync module, so far this has required a down-clock to a maximum 120Hz because of the limitations with the G-sync v1 module. The FreeSync version of the screen can use the full 144Hz refresh rate without issue as long as you have a suitable graphics card and DisplayPort 1.4 output. Dell have also released their Dell Alienware AW3420DW which uses this same panel but again is down-clocked slightly to 120Hz because it is a Native G-sync screen.

Larger Ultrawide IPS panel options





Above: LG 38UC99 with 37.5" LG.Display IPS panel and small overclocked 75Hz refresh rate

3 7.5" curved ultra-wide development - LG.Display are also investing in even larger ultra-wide screens in the curved 37.5" space. We've seen the first of these appear in monitor form in September 2016 in the form of the LG 38UC99 (reviewed) . These new panels offer a 24:10 aspect ratio and 3840 x 1600 resolution. The panel already in production and used in that LG screen is a maximum 75Hz refresh rate. We wouldn't call this a "high refresh rate" but we mention it for reference.





Above: LG 38GL950G with 37.5" 3840 x 1600 resolution panel and 175Hz

LG.Display are now also producing a 144Hz version with the same 3840 x 1600 resolution. Originally touted for a Q4 2017 production, this slipped and was then sent to mass production late in 2019. This is the LM375QW2 panel and it has already been featured in the LG 38GL950G (reviewed) which was the first screen to make use of this new panel and also offers an overclock up to 175Hz thanks to the use of a G-sync v2 module as well.



This same panel will also be featured in several forthcoming models including the Acer Predator X38 which features a Native G-sync module as well, and offers the same 175Hz overclock. That model is expected to be released around April 2020.



Above: LG 38WN95C with 37.5" 144Hz IPS panel and 3840 x 1600 resolution

A few of adaptive-sync displays have also been announced based on an updated version of this panel which still offers the same 3840 x 1600 resolution and 144Hz native refresh rate, but which also includes HDR 600 support. These models are the LG 37GN950 (160Hz overclock, likely H2 2020), the more business-oriented LG 38WN95C (144Hz native, also likely H2 2020) and also the MSI Optix MEG381CQR (144Hz native, Q3/Q4 2020).





49" ultrawide with 5120 x 1440 and 144Hz - LG.Display are already producing a 32:9 aspect ratio 49" ultrawide panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and high 5120 x 1440 resolution. They also plan to produce a 144Hz refresh rate version although production was originally not expected until Q4 2019 and this panel does not appear on the latest roadmaps we have from Dec 2019 so it may well have slipped or been pushed back. No news of any screens featuring this panel yet.



AU Optronics don’t have any ultra-wide high refresh rate IPS-type panels in their current roadmaps, instead choosing to focus on VA-type panels in that space. So it seems that they are sticking to the typical 16:9 aspect ratio market, and leaving the 34”+ ultra-wide space to LG.Display for now. Samsung have so far not planned any high refresh rate PLS panels, which is their IPS-type technology. They seem to be more focused on their VA panels at the moment as well.





240Hz IPS Panels with 1080p Resolution



Above: Acer Nitro XV273X with 240Hz IPS panel and 1080p

We have now seen a variety of 240Hz IPS panels produced, with a range of monitors already released or announced. Some even offer overclocking features to extend 240Hz to even higher refresh rates - at the moment the maximum launched is 280Hz!

These 2400Hz IPS panels are initially available from AU Optronics and only with 1080p resolutions and in sizes of 24.5" ( M250HAN01.3 ) and 27" ( M270HAN03.0 ). The smaller version has been in production since July 2019, and the larger version slightly before since May 2019. AUO have had to work to improve response times even further to be able to cope with the high frame rate demands of 240Hz. The Acer Nitro XV273 X (reviewed) was the first screen released in 27" and featuring the new 240Hz panel. We have also seen other models released including the Dell Alienware AW2720HF, Acer Nitro VG272X and ViewSonic Elite XG270. There is also the Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM (reviewed) which allowed for an overclocked 280Hz refresh rate from this panel, and also supported Asus' ELMB-sync for simultaneous blur reduction and variable refresh rates. Those models are adaptive-sync and so support FreeSync and G-sync. There are also some Native G-sync module screens like the Acer Predator XB273 X.



Above: Asus TUF Gaming VG259QM with 24.5" size 280Hz IPS panel

The smaller 24.5" equivalent panel from AUO has also been used in various models announced including the Acer Nitro XV253QX, Dell Alienware AW2521HF, Acer VG252QX and MSI Optix MAG251RX for instance all with 240Hz. Asus are also releasing their 24.5" TUF Gaming VG259QM which allows for a 280Hz overclock (like the 27" model does) and includes simultaneous blur reduction and VRR support through their ELMB-sync technology.



Above: LG 27GN750 with 27" IPS panel and 240Hz from LG.Display