25G590B - The World's First Native 1000Hz FHD Gaming Monitor (FIRST IMPRESSIONS!)
Hello everyone! Before I get into it, small disclaimer: LG Invited me to attend this event and covered part of my travel expenses. All opinions are my own.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to an exclusive event at LG headquarters earlier today to get a hands-on first look on at the recently-revealed “World's First Native 1000Hz FHD Gaming Monitor” (“native” in this sense meaning there’s no dual mode switching.)
Okay now on to the good stuff:
Specs:
24.5" Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Display with native 1000Hz refresh rate
Nvidia G-Sync Compatible & AMD FreeSync Premium Supported
VESA DisplayHDR 400
On-device AI features
First impressions:
Overall it’s obvious that the monitor has a particular audience in mind: hard core esports gamers. Want a smaller screen to limit FOV and see more? Check. Newer, smaller footprint design on the monitor stand to let low DPI settings to swing their arm more? Check. Super high native 1000Hz for crystal-clear motion tracking? DOUBLE CHECK.
Also fun fact: until recently, TestUFO could only test up to 950Hz. In preparation for the release of this monitor, LG worked directly with Blurbusters to officially build software capable of testing 1000Hz and beyond! So we were some of the first people to see a 1000Hz signal verified by TestUFO. Super cool experience. Also in the video, you’ll see TestUFO at 1100Hz - you can actually overclock the display!
I would say though, the prospect of a 1000Hz monitor is interesting as it really begs the question: what does it actually take to hit 1000Hz?
At home, I have a 5090 and that coincidently was also the gpu on the test build powering this display. Do you absolutely need a 5090? My honest answer is: it depends. On most AAA games (or most games for that matter) you just aren’t going to hit anywhere close to the max refresh rate of this monitor without a considerable amount of frame gen. What I would say though is there is an argument to be made on this being more of a future-proof display for esports. Even if you aren’t maxing out the display, that still leaves headroom for upgrades down the line and at least you can still have GSync/FreeSync to fall back on for smoothness.
My take is that this is not a monitor for those who want the most immersive experience. Indeed, it isn’t OLED or even ultra-wide (though honestly colors did look great for an IPS). This is a monitor for those who want performance above all else and the people who want that level of performance are mostly playing games that can usually reach those FPS targets (Counter Strike 2, Valorant, League, Apex etc). Needles to say though, you may be able to play lighter weight or older games that aren’t as graphically intensive at those higher rates, but ultimately, you wont get as much from immersion as you would with, say, an LG 5k2k display.
Overall, while I thought the 25G590B was a fascinating piece of display tech, I wonder if it’s enough for esports adoption. With no price currently announced and no current details on response time, I am unsure of what the reception will be. If the goal was to release a super smooth 1000hz monitor that some of the most discerning players out there will appreciate, I think LG hit the mark. It’s obvious that LG is listening as much as they can, I am curious what others will think as they get their hands on this display.
Again, thank you LG for the opportunity and for everyone reading I hope you found something helpful here! More than happy to answer any other questions to the best of my knowledge.