LG Ultrawide 38BR85QC-W 38" 37.5" Review

A brilliantly balanced ultrawide that excels at both color work and gaming. Buy it if you find it under $1,500, but walk away from any listing near two grand.

The LG 38BR85QC-W is a monitor that tries to be everything to everyone, and for the most part, it succeeds. The one thing you need to know is that this 38-inch ultrawide is a fantastic all-rounder, delivering a top-tier color experience and smooth performance that works for both creative pros and gamers. It's not the absolute best at any one thing, but it's impressively good at almost everything, which is a rare feat.

The color performance is the real star here. With a DCI-P3 98% rating and HDR600 certification, this Nano IPS panel punches way above its weight class for a monitor in this price bracket. It's one of the best on the market for color accuracy out of the box. The 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time are strong, making for a buttery-smooth experience that feels well above average, even if it's not chasing the bleeding edge of 240Hz or OLED-level response.

Worth it? Only if you find it on sale. With prices swinging from $1,330 to over $2,180, your perception of this monitor's value depends entirely on which vendor you pick. At the lower end of that range, it's a compelling package. At the high end, you're entering territory where more specialized monitors start to look better. Shop around aggressively.

This LG sits in a sweet spot between more extreme options. Compared to the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 57", you're getting a much more manageable size and a better balance for productivity, but you lose that insane immersion and peak gaming specs. Against the Apple Studio Display, you get way more gaming performance and features for less money, but the Apple wins on sheer pixel density and build quality for pure creative work. The MSI MAG 321CUP QD-OLED will destroy it in contrast and response time for gaming, but the LG doesn't have to worry about burn-in and offers better all-day productivity features.

If you're a competitive esports player chasing every frame, this isn't it. Go get a dedicated high-refresh monitor like a 240Hz OLED. Also, if you're a video editor who needs perfect color grading for broadcast, the slightly lower pixel density compared to a 4K 32" might be a dealbreaker. Look at a dedicated pro display instead.

We're giving this a solid recommendation for anyone who needs a single, high-quality monitor to split duty between work and play. It's the Swiss Army knife of high-end displays. If your needs are split 50/50 between color-critical tasks and high-refresh gaming, this is one of the best balanced options you can buy. Just don't pay the $2,180 asking price.