LG Ultrawide 40U990A-W

Computer monitor LG Ultrawide 40U990A-W

If you are working with DAWs like Cubase then an ultrawide screen opposed to a (dual) normal monitor setup will be beneficial. With 2160 vertical pixels, I can see 25-30+ tracks simultaneously without scrolling compared to the ~12-15 tracks on a 1080p display. Previously, I used a dual monitor setup with two 27 inch Iiyama ProLite X2783HSU monitors, which I now have replaced with the LG Ultrawide 40U990A-W 40 inch 52k2 monitor (also known as LG Ultrafine 40U990A-W).



Specifications

• Screen Size: 40 inch (95cm wide)
• Resolution: 5120 × 2160 pixels (5K2K) @ 120 Hz
• Aspect Ratio: 21:9 ultrawide
• Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
• Panel Type: IPS Black (Nano IPS Technology)
• Pixel Density: ~140 PPI
• Pixel Pitch: 0.1815 x 0.1815 mm
• Display – Brightness: 360 cd/m²
• Contrast Ratio: 2000:1
• Color Depth: 1.06 B (8-bit+FRC) color is supported.
• Color Bit: 1400:1
• Response time: 5ms (GtG at Faster)
• Curvature: 2500R
• Viewing angle 178⁰ (R/L), 178⁰ (U/D)
•  Connectivity:
  • 1× DisplayPort 1.4
  • 2× HDMI 2.1
  •  Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C; 96W power)
  •  USB-C (1 Up / 4 Down)
    • USB Downstream port: USB-C *4EA(15W*1EA, 4.5W*3EA) 10Gbps, USB-A *2EA 10Gbps”
  • Headphone out (4-pole)
• LAN (RJ-45)
• HDR 10 / VESA DisplayHDR (DisplayHDR 600)
• Speaker: 2x 10W
• Features: Picture-by-Picture (PbP), Picture-in-Picture (PiP), KVM Switch

Comparing to dual Iiyama ProLite X2783HSU Setup

Previously I used two 27-inch Iiyama ProLite X2783HSU monitors (1920×1080 each). With the current LG Ultrawide there is a clear gain:

Total Workspace

Current Setup (2× Iiyama)

• • Combined: 3840 × 1080 pixels
  • Total pixels: 4,147,200
  • Pixel density: ~81 PPI

LG 40U990A-W:

• • Single display: 5120 × 2160 pixels
  • Total pixels: 11,059,200
  • Pixel density: ~140 PPI

Result: nearly 3× more pixels and 73% sharper image quality.

Horizontal Space

• Iiyama dual setup: 3840 pixels wide
• LG ultrawide: 5120 pixels wide
• Gain: +1280 pixels (~33% wider)

This means you I can see more of the timeline in Cubase without zooming or scrolling.

Vertical Space

• Iiyama: 1080 pixels tall
• LG: 2160 pixels tall
• Gain: 100% more vertical workspace!

No More Bezel Gap
Unlike dual monitors, the LG gives:

• Seamless timeline view – no bezel interrupting your arrangement
• Simplified window management – no dragging windows between screens
• Uniform brightness and color – no need to calibrate two panels

However, keep in mind the the gain in space is only accomplished if the scaling, in your display settings, is set to 100%. However, a scaling of 100% makes all text and icons very difficult to read. Therefore, I have set the gain to 125%, which still gives a large gain in space.

Connections

The LG UltraWide functions as a monitor, Thunderbolt dock, USB hub, and KVM.

 Video Inputs

HDMI 1 & HDMI 2

• Purpose: Connect external devices
• Use for:  laptop, desktop, game console, media player

DisplayPort (DP)

• Purpose: Primary video input for desktops
• Use for: GPU → monitor

DisplayPort is ideal for full resolution and refresh rate from a desktop PC.

Network & Audio

Ethernet (LAN)

• Purpose: Wired internet via the monitor
• Connect your router to the monitor. When your laptop is connected via Thunderbolt, it gains Ethernet access — no separate adapter required.

Audio Out (3.5 mm)

• Purpose:  Headphones or external speakers

USB Hub (Downstream Ports)

The USB ports turn the monitor into a hub for your peripherals.

Use for:

• Keyboard & mouse
• Webcam
• USB drives
• Audio interface
• Charging devices

These only work when a computer is connected via Thunderbolt or USB-C upstream.

Thunderbolt & USB-C Ports

Thunderbolt IN (PC)

Main connection for laptops. Provides:

• Video
• USB hub access
• Ethernet
• Laptop charging
• Firmware update support

Best choice for a single-cable laptop setup.

Thunderbolt OUT

• Purpose: Daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices
• Use for a second Thunderbolt monitor or high-speed storage. Optional for most setups.

USB-C Upstream (PC)

• Purpose: Connect a second computer (KVM use)
• Allows the monitor’s USB devices to switch between two computers.

Recommended Wiring

Single-Laptop Setup (Clean Desk)

“`
Laptop ── Thunderbolt ──► Monitor (TB IN)
├─ Keyboard / Mouse
├─ Webcam
├─ Ethernet → Router
└─ Speakers / Headphones
“`

Result: charging, internet, display, and peripherals over one cable.

Desktop PC Setup

“`
Desktop GPU ── DisplayPort ──► Monitor
Desktop USB ── USB-C upstream ─► Monitor hub
Peripherals ──► Monitor USB ports
“`

Dual-Computer (KVM) Setup

“`
Laptop ── Thunderbolt ──► Monitor
Desktop ── USB-C upstream ─► Monitor
Peripherals ──► Monitor USB ports

Switch input to swap control.
“`

Firmware Updates

To update firmware using LG Switch:

• Thunderbolt IN → computer
• USB-C upstream → computer

HDMI or DisplayPort alone will not work.

GPU Requirements

My current NVIDIA RTX 3060 graphics card is perfectly sufficient for this monitor. I use the DisplayPort 1.4 cable for full 5120×2160 @ 60Hz which is supported by the RTX 3060 natively

Gallary

Documentation

LG Ultrawide 40U999A-W (Manual)

1 file(s) 3.92 MB

Download