Planar Helium PCT2785 vs LG 25UM58-P

The black levels are respectively low at 0.16cd/m², which helps the contrast ratio achieve 1100:1 which is much lower than the advertised 5000:1, but still quite good.

The response time is 12ms, which isn't lightning fast, but it's still quick enough to make the system feel more responsive than cheaper monitors. While not fast enough for high-level gaming, this monitor won't make your system feel slow or unresponsive.

It really does look like a massive tablet with a kickstand - but that's not a bad thing. There's no stand visible, leaving the front looking very clean. The stand can angle anywhere from 15-70 degrees which allows for flexible use, or it can be folded in and used flat on the desk or even mounted using the VESA mounting holes.

This monitor has many peripherals built-in, and unless you use them heavily they will do the job just fine. Unless you feel the need for dedicated hardware, the built-in stereo speakers work well enough, and the webcam and mic are acceptable quality for occasional recreational use (for business calls or other uses where quality is important, you'll want to upgrade to dedicated hardware).

You can access the monitor's setting using your keyboard and a mouse because the monitor supports LG's On Screen Control software.

Moreover, the software features the Screen Split function which lets you organize the real estate of your monitor according to your needs.

On average, running this monitor will cost you $2 because the monitor consumes only around 24 W of electricity.

The monitor is suitable for media editing applications in the sRGB color space because the 25UM58-P can accurately display 99% the sRGB color gamut. You can use this monitor, for example, in web design since all the web applications use sRGB as a default color space.

The monitor's extended field of view can give you some actual advantage in games such as Battlefield 1 and Team Fortress 2 which offer a broader field of view for those running 21:9 monitors.

You can be sure that no one borrows the LG 25UM58-P from your work desk without you knowing it because this monitor has a Kensington lock.

The LG 25UM58-P does look good from an angle because of its high-quality IPS panels. While the exact numbers for the 25UM58-P are still not available, the entire line-up of the LG’s ultrawide monitors from 2016 and 2017 suggests that the maximum, horizontal viewing angle of this monitor should be higher than 40 degrees.

High responsiveness and proper motion handling make the LG 25UM58-P a suitable companion for enjoying an occasional CS:GO or Overwatch round.

The monitor feels responsive because of its 9 ms input lag. Only a handful of other general purpose monitors in this price range can match such high responsiveness.

The motion appears clear and almost free from the artificial motion blur effect because even the most rapidly-moving objects leave just some minor trails as the panel's pixels need only 5 ms to change their colors.

Priced just a bit above $150, this 25-inch ultra-wide monitor offers a generous amount of on-screen workspace, good picture quality, decent gaming performance, and some premium functions, like LG's On Screen Control and the Split Screen feature. You’ll struggle to find the LG 25UM58-P a matching competitor in its price range.

This monitor has enough workspace for you to edit two Word documents side by side - something you could never do on a 25-inch FHD monitor comfortably.

Additionally, the large workspace does not come at the cost of resolution as the LG 25UM58-P offers 20% higher pixel density compared to the regular 25-inch FHD panel.

You won't see the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen while watching media filmed in the widescreen cinema standard because of the monitor's near-cinematic resolution of 2560x1080.

An aspect ratio of 21:9 is currently the de facto standard in the film making industry.

The monitor's contrast ratio, brightness, and color gamut are on par with what the vast majority of competitors in this price range offer.

The LG 25UM58-P can display rich images, with eye-catching and vivid colors and deep dark spots. The colors look good because of the monitor's peak brightness of 250 nits and the full support of the sRGB color gamut. Dark scenes appear deep thanks to the native contrast ratio of 1000:1, which pushes the monitor's blacks to reasonably intense levels.

Moreover, the LG 25UM58-P produces sharper and more saturated images than the corresponding 25-inch FHD competitors because it has 20% higher pixel density.

The LG 25UM58-P is one of the most versatile monitors in its price range because of its good picture quality, a massive amount of on-screen workspace, and the near-cinematic aspect ratio of 21:9.

Additionally, the monitor is suitable for casual gaming.