LG's $1,200 UltraGear evo GM9 is the first 5K Mini LED gaming monitor
If OLED burn-in has been keeping you from upgrading your gaming setup, LG has a different answer. The UltraGear evo GM9 (27GM950B) is the world's first 5K Mini LED gaming monitor, unveiled at CES 2026 and now available to pre-order in the US at $1,199.99. Units ship the week of May 4, and EU pre-orders open around June 1 — with UK pricing expected to follow the pattern set by the larger GX9, which launched at £1,699.99 per TFTCentral.
The panel
The 27-inch screen runs at 5120×2880 — that's 218 pixels per inch, noticeably sharper than a 4K panel at the same size. Peak brightness reaches 1,250 nits, backed by 2,304 local dimming zones powered by 9,216 individual Mini LEDs. LG calls the technology Hyper Mini LED, and it's earned a TÜV Rheinland anti-blooming certification, meaning the bright halos that can plague lesser Mini LED screens are significantly reduced. VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification rounds out the HDR credentials.
Where OLED screens offer faster pixel response (around 0.03ms versus 1ms here), they carry the risk of permanent burn-in with static HUD elements in long gaming sessions. Mini LED sidesteps that concern entirely, and The Gadgeteer's specs breakdown notes LG also uses a Zero Optical Distance construction to reduce internal reflections.
Features and connectivity
The GM9 has a Dual Mode switch: run it at full 5K resolution with a 165Hz refresh rate, or drop to 1140p for 330Hz — useful if you play fast-paced competitive titles. G-Sync and FreeSync Premium are both supported to cut screen tearing. Connectivity includes DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR20, needed to actually push 5K at 165Hz) and USB-C with 90W Power Delivery, so you can charge a laptop through the monitor. AI Scene Optimization adjusts picture settings automatically based on content type.
The price and competition
At $1,199.99, the GM9 sits $600 below LG's own 39-inch OLED GX9 ($1,799.99). For context, the Apple Pro Display XDR costs $4,999 and the ASUS ProArt PA27JCV offers 5K at around $800 — but at 60Hz with no gaming focus. There's currently no direct Mini LED rival at 5K in the gaming space, making the GM9 an unusual proposition: genuinely high pixel density, strong HDR, no burn-in anxiety, at a price that's still firmly premium but not absurd.
US buyers can order now from LG's website. UK and European shoppers should watch for pre-order pages opening in early June.
