The LG 27UD88 and 27UD68-W are two of LG's top 4K monitors, both great monitors for gamers and graphic designers alike. In fact, they're nearly identical in almost every way, but there are a few differentiating factors that should help you decide which one is best for you.
Let's break them down!
What's the same?
What isn't the same? Both monitors sport 4K resolutions, 178-degree viewing angles, 2 HDMI ports, and a DisplayPort port. The dimensions are all but the same, save for a few millimeters here and there.
Both monitors also features AMD's Freesync technology, which prevents tearing and judder during gameplay, as well as a specific game mode, which lets you stabilize blacks during particular dark gaming scenes. Each also has a 5ms gtg response time.
Physically, theser monitors even look pretty much the same, with LG's "ArcLine" design for the stand.
So what's so different?
Price
If we're being real, this is probably the biggest deciding factor for most folks, since you can probably work around any differences in ports there may be. At the time of this writing, these two monitors have a $160 price difference. The UD68-W is about $540 on Amazon and the UD88 is around $700. Is that price difference worth it for the UD88? Here's what's actually different between these two monitors:
USB ports
The biggest difference is that the UD88 features a single USB-C port and a USB 3.0 hub, with two USB 3.0 inputs that double as charging ports. The USB-C port is a PD port (power delivery), which offers some of the fastest charging available, with up to 20V at 5A (likely way more than any smartphone you may want to charge up). The best part, though, is that you can hook up your MacBook or MacBook Pro, using the UD88 as a second display, while simultaneously powering your laptop!
When your MacBook is plugged in via USB-C, you also have access to whatever else is in the USB ports on the monitor, since the UD88 acts as a hub.
The UD68-W has no USB ports whatsoever.
Is a USB hub worth $160?
That completely depends on what you'll be using the monitor for. If you're a MacBook or or MacBook Pro user (especially 2016 MacBook Pros and on), and you're using your monitor as a second display in a professional setting it would make more sense to grab the UD88. It makes so much more sense for workflow, since you can pop USB flash drives into the monitor and access them right on your MacBook. No need for dongles and no need to take up any of the very few USB-C ports you already have on your MacBook. Plus, you have the added benefit of keeping your laptop charged up while you work.
If you're just gaming or your workflow isn't demanding enough to require a USB hub, or you're not using a newer MacBook or MacBook Pro, then you probably don't need the UD88 and the UD68-W is more than enough. It's especially enough if you're using it as a second display for a desktop Mac or PC.
Not sold on either? Check out our roundup of the best USB-C monitors for your Mac.
Don't need USB-C but still want 4K?
