LG's OLED48CX is a game changer. Not only is this the first OLED TV under 50 inches, it is also LG's first TV to support 4K resolution at 120Hz. This makes this 48-inch TV an appetizingly realistic option for PC gamers looking to replace their traditional IPS or TN panels. Let us introduce you to the new gold standard in 4K gaming TVs, which also serves as the best gaming monitor.

The smaller form factor is significant. Until now, the smallest OLED TV you could buy was 55 inches; a 48-inch screen is hardly bite-sized, but it's the first OLED that fits (almost) on a reasonably sized PC desk; Nvidia is offering up to 65 inches for $1,499/£1,499 much more Given that they are trying to sell big-format gaming displays, the OLED48CX no longer looks like such a huge (or wallet-bursting) prospect.

For those unfamiliar with OLEDs as a display format, here's a quick explanation: the acronym stands for "organic light-emitting diode," and is generally considered the best type of TV panel. Unlike traditional LCD TVs and Samsung's trademark QLED displays, 4K OLEDs can turn off each of their 8.3 million pixels.

How about in the real world: OLEDs can effortlessly render blacks that no other type of TV panel or PC monitor technology can match. When it comes to contrast performance and dark room gameplay, OLEDs are definitely the kings.

Screen uniformity is also far superior to the average TV and is a very important factor for gamers: in an open world like "GTA 5," when you pan the camera to a clear blue sky, LCD TVs and traditional PC monitors produce what is known as the "dirty screen effect," a OLEDs do not suffer from this problem and the image appears much more uniform, even when moving against the in-game sky or playing a constantly up-and-down game of FIFA 20.

Even if you don't have an eye for detail like the above, the upgrades CX offers in the mainstream over last year's LG C9 should be important to hardcore PC players. Not only does it continue to support Nvidia G-Sync given the right GPU, but thanks to a post-release firmware update, it also supports AMD's Freesync Premium.

LG has also doubled the 4K resolution refresh rate compared to previous models. While last year's 9 series lineup "only" supported 60Hz 4K at launch (although a firmware patch raised it to 120Hz), the CX can display images at 120Hz 4K right out of the box, packing an Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti into the rig. For the discerning gamer, the doubled refresh rate in Ultra HD is huge. At this insane resolution/frame rate, input latency is only 11.6ms. In the television arena, this is more or less unmatched.

There is no denying that to get the most out of the OLED48CX, you need a huge PC. If you want to run modern games at 4K and at frame rates well above 60 fps, you will need an Nvidia GeForce 2080 Ti, a top-end Intel or AMD CPU, and at least 16 GB of DDR4 RAM.

In this review, we tested LG's CX on a PC with the same GPU, an Intel 8700k CPU, and 32GB of DDR4 Corsair memory. Most notable recent results. We enjoyed playing Hideo Kojima's extreme "Death Stranding" at 4K on the highest settings, with frame rates around 80-100 fps, and with the CX's G-Sync feature in place, we never once encountered a stutter in the post-apocalyptic mail delivery sim.

However, if you plan to replace your current monitor with the OLED48CX, you will need to overcome some somewhat tricky obstacles. Needless to say, you'll need a heavy-duty desk, but there are some OLED-specific issues to consider before taking the plunge.

One thing that can be said is that OLEDs are much more reflective than a typical IPS monitor or LCD TV. OLEDs as a display format may not be suitable for people who frequently work or play games in brightly lit rooms where light cannot be easily blocked by curtains or blinds.

Burn-in also continues to be a factor (albeit an easily avoidable one) with respect to OLEDs. These TVs may retain images permanently if the same image is displayed on the screen for an extended period of time. A general rule of thumb is that if the same image is displayed for more than two hours, there is a chance of burn-in. Still, if you set the screen saver to start every time you leave your PC, you should have no problems.

There are also some issues regarding desktop resizing. By default, the LG OLED48CX is not completely compatible with Windows 10. Even at the default 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, the edges of the screen are slightly cropped, which is due to LG's screen-shifting technology that prevents burn-in. To resolve this problem, either set the custom resolution to 3,802 x 2,136 to squeeze every pixel on the screen, or turn off "Screen Shift" in the TV's "Picture Settings" menu.

HDR color issues are also causing some headaches at the moment. We are waiting for HDMI 2.1 to be included on graphics cards, but until then, 4K cannot support the full RGB gamut, so at 2160p we are limited to YCbCr. However, this is not an issue at 1440p, so for the best balance of color reproduction, we recommend running the desktop at 2560 x 1400. Don't worry, individual games will run at 4K/60fps HDR as long as they support high dynamic resolution.

LG OLED48CX Conclusion. This is the first OLED we can think of that is genuinely desk-friendly; combine the PC-friendly form factor with the CX's 4K@120Hz support, and suddenly this is a gorgeous big screen that will keep you up at night sweating over Nvidia's big format displays! It should be a gaming monitor.

Updated 8/11/2020 for technical accuracy.