LG 28MQ780 DualUp review: Lots of work space, but not for everyone
A TEST REPORT from David Haydl 
on May 05, 2023, 9:00 am | Write a comment
LG launched a somewhat unusual monitor a long time ago: the LG 28MQ780 DualUp. I was able to find out how he fared in everyday life.
tl; dr: With the DualUp monitor, you get, so to speak, the work surface that would otherwise only be offered by two monitors combined, in one package. Multitasking is therefore as pleasant as with a widescreen monitor. However, the form factor is not optimal for everyone, especially in terms of proprofessional uses. For example, a wider area is more advantageous for video editing, while you can Proprogramming software would rather have the space in the height, which you get here with the DualUp.
Otherwise, the 28MQ780 DualUp feels like other LG models to use. The only thing that didn't really impress me was the picture quality. The sharpness was okay, but the colors were a bit washed out with the default settings. The USB hub on the back is also in need of improvement.
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Unboxing and initial setup
The monitor comes in a large and heavy box. It is therefore advisable to be at home when the delivery is made or at least to fetch the package from the post office by car. Included are all the parts needed for the ergo stand, an AC adapter and power cable, an HDMI cable, and a USB-C cable. The device itself is housed in a thicker plastic sleeve at the bottom of the box.
The setup is pretty easy, first you have to attach the base to the table. To do this, you unscrew it, set the right height for the clamp and then screw it back on. Adjusting the height is now also possible without additional tools, what with my last test of a screen with an Ergo base from LG was not yet the case. Then the monitor is to be connected to the stand. First you hang it in the teeth of the monitor holder on the base and then swivel it down until you hear a clearly audible click.
Finally, all you have to do is connect to the computer. You also have the option of installing the on-screen control software so that you no longer have to use the joystick to operate the DualUp. If you have connected a device to USB-C, you can also plug hard drives, audio devices or similar accessories into the respective connections on the back.
Design and workmanship
The LG 28MQ780 DualUp follows the same design language as the rest of the manufacturer's current monitor portfolio. The most noticeable difference from the others ProThe product is of course the aspect ratio, which is 16:18, which is the same as the aspect ratio of two ordinary screens on top of each other. Since the screen diagonal is still only 27,6 inches, the size of the ProThe product is limited, but with the right scaling in the operating system you can get some workspace back. The big advantage of the form factor in combination with the Ergo stand is that you can use the DualUp even on small work tables.
There is a lot of space on the display at once. (Picture: TechnikNews)
A few speakers are installed on the underside. They don't sound good at all because they lack bass and details. But as far as I can remember, there is a noticeable increase here compared to the LG 27QN880-B, whose test I linked earlier.
All connections can be found on the back, including DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2, USB-C, two USB-A and a jack connection. The latter three ports can only be used when a computer is connected via USB-C. At the same time, laptops are refilled with electricity. I would be happy if LG finally revised the selection of ports. A second USB-C port would be very helpful, since smartphones in particular often only come with a USB-C cable for the power supply these days.
The ergo stand also immediately catches the eye. As mentioned at the beginning, this is only screwed onto the table, which means that it hardly takes up any space on it. And if you screw it tight, everything here is rock solid. As review for the 27QN880-B, the whole thing can be adjusted very flexibly. So you can easily find the right viewing angle for an optimal sitting position, simply turn the monitor when using it with a height-adjustable desk and in studios and offices proswing back and forth effortlessly.
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- The ergo stand is simply screwed to the table. (Picture: TechnikNews)
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- Picture: TechnikNews
The externally visible parts of the LG 28MQ780 DualUp are made of plastic. The processing leaves nothing to be desired.
Display and areas of application
As already mentioned, the display of the DualUp is 27,6 inches, has an aspect ratio of 16:18 and is based on IPS. The resolution is 2560 x 2880 pixels and the maximum refresh rate is 60 Hertz. The monitor can display 1,073 billion colors and thus covers 98 Procenter of the DCI-P3 color space.
The sharpness of the image is similarly satisfactory to that of other LG monitors. What bothered me at first was the color reproduction, because everything was a bit pale with the default settings. By disabling the High Contrast Image option and setting the Colorprofils "Display P3" in the display settings of macOS I was able to correct this, but that shouldn't really be necessary.
The image quality turned out to be mediocre for me. (Picture: TechnikNews)
Now, of course, the question arises as to where such a monitor is best used. It is clearly unsuitable for gaming due to the aspect ratio and the relatively low frame rate. Things are different in the creative field.
In my work for TechnikNews, which involves writing articles, doing related research and editing images, I was able to do for example proeasily keep an eye on several windows at once and thus probe more productive. Video editors will probably be less happy with this since they can't see as much of their timeline at once. For my day job (I work full time as a web developer) I was also fine with the aspect ratio profit. At the ProIt's useful for programming when you can see a lot of your code at once, and the DualUp makes that possible. In addition, there was usually space for a console window (to visualize the Proprogram flow) in the upper part of the screen.
LG 28MQ780 DualUp: Prices and Availability
The LG 28MQ780 DualUp is best purchased from LG or Amazon. The RRP is 649 euros, although it is occasionally cheaper.
Thank you to LG for providing the LG 28MQ780 DualUp!
