LG BA650-B 27BA650-B 23.8" Black

The LG 27BA650-B is a 27-inch 1080p office monitor with a smooth 100Hz refresh rate and excellent USB-C connectivity with 65W power delivery. Color performance is near the bottom of our database, and 250 nits of brightness is dim, so it's strictly a productivity tool. Pricing varies wildly from $280 to $2,800, but at the low end it's a solid value for daisy-chained dual-monitor office setups. Skip it if you do any creative work or want to watch movies at your desk.

The 100Hz refresh rate is the standout spec here, and it's what nudges the performance score to exactly average in our database. For office work, the jump from 60Hz to 100Hz is more noticeable than most people expect. Windows animations feel snappier, and scrolling through long PDFs or web pages loses that slight judder you get on standard office monitors. The 5ms GtG response time is fine for productivity. You're not going to see ghosting in Excel, and that's really the point.

Where performance falls apart is anything visually demanding. The 250-nit brightness is dim by modern standards, and the 1300:1 contrast ratio is typical for IPS but won't give you deep blacks. HDR is technically supported but practically useless at this brightness level. If you try to game on this, you'll get the benefit of 100Hz but with muted colors and mediocre motion clarity compared to even budget gaming monitors. The integrated speakers exist, and that's the kindest thing we can say about them. They'll handle notification pings and the occasional video call, but you'll want headphones or desktop speakers for anything resembling media consumption.

Compared to the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDPG or the MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2, the LG looks like it's playing a different sport entirely. Those are high-refresh gaming monitors with OLED panels, HDR that actually works, and color performance that embarrasses this LG. But they also cost significantly more and lack the office-focused features like the USB-C hub and daisy-chaining. If you're building a gaming setup, look at those. If you're outfitting an office, the LG's competitors are more like the Dell S2725DS or the ViewSonic VA2703.

Against the Samsung Odyssey G60SD and Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27U2 SA, the story is similar. Those monitors are built for speed and visual fidelity. The LG is built for 9-to-5 reliability and cable management. The Alienware AW2725D sits in a weird middle ground where it's a better all-rounder but costs more and lacks the USB-C hub. For pure productivity, the LG's ergonomics and connectivity give it an edge over gaming-focused displays. For anything else, it gets left in the dust.

Pricing on this monitor is all over the place, with vendor listings ranging from $280 to $2,800. The low end around $280 is where this makes sense. At that price, you're getting solid ergonomics, USB-C connectivity, and a 100Hz panel in a no-frills office monitor. That's competitive with similar offerings from Dell and ViewSonic in the productivity space. The $2,800 listing is clearly a bulk or misconfigured SKU, so don't let that scare you off. If you're buying singles, aim for the sub-$300 range.

For dual-monitor setups, the value proposition gets interesting. Two of these daisy-chained together with a single cable to your laptop creates a clean, functional workspace without a docking station. When you factor in the cost of a separate USB-C hub or dock that you won't need, the overall package becomes more appealing. Just don't pay more than $300 per unit. Above that, you're in 1440p territory with better panels from multiple brands.

The LG 27BA650-B is a 27-inch office monitor that knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be anything else. It's built for spreadsheets, email, and the kind of multitasking where you need two windows open side by side without squinting. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch panel isn't going to win any sharpness awards, but the 100Hz refresh rate is a nice step up from the standard 60Hz office fare. Scrolling through long documents feels smoother, and even moving your cursor around has a fluidity that makes the workday a little less dreary.

What makes this monitor interesting is the connectivity and daisy-chaining chops. You get HDMI, DisplayPort, and a USB-C port that delivers 65W of power delivery, so you can charge a laptop while driving the display with a single cable. There's even a DisplayPort out for daisy-chaining multiple monitors together. LG is pitching this as part of a dual-monitor kit, and honestly, that's where this thing shines. One of these on its own is fine. Two of them linked together is a genuinely productive setup for anyone who lives in browser tabs and Office apps.

But let's be real about the specs. The 250-nit brightness is adequate for indoor office lighting but will struggle near a sunny window. Color coverage is 90% sRGB with a 6-bit+FRC panel, which lands it in the 2nd percentile for color performance in our database. That's not a typo. This is not a monitor for photo editing, video work, or anything where color accuracy matters. It's a workhorse, not a show pony, and the scoring reflects that. Our office score of 62 out of 100 puts it firmly in "decent but unremarkable" territory, while the entertainment score of 42.4 tells you everything you need to know about watching movies on this thing after hours.

Anyone doing creative work should look elsewhere immediately. The color performance sits in the 2nd percentile of our database, which means photo editing, video work, or even casual design tasks will be frustrating. You're getting 90% sRGB coverage on a 6-bit+FRC panel, and that's just not enough for color-critical work. Look at something like the ASUS ProArt series or a Dell UltraSharp with factory calibration instead.

If you're a single-monitor user who wants an all-purpose display for work and entertainment, this isn't it. The low brightness and weak speakers make movies and shows look dull, and the 1080p resolution feels dated on a 27-inch panel. For around the same price, you can find 1440p monitors with better brightness and color that serve as much better all-rounders. This monitor makes sense in pairs for productivity. Alone, it's underwhelming.

If you're setting up a home office or a cubicle and want a clean, dual-monitor configuration with minimal cable clutter, the LG 27BA650-B is a solid pick. The USB-C connectivity with power delivery is genuinely useful, and the 100Hz panel makes daily work feel more responsive than the sea of 60Hz office monitors out there. Buy two, daisy-chain them, and enjoy a tidy desk with a single cable running to your laptop. At around $280 per unit, it's a reasonable investment in your daily comfort.

If you do any creative work, consume media at your desk, or just want a monitor that looks good while doing everything, skip this. The color performance is genuinely poor by modern standards, and the 1080p resolution on a 27-inch screen means text and images look softer than they should. For the same money or slightly more, you can get a 1440p panel with better color coverage and brightness. This monitor is a specialist, and its specialty is office productivity in multi-display setups. Outside of that narrow lane, it's outclassed by too many alternatives to recommend.