 Traditionally, computer monitors have been much smaller than TVs, you know, to fit on your desk, and with much higher pixel density to make them suitable for up-close viewing of fine details like text. But thanks to 4K Ultra HD resolution, a 43-inch TV would actually have the same detail level, at an equal distance, as a 21.5-inch 1080p monitor, which seems to be exactly what LG was thinking when they created the 43UD79, a product they're calling a monitor that's the size of a TV for a price that's somewhere in between. Check out iBuyPower's gaming desktops featuring Intel 7th generation Core i7-7700K processor on Newegg at the link below. The 43UD79, or UDI, as I'll be calling it, is the biggest monitor ever to grace our lab, beating the previous champ, Phil, who you can meet over here, by three whole inches. The idea here is that the giant factory-calibrated IPS panel will give you wide viewing angles, and accurate, though not professional-grade, colors, making tasks like heavy multitasking, system monitoring, and Wolf of Wall Street-style stock trading super immersive, without the head-turning or disruptive bezels that a multi-screen setup would require. Okay then, I'm with you so far. This giant, uncurved monitor, then, rests on a 13-pound stand that gets an extra bonus, by the way, for being super hefty, but, and this won't be the last TV-like thing about it, like most TVs, has very limited mobility. We get a nice amount of tilt, but no height adjust or swivel, which might actually be a bigger deal than normal if you want to quickly turn UDI from your office chair to your bed for movie time. Around the back, I.O. is unusually well labeled, a really nice touch for anyone who doesn't have the resolution support chart memorized for every revision of HDMI, not to mention super comprehensive. The extra type-C port for DisplayPort is particularly forward-thinking. And here's something interesting. It's got an RS232C port. This was the standard for connecting modems and other peripherals to your PC before USB came along, and, more importantly, in the home theater world, it's used to connect your home automation and control systems, so you can do things like automatically mute the TV when the doorbell rings. Cool, right? But wait a minute. It's almost as if LG wants you to use UDI like you would a TV. He even comes with a freaking remote that you can use instead of the nipple interface to turn the brightness up and down and control the volume. Volume? That's right. Like, again, many of LG's TVs, UDI is equipped with two 10-watt speakers, and unlike most monitor speakers, they're surprisingly not bad. Okay, Linus, so what's the heckin' difference between a monitor with speakers and a TV, then? Well, if you're my grandparents and you still have a coax cable plugged into the back of your TV instead of a digital set-top box that connects via HDMI, I guess there's that, but otherwise, not much. So let's talk, then, about what it's like to use a TV-like monitor. Frankly, at normal desk distance, it is not my favorite, personally. Yes, you can use LG's included screen-splitting software to have four 21-inch windows open at a time, but most of the content we create around here and consume, like Word documents and just about anything on the web, is better when your window is taller than it is wide. So even though UDI is six inches taller than the 38-inch ultra-wide on my desk, the whole ultra-wide pitch, also from LG, was that it fits your field of view. So, then, depending on your personal preference, that might end up being six inches of not very useful space, because you need to move your mouse, not to mention your eyes, a long way between the bottom and the top of the screen, which, combined with the stand's immobility, can make for a fatiguing experience. And finally, there's pixel density. Everyone agrees, 4K TVs look amazing from the couch, but we're sitting really close here. At this size, neither James nor I was that impressed, and with high-end displays shipping with retina-like sharpness, this really felt like a step backwards to me. And, in response to your comment, Jeff, no, I'm not gonna move the screen back, because if I was gonna do that, wouldn't I just save a buck and get a smaller screen? All of that said, not everyone will agree. Some of you will really want a ginormous display, but this one at 43 inches and $700 costs about what a 4K 55-inch TV would. So, why not just buy the TV, then? Well, pixel density at that size is even more of an issue, but other than that, there used to be some additional and serious concerns when using a TV as a monitor, like high color compression that made text look blurry, and brutal input lag that made gaming nearly impossible. But these are non-issues on many modern TV sets, where 444 chroma subsampling keeps the text readable, and features like game mode lower the input lag to more workable levels. Though, it must be said that not every new TV's game mode actually turns all image processing off. Displaylag.com is a great resource for finding one that doesn't suck. Bottom line, then. A lot of TVs have pretty much caught up to monitor performance, except for special features like ultra-high refresh rates that are demanded by hardcore gamers. So, back to UDI, then. If UDI had cutting-edge monitor-only features like FreeSync or G-Sync for gamers, as well as higher refresh rate and super low input lag, then it would be able to clearly differentiate itself from both a TV and a monitor. As it is, though, it's an in-between size with mostly TV-like performance and features at a reasonable price, making it a solid product, and one that lots of people will like, especially given the matte panel when most TVs are glossy. But it's not for me personally, so I'm going with the official... Meh, it's up to you, I guess. Stamp of approval. I mean, that is what you guys pay me for, right? You know I fix it, you know that they really like taking stuff apart and teaching people how to fix their stuff. They're constantly posting teardowns and repair videos for popular devices like the Galaxy S8, iPhone, and Nintendo Switch. And they are also leading the charge in electronics repair tools with their iconic Black & Blue Pro Tech Toolkit. And it's now only 60 bucks. This thing is freaking awesome, I use it for everything. Tearing down conventional things like phones if I need to change out a battery, all the way to rando things like monitors. They've got all the bits you need for just about any DIY electronics repair, they've got a protective case, the lid is held in place by magnets, the case is held onto the cover by magnets, it's got a flex extension, it's got a bunch of plastic opening tools so you don't scratch up your stuff while you're opening it up, suction cups, you name it, it's got it, and it's ESD safe as well, not to mention backed by a lifetime warranty. So go check out the 25,000 free repair guides over at ifixit.com slash Linus to snag the fully loaded Pro Tech Toolkit for 60 bucks. So thanks for watching guys, if this video sucked you know what to do, but if it was awesome hit the like button, get subscribed, check out where to buy your own UD at the link in the video description. 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