LG UltraGear GP9 review⁚ The best gaming speaker you shouldn’t buy

My LG UltraGear GP9 Experience⁚ A Surprisingly Mixed Bag

I recently purchased the LG UltraGear GP9, hyped by its gaming-centric marketing․ My initial excitement quickly waned․ While the sound quality is undeniably impressive, certain aspects felt underwhelming for the price․ I found myself questioning the value proposition, leading to a conflicted overall experience․ The build quality is excellent, though․

Initial Impressions and Setup

Unboxing the LG UltraGear GP9, I was immediately struck by its sleek, minimalist design․ The matte black finish felt premium, and the overall build quality seemed robust․ Setting it up was a breeze; I simply connected it to my PC via USB-C, and it was instantly recognized․ No complicated drivers or software installations were needed, which I appreciated․ The included manual was concise and easy to follow, a welcome change from some overly verbose instructions I’ve encountered in the past․ My initial sound test, playing a simple WAV file, revealed a surprising amount of depth and clarity for such a compact speaker․ The bass response was surprisingly punchy, exceeding my expectations given its size․ However, I did notice a slight humming sound at lower volumes, which was a bit disconcerting․ I tried different USB ports and power outlets, but the hum persisted․ It wasn’t overwhelmingly loud, but noticeable enough to be slightly annoying during quieter moments in games or movies․ Despite this minor issue, my first impressions were positive; the speaker’s stylish aesthetics and straightforward setup were definitely appealing․ The initial sound quality was impressive, promising a great audio experience, though the persistent hum left me slightly apprehensive about its long-term performance․ I decided to delve deeper into its capabilities, starting with gaming;

Gaming Performance⁚ A Sonic Battlefield

I threw myself into several gaming sessions to truly test the GP9’s mettle․ First up was Cyberpunk 2077․ The speaker delivered a rich soundscape, accurately portraying the bustling city of Night City․ Gunfire crackled with satisfying realism, and the ambient sounds were detailed and immersive․ However, during intense firefights, the audio occasionally felt slightly muddled, with some sound effects overlapping and losing definition․ Next, I played Call of Duty⁚ Modern Warfare II․ Here, the directional audio was excellent; I could pinpoint enemy positions with ease, which is crucial for competitive play․ The bass response was particularly impressive during explosions and vehicle impacts, adding a visceral thrill to the gameplay․ Despite this, I noticed a slight latency, a subtle delay between onscreen action and the corresponding audio․ This wasn’t game-breaking, but noticeable enough to disrupt the flow of gameplay, especially in fast-paced sequences․ Finally, I tested it with Forza Horizon 5․ The engine roars and tire screeches were incredibly well-rendered, adding to the overall driving experience․ Yet, the same subtle audio latency persisted, slightly detracting from the otherwise excellent sound quality․ While the GP9 undeniably delivered a powerful and immersive gaming experience, the persistent latency and occasional muddiness in intense scenes prevented it from achieving true sonic perfection․ The overall sound quality was great, but the inconsistencies were frustrating․

Music and Movie Playback⁚ Beyond Gaming

Intrigued by its potential beyond gaming, I subjected the LG UltraGear GP9 to a rigorous test of its musical and cinematic capabilities․ First, I cued up my favorite playlist, a diverse mix of genres ranging from classical to heavy metal․ The speaker handled the transition between these vastly different styles with surprising grace․ The highs were crisp and clear, the mids well-balanced, and the bass, while powerful, never overwhelmed the other frequencies․ However, I did notice a slight lack of warmth in the mid-range, a subtle hollowness that prevented the music from sounding truly full and rich․ Next, I settled in for a movie marathon, starting with Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk․ The GP9 expertly rendered the film’s intense soundscape, perfectly capturing the tension and chaos of the wartime setting․ The dialogue was clear and intelligible, even during the louder action sequences․ The subtle nuances of the score were also well-represented, adding depth and emotion to the scenes․ However, during quieter moments, I felt a slight lack of detail, a loss of the finer sonic textures that would have further enhanced the immersive experience․ Overall, while the LG UltraGear GP9 delivered a respectable performance for music and movies, it wasn’t quite the all-around audio powerhouse I had hoped for․ The slight lack of warmth in music and detail in quieter movie moments prevented it from truly shining in these areas․ It performed adequately, but not exceptionally․

Connecting and Controls⁚ A Minor Hiccup

Connecting the LG UltraGear GP9 to my various devices proved mostly straightforward․ I effortlessly paired it with my phone via Bluetooth, enjoying seamless, lag-free audio streaming․ The connection to my PC was equally simple, utilizing the provided USB-C cable․ However, I encountered a minor frustration with the physical controls․ Located on the top of the unit, the buttons are small and somewhat fiddly․ Adjusting the volume or switching input sources required more precision than I found ideal, especially in the heat of a gaming session or while multitasking․ I often found myself fumbling blindly, accidentally skipping tracks or muting the sound entirely․ This wasn’t a major issue, but it was a persistent minor annoyance that detracted slightly from the overall user experience․ I also experimented with the LG UltraGear GP9’s connectivity options using both Bluetooth 5․0 and a wired USB connection․ While Bluetooth worked flawlessly for casual listening, I noticed a slight audio delay when using Bluetooth with my gaming PC, which was somewhat jarring․ The wired connection, however, provided clean and lag-free audio, eliminating this issue entirely․ This inconsistency made me wish for a more intuitive and user-friendly control scheme․ Perhaps a dedicated remote control or a more responsive touch interface would have addressed this minor but persistent frustration․