I have reviewed the LG Libero back in December for NXT Magazine but the monitor left a deep impression on me, so I want to do an article to share a personal take on my review. Available in Singapore at S$799 with street price as low as S$500.
Computer monitors take up precious desk space because as the screen sizes grow larger, so is the need for an equally heavy stand to hold, so moving them around is cumbersome. The LG Libero’s unique metal stand supports the narrow body frame and takes up little space. It weighs just 6kg, not heavy for a 27-incher. The white plastic rear has a fabric-like pattern to make it look more premium, and the sleek profile makes it easy to move around the house or at the office. The retail package includes additional brackets to hang the monitor on office partition walls.
Even though the height is not adjustable, the Libero is large enough to reach at eye level. LG has included a detachable full-HD webcam with privacy cover in the package which you can attach either to the top or bottom of the monitor, depending on whether you are using it on the desk or hanging it. The webcam has built-in background blur feature.
Another convenient fact is that the USB-C cable also supplies up to 65W power for your laptop, which means if you connect your laptop to the LG Libero via USB-C display port, you can both charge the laptop and achieve dual display. There is no need to use a separate HDMI cable for display.
The speakers on the Libero also works through the same USB-C cable. Similarly, when you connect your headset via 3.5mm connector on the Libero, the laptop recognises the headset and you can use it for teleconferencing. Four peripherals – headset, webcam, stereo speakers, power supply – go through a single USB-C cable to your laptop and avert cable mess. What would have made the Libero perfect is to include more USB ports to turn it into a hub.
The Libero has four buttons to navigate the on-screen display, which I find a challenge because it is hard to orientate when the buttons are lined up in a straight line. And if you manage to master the controls, you will find that there are plenty of options to tune the display. For instance, a Reader Mode as well as Flicker Safe can reduce eye fatigue and strain. To manage multi-window productivity, you can install LG Switch app which comes with numerous split layout windows to easily fix the windows into tiles.
Conclusion
After testing it for over 2 weeks, I find that the LG Libero is a space-saving monitor which I can easily move around if I needed to. It handles like a portable monitor except it needs to connect to AC power. It keeps my desk clean with just a single USB-C cable connected to the laptop to enjoy multi-display setup. Thanks to the large 27-inch size, it reaches my eye level comfortably.
Once my current PRISM+ monitor is broken, I will consider getting the LG Libero as my next monitor.
