Console and PC players have lengthy thought of 1440p (often known as 2K) decision an excellent center floor between the visible constancy of 4K and the excessive efficiency of full HD or 1080p. However the ViewSonic Elite XG341C-2K ($1,499.99) places a contemporary spin on that: As an alternative of the two,560-by-1,440-pixel decision that almost all customers imply by 1440p, this ultrawide 34-inch mini LED monitor combines a 3,440-by-1,440-pixel array (21:9 facet ratio) with a 15000R curvature. It is a beautiful gaming monitor that is positive to pique the curiosity of gamers on the lookout for an immersive expertise. Just a few flaws preserve the Elite from incomes an Editors’ Selection award, notably higher-than-expected enter lag, however it’s nonetheless a top-shelf possibility for deep-pocketed lovers who’re drawn to a wraparound curve.
A Room With an Ultrawide View
ViewSonic retains the XG341C-2K’s design easy and acquainted. An all-black body with a matte end is edged by skinny bezels, placing the utmost quantity of display area right into a minimal chassis. A 3-legged stand holds the monitor regular. At 18.9 by 31.8 by 15.1 inches (HWD), the show manages to be barely deeper than the ASRock Phantom Gaming 34, and at 25 kilos, it is heavier than many different ultrawide screens, such because the Cooler Grasp GM34-CWQ.
The monitor’s ultrawide wingspan curves barely, with a radius of 1,500mm, recognized within the trade as 1500R. (A circle made of those screens would have a radius of 1.5 meters.) The tighter the curve, the extra immersive the gaming expertise could be. Whereas the ViewSonic’s curvature will not be as pronounced because it might be (you’ll find curvier 1000R screens, in addition to shallower 1800R screens), its goal stays the identical: to cut back glare whereas delivering deeper perceived blacks and a extra compelling gaming expertise.
Turning the monitor round, you may discover 4 LED zones on the again pointing towards the hexagonal middle of the extensive display. A small onscreen show (OSD) management joystick pokes out on the best, whereas a headset hanger sits on the left.
The Elite’s array of ports contains two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort connector, a 3.5mm headphone jack, three USB-A ports, one USB-B connector, and a USB-C port with DisplayPort performance. Two clips, supposed to help in cable administration, sit on the prepared on both finish.
There’s important area between the monitor and the stand holding it upright, which provides the show numerous mobility, beneficiant swivel and tilt, and nearly 5 inches of peak adjustment. Two 5-watt audio system are an anticipated additional contemplating the monitor’s worth; they ship clear sound that does not get distorted when the amount is turned up. They’re comparable in high quality to the ViewSonic Gaming Elite XG321UG’s audio system.
Like that different ViewSonic gaming monitor, the XG341C-2K makes use of mini LED panel expertise, with 1,152 particular person LED zones for the backlight and full-array native dimming (FALD). This setup differs from regular LCD backlights that include LEDs alongside the sting of the panel or in some instances a grid of LEDs with as much as 512 dimming zones. Dimming zones are adjusted individually or regionally relying on the image to be displayed, dimming the darkest elements to make blacks look deeper or brightening the brightest areas. With extra dimming zones, you are capable of get pleasure from richer colours, brighter whites, and deeper blacks.
Along with the mini-LED backlighting, the XG341C-2K additionally helps a refresh charge of as much as 200Hz, however that’s by means of overclocking. The default refresh charge is 165Hz, nonetheless a really respectable refresh charge that’s well-suited for fast-paced shooters and the like. The display makes use of AMD FreeSync Premium Professional, the very best tier of AMD’s adaptive-sync expertise.
Now this could be an excellent promoting level if overclocking your monitor did not disable each FreeSync and the FALD, successfully eradicating two of the monitor’s promoting factors. Until you are determined for the next refresh charge, you are higher off skipping overclocking all collectively.
Testing the ViewSonic Elite XG341C-2K: Fairly a Contender
Widescreen 1440p screens are an more and more widespread choose amongst deep-pocketed players with midrange to high-end PCs. Does the ViewSonic XG341C-2K stand out on this more and more crowded subject? To seek out out, we ran the monitor by means of our benchmark gauntlet utilizing a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor to see the way it in comparison with screens of comparable measurement and determination.
Our first check evaluates the monitor’s brightness out of the field in default image mode with an SDR sign. The Elite reached 737 nits, the brightest in its check group. Switching over to HDR, which we measured utilizing the Datacolor’s brightness and distinction show evaluation, the monitor got here out on high once more. Greater brightnesses in HDR mode might be attained, however doing so would require some twiddling with the settings (altering the brightness of the dimming zones, as an illustration, bumped HDR brightness from 450 to 531 nits).
The SDR measurement is probably going increased on this specific check as a result of SDR lights up the complete display kind of uniformly, whereas HDR depends on metadata to gentle scenes with extra nuance in specified areas. Content material additionally performs a think about HDR brightness ranges. If the content material you’re viewing is optimized for top distinction ratios, then you definitely’ll register increased HDR brightness ranges.
Nonetheless, the HDR1400 is likely one of the causes you are possible contemplating this panel. Placing Viewsonic’s HDR1400 declare to the check, we measured the monitor’s peak HDR luminance, which gave us a score of 1,471 nits of brightness. So within the spots the place it counts, the Elite can ship the HDR items.
Transferring on to our color-gamut benchmark, the outcomes stay optimistic for the ViewSonic. The XG341C-2K spanned 100% of the sRGB colour gamut, 91% of Adobe RGB, and 94% of DCI-P3—glorious numbers out of the field.
Shade accuracy was equally as sturdy, with a measured Delta E of 1.3 besting all opponents besides the Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165. The upper the Delta E, the farther colours are inclined to stray from their supposed hue, and a price underneath 1 is good.
As for distinction, we measured a black degree of 0.21 and a distinction ratio of three,220:1, properly inside the promised static ratio listed by ViewSonic. The distinction ratio signifies the luminance of the brightest white and darkest black {that a} monitor can produce. It makes a distinction in image high quality, particularly throughout darkish scenes in gameplay. Gaming screens with IPS panels usually goal a distinction ratio of 1,000:1 or higher, and that is still the case for VA panels as properly.
Media and Gaming Efficiency
The ultimate benchmark to think about is the all-important enter lag check. Utilizing an HDFury Diva HDMI matrix, we measured the Elite’s enter lag at 5.8 milliseconds—not tremendous low, however hardly a trigger for alarm. Esports professionals might search out the decrease enter lag of screens just like the BenQ Mobiuz EX3410R, however the ViewSonic’s result’s greater than adequate for nearly each different participant.
It might be a bit higher if the monitor’s increased enter lag was offset by Nvidia Reflex help like that of the Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor, however in the end low enter lag is not every little thing. It is also value remembering the 200Hz refresh charge achievable through overclocking. Enabled in both the Nvidia or AMD management panel, overclocking your monitor permits you to create a customized decision, permitting you to squeeze the next refresh charge from it (although once more, you may be disabling FALD and Freesync, so it will not be value the additional frames).
Quick-paced shooters like Counter-Strike: International Offensive and Overwatch 2 drastically profit from the enhance in efficiency, however it’s particularly helpful on the Xbox Collection X and PlayStation 5 too, as variable refresh charge choices in console video games have gotten extra widespread.
Verdict: An Virtually Elite Selection
The ViewSonic Elite XG341C-2K proves itself to be a dependable gaming monitor on the subject of widescreen 1440p gaming, offering a wonderful image with a excessive refresh charge, although some overclocking legwork is required to achieve its peak (and the attendant tradeoffs we talked about might provide you with pause). The enter lag is not the bottom we have seen, however that possible will not be an issue for players outdoors of the hardcore esports crowd, who’re possible contemplating smaller, higher-refresh panels in any case. Whereas the show’s steep worth may provide you with pause, if you happen to’re on the lookout for a 34-inch curved gaming monitor you are in all probability not pinching pennies, and there are few higher choices than the XG341C-2K.
