If you are looking for an ultrawide gaming monitor, and your budget doesn’t support the fancy $1000+ monitors from LG and Alienware, there is a bargain out there you should consider.
Available at Best Buy and directly from the manufacturer’s website, Viotek’s GNV34DBE2 is a 34″ ultrawide gaming monitor that can support many gaming requirements, as well the functions of a typical work-from-home job. For me, the latter is mostly Microsoft’s Office suite, YouTube, Teams and Zoom, and one Brave and Edge browser window (with multiple tabs).;
Pro-tip: if you’re a Windows user, download Microsoft’s Power Toys suite. This will give you access to the FancyZones application (as seen in the video below), which will allow you to really take advantage of this monitor.
Specs (source: viotek.com)
- Display
- – Dimensions: 31.2 x 17.9 x 8.9 in. (808.65 x 454.19 x 225.58 mm)
- – Weight: 15.48 lb.
- – Screen Size: 34 in.
- – Panel Type: VA
- – Resolution: UW-QHD (3440x1440p)
- – Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- – Brightness: 350 cd/m2 (max.)
- – Viewing Angle: 178° H / 178° V
- Performance
- – Refresh Rate: 144Hz (max.)
- – Response Time: 1ms MPRT / 6ms GTG (OD)
- – Displayable Colors: 16.7M (million)
- – Color Gamut: 99% sRGB, 85% NTSC
- – Contrast Ratio: 4000:1
- – Contrast Ratio: 1M:1
- – FreeSync Range: 48Hz-144Hz
- Ports
- – 2x DisplayPort 1.4
- – 2x HDMI 2.0
- – 1x 3.5mm audio out
- Other Features
- – Adaptive Sync
- – G-Sync/FreeSync compatibility
- – FPS display optimization
- – MRPT Anti-Ghosting Mode
- – Super Resolution Upscaling
- – GAMEPLUS crosshairs
- – Picture-in-Picture (PIP) & Picture-by-Picture (PBP)
- – Anti-glare treated screen
- – Blue-light filter
- – Rear LED light (red)
- – VESA (75×75 mm)
To test Viotek’s QHD beauty, I tested games that scale best with high-refresh rates, such as Crysis 2 Remastered, and side-scrollers that benefit from a wide and curve display, such as Trek to Yomi. In these cases I found the GNV34DBE2 has rich colors (particularly black) and a smooth low-ghosting refresh. Ghosting is a typical concern for VA panels. Other panel types negate this concern but there are other concerns that take its place. In short, there is no perfect display panel. Choosing the right panel for you will depend heavily on your needs. Click here for an excellent guide that details the pros and cons of the most common panel types.
As far as fit goes, the GNV34DBE2 suites my needs well. It allows me to run a single monitor, instead of two 27 inchers, and provides a solid and well-rounded experience. The biggest issue I have with the monitor is the lack of stability. Using the included kickstand, the monitor will wobble on you as you type on your keyboard or move your mouse around the desk with umph. It’s not too ruckus, but I would recommend you mount the monitor if your keyboard and mouse share the same desk space as the monitor.
One other wish list item would be for USB-C monitor support. But that’s not really a big requirement for most users.
If you found this review helpful, I encourage you to watch the vide (above) from my YouTube channel. And if you want to really be part of the conversation, join us on Locals where like-minded tech fans are discussing laptops, monitors, and more.