Looking for ultrawide monitor advise

Denpepe

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So I'm thinking about getting an ultrawide monitor but I'm having trouble deciding which one

The ones I'm eyeing at the moment are

GIGABYTE G34WQC (some black smearing)
Cooler Master GM34-CW (some black smearing, big stand)
LG 34GP950G-B (expensive)
ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B (some black smearing)
MSI OPTIX MPG341CQR (pricy, some ghosting)


All of those seem to have pretty good reviews but also some downsides, like is the black smearing on VA panels realy noticeable?

Anyone got any experience with one of the above or know another good one? Preferably with G-sync and 144hz
 
What's your budget?

@Peter_Brosdahl and I have Samsung's CRG9 (49") and both enjoy them quite a bit. Though, it seems to be an order of magnitude wider than then ones you're looking at.

Coming from 3x Dell 2413's (IPS screens) over to the CRG9 (VA panel), I did notice some initial off-angle viewing didn't seem right, but I've gotten used to it. No issues with black or anything else for that matter.

Having run with 5000px+ width resolution in games ever since Eyefinity came out 12+ years ago, it makes it difficult for me to go back to standard aspect ratios...
 
If it ain't Samsung, don't get a VA.

I learned the painful route, just replaced one. Black smearing literally means anything that moves in dark areas is blurred. For me, to the point of uselessness and negating any additional VA contrast.
 
LG 34GP950G
Looked this one up, it's the one you want if you don't get a Samsung. No less, really, as sad as that is, and don't ask me what I paid for the 38" version with a hardware G-Sync model. Mine was absurdly expensive, I just got tired of compromising image quality and sharpness. The VA I had before was straight up arse all around.

(I got the Dell version with the same LG panel as the LG... not that I particularly like or dislike Dell, but the LG version of their 38" panel has a pretty checkered Q/C history, and well, Dell deals with that pretty gracefully in the 'States in comparison)
 
What's your budget?

@Peter_Brosdahl and I have Samsung's CRG9 (49") and both enjoy them quite a bit. Though, it seems to be an order of magnitude wider than then ones you're looking at.

Coming from 3x Dell 2413's (IPS screens) over to the CRG9 (VA panel), I did notice some initial off-angle viewing didn't seem right, but I've gotten used to it. No issues with black or anything else for that matter.

Having run with 5000px+ width resolution in games ever since Eyefinity came out 12+ years ago, it makes it difficult for me to go back to standard aspect ratios...

I was hoping to stay below 1K € (the LG is 1300 that would be realy pushing it).

I was more going for a 3440 x1440p while the 49" looks nice, it might be a bit too much, I did read that samsung had some issues with G-sync on some models which supposedly is fixed, but the only ultrawide they have seems to be the G5 and the VRR was not great on the rtings review
 
I also use the CRG9 (5120 x1440p, 32:9) and love it.
Before this I was on 1080p (for general desktop use) and coped well.
Life is soooo much easier with an ultrawide I would struggle to go back.

Gaming is fantastic, practically everything supports it well, even the new re-releases of Age of Empires and Mafia.
The curve and width really add to immersion.
Gsync works perfectly, I havent had a single issue with it.
My very good UHD TV doesnt see any gaming use now.
The CRG9 is 12.5% less pixels than UHD so has a framerate advantage which came in handy with Cyberpunk.

It maxes at 120Hz at max res which is very fluid.
Oh and 3840x1080p res looks much better than expected if you get into framerate issues.
You can stay at 1440p and use less width, that works well too.

It has 2x DP and 1x HDMI 2.0 input, HDMI is restricted to 60Hz at max res and no gsync, but still looks very smooth.
The onboard sound chip is handled via HDMI/DP so automatically changes with the input you are using.
The USB HUB is static but still extremely useful. I run my keyboard, mouse and webcam through it from a single PC USB 2.0 out.
Wires can be neatly tucked into the stand if you wish, it takes a lot of wire.

2 inputs can be used at the same time giving 2560x1440p @60Hz each.
 
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I was hoping to stay below 1K € (the LG is 1300 that would be realy pushing it).

I was more going for a 3440 x1440p while the 49" looks nice, it might be a bit too much, I did read that samsung had some issues with G-sync on some models which supposedly is fixed, but the only ultrawide they have seems to be the G5 and the VRR was not great on the rtings review
Yeah, the G-sync doesn't work on the older models like what me and @David_Schroth have. HDR on the older ones is also sub-par because of the lack of dimming zones. I just keep mine in 10 bit/100Hz mode for the best colors and increased frames and max brightness. My 3090 doesn't have to break a sweat most of the time for that and realistically those 20fps I'm opting out of actually make it work a bit harder causing the fans to ramp up. Apparently the newer ones are okay for VRR, sometimes need a firmware update but those are usually well beyond $1K. I believe the new one coming out will be at least $2K but I'd love to be wrong. Those kind of specs are impressive but usually mean a premium price tag also.

All that aside, these Samsung VA panels are pretty incredible. It is huge though but a definite wow factor when playing games. Basically only IPS or OLED truly exceeds them when it comes to colors and vibrancy. Mine is in an extremely bright living room(surrounded by windows and skylights) and during the brighest parts of the day I have some challenges making out darker things but the rest of the time it's great. For the games that support it, UW is a wow and especially for 32:9. Another thing I like about it is that it helped me a bit with cable management. I'm using the 3 USB ports to power wireless mouse/keyboard and soundbar becuase I have the desktop on the other side of the room next to the t.v.

UW gaming had really gained traction in the last couple of years. I expect you may be able to find something smaller, with really good specs, for around 800-1200 range soon. Just don't get any of that HDR400 junk. Totally useless for HDR.
 
All that aside, these Samsung VA panels are pretty incredible.
At this point, Samsung is making 'VA-family' panels, but they're really a few major generations removed from their VAs of old (and their >20ms pixel response times and horrific gamma shift). Those were hardly better than TN panels in most metrics outside of contrast, and worse in many.

And really, today's actual VAs, i.e. not Samsung, are still pretty bad. They don't have to be, but between the panel manufacturers and the monitor producers (if even different), what comes out always seems to be some varying shade of arse.

What Samsung is producing isn't that. Not even close! So I'll say why I didn't pick up the CRG9 or Odyssey G9 (newer): I wanted more vertical pixels, I knew I could actually physically-speaking use all of the width at once for games, and that I'd be using additional monitors regardless of what I picked up because I'm a multi-monitor whore. And while I truly do believe that Samsung has produced a 'VA-family' panel with great color, I still shudder inside at the thought of having to calibrate one if it ain't about right out of the box. Oh, and the audio reflection of that wide, strong curve: I was worried about that adding noise to my mic!


So, counterpoints to my own points above (sorry for the momentary thread hijack):
  • 1440p ain't bad for vertical space; in my case, it was what I was coming from, so I'd wanted a bit 'more'- I was actually coming from two 16:9 32" VA panels, one 1440p, and one 4k with 150% scaling which is exactly equivalent to 1440p and as sharp as native to my rather critical eyes
    • Main point is here, I'd literally be going down in physical screen space while keeping the same desktop space
    • Counterpoint to that is that I'd probably have gotten another 49" 32:9 monitor and just stacked it on top, so long as the curve matched what I got for the main one and color would be able to be matched
  • The curve is really strong, and that may put someone off experiencing it first-hand even if they thought they'd like it
  • Color really should not be a problem, and my XPS 15 has a VA panel that calibrated perfectly on first attempt, so even I know that my troubles with VA panels aren't universal, and again, Samsung isn't making 'plain old VAs' anymore
  • If you're using a headset mic, audio reflections probably aren't going to be a problem; I'm using dynamic vocal mics (the handheld style) with a boom arm I can swing in and out, and well, those pick up everything and there's really just not a solution for it, hence not wanting a giant parabolic reflector in front :)

As I look now, Odyssey G9's are going for US$1.4k on Amazon while CRG9's are going for US$1.2k. Realistically I'd go for either of those if you could stretch it. I was personally really drawn to the 240Hz of the Odyssey G9, and for desktop use too even; but I'd also need a new GPU just to be able to run it at that speed, and well, those are currently unobtanium too.
 
It's the Acer re-skin of the Samsung successor the G9 Odyssey, far as I looked into it.

I'm down with picking up Dell reskins (like my Alienware 38" with an LG panel), and it's not like Acer doesn't make quality monitors up and down their stack, but I can't say that there'd be any reason to pick this one up other than perhaps availability or price.

And that's not before the community has had a chance to sort out any 'gotchas', cause man does Samsung technology come with plenty of those!
 
And that's not before the community has had a chance to sort out any 'gotchas', cause man does Samsung technology come with plenty of those!

Yeah, after all the recommandations for the samsung I got interested, then I started reading some reviews, I should not have done that, I always have a hard time choosing a monitor or a TV since it is pretty subjective, way easier choosing a CPU or GPU.

It does not help that my first Rog swift PG279Q was a dud and I had to have it replaced and my current one is a lot better but still flawed.
 
I thought my Acer Predator 27" monitor was limiting because 'IPS' and 'low contrast'...

I tried a non-Samsung VA, and well, that was a mistake every which way. Not that I didn't and couldn't make it work, I work with much, much worse on a regular basis. I'm just annoyed that I paid for it this time!

Yeah, after all the recommandations for the samsung I got interested, then I started reading some reviews, I should not have done that, I always have a hard time choosing a monitor or a TV since it is pretty subjective, way easier choosing a CPU or GPU.

I could give you my usual speech loaded with negativity - summary is that no one is making 'perfect' monitors - but realistically you just need to figure out what matters the most to you and roll the dice.
 
For now my shortlist is the
LG 34GP950G-B
Samsung odyssey G9

The LG seems to be out of stock atm at retailers I would buy from

For the G9 I read that you should sit around 1 meter away due to the curvature, but that would be to far for me to comfortably read from it how ar you guys experience with these 49 inchers?
 
For now my shortlist is the
LG 34GP950G-B
Samsung odyssey G9

The LG seems to be out of stock atm at retailers I would buy from

For the G9 I read that you should sit around 1 meter away due to the curvature, but that would be to far for me to comfortably read from it how ar you guys experience with these 49 inchers?

I sit about the same as any other monitor - about an arm's length in front of me.
 
For now my shortlist is the
LG 34GP950G-B
Samsung odyssey G9

The LG seems to be out of stock atm at retailers I would buy from

For the G9 I read that you should sit around 1 meter away due to the curvature, but that would be to far for me to comfortably read from it how ar you guys experience with these 49 inchers?
1.1 metres.
Mine is the shallower curve version.

If you cant focus at 1m or more you need glasses.

edit
It dawned on me you probably mean text will be too small at that distance.
Glasses may help with that too but if you have no issues otherwise I can understand not wanting to.
I zoom in a bit on many things like web browsers when sitting back.
For work that cannot be zoomed I sit a little closer, its an easy fix :)
 
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If you cant focus at 1m or more you need glasses.
The number of mostly-blind folks in my family that refuse to get surgery, including my wife, despite the trouble they have every day, amazes me.

I decided to up and do it one day when I couldn't read the text on my Note 4 without glasses, and glasses were running > US$700 after insurance. Now I can just get fairly cheap reading glasses to correct the remaining astigmatism (eyes focus at slightly different distances which causes headaches when focusing closely for extended periods of time), and I'm good to go.
 
1.1 metres.
Mine is the shallower curve version.

If you cant focus at 1m or more you need glasses.

edit
It dawned on me you probably mean text will be too small at that distance.
Glasses may help with that too but if you have no issues otherwise I can understand not wanting to.
I zoom in a bit on many things like web browsers when sitting back.
For work that cannot be zoomed I sit a little closer, its an easy fix :)

Oh I have glasses trust me, but with -14 and some blindspots in focus vision it is still pretty bad, I have had some 30+ injections in my eyes to try and save the remainder of my sight, the last one only a couple weeks ago.
 
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