Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K evaluate: Bringing Mini-LED to ultrawides

Value When Reviewed

$1,499

Greatest Costs In the present day: Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K

Ultrawide followers are well-served by screens just like the Alienware AW3423DWF, which boasts a beautiful OLED panel. However it’s missing in a single space: brightness. Enter the Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K. It bursts onto the scene with a VA show panel and Mini-LED backlight that achieves the coveted VESA DisplayHDR 1400 certification. It’s a beautiful show that may ship on the promise of eye-searing HDR, although a couple of odd choices knock it down a peg.

Observe: See our roundup of the greatest ultrawide screens to study competing merchandise, what to search for in an ultrawide show, and shopping for suggestions.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: The specs

The essential specs of the Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K are just like most 34-inch ultrawide screens. It has a most decision of 3440×1440, a 21:9 side ratio, and helps a most refresh charge of 200Hz when overclocked (and 165Hz in any other case). It has a VA panel which, though much less frequent than an IPS panel, continues to be reasonably customary.

• Show measurement: 34-inch ultrawide
• Native decision: 3,440 x 1,440
• Panel kind: IPS Mini-LED
• Refresh charge: 165Hz (200Hz overclocked)
• Adaptive-sync: FreeSync Premium Professional
• HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 1400 licensed
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort, 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 90 watts Energy Supply, 3x USB-A downstream, 1x USB-B upstream, 1x 3.5mm audio out
• Stand adjustment: Peak, swivel, pivot
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Audio system: 2x 5-watt audio system
• Value: $1,499 MSRP

Mini-LED is what makes this monitor stand out. It delivers a powerful 1,152 dimming zones, the very best you’ll discover on the present era of Mini-LED shows. Viewsonic additionally throws in a USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, a characteristic that’s nonetheless uncommon amongst gaming shows.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: Design

Matt Smith

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K is a looker. The monitor’s matte-black plastics appear easy at first look, however various textures and angles add curiosity and attract to the monitor’s profile. Viewsonic leans into the theme set by the monitor’s curved show panel by including slight curves to different surfaces together with the stand neck and base. 

It feels strong, too, with severe heft within the stand and stiff plastics alongside many of the panel. I do assume Alienware has Viewsonic beat on this space, because the Alienware AW3423DW and AW3423DWF each feel and appear as premium as high-end televisions. Additionally they profit from the thinner profile an OLED panel can present. Nonetheless, the Elite XG341C-2K feels extra luxurious than cheaper manufacturers, akin to Acer’s Nitro sequence and AOC. 

The monitor throws in some RGB lighting components in a cross sample on the monitor’s rear. They’re managed by the on-screen menu and add a pleasant little bit of aptitude when the monitor is utilized in a darkish room. There’s additionally a flip-out headphone hanger on the left facet. 

Nonetheless, the Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K runs afoul of a private pet peeve: The stand is far bigger than it must be. Its hefty neck and large legs take up gobs of desk house and push the monitor too near the consumer on narrower desks (akin to these typically bought at IKEA). You’ll want a giant, deep desk to make this monitor really feel at residence. The monitor has a 100x100mm VESA mount, so third-party monitor stands and arms are an possibility you might need to train.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: Options and menus

Viewsonic scores factors with its video enter choices. These embody two HDMI 2.1 inputs, DisplayPort, and USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. The USB-C enter additionally helps as much as 90 watts of energy supply for charging a linked system. This stays a uncommon characteristic amongst screens not bought for workplace or skilled use, so its inclusion within the Elite XG341C-2K is appreciated. 

Nonetheless, it’s a merely first rate USB hub monitor. Its downstream connections are restricted to a few USB-A ports and one 3.5mm audio port. There’s no DisplayPort out or further USB-C out. The monitor can operate as a KVM change when the USB-C and USB-B upstream ports are used to attach two PCs.

A single joystick controls the monitor’s menus. That is frequent, however the way in which Viewsonic implements it’s uniquely irritating. Giving a joystick a faucet will open a fast menu, or the principle menu, on most screens. On the Elite XG341C-2K, this turns the monitor off. The principle menu is opened by shifting the joystick up. That is counter-intuitive, as tapping the joystick is in any other case used to verify settings and enter menus as soon as a menu is open. I unintentionally turned off the monitor greater than a dozen occasions.

Matt Smith

Viewsonic’s menu choices are intensive, however navigating the menus stays a chore attributable to how the menu timber are laid out. As soon as I obtained acquainted, I discovered the monitor has quite a few shade temperature, saturation, and gamma options, in addition to a complete of 5 backlight modes and 5 response occasions modes. The monitor consists of an sRGB mode, although it didn’t appear to precisely restrain colours, and it doesn’t embody modes for different shade gamuts akin to DCI-P3 or AdobeRGB. It will disappoint some content material creators.

The monitor additionally has gaming-centric options akin to a black equalizer (which boosts brightness to see element in darkish areas of a sport) and a crosshair. A pair of 5-watt audio system are included. They’re fairly loud and sound clear when dealing with easy content material, akin to podcasts. Nonetheless, the dearth of bass is a giant downside with music, video games, and films. BenQ’s premium screens, which pair audio system with a built-in subwoofer, stay the king of monitor audio.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: SDR picture high quality

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K’s Mini-LED backlight has the potential for glorious HDR, however SDR efficiency stays extra essential, as most content material considered on a PC can be considered in SDR. 

Matt Smith

Viewsonic leaps to an early lead, because the Elite XG341C-2K delivers a gob-smacking most SDR brightness of 706 nits. This clearly outpaces aggressive screens and leaves OLED options within the mud. 

Certainly, it’s affordable to ask if this degree of brightness is significant. The Elite XG341C-2K may be uncomfortable to make use of at its most brightness. Nonetheless, brightness has its perks, and I favor {that a} monitor able to this degree of brightness offers customers the choice to make use of it. If you happen to want a brilliant monitor as a result of your desk sits subsequent to eastward-facing floor-to-ceiling home windows, the Elite XG341C-2K may be for you. 

Matt Smith

The monitor additionally delivers in distinction, with a most distinction ratio of 14290:1. This is a superb consequence for any monitor and defeated solely by OLED screens which, attributable to their capability to utterly flip off particular person pixels, have a virtually excellent distinction ratio. 

There are some quirks to distinction. Mini-LED screens have a draw back known as blooming, which causes brilliant halos or spots to seem round small, brilliant objects. This occurs as a result of the Mini-LED dimming zones are round a half-inch huge, in order that they’re unable to completely align with what’s proven on-screen. 

Nevertheless it’s not all unhealthy information. Mini-LED screens don’t typically endure the dynamic brightness limitations of most OLED screens, which scale back brightness when displaying brilliant photos full-screen. Due to this, the Elite XG341C-2K’s brightness is extraordinarily secure, with out noticeable dips or modifications in brightness as various content material is displayed. 

Surprisingly, the Elite XG341C-2K I acquired didn’t have native dimming turned on by default, which suggests the Mini-LED backlight was not working to its full potential. A manufacturing facility reset confirmed this was the default. I’m technically bending my very own guidelines on this graph, as I usually report solely the out-of-box distinction ratio: The out-of-box distinction ratio was solely 4430:1. You’ll want to change native dimming on within the monitor’s settings. 

Matt Smith

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K can comfortably be known as a large gamut monitor, because it spans one hundred pc of sRGB, 96 % of DCI-P3, and 93 % of AdobeRGB. These figures fall a bit in need of OLED screens just like the Alienware AW3423DWF and top-notch IPS shows just like the Asus ProArt PA348CGV. 

Nonetheless, the Elite XG341C-2K’s shade gamut is greater than ample for on a regular basis use and most content material creation. It additionally supplies the vivid, super-saturated look that’s frequent as we speak, and which many individuals appear to favor. 

Matt Smith

Colour accuracy stays fairly good. In fact, the entire screens listed on this graph have a degree of shade accuracy ample for any use exterior of knowledgeable studio setting, and a few are most likely ample even for that. And, as talked about, the Viewsoinc Elite XG341C-2K provides a wholesome vary of image-quality changes for additional calibration. 

The monitor’s default shade temperature was 6600K, which could be very near the goal of 6500K. I discovered that the picture’s shade temperature match my preferences properly, with a practical look that wasn’t too heat or too cool. 

Gamma was a distinct story. I instantly seen that the monitor appeared too darkish, and my outcomes confirmed that with a default gamma curve of two.7, which is approach off the goal of two.2. This made some content material so darkish that it could possibly be tough to see particulars. I used to be in a position to repair this by altering the gamma setting to Gamma 2.0, which resulted in a measured gamma curve of two.2. Content material appeared proper at this setting, however it’s disappointing to see a monitor require consumer intervention.

Sharpness was good due to the monitor’s decision of 3440×1440. That is roughly the identical as a 27-inch widescreen monitor with 2560×1440 decision. Video games and films look spectacular and detailed, and small fonts are displayed with no noticeable pixelation at a typical viewing distance of two and a half toes. You’ll discover a discount in sharpness in contrast side-by-side to a 4K monitor, although. 

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K’s total efficiency is a bit powerful to summarize. It will possibly carry out extraordinarily properly, but in addition falls brief on a couple of points. Native dimming is off by default, the gamma curve is wonky at default settings, and the colour gamut falls barely in need of some opponents. Tweaks shortly resolve the primary two points and, as soon as that’s achieved, the monitor seems to be completely excellent. The monitor is a implausible selection for gaming, as its glorious distinction ratio, excessive brightness, and good shade gamut mix for a vivid, dazzling picture.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: HDR Picture High quality

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K proudly carries DisplayHDR 1400 certification, which suggests it will possibly exceed a peak brightness of 1400 nits when displaying small, brilliant objects on an in any other case darkish display. It will possibly additionally obtain 710 nits sustained throughout all the show, which is the very best sustained HDR brightness I’ve recorded from any monitor. 

As talked about beforehand, the monitor has glorious brightness stability. You gained’t discover wild swings in brightness because the monitor switches between displaying small, brilliant objects and huge, brilliant scenes.

All of this provides as much as glorious real-world HDR efficiency that no less than meets the bar set by earlier top-notch HDR shows just like the Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX and Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. Certainly, the Elite XG341C-2K achieves a greater sustained brightness than both, so it objectively performs a tad higher with regards to brightness. Vivid particulars, just like the headlights of a automobile driving down a darkish alley, and broad landscapes, like a snowy mountain, have eye-searing brilliance and ultra-punchy presentation. It’s an actual visible deal with, and one which approaches the most effective HDR televisions I’ve seen. 

Nonetheless, the monitor’s HDR excellence is restricted to HDR content material, and it’s essential to be selective when enabling HDR. The monitor doesn’t deal with SDR content material properly when HDR is turned on, inflicting a really washed-out look. It’s essential to show the HDR mode off when it’s not wanted.

Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K: Movement Efficiency

Matt Smith

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K’s specs recommend glorious movement efficiency. It has a most overclocked refresh charge of 200Hz, or as much as 165Hz with out, and helps AMD FreeSync Premium Professional. That sounds nice, however falls aside on nearer inspection.

Viewsonic’s overclocking mode is successfully ineffective. Turning it on disables each AMD FreeSync Premium Professional and native dimming, eradicating two of the monitor’s essential options. It doesn’t make sense to spend $1,499 for a elaborate Mini-LED monitor after which disable the perks of the Mini-LED backlight. The 200Hz Overclock is a gimmick I’d actively encourage house owners to keep away from. 

The usual refresh charge of 165Hz isn’t significantly better. This monitor makes use of VA panel know-how which, typically, can’t match the pixel response occasions of IPS panels. VA panels are additionally recognized for “black smear,” an issue brought on by low response when transitioning by means of darker colours. This downside just isn’t a deal-breaker for me, personally, however it does maintain again the monitor’s total movement readability.

Maybe to compensate, Viewsonic provides 5 more and more aggressive response time modes. The default mode, “Quick,” introduces some reasonable overshoot seen within the type of trails round high-contrast objects and a shimmer in detailed textures. This downside turns into comically apparent within the extra aggressive modes. “Quickest,” probably the most aggressive, introduces large shade shifts round shifting objects and brilliant borders and halos in high-contrast areas. It seems to be as if the shifting picture is handed by means of a nasty Photoshop filter.

The “Customary” response-time mode, which is the least aggressive, was my desire. Movement readability is okay on this mode however noticeably gentle in comparison with an IPS or OLED monitor at the same 144Hz or 165Hz refresh charge. Take a look at photos from League of Legends confirmed that character outlines and well being bars had been distinct, however names and character particulars had been obscured. Movement was clean, no less than, when AMD FreeSync Premium Professional was enabled.

The monitor has a black body insertion characteristic known as PureXP. This strobes the backlight which, due to our eyes’ incapability to maintain up, improves movement readability. It’s efficient, and the intense Mini-LED backlight helps. As a result of backlight strobing shortly turns the backlight on and off, it has the facet impact of reducing brightness. However, with a most brightness of over 700 nits, you’re nonetheless getting over 300 nits with PureXP turned on. Regardless of these benefits, PureXP as soon as once more disables AMD FreeSync Premium Professional and the native dimming characteristic. So, that’s one other no from me.

Lastly, in a single remaining pinch of salt into this monitor’s wounds, turning on AMD FreeSync Premium Professional disables the monitor’s brightness setting, which is odd. Turning on the Native Dimming characteristic does the identical. Adjusting distinction sorta works round this, however the minimal degree of brightness that may be achieved would possibly nonetheless be too brilliant for SDR gaming in a darkish room.

Collectively, these points critically restrict the Elite XG341C-2K’s potential. In principle, it needs to be a implausible gaming monitor. In apply, I discovered myself banging my head in opposition to the monitor’s many restrictions and underwhelmed by its readability.

Must you purchase the Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K?

The Viewsonic Elite XG341C-2K is a superb monitor held again by quite a few minor points. It advantages from the unimaginable distinction and brightness a Mini-LED backlight can present and actually struts its stuff in HDR content material, which seems to be gorgeous. Sadly, Viewsonic makes a couple of unhealthy calls within the monitor’s on-screen menu controls and default settings, and the monitor’s movement efficiency falls in need of expectations. Even so, the Elite XG341C-2K can nonetheless make sense if nice HDR is your number-one precedence, because it places the brightness of OLED opponents to disgrace.