profoundnoah :
Hey guys,
So recently my magnanimous relative decided to help me buy a monitor. Since this monitor would be a major gift, we wanted to go all the way at 4k. However, I've noticed that there are no 4k curved desktop monitors on the market. If I were to downgrade to 1440p, I would be able to get something like a 34 inch panel that is curved. There is no budget, but please keep it within reason (sub $1500), if you have any recommendations. My relative offered the Dell UP3216Q which supposedly has one of the best screens on the market. If I were to downgrade, I could get a curved ultrawide 1440p 144 hz panel, but I would feel as if I'm not getting the full experience with 4k. Any recommendations? Should I go for the 1440p solution, or keep the amazing color reproduction with that 4k panel?
(EDIT)
By the way, I have an additional Acer 27 inch TN 1080p Panel I'm using right now. Would the curve interfere with a dual monitor setup?
A. I am assuming this is a gaming monitor discussion.
B. I don't know if id say that the curve would "interfere" but it certainly would ge awkward.... 1080p is also an awkward resolution for a 27" monitor due to the very low ppi.... you certainly won't be spanning windows across 2 screens with a monitor of a different resolution.
1. The currently exist no GFX cards that can drive a 4k monitor at a consistent 60 fps in modern games even when 3 cards are paired in SLI or CF. That is not expected to change with the upcoming generations of GFX cards from AMD and nVidia.
2. There are no 4k monitors that can do 144 / 165 Hz .... a feature highly in demand among enthusiast gamers, especially those with nBVidia GFX cards that can utilize ULMB.
3. There exists no cable that can carry a 4k signal at 144 / 165 Hz
4. The most desired gaming configuration right now is at 165 Hz, 1440p IPS screen. Until recently, there were no IPS screens which had a satisfactory response rate and lag at any resolution. The Acer Predator XB271HU (165 Hz_) and the Asus Swift PG279HQ
The 144 Hz version of the Predator is reviewed here; the 271 is its 165 Hz successor and is equivalent to the PG279HQ:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_xb270hu.htm
The $1310 165 Hz Asus Swift is reviewed here and that sounds like it pushes all your buttons:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_rog_swift_pg279q.htm
There are some "pretty OK" 4k monitors but as some of them are without IPS, or without a high refresh rate to do ULMB, you'll be missing the fluidity and color palette of the above models.
As has a curved 4k curved model and it has made great stride but we won't see 144 / 165 Hz and ULMB until Display Port 1.3 arrives.
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_rog_swift_pg348q.htm
Gaming is where this screen is firmly aimed of course, although that's not to say it can't handle all-round uses very well. The IPS panel offers a solid default setup, strong contrast ratio and wide viewing angles that you'd hope for from this panel technology. Some might be distracted by the IPS glow on dark content on a screen this size but that's a "feature" of most current IPS panels. We appreciate the light AG coating and flicker free backlight as well which are always positive. For the gaming target market Asus have done a nice job providing some additional boosts. The 100Hz overclocked refresh rate is one of the key features here and provided improved response times, a big jump in frame rate support and improved motion clarity. We did find the screen was quite fussy with graphics card support so make sure you have a suitably powerful enough NVIDIA card to run it to avoid problems. To power a screen with this resolution and refresh rate you're going to need something beefy anyway. The additional G-sync support is of real value here, helping your system handle the demands of the screen nicely and the presence of this also ensured the input lag was extremely low. We do miss ULMB as an additional feature but in this size and format there aren't any competing models that offer a blur reduction mode yet. The bug with the overdrive control at 95 and 100Hz needs to be addressed by Asus, but even at 90Hz the screen is an excellent gaming option in this size and format.
The $848 Aver Predator XB271HK is another 4k monitor that does a lil but better than the Asus curved screen above image wise.
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_xb271hk.htm
The $1000 Acer Z35 is a curved 1440p VA panel w/ ULMB but this VA pael has some issues.
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/acer_predator_z35.htm
I have tested a 34" LG wide screen (non IPS) and the Acer XB270HU side by side. When sitting down and the wide 34" there is certainly a boost in your feeling of immersion with the curved wide screen and it's kinda cool. But going back to the Predator, it really drives home the differences between the two. The high refresh rate makes movement so much more fluid an the richer color palette is something you miss greatly gong back to the non IPS panel. There is still the "IPS Glow" which is still part of the IPS experience which may be in issue in a game where you spend all you time in very dark places. But on Witcher 3, never rarely became something I noticed.
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