Review on Acer XZ342CK Pbmiiphx Certified DisplayHDR400 Ultrawide Screen, 3440X1440, High Dynamic Range & Curved Design by Greg Brooks

As a disclaimer, I'm not a digital artist and generally my eyes don't see super nice OLED displays unless it's my phone. I also use a VESA mount, so I can't comment on the quality of the monitor stand that came with it. Also, I'm not interested in HDR content. I think it's fair to say that given this price range, most consumers won't buy it and expect great HDR performance. This monitor perfectly highlights the perfect storm that has been shaped over the years by the latest advances in display technology. Basically it has everything I wanted in an ultrawide device about 3-4 years ago: - 1440p resolution at 21:9 - 144Hz refresh rate - excellent picture quality (IPS was the only option back then) - adaptive sync technology (before 2020, if you had an NVIDIA GPU, you had to buy GSYNC monitors, and they were VERY expensive). If you are looking for an ultra wide monitor, now is the right time to buy. While GPUs are hard to come by right now, ultrawide monitors have seen sharp price drops recently as new 21:9 1440p curved panels compete with the color "pop" factor you usually get with IPS. I have a 2560 x 1440 IPS display sitting next to it and I have to say that the VA panel is excellent and in some ways superior to the IPS panel (although the IPS monitor itself is about four years old). Thanks to the introduction of these new VA panels, they probably can't compete with OLED or newer IPS displays, but the price you're getting for the technology is excellent. This monitor is powered by a GTX 1070 with a DisplayPort 1.4 cable (included). I can confirm the following works in the NVIDIA Control Panel: Forcing the function of GSYNC works without any "official" NVIDIA support for that particular display. Activate 10 bpc color depth Set the refresh rate to 144 Hz Use the full dynamic range I was a bit skeptical that this is a VA panel. I think that's because the first generation VA panels weren't very good. But what I'm seeing right now as I'm writing this review is fantastic. The default calibration is excellent and requires minimal adjustment (I like to use "custom" color settings with default values). Again, considering the SDR, the brightness is really very good in my opinion. If you work in a typical home office, have blinds on your windows and the sun isn't shining directly on them, you won't have a problem with glare. If you use it for both gaming and work, it's excellent for both. In normal everyday use/light competition use, the input lag is not noticeable. This is the first product I can think of that has received a five star rating, mainly due to value for money and of course my personal needs. If you want a 1440p monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio, FreeSync, and 144Hz, then this is the one that costs $499.