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Gigabyte G34WQC:Making Sense of Ultrawide Monitors and Budget Constraints
Oh boy, let me tell you about this monitor upgrade dilemma I've been facing! I've been holding off on getting a new monitor for ages, sticking with my trusty QNIX QX2710 monitors that have faithfully served me for nearly a decade. Can you believe it? These bad boys were overclocked to 102 Hz, and I only paid $325 for each back in 2013. That was a steal compared to the hefty price tags of name brand monitors at the time. But here's the thing, they had their flaws—some backlight bleed and a single dual-link DVI port. And now, my GPU doesn't even have DVI ports anymore. So, I thought, maybe it's time for an upgrade. Now, I've done my research, scoured the market, and let me tell you, it's been a rollercoaster ride. I stumbled upon the Gigabyte G34WQC, and it seemed like the best bang for my buck.
A Tempting Deal: The Features and Price of a 34" Ultrawide Monitor
This 34" ultrawide monitor checks a lot of boxes: great dynamic range, low latency, fast 144 Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium support, and decent sRGB color accuracy. Plus, the price was right under $400. I mean, that's a steal, right? But here's the kicker: I couldn't help but drool over those 38" ultrawide monitors with their glorious 3840x1600 resolution. They would be a proper upgrade, no doubt. The only problem? The price.
The Price Dilemma with Ultrawide Monitors
These premium beasts would set me back $1,150 to $1,300, sometimes even more! That's a hefty premium to pay for just 4" of extra screen real estate. So, I had to make a decision: save $600 now and hope for a budget-friendly 38" option in the future, or splurge on the ultimate upgrade. After much contemplation, I settled on the Gigabyte G34WQC. I mean, come on, it's got a decent 1500R curve, good latency, and higher maximum brightness. And let's not forget the price—I could actually afford it! But oh, the uncertainty! Would I regret not going for the 38" behemoth? Would the 1500R curve be just right or too much? I turned to Google, my trusty protractor, and some math to estimate the angle of my current monitors. Let me tell you, the numbers were mind-boggling. But maybe, just maybe, the 1000R curve wouldn't be as extreme as I feared. Perhaps it would even enhance my first-person shooter gaming experience. Who knows? And then,
The Decision: Opting for the Gigabyte G34WQC
There's the whole IPS vs. VA dilemma. IPS has been my go-to for years, but VA technology has come a long way. The VA panels on the market today have improved significantly compared to my old rejected-LCD-batch IPS monitors. And let's not forget the price difference. Most 34" IPS monitors were well above $750, double the cost of the VA options. If I were willing to spend that much, I might as well wait for a sale on those premium 38" IPS monitors, right? Now, here's where things get even crazier—I've been using dual monitors for the longest time, and suddenly, I'm contemplating going solo. It's like a seismic shift in my setup! Two monitors have been my comfort zone, but I've come to realize that I only really see about a third of the second monitor without craning my neck. So, a 34" ultrawide, which is about one third wider than my old monitors, seems like a perfect fit. Plus, I was worried about the width of a 38" ultrawide, wondering if it would be too much for my field of view. But who knows, maybe I'm just overthinking it.
The Excitement and Apprehension of Placing the Order
So, I finally took the plunge and ordered the Gigabyte G34WQC. I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement, anxiety, and anticipation. Would it live up to my expectations? Would I miss the flexibility of dual monitors? Only time will tell. But hey, at least I can now enjoy a higher refresh rate for smoother gaming and that sweet extra screen real estate for productivity. Maybe I'll even give video editing a shot with Davinci Resolve, utilizing all that glorious space. Of course, there are some nitpicks I have with the Gigabyte monitor. Why in the world did they put the ports facing downward near the bottom? It's like they want me to crawl under my desk every time I need to plug something in. And don't get me started on the need for a long DisplayPort cable. I had to scout the web just to find a 10-foot cable that wouldn't break the bank. But hey, minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things, right? All in all, I'm cautiously optimistic about my purchase. The Gigabyte G34WQC seems like the best 34" ultrawide monitor under $400 for my needs. But let's be real, this is uncharted territory for me, and the future is uncertain. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it all works out in the end.
The monitor is too vibrant with the default settings
Everything is rather bright, and the reds are crazy vibrant with the monitor set to the standard profile. Reds are bright. Browns look a bit orange. Everything is eye catching, but not in a good way.
I just set it to the sRGB profile, and I think it looks great. I did bump up the brightness a bit to fit better with the lighting in the room. I am assuming Gigabyte’s sRGB profile is calibrated fairly well. I am excited to learn that the color profile I have been using for years on my QNIX monitors wasn’t all that far off!
Conclusion
I believe I made a good decision, but I also don’t feel like there was a wrong choice to be made here. The Sceptre is probably a decent value at $300. Either of the AOC monitors seem fine both on the spec sheet and in the technical reviews on Tom’s Hardware. I don’t expect I would have regretted buying any of them, but I do think the Gigabyte was a better value for me.
I do have some regret that I didn’t splurge on a 38” ultrawide. For productivity work, like writing this blog, the 34” monitor just feels like a bigger monitor. Being 400 pixels wider would almost definitely make the 38” ultrawide feel much like two monitors without a bezel. Then I remember that I can nearly buy an AMD 7900 XT with the money I saved buy staying one size smaller.
What do you think? Did I make the right choice with the Gigabyte W43WQC A? Why does every monitor have a terrible name? Are you already using one of those 38” ultrawide monitors? Do you think I should have spent three times as much for those extra four inches? Let me know in the email and see you soon. Chav!!
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