Philips 346P1CRH - (WFH 21:9 Ultrawide, USB-C, PIP, PBP, KVM)

[spaceman]

I'm looking for recommendation's for a do it all ultrawide for 2x laptop's (1x USB-C, 1xDP/HDMI) with minimal cables. The monitor will be used for the usual office applications, coding, video and a bit of retro gaming, no modern gaming.

I had an LG 35WN73A delivered yesterday which would have been perfect for me if i only used 1x laptop at a time like i originally planned. I definitely preferred it to the 2x monitors + dock i use in the offices.

I have since decided i want PBP (to display 2x input's on screen at the same time) + Hardware KVM built in for when i'm WFH, so i'm returning the LG. The work laptop's are connected to different VPN's, so IP based software KVM's like LG's Dual Controller are no good. (It was ok for 2x personal laptop's though, if slightly laggy)

- 60w charging is fine for the USB-C laptop's i use.

From what i've found so far, these two monitors that seem to tick the boxes:-

- Dell P3421w
- Philips 346p1crh/00

Have any OC'ers used these, or have any other recommendations?

Thanks

 

[spaceman]

Thanks, I'll take a look at the mk850 combo.

I could get away without the docks, if the LG monitor did PBP or PIP so I could have both work laptops displaying at the same time splitting the screen.

I think I'd be better off getting the Dell or Philips that can do PBP and have the KVM built in.

 

[spaceman]

I think i'll wait to see if the Philips comes back into stock anytime soon as it was selling for less than the Dell a few weeks ago.

My Thinkpad x280 only does up to 4k60 via the USB-C (TB3), so it may not make any difference between that and the Dell for my current devices. The work laptop via USB-C might be the same.

 

[spaceman]

It's back up for pre order at a very good price if you search for it.

Awesome, thanks! That is quite the discount, I've put my order in

I was going to buy it for £500 from the other place when stock arrives on 22nd.

I better ship the LG back when the snow melts a bit.

 

[spaceman]

My Philips 346P1CRH just arrived, so the wait wasn't that bad, i'll set it up later and check if it's all good. If it is, that's great for £358.

it doesn't come with a USB A to B cable to connect the 2nd computer to the KVM, but i have plenty of those at work.

 

[spaceman]

I've been using the Philips 346P1CRH since Thursday, i'd say its well worth £358 i paid.

I returned the monitor arm i had bought as this one is around 8KG without the stand rather than the 6.5KG of the LG. I'll get another arm when i sort out a solid wood desktop, i dont think the temporary Linnmon desktop i'm using would take that weight on an arm.


Random list of thoughts below:-

- The webcam is just ok, not great but it's not something i'll be using, although it says it works with Windows Hello, it wasn't detected as compatible. I'm not sure if i had to do anything for it to be detected properly or not.

- The speakers are quite loud, i forgot it had them until the windows boot up sound, i then muted them in the OSD as i normally use headphones.

- It's got a way brighter panel than the 35" LG i returned, i've got it set to 30 Brightness & 30 Contrast.

- I'm using it with my Thinkpad x280 plugged in on USB-C and have had no issues what so ever.

- I've only briefly tested the PIP & PBP with an old Thinkpad T440p as the 2nd device via HDMI with a mini DP adapter. Both worked, but i couldn't get the PBP full screen as even setting the the resolution to 1720x1440 like the OSD advised to take up half the screen it still had borders. I'll test this out properly tomorrow with my Work Fujitsu u729 on USB-C & Work Surface Pro 5 on HDMI/Mini DP adapter, if that's the same, i'll get a DP to mini DP cable. I'll test the KVM too as i've now got a cable for that.

- There's is a user button on the monitor you can set to either KVM or Display switcher and a couple of other things. As i'll probably mostly use 2 device as PBP i'll keep it as KVM, but if i was going to use 2 devices both full screen, it would be better set to Display and maybe set KVM to auto rather than manually switching via the OSD menu.

- If you have the USB Hub set to USB 3.2 you only get 60hz, set this to USB 2.0 to get 100hz

- The Philips Smart Control Software didn't have the screen zone layout i like when using a single device (either 2 thirds width as main window, with 1 third width as secondary window) or the wider window in the middle and a smaller window either side. The LG software didn’t have this either for the other monitor.

I installed Windows Power Toys (Free App), Fancy Zones in that is fully customisable, so i'm all set.

- I haven’t used the Ethernet port, but that needs a driver which is available on the Philips website

- the power Sensor works well

- The only negative i've found build quality wise is the thin bit of plastic trim that goes across the top and around the webcam isn't complete flat, its a bit wavey, like it isn't clipped/glued in perfectly. It's not something i'm really bothered about but worth mentioning, my monitor might have been just made on Friday Afternoon! On the plus side, no dead or stuck or bright pixels at all

There are still loads of settings i haven't played around with, there is a PDF user manual on the product website along with the drivers below

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/346P1CRH_00/brilliance-curved-ultrawide-lcd-monitor-with-usb-c/support


TLDR: Great monitor for the price, if you use two devices

 

[spaceman]

ok, fixed my problem with PBP not using all the screen space on both halves of screen, i just had to change the scaling in the intel graphics app. I just displayed my Laptop via USB-C @ 1720x1440 side by side with itself with PBP. Will investigate my work devices via PBP tomorrow, it's looking good though.

@thenewoc - I'm not sure if the USB ports are gen 1 or gen 2, it only mentions USB 3.2 in the manual. There are 4 ports on the KVM, 1 of those is a fast charge port.

@Jony27 - I'll let you know if i have any problems with my SP tomorrow, it should be fine though.

@silvagti - I'm not sure if it's semi gloss or matte. It's the same as the VA LG 35" i had earlier in the month. I've got a window with blinds behind me, i can just about make out the shadow of the blinds with the monitor turned off. If i do the same with a laptop screen (non gloss) the blinds are much more noticeable.

 

[spaceman]

@MasterPlan1 - sorry i can't test it properly for gaming, my laptop isn't capable of playing any modern games, I only have retroarch which should run games fine on anything.

@thenewoc - i've got mine set to USB 2.0 for the 100hz too, i'm only using the hub for keyboard/mouse wireless dongles (i might end up just using bluetooth, haven't decided yet) and USB headphones at the moment.
See what you think of it when yours arrives i'm happy i returned the £480 LG to get all the extra features with the Philips for £120 less, i ended up buying a Logitech MX Keys & MX Master 3 for £150'ish, as i was looking for a decent keyboard/mouse too.

 

[spaceman]

The monitor is working well with my work laptop @ 1720x1440, on one half of the screen and the work Surface Pro 5 on the other half with PBP.

Only issue is the Surface can only output to a max of 1080p via HDMI + mini DP adapter (cheap no brand or old SP2 adapter), so i've got it set to 1680x1050 currently. I've ordered a 4k DP to mini DP cable so i might get some better resolutions to use. There is no intel graphics command centre on this one, so i cant stretch the output to fill 1720x1440 space.

Even with the slight Surface resolution issue, it's way better than working on 2x 12.5" screens!

EDIT: changed the thread title to be more relevant if others are looking for info

EDIT2: 4k DP to mini DP cable arrived, my SP5 now has 1720x1440 resolution available for PBP

 

[spaceman]

Mine arrived early too, it was suppose to arrive today, but turned up last Wednesday with DHL but i was out at the time, then actually delivered to me on 2nd attempt on Thursday..

 

[spaceman]

I'm still playing with the OSD settings i need to go through the manual to see what they are supposed to do and see what i like best, but so far i'm liking Colour mode set to sRGB, i'll see when i'm in front of it all day WFH on Thursday if its too bright or not.

Other than that i've just set the USB to 2.0 for 100hz.

Although my SP5 could display 1720x1440 on PBP via 4k DP/mini DP cable, i couldn't set it to 'maintain display scaling' like i did with my laptops to use the full half of the screen. It doesn't have the intel graphics control panel/command center like my laptops where i changed the setting. With the new DCH drivers, it's installed via MS Store if you install new drivers or by itself, but the MS Store is blocked on the device.. i need to find a work around for that, any idea's?

 

[spaceman]

I ended up returning the Philips monitor (Hermes collection only due to being over 15KG, you cant just drop off at a Hermes shop, it took 3 different next day collection bookings and a week to finally get Hermes to even turn up to collect it..).

I couldn't get my work SP to display using up all the space on half of the screen in PBP, this wasn't a fault with the monitor but the newer DCH intel drivers not having a control panel so i couldn't use to set 'maintain display scaling.

I also found if i was using the screen for my working day when WFH or scrolling through code or websites for a while i was getting some eye strain. I don't know if that is just this monitor or a curved monitor or a VA panel thing as i didn't use the LG 35WN73A for long enough to see if i had the same issue on that one. I don't have any eye strain issues with dual 22" or dual 24" monitors in the offices or my trusty old iiyama E2472HD which i dug out from the loft to use for the last week.

Anyway i think i'm going to try out a Dell P2721Q next to see if i get on better with a flat 27" 4K screen, at £367 with current discounts + work discount it's a similar price to the Philips. I don't really need the KVM as i now use a Logitech MX Keys + MX Master 3, so can easily switch between 3 laptops if i'm using all of them. I know i 100% need a single USB-C power connection though, which the Dell has too.

 

[spaceman]

Got mine set up today , new desk sorted, Ergotron HX arm, just hooked up to laptop over USB-C for now.

Quite impressed so far with a few 21:9 YouTube videos, colours pop and clarity looks sharp. HP EliteBook 745 G5 outputs full resolution @ 100Hz over the USB-C but I can't figure out the PBP to display correctly so far. It says to change resolution to 1720 x 1440 but it then displays a smaller than expected image on one half of the screen. Will have to look at drivers, firmware etc to see if there's an update.

That's the same problem i had with my Work Surface Pro with the monitor. To get it to fill the full half of the screen with the 1720x1440 res, the only way i could find was in the intel graphics control panel/command centre and set to 'maintain display scaling'. Fine for one of my work laptop's and my personal laptop's, but the newer intel drivers on the Surface Pro no longer come with the control panel. It's only available via the Microsoft Store, which is blocked on that device.

I was able to get the full 3440x1440 100hz via the USB-C on my Thinkpad x280 and also my work laptop. I think both use Thunderbolt 3.