Ultra wide screen Monitor IPS or VA Panel?

Associate
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5 Apr 2017
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Hi all,

I am in need of a 34" or 43" untrawide screen monitor to replace my current dual screen setup which is a 15" laptop and 24" hp monitor. I don't play pc games so that should not be a factor in my decision.

Main uses are for (applications) development, meetings, reading, browsing and watching media.

So the main question I guess is should I go for IPS or VA panel ? , Flat or Curved screen ?

Also any recommendations that won't break the bank

Thanks
 
Soldato
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For those uses 60Hz is good enough opening lots of choise at more affordable price level than gaming models.
Anything gaming related tends to get price bloat just from that marketing naming/branding.

Also VA's sluggish dark shade/black starting transititions wouldn't be that much problem like possibly in gaming.
Though those can still show in some situations:
https://youtu.be/34bqY7CToHg?t=318

Anyway instead of just marketing doublespeak for low vertical image size/resolution per consumed desk space "ultrawides" you should also consider 4K monitors for having working space in both dimensions.
60Hz models are even below £300 at 32" size, though next step at 10" bigger size has fewer models.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/lg-4...escreen-backlit-gaming-monitor-mo-15k-lg.html
(despite of marketing naming that's no gaming monitor with 60Hz and no FreeSync)
 
Associate
OP
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Thanks very much for the panel and size comparisons. I think I am sold on a 4k monitor. It would be nice to find one that is slightly less than 43".

If I divide the screens into 2 side by side sections, are all these monitors capable of enlarging those sections individually? e.g. I could have media on one side while text on the other is enlarged
 
Soldato
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For some reason size steps are 32" and ~43".
Though if you're worried about desk space use, "ultrawides" consume more of it per marketing size while giving only that lower vertical image size.
https://www.displaywars.com/43-inch-16x9-vs-43-inch-21x9

For as long as softwares you're using have own scaling/zoom control, you could have even dozen windows open with different scaling.
Windows itself supports splitting screen to left and right parts resizing program window to that half when dragging it to edge, but there are also tools for finer control:
https://www.geckoandfly.com/26633/split-monitor-screen-windows-macos/
 
Man of Honour
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I’ve been really scrutinising my options on this.

IPS is effectively ‘the best’ with image response times but suffers from annoying ‘IPS glow’ as an inherent downside of the technology. This should theoretically be alleviated by full array local dimming (FALD) but expect to pay £££.

VA doesn’t suffer from IPS glow so the blacks will appear blacker which gives what many say is a better image. The drawback is that VA panels have slower grey to grey response times so blacks can appear smudgy with movement (I.e. ghosting). Samsung has apparently massively improved this technology and released some monitors with decent response times (such as the g9 and g7).

It’s sort of a pick your poison really.
 
Associate
OP
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It’s a shame shops are not open so i can see what they actually look like in real life.

I am currently using the dining table as my workspace since the mrs has commandeered the spare room for hers. A 43” does look completely out of place on the table but i guess so would a 32”

A better question might be what is the minimum screen size required to work with 2 documents side by side for my ageing eyes.
 
Associate
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After as much research as I can do, I decided that I would stick to a 34" IPS ultra widescreen. This seems to be the best size and height for my seating position and desktop area.
I narrowed down to 2 price ranges. Either I go guns blazing to an expensive monitor where the Gaming aspects are complete lost on me or go to the cheaper end.

At one end:
(1) IIYAMA G-MASTER 34" Ultrawide GB3461WQSU-B1 £425 -> IPS, 144Hz, pip/pbp, freesync, speakers,
(2) DELL 34" Ultrawide P3421W £530 -> IPS, 60Hz, pip/pbp, kvm, curved, 3yrs warranty

High End:
(1) DELL Alienware AW3420DW £995 -> IPS, 120Hz, pip/pbp, g-Sync, speakers, curved, 3yrs warranty

The reviews on the high returns on the Iiyama is kind of pushing me towards the Dell P3421W especially when you think of the 3yr warranty though low refresh rate
 
Associate
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I just ordered the MSI 343 CQR from OC.

Only need it for work - the only game I play is WoW classic, that's once a week and WoW Classic is about to move to the next expansion soon which I won't be playing.

So why a gaming monitor then?

Well on my current 24" I can see a massive difference in dropping from 120hz to 60hz and I don't want to take the chance that 60hz on an ultrawide is massively obvious. I have a 55" OLED connected to my desktop and admittedly 60hz on that looks fine, but I don't use that for anything but movies/tv.

Plan is to run my current 24" in portrait next to the UW as well as my laptop screen - just had to buy a bigger desk at the same time
 
Associate
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@arc@css, I did consider the one in your link, but that price will probably mean stumping up more to get the Alienware.

The MSI 343 CQR is a VA. I wanted an IPS panel since I never got on the the TN G-Sync panel on my Alienware laptop for watching videos
 
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