PSA: Decent and Cheap Ultrawide

Chaosphere · December 31, 2020, 12:48:19 AM

So I took a gamble on this panel -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0866GCPXM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Key specs -

'Ultrawide' 34", flat panel.
3440 x 1440 (1440p in 21:9) - think of it like a 27" 1440p panel with extra bits on the sides.
144Hz* - read below for the real kicker.
IPS Panel with reasonable response times (they claim 1ms, which is a best case scenario - still, it remains decent for an IPS).

*The real bonus here is with my panel I have quite easily managed to OC it up to 190Hz. In fact, I can push the panel all the way to 210Hz before it starts to error - but display port simply doesn't have the bandwidth for 210Hz at 1440p, forcing the colour depth to 6bit if I run it at this speed. Keeping it at 190 keeps bit depth at 8bit, which is the panel's native (and the native of 99% of panels out there).

Now, it is possible I have got insanely lucky with this panel - there is no way anyone should expect 190Hz out of a 144Hz panel. You might find another one that can't even hit 150 - all you're guaranteed is the 144 it ships with. Either way, for the asking price of Â£340, it seems a bit of a bargain to me.

Worth considering if you're after an ultrawide with some frames... only thing left to see is how I get on without the curve! Not a deal breaker at this price, without a doubt.

-- Still playing with the OC! It was frame skipping at 170 seems fine, trying to fiddle with the various knobs to see if I can get it higher. :flirty:

smilodon · December 31, 2020, 09:24:07 AM

Looks nice. For what it's worth the curved screen should very quickly not be an issue or even noticeable. It's a feature that quickly becomes invisible as you get used to it. I'm sure I'm stating the obvious but it subtly improves the viewing experience for a wider screen as the curve sort of matches our own eyes viewing angle and subtly obscures the fact that the edges of a wide screen are noticeably further away from us then the centre. The idea is it makes for a more natural viewing angle. I'm actually extremely tempted to snag this one myself. Nice find.

Of course in the same way that some people are audio-ponces :norty: I am a complete unashamed optical-ponce. So sRGB only! Enjoy those green shades.... not.
Also don't bring it to the LAN it's too big!

Sneakytiger · December 31, 2020, 09:42:19 AM

i'm waiting till the hdmi 2.1 panels come out next year, might replace my samsung 32" 4k monitor as its only 60hz

DiseasedBunny · December 31, 2020, 11:35:25 AM

Quote from: smilodon;444257Also don't bring it to the LAN it's too big!

Use it for split screen? :roflmao:

smilodon · December 31, 2020, 04:13:06 PM

Apologies I misunderstood\misread, it's not a curved monitor.

smilodon · January 01, 2021, 01:24:05 AM

And I succumbed. Thanks for the heads up Chaos. Now I just need a complete new pc to do it justice.

sulky_uk · January 01, 2021, 01:28:06 AM

Quote from: smilodon;444278And I succumbed. Thanks for the heads up Chaos. Now I just need a complete new pc to do it justice.

New years drunkin ordering?

smilodon · January 01, 2021, 01:56:21 AM

If only. One bottle of Porter and a big mug of Ovaltine

Chaosphere · January 01, 2021, 03:44:39 AM

Quote from: smilodon;444264Apologies I misunderstood\misread, it's not a curved monitor.

Ha, I didn't even notice, I thought you were saying how I would live without the curve! Reading between the lines.

Honestly for Â£340 I remain so impressed. You couldn't get anywhere near these specs in an IPS for this money a few years ago.

I have it mounted on one of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08B8X4KBV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - which is also fantastic, and actually one of those 'how did I get by before?' moments. Being able to just grab and move my panel, with ease, is absolutely game-changing from an ergonomics point of view.

Hope you like it!

smilodon · January 01, 2021, 12:11:29 PM

My PC is up in the loft conversion so I'm at the mercy of a steeply sloping roofline behind my desk.
One of the main plus's for me is that the distance between the very top and base of the new monitor is
actually 1 inch lower than my current curved 27 inch. So even though it's huge it will fit neatly into the space I have.
I can leave my NOC photography monitor where it is on the only flat wall I have.
Oh and all that stuff about MHz and ms is very important too

TeaLeaf · January 01, 2021, 12:37:45 PM

How is Freesync compared to G-Sync? Having never tried either I only know about the technical differences, so I wondered if you noticed a difference in that respect (as I seem to recall you were on G-Sync on a previous monitor?)

Chaosphere · January 01, 2021, 05:07:43 PM

Idk if you're referring to smilo or myself, but I haven't used a GSync panel before.

I have tried GSync/Freesync (I've a 1080Ti) on this monitor, and it seems to work very well. Trying Cyberpunk with it on does indeed lead to a much better experience at the 50-60 FPS I'm running at. I also fired up one of the Tomb Raider games, which runs at more like 100-120 FPS, and again, smooth as butter.

Really, I am smitten with this panel. I don't doubt there are many better IPS panels out there, but I think you'd struggle to find one without paying a good Â£200+ more.

And Â£200 saved is Â£200 towards the next set of headphones. :flirty:

smilodon · January 03, 2021, 11:58:25 AM

I wonder if bricks and mortar retail will ever recover post Covid. I ordered the above monitor about 1.00am on New year's Day
and it's arriving in about 30 minutes. How long until I order it at 9am and it arrives by drone 30 minutes later.

I don't envy people who work in retail.

TeaLeaf · January 03, 2021, 12:40:06 PM

Ah sorry Ben, I thought you had. No worries, I'm not purchasing a new monitor just yet anyway but just wondered.

As a total aside, but still on a hardware kick, Dex looked for a replacement PSU the other day - almost every PSU of reasonable size was out of stock at Scan/Overclockers etc, so it is not just CPUs and GPUs that are vaporware these days. Some of the PSUs were talking about coming back into stock in MAY 2021. :blink:

albert · January 04, 2021, 12:04:33 PM

I have a question. In NL they sell a VA LED version of this that is also curved but it's very competetively priced.

Anyone have a clue what differences there is between the G-Master GB3466WQSU-B1 | 34" and the one you got Ben, G-Master GB3461WQSU-B1 | 34" ? They are â,¬100 in price difference in favour of the VA LED model.

I see VA LED vs ADF-IPS as one difference of course, but is one panel type better than the other (LED I read is good for movies)? VA has higher contrast ration 3000:1 vs 1000:1, HDR400 vs HDR ready(?) but on the other hand horizontal frequency is better on the GB3461 IPS panel: 30-160Hz vs 30-220Hz. That would explain why you are getting 190Hz reliability(?).

Other than this a few aesthetic differences and of course the curved nature of the 3466 are all I can find in terms of comparison. So what do I get in the GB3461 model for an extra â,¬100?

The GB3566 curved version is 2cm lower when installed. It also has lower Watt speakers, not something everyone really cares about but the 5Watt on the GB3461 may tip the balance for some.