For users who demand the highest picture quality and a screen that fills their entire field of view, the famous South Korean company has released a premium ultra-wide curved monitor. The full model name is UltraWide Samsung S34E790C, and it boasts a gigantic 34-inch diagonal.
Like most advanced computer innovations, this one owes its appearance and characteristics to computer games. After all, the maximum overview of the virtual world, as well as the feeling of complete immersion in the process, is very important for a gamer. Most of the latest games use "HOR +" technology - this means that the wider the screen, the more the picture fits on it, without changing its height - that is, there is an additional side view. Therefore, the aspect ratio of the monitors becomes 21: 9. The 34-inch curved monitor from Samsung not only meets this requirement, but also gives the user a resolution of 3440 x 1440pixels, which provides an unprecedented picture quality.
Features
In addition to the above parameters, this model boasts an LCD panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, which reduces flicker, improves screen comfort and eye safety. The "Vertical Alignment" technology ensures the saturation and clarity of colors from different viewing angles, the maximum value of which is vertically and horizontally equal to 178 degrees.
Only 4ms response time, 300cd/m² typical brightness, 16.7 million colors supported.
Samsung curved monitor has two 7W speakers.
The list of ports is quite standard, but still will satisfy almost all possible user requests: 1 DisplayPort for connecting the monitor itself; 4 USB connectors; 2 HDMI ports, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and, of course, a plug for AC power.
Appearance
Samsung's curved monitor is aesthetically impressive. Its size is striking - 82.15 x 36.4 x 5.15 cm, slightly matte (as it is sometimes called - "semi-gloss") surface, which helps to maintain a relatively high level of clarity compared to fully matte screens, while preventing the appearance of glare.
The bend of the model is very smooth and small. Another noteworthy aspect is the laconic frame in the form of glossy black plastic stripes. They are quite thin - just 11mm on the top and sides and 13mm on the bottom.
Solid foundation
T-shaped stand in its shape repeats the curvature of the monitor. It mimics metal (made of silvery plastic actually) and is quite large: 53.5 cm wide and 25.5 cm high. It is possible to adjust the angle and height of the screen.
The stand takes a lot of weight as the curved monitor weighs 7.4kg. That said, it handles it well: the screen wobbles slightly when you push the table, but it stays still when typing on the keyboard. The mass of the complete set is 9.9 kg, together with packaging - 14.4 kg.
It is noteworthy that, unlike the stand, the manufacturer made a frame of metal strips on the sides of the screen.
There is a small power LED on the right side of the bottom panel. By default, it lights up blue when the monitor is in standby mode and is off when the monitor is on, so as not to distract the user. These settings can be changed in the OSD menu.
Reverse side of the coin
The back of the monitor is made of black plastic with a metallic texture.
The stand is mounted on a standard 100 x 100mm VESA mount, so you can mount the monitor on the wall by removing it. All ports are assembled to the right of the stand, a little further from the curve of the screen.
The base of the stand has holes to neatly route and hide wires.
Two speakers are located near the air vents, you can see them,only if you look at the monitor from below. This part of the case is trimmed with glossy plastic. The speakers are quite loud and clear, of course, they will not replace full-fledged speakers, but still their quality is much higher than their built-in counterparts. In the on-screen menu, you can change the sound profile settings, there are 4 of them: "Standard", "Music", "Movies" and "Clear Voice". Considering the size of this curved monitor, the built-in speakers will save space on your desktop without compromising the user experience.
And another interesting feature that can be found on the rear panel is a joystick button to call up the on-screen menu and navigate through it. It is located on the far right when viewed from the front of the monitor and is fairly easy to reach.
Impression of use
Specifications are certainly in line with the level and price of the product, but how comfortable are Samsung curved computer monitors for the user?
The sheer amount of physical space and high resolution make it comfortable to work with the screen, and the gameplay or watching movies becomes much deeper and more realistic.
Many people think that the curvature of the screen will spoil and distort the picture, but here you will not find such a negative effect. The bend is smooth and hardly noticeable, which is its plus. Working for some time with this model, you forget that it is generally something different. Even the table grid in Microsoft Excel is not distorted, and for complexgraphics tasks: photo editing, video editing, drawing - or for entertainment purposes, a large curved monitor gives a better picture than a standard one.
The manufacturer claims that a more uniform focal length (the edges of the screen are closer to the eyes) creates a more comfortable and natural image and reduces eye strain. This is not to say that screen curvature is a revolutionary technology that completely changes the perception of graphic information, but it certainly makes it more alive and exciting.
Working with a dynamic picture
How does the curved monitor from Samsung behave with action games and PC games?
If you look at the dynamic, full of dark scenes of the film "007: Skyfall", you can immediately see why the manufacturer is proud of his creation. The monitor and the film were able to show the best in each other: dark saturated foreshortenings, bright neon lights of Shanghai, lush greenery, warm rocks and the sea of Turkey - everything looks alive. And, of course, gunfights and fights even in the dark look clear and bright.
If we consider the work of the monitor on the example of the game Battlefield 4, then, first of all, we can note good contrast. It is not as deep as other similar models, but at the same time it is very comfortable for the eyes and allows you to quickly immerse yourself in the gameplay. The texture of the stone, the foliage in the shade are clearly visible. Bright objects cut through the darkness with impressive clarity, and the overall good contrast makes the picture lively andbulk. Colors are rendered correctly, they are rich and realistic.
As for the response speed, with this monitor you can not be afraid that the game process will be spoiled by a frozen picture, as happens with other models. There may be a slight "trail" from objects in very dark scenes, but it does not cause significant inconvenience. In general, this is a characteristic flaw for all LCD panels with vertical alignment technology, which cannot yet be 100% eliminated.
Well, to summarize.
Pros
- In today's age of sales and marketing, even the specifications provided by well-known manufacturers are sometimes useful to check and subject to third-party control. Tests carried out using special software and hardware confirm that the Samsung S34E790C Curved Monitor performs as advertised. There may be slight discrepancies, but the manufacturer does not deceive the buyer.
- Flexible settings allow you to make the picture bright and juicy, give accurate color reproduction and deep, clear blacks.
- The surface of the monitor does not distort the image, does not give the effect of pixel grain or glare.
- Contrast in dynamic scenes is much better than most similar models in terms of level and characteristics.
- Responsiveness is surprisingly fast.
- The ratio of diagonal size, screen curvature and high resolution results in an unsurpassed picture.
Cons
Factory settings give a picture that is too bright, uncomfortable for the eyes with not the best color reproduction. Therefore, you will have to reconfigure them in the OSD.
Static contrast is slightly lower than other similar models.
Using an HDMI cable, the monitor operates at a refresh rate of 50Hz, which results in slower response times. However, when connected via DisplayPort, you can go to 60 Hz and this disadvantage is almost eliminated.
Despite manufacturers' assurances, curved screen monitors may not appeal to all users. But this is more a matter of individual preference.
