Dark Matter by MonoPrice 34" Curved Ultrawide 144hz Freesync/HDR 400 QLED

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Digital Viper-X-

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Ordered it on sale today, $349, couldn't find much in terms of reviews, it uses a Samsung Panel, specs look good! I currently use either the LG 32" 165hz LG 32GK850 (Gsync) but I plan on getting out of the GS ecosystem, or my work monitor, which is an LG 34UC80 (3440x1440 75hz freesync).

Ill give this a shot!

Does anyone have any experience with this monitor or panel?

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=40776
 
Quick review, nothing professional :p.

Image Quality:
Really good here, the image is crisp and the colors pop, it is about as good as the LG 34UC80. The one downside, I felt more eyestrain with this one compared to the 34" Ultrawide IPS panel.

Gaming / Response:
The LG 32GK850G is faster, noticeably even at the same refresh rate(144hz). I tested both with Overdrive Off / medium / fastest
The LG seems to have less smearing, the Monoprice has a more subtle but longer smearing.
Freesync works just fine with Gsync here, the VRR range is 48-144hz

The overdrive feature is OK at medium but causes some sort of visual artifacts at high (I think this is overshoot?)

Overall, if you don't already have a high refresh rate monitor and looking to get one, for $350 the price is hard to beat :) for me, I can't get used to it, something about the way the smearing / blurring on darker images is making my eyes strain, possible it's PWM? I Don't know. I'll be sticking with the 32GK850 until I find a suitable replacement.
 
Digital Viper-X- said:
Overall, if you don't already have a high refresh rate monitor and looking to get one, for $350 the price is hard to beat :) for me, I can't get used to it, something about the way the smearing / blurring on darker images is making my eyes strain, possible it's PWM? I Don't know. I'll be sticking with the 32GK850 until I find a suitable replacement.
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The smearing isn't PWM, it is a VA panel. It is one of the issues they still have is that their dark transitions are just not as fast as they need to be, leading to smearing. They keep getting better, but they aren't on par with IPS yet in that area. Also I imagine as economical as this is, it isn't one of the newest and best VA panels so probably more smearing than you'd get with one of the new Oddesy series or the like.
 
Sycraft said:
The smearing isn't PWM, it is a VA panel. It is one of the issues they still have is that their dark transitions are just not as fast as they need to be, leading to smearing. They keep getting better, but they aren't on par with IPS yet in that area. Also I imagine as economical as this is, it isn't one of the newest and best VA panels so probably more smearing than you'd get with one of the new Oddesy series or the like.
Click to expand...

the LG 32GK850G is also a VA panel, the smearing isn't nearly as bad there, it is an older model at this point, but you could be right about the panel quality / age. The PWM comment was to my additional eye strain ;)
 
Digital Viper-X- said:
the LG 32GK850G is also a VA panel, the smearing isn't nearly as bad there, it is an older model at this point, but you could be right about the panel quality / age. The PWM comment was to my additional eye strain ;)
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Gotcha. When I see LG I just assume IPS since they are pretty enthralled with it (they created it back in the day). I really wish PWM for monitors would die... but it takes additional components to smooth the voltage out so cheap monitors aren't going to put those in :/
 
The samsung G7 Odyssey 27 and 32 are on sale now also for 549 and 599. Just picked one up to replace my 4 year old samsung CHG70 32in, couldnt say no to $200 off the normal price.
 
Thanks for the write up. I was debating this monitor for some video editing work, but think I'll wait for something else. It's not gaming, but still lots of staring and movement, lol
 
The AOC monitor, for more money of course, gets good reviews. I had an AOC VA panel and I liked it. I eventually sold it as I don't need it. I'm actually typing this out on a Viewsonic CRT of all things. :D
 
I think it's the same panel in both, I don't think there is anything wrong with this monitor. The issue for me, is that I already have something that I like, and I'm only looking to change to get away from the Gsync Ecosystem, and this old Gsync monitor happens to do the fast refresh rate part better :)
 
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I keep telling people that HDR 400 is the participation ribbon of HDR.

HDR600 is underwhelming, so I wouldn't see HDR400 as anything other than 'accepts a HDR signal'
 
I bought this monitor also for $349 and I'm very happy with it. I play cold war, Dead by daylight and the fallout games and have no complaints. If you turn the overdrive up it overshoots like hell, I run mine on medium. For $350 I think it's a great buy
 
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