[Review] Philips UltraWide 349X7FJEW: the 34-inch curved monitor

At first I thought it was just a question of fashion, but the difference is there, and it shows. I'm talking about curved monitors, a trend that has spread in recent years and that has prompted several manufacturers to create products specifically designed for the human eye.

Among these we also find Philips UltraWide 349X7FJEW, a curved display gives 34 inches that comes up with a resolution of 3440 × 1440 pixels and an absolutely elegant design.

Refined whiteness

The Philips 34-inch UltraWide monitor will intimidate you right away, but rest assured, that's just the first impression.

The immense box that houses it is actually lighter than expected: in itself, in fact, the main body of the product, that is its VA panel, has a rather low weight. In fact, it is the base Ergo, which boasts two usual metal supports and a plastic arm. The latter will allow you to adjust the height and tilt of the monitor, so as to adapt it to your needs and your working environment.

A special mention also deserves ultra-thin frames of Philips 349X7FJEW / 00, designed to minimize distractions and to allow you to place multiple monitors side by side, a configuration useful in professional environments but also very convenient for video game enthusiasts.

The picture is completed piccolo joystick, placed on the back of the device together with the various connectors including 1 Display Port 1.2, 1 HDMI 1.4, 1 HDMI 2.0 and 4 USB 3.0 input, and the Philips logo, placed in the center of the lower frame and illuminated by a blue LED whose intensity you can easily adjust.

In my opinion, a bit out of tune is the choice of color. In fact, white does not go well with most computers in circulation, not to mention that, next to the white plastic edge, a black stripe about 5 mm wide appears which contrasts in an annoying way with the rest of the monitor. In short, a questionable choice that does not compromise the experience of use, made practically impeccable by the curvature of 1800 R. The latter in fact allows you to less strain on the eyes, allowing you to spend several hours in front of the PC without being affected.

The convenience of the MultiView system

Philips UltraWide 349X7FJEW / 00 integrates a VA LCD panel, boasts an aspect ratio of 21: 9 and take advantage of technology Ultra Wide-Color to offer a wider color spectrum for a brighter image, with natural, vivid and deep colors, perfect for those who work in the graphics sector.

Then there is to help you the MultiView system. What is that? Basically, thanks to the very high resolution of the display it is possible connect two devices at the same time, like your home PC and notebook, which will remain active at the exact same time. A way to increase your productivity or simply to allow you to watch football matches, TV series and movies while you work without having to take your eyes off the monitor.

The speech, however, is a little different for those who aim to use this monitor to play. With a refresh rate of 60 Hz it's a response time of 4 ms, this curved monitor isn't exactly ideal for pro gamers or those who want record-breaking performance. But be careful, this does not mean that the Philips UltraWide 349X7FJEW / 00 does not know how to perform well during your gaming sessions. I was able to exploit it with Overwatch, Dishonored 2 and Forza Horizon 3 and the result was more than satisfactory in all 3 cases, also thanks to the SmartImage technology. What is it about? Simple: a series of presets, accessible thanks to the small joystick on the back, which optimize the monitor according to the genre of video games you are playing, including FPS, RTS and driving games.

The price of quality

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Of course, however, all the features that made me appreciate this monitor also contributed to raising the price. At the moment you can find this 34-inch Philips UltraWide on Amazon at the cost of [