ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC 34" Schwarz 2021

A massive, smooth ultrawide that's a steal at its lowest price, but the washed-out colors are a real buzzkill. Buy it for the immersion and speed, not for pretty pictures.

What surprised us most is how well the VA panel handles motion. The 1ms MPRT and 144Hz refresh rate make fast-paced games feel fluid, and the 1500R curve really pulls you in. But that color score is a real letdown, sitting near the bottom of the barrel. With 6-bit+FRC color and only 300 nits of brightness, HDR is a non-starter and colors look a bit washed out next to even a decent IPS screen. It's built for speed and immersion, not for photo editing.

The obvious competitor is the Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27U2 SA, but that's a 27-inch 4K OLED in a totally different price bracket. If you want deep blacks and perfect contrast, save up for that. The Samsung Odyssey G60SD is another strong alternative with better color and speed. But if you just want the most immersive screen size for the least amount of money, the ViewSonic is hard to beat. You're trading picture quality for pure size and a decent gaming refresh rate.

Pricing is all over the map, with a wild spread from $346 to an absurd $15,960. Ignore the crazy high listings. At the low end around $346, this monitor is a steal for a big ultrawide gaming screen. You're getting a ton of real estate and smooth performance for less than many 27-inch gaming monitors. Just make sure you're buying from a vendor with a solid return policy in case you get a dud panel.

The ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC is a big, immersive ultrawide that gets the basics right for a great price. The one thing to know is that you're getting a massive 34-inch curved screen with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate, but you're making a clear trade-off in color quality to hit this price point. If you're coming from an old 60Hz flat panel, this thing will feel like a revelation for gaming and multitasking. Just don't expect it to compete with pricier IPS or OLED panels on vibrancy.

If you do any creative work that needs accurate colors, this isn't it. The color performance is one of the worst we've seen. Go get an IPS panel like the Dell S3422DWG instead, which will give you much better color coverage for a similar price.

The ViewSonic VX3418-2KPC is a solid budget ultrawide for gamers who prioritize screen size and smooth motion over color accuracy. It's a massive upgrade from a standard 60Hz office monitor and the curve is genuinely fun. Just know that you're getting a budget VA panel with all the color limitations that implies. If you can snag it near the $350 mark, it's an easy recommendation for a dedicated gaming setup.