If there are two issues I really like in life, it’s Final Fantasy and 21:9 screens. It’s a choose group of pursuits, I’ll admit, however once I heard that Final Fantasy XII was finally coming to PC (tomorrow, no much less) with each 21:9 and multi-monitor help, I knew what I needed to do. Yep, right this moment marks the beginning of my 21:9 ultra-wide monitor group take a look at to seek out the proper show for enjoying Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age on PC, and the primary monitor on the gambit desk is the Philips 349X7FJEW.
While not technically a gaming monitor as such, this 34in ultra-wide monitor continues to be a wonderful candidate for these after an ideal Final Fantasy display screen. You’ll want a large desk to accommodate its giant white body, deep steel base and height-adjustable stand, however this curved, 3440×1440 100Hz mega beast definitely makes an ideal first impression.
It has a VA panel slightly than IPS (see our Best monitors 2018 shopping for information for more information on the several types of panel expertise), however any doubts over its color accuracy have been quickly laid to relaxation when set my i1 Display Pro calibrator on it. Typically, IPS screens produce the richest, most vibrant colors of all of the totally different panel sorts on the market, however the Philips 349X7FJEW put in an admirable efficiency, overlaying a powerful 98.7% of the usual sRGB color gamut on its default settings (i.e.: the 6500Ok color temperature mode with no tweaks made in its onboard menu in any way).
That’s fairly nice for a VA panel, and it means you need to use it straight out of the field with minimal fuss. Indeed, once I tried to calibrate its User color temperature profile, I really acquired a worse outcome (96.four%), and the one different mode out there is an sRGB profile that locks every part down, together with the brightness, so that you’ll most likely need to keep on with its 6500Ok possibility for the sake of your eyeballs.
To be honest, it’s not the brightest display screen cash should purchase, maxing out at roughly 280cd/m2 by my measurements, however that’s nonetheless greater than sufficient for on a regular basis use. If something, it’s most likely a bit an excessive amount of, because the sheer measurement and breadth of the display screen can turn into fairly overwhelming when the brightness is ready too excessive. As such, I ended up having to show it proper right down to 15% within the onboard menu.
Speaking of which, Philips’ resolution to place a four-way d-pad on the again of the monitor with out any extra aspect buttons is a daring transfer on their half, however the menu’s nonetheless fairly straightforward to navigate ought to that you must make any changes. There’s nothing extra infuriating than when screens put their buttons on the decrease bezel and pressure me to suppose that proper is up, down is left and each variation in-between, so having an intuitive d-pad nozzle is definitely a step in the best path. Still, given how few changes I needed to make in the course of the course of my testing, right here’s hoping you gained’t have to make use of it in any respect in the event you come to purchase one.
Brightness apart, the principle benefit of selecting a VA display screen over IPS is its glorious black ranges, which measured a pleasingly inky zero.13cd/m2 (the nearer to zero.00cd/m2, the higher). Lower black ranges additionally imply higher distinction, and whereas most IPS and TN gaming screens will produce a distinction ratio of round 1000:1, the Philips 349X7FJEW got here in at 1896:1, providing you with extra light-to-dark element for recognizing these cheeky treasure chests hidden within the shadows.
Admittedly, my measurement is a heck of loads decrease than Philips’ quoted figure of 3000:1, however that’s most likely as a result of I solely had the distinction set to 50% within the onboard menu (its default place). Any larger and hues and textual content begin to look a bit wonky, so I left it as is all through the course of my testing.
Now, I’ll admit I’m not an enormous fan of its white chassis, however its office-like facade does in truth conceal some surprisingly game-y options. At one finish of the spectrum, you’ve acquired a 100Hz refresh price for prime body price gaming, and on the different finish you’ve acquired AMD FreeSync help simply in case your Radeon graphics card isn’t fairly as much as the duty of spitting out 3440×1440 pixels on the typical 60fps.
Of course, 100Hz isn’t as excessive as different screens on the market, however if you’re coping with that many pixels, all of it comes right down to a query of bandwidth. The monitor’s DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.zero inputs, as an illustration, are solely able to a 60Hz refresh price when working at a full 4K decision (3840×2160), however since this isn’t fairly 4K, Philips can squeeze just a few extra refreshes into its bandwidth restrict consequently. They may theoretically push it larger, however then one thing else just like the variety of colors being despatched to it out of your graphics card must give as an alternative, so it’s all a query of stability – and in my eyes, Philips have most likely acquired it nearly proper.
It’s price noting the 349X7FJEW additionally comes with an HDMI 1.four enter, however that is solely able to 4K at 30Hz, so that you’ll need to use the others to get the perfect out of it. The four-port USB3 hub, then again, is a really welcome sight certainly, particularly when one in every of them additionally helps quick charging on your cellphone.
Naturally, solely AMD graphics card homeowners will be capable to use its FreeSync help (anybody with an Nvidia card trying to reap the benefits of adaptive body price expertise might want to discover a display screen that helps G-Sync as an alternative), but it surely does imply the Philips 349X7FJEW is among the cheaper 21:9 screens at the moment out there, costing simply over £670 within the UK and $650 within the US. G-Sync all the time provides a hefty premium onto the price of a monitor, so these with beefy sufficient Nvidia playing cards should still need to contemplate this in the event you don’t fancy spending one other £100+ on a devoted G-Sync monitor just like the AOC AG352UCG or Acer Predator Z35p, which I’ll even be testing in the end as a part of this group take a look at.
Lots of that value can even stem from the very fact it’s acquired a curved display screen, too, however this appears to be fairly par for course for ultra-wide screens today. This explicit display screen has a curvature radius of 1800mm, which isn’t as pronounced because the AOC AG352UCG’s 2000mm radius, but it surely’s nonetheless fairly delicate. Personally, I’ve but to see any type of curved display screen that’s made me suppose, ‘Why yes, this really is better than a boring old flat one’, however when the latter appear to be few and much between in 21:9 land these days, I assume we’ll simply must lump it and faux it makes us achieve EXP sooner or one thing.
Of course, I gained’t be capable to declare whether or not that is the final word Final Fantasy viewing machine till I’ve examined all the opposite 21:9 screens I’ve at the moment acquired clogging up my workplace, however I’m assured the Philips 349X7FJEW may positively be one of many high contenders. Picture high quality is nice straight out of the field, it’s acquired loads of ports and its height-adjustable stand means it’s straightforward to arrange. Its 100Hz refresh price and AMD FreeSync help additionally give it some good extras for gaming, and it gained’t empty your checking account fairly as quick as its rivals both. I’d definitely be completely satisfied to have one on my desk, however whether or not it’s correct Balthier-grade materials (he’s the perfect and you realize it) is a query for an additional day. Stay tuned.
