Philips announces 34 inch Brilliance UltraWide QHD Curved LCD Display (BDM3490UC)
Buying a monitor can be quite the daunting affair. Not only are there many styles to choose from, but various resolutions too. While 4K monitors are all the rage, some operating systems, such as Windows 10 and some Linux distros, are not optimized for higher resolutions. Text and icons will appear small, and increasing sizes in the OS can cause some programs to display blurry text. In my experience, only OS X scales well to high res monitors.
Keeping that in mind, it is understandable if you are willing to put up with those concerns, as images, movies and games can be absolutely gorgeous on high-resolution screens. Today, Philips announces a beast of a monitor -- 34 inches, curved, with a resolution of 3440 x 1440. While less than 4K, this resolution offers a very wide view.
"The 34 inch Brilliance UltraWide Curved LCD Display has a 21:9 panoramic aspect ratio with True 8 bit color depth for superb color accuracy as well as an UltraWide Quad HD 3440 x 1440 resolution for gorgeous detail with a pixel area that is 2.4 times larger than a Full HD monitor. The super widescreen makes the display ideal for viewing spreadsheets, editing multiple documents and running several programs at once. Additionally, the monitor's MultiView technology enables active dual connect and view, so that you can work with multiple devices like PC and Notebook side-by-side simultaneously, making complex multi-tasking work a breeze", says Philips.
The company further says, "Setup and configuration of the Philips BDM3490UC is simple as it comes equipped with a variety of connectors including DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 1.4 inputs. Included with the HDMI 1.4 input is MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) functionality making it easy to stream content from the device directly to the display in 1080p quality. In addition to audio/video input connectors, this monitor comes equipped with four USB 3.0 ports supporting data transfer rates of up to 5 Gbps as well as the ability to charge connected mobile devices. To complete the multimedia experience, Philips has built-in, dual, 7W stereo speakers to fully engulf you in sound when viewing videos, gaming, and more".
Philips shares the following specifications.
| SPECIFICATION | BDM3490UC |
| -LCD panel type | AH-IPS LCD |
| -Backlight type | W-LED system |
| -Panel Size | 34.1 inch / 86.7 cm |
| -Aspect ratio | 21:9 |
| -Optimum resolution | 3440 x 1440 @ 60Hz |
| -SmartResponse (typical) | 5 ms (Grey to Grey) |
| -Response time (typical) | 14 ms(Grey to Grey) |
| -Brightness (typical) | 300 cd/m² |
| -Contrast ratio (typical) | 1,000:1 |
| -SmartContrast | 50M:1 |
| -Viewing angle | 178º (H) / 178º (V) @ C/R > 10 |
| -Display colors | 1.07 billion colors (8 bits +FRC) |
| -MHL | 1080P @ 60Hz |
| -Signal Input | DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0 x 1, MHL-HDMI (digital, HDCP) |
| -Audio In/Out | PC audio-in, headphone out |
| -Built-in speakers | 7W x 2 with DTS Certified sound |
| -Tilt | -5/20 degree |
| -Power supply | External |
| -Color | Black |
| -Finish | Glossy |
If you are interested in purchasing this monitor, you can grab it now for $999. For some reason, it is exclusive to B&H Photo, found here.
Yes, the price is high, but you get what you pay for. A curved display of this size and resolution is on the higher-end of monitors. Not to mention, it has plenty of connection options, plus an integrated USB 3.0 hub. The BDM3490UC should last you many years with all of its features.
Will you buy it? Tell me in the comments.