Before Cyber Monday, the Phillips Evnia 34M2C8600 has gone on sale for 29% off, costing just $569.99 instead of its original $799.99 MSRP. This monitor, released mid-2023, is a 34-inch 175 Hz OLED 21:9 Ultrawide monitor with support for DisplayHDR True Black 400, a curved screen, and a resolution of 3440 x 1440 (WQHD). This is a genuinely feature-rich monitor, and our original review rated it 4.5/5 stars, even at its original pricing.
Beyond the OLED crash course, our original review praised this monitor in nearly every facet. Of course, there is still some room for improvement. For example, this OLED display is rated for just 450 nits brightness, which allows it to achieve the DisplayHDR grade of True Black 400. However, compared to the substandard DisplayHDR grade of just "400", which isn't HDR, True Black 400 can leverage OLED's infinite per-pixel contrast and turn around a stunning image at a much much lower brightness than IPS HDR monitors, which generally aren't considered good until you reach the maximum HDR grade of "1000" for 1000 nits.
For those who may not know, the core appeal of OLEDs is always found in their near-infinite contrast. Barring a rare few entry-level OLEDs that somehow manage to fumble this, nearly every OLED on the market will have perfect, inky black levels thanks to the fundamental nature of the display panel type. OLEDs, like VA panels, are capable of full per-pixel dimming, which can completely power off a pixel in dark scenes...but unlike VA panels, they are also far more vibrant and responsive.
OLED panels are even more vibrant and responsive than high-end IPS panels, with some boasting near-instant response time comparable to classic CRT displays. This makes them ideal for gamers in a way other modern panel types are not.
Regarding genuinely unique features, we highlight the Phillips Evnia "Ambiglow" feature in our original review. Ambiglow takes industry-standard RGB lighting behind the monitor and matches it to the content onscreen, adding an extra, subtle immersion factor for your peripheral view, especially in a dark room.
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