Lenovo Legion R45w-30 45-inch mega-wide gaming monitor review: Like a window into virtual worlds

45-inch 32:9 mega-wide gaming monitor with DQHD resolution, a VA panel, 170 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400 and wide gamut color

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Lenovo R45w-30
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(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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The closest monitor in spec to the R45w-30 is LG’s 45GR75DC which I reviewed recently. The other screens are 21:9 panels and include Monoprice’s 44394, AOC’s CU34G3S, HP’s Omen 34c and ASRock’s PG34WQ.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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Lenovo Legion R45w-30
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

I ran the R45w-30’s tests at 170 and 165 Hz and found no measurable difference in panel response. 6ms was the number for both refresh rates. 170 Hz will buy you 1ms less input lag, which was not a difference I could perceive during gameplay. Since the overclock reverts every 30 minutes, it wasn’t worth fiddling with. 29ms of total lag is respectable for the class, which covers a tight range of 27-32ms in this group. For all but the most skilled players, there is little difference between these six monitors except that the LG will be visually smoother at 200 Hz.

Test Takeaway: The R45w-30 offers typical gaming response and feel for the ultra-wide/mega-wide category of monitors running at 165 Hz. It has an effective overdrive that reduces motion blur enough to improve gameplay. The backlight strobe is one of the better examples I’ve seen with only slight phasing artifacts, though I wasn’t keen on its 40% light reduction and lack of pulse-width adjustment. The R45w-30 games well using Adaptive-Sync with overdrive on level 4 at 165 Hz.

Viewing Angles

Lenovo Legion R45w-30

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

You want a VA panel for its high contrast, which the R45w-30 delivers, but not for its viewing angles, which are inferior to IPS. My sample looked like the VA monitors of old, with its distinct loss of gamma and shift to red when viewed from the sides. For a single user to see the best picture, they should sit close enough to make the sides of the screen equidistant from the center eyepoint. You’ll have to turn your head to see everything but that is typical of a 32:9 monitor. This is average performance among VA monitors.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Lenovo Legion R45w-30

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

My R45w-30 sample had a slightly visible hotspot in the bottom center that spoiled an otherwise excellent test result. The other eight zones are visually identical. It didn’t affect gameplay and I couldn’t see the problem unless the scenery was very dark throughout. For such a large monitor, this is average performance.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.