Gigabyte MO34WQC2 240 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: Colorful, fast, and smooth

The Gigabyte MO34WQC2 is a 34-inch curved ultra-wide OLED gaming monitor with WQHD resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR 400 and wide gamut color.

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Gigabyte MO34WQC2
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Gigabyte MO34WQC2
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Gigabyte rates the MO34WQC2 at 250 nits peak for SDR content. That is true if you leave the APL Stabilize option set at Low, the default. That effectively means constant brightness is on. For a brighter image, set it to High. Then, SDR will peak at over 434 nits, the panel’s maximum capability. As usual in a test of OLED monitors, black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Gigabyte MO34WQC2
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

When setting the MO34WQC2’s brightness control, you must first decide which APL Brightness option to use. Low means constant brightness which is the dimmest setting. That’s when you’ll want to use the values I posted on page one. If you set it to High, which I recommend, you’ll have to reduce the brightness slider to avoid eye fatigue because the image is almost twice as bright. The great thing is that contrast is infinite no matter what combination of settings you use because black levels are always at zero. This holds true in the ANSI test as well where I cannot measure the black squares.

Test Takeaway: There is no difference in measured black levels or contrast between any OLED monitor. The MO34WQC2 isn’t one of the brightest panels I’ve tested, but it can deliver an honest 434-nit peak when you set APL Stabilize to High. If you prefer a dimmer option, set it to Low.

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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.