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Brightness and Contrast

To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test Monitors and TVs. Brightness and Contrast testing is covered on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

We’ve collected a group of ultra-wide monitors for comparison to the GM34-CW. All are VA-based and support HDR with extended color. At the premium end is Acer’s Predator X35. AOC is represented by the AG493UCX and the CU34G2X. Rounding out the table is Viotek’s GNV34DBE and MSI’s MAG321CURV.

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Cooler Master GM34-CW — (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The GM34-CW is plenty bright at its maximum setting with over 446 nits available. That’s enough for any indoor environment and perhaps an outdoor setting as well. Luckily, the minimum level is an ideal 51 nits when you turn down the slider to zero so dark-room gaming is fun without fatigue.

The black level comparison is an inversion of the peak numbers, which means all the panels have nearly the same contrast ratio. Values range from 2394 to 2961:1 with Cooler Master taking second overall.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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After calibration, the GM34-CW slips to third place with a very respectable 2644.1:1 score. It doesn’t really get much better than a VA panel for gaming, watching movies, or anything else most people use a computer for. Image depth is excellent, with super-saturated color and deeply detailed blacks.

ANSI contrast is a strong 2449.1:1 thanks to the GM34-CW’s very uniform panel. The black and white squares of our checkerboard pattern showed very little variation in measurement. Cooler Master is offering good quality control, and this panel is certainly a solid performer.

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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.

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