NEC EX341R Monitor Review
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware
Conclusion
In watching the evolution of the curved ultra-wide category, it’s interesting to note that the first products were entirely business-oriented. Looking back at our first review in the category, LG’s 34UC97, we see that monitor was of little use to enthusiasts, as it sports just a 60Hz refresh rate. Since then we’ve seen quite a few panels, in various sizes and radii, boasting G-Sync, FreeSync, refresh over 144Hz, and resolutions ranging from 2560x1080 to 3840x1600 pixels.
So, where does the NEC EX341R fit? It’s firmly planted in the business class. That much is clear just from NEC’s marketing. The company endows it with rugged build quality and a full set of enterprise features that put it right in line with other monitors in the EA-series. Those screens are a luxury, given their premium prices, but will likely be sitting on their desktops for many years to come, and through multiple computer upgrades.
But there is that 75Hz refresh rate and that SVA panel. Resolution-wise, 3440x1440 offers 110ppi and a good level of performance for users with mid-priced graphics boards. It won’t take a ton of processing power to drive framerates up to the maximum. And the extra contrast afforded by Samsung’s SVA technology means image depth and detail will exceed that of the IPS monitors that fill most of this category. We’re not saying the EX341R is a gaming screen by any stretch, but it can provide a decent experience.
Our only concern cropped up during calibration. While the end results were good, it took a little more effort than usual to get there. Grayscale adjustments required some compromise but our experience aided us. Gamma could also use a little improvement, though it can be mostly repaired with proper use of the contrast slider. When compared to its competitors, color stacks up favorably and contrast easily outpaces any IPS panel.
But most EX341Rs will be installed in the workplace. Features like ControlSync, SpectraView II, and NaviSet Administrator will make it indispensable to IT departments managing potentially hundreds, if not thousands of monitors. The ability to daisy-chain 24 screens and control them all from a single location is something no other manufacturer offers in any display. And don’t forget that handy KVM switch: something not seen in many displays.
Buy an NEC for its build quality, supreme functionality, and excellent flexibility. We have yet to see a product from this company that doesn’t impress in some way. And the EX341R is no exception. For business users who want the curve, it’s a great choice.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: Best Professional Monitors
MORE: How We Test Monitors
MORE: How To Choose A Monitor
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
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.
Intel looks beyond silicon, outlines breakthroughs in atomically-thin 2D transistors, chip packaging, and interconnects at IEDM 2024
iFixit now sells genuine Xbox replacement parts but at ridiculous prices — $599 for an Xbox Series X motherboard when a new console costs $499
US govt says Cisco gear often targeted in China's Salt Typhoon attacks on 8 telecommunications providers — issues Cisco-specific advice to patch networks to fend off attacks
-
lhughey I'm a big fan of these 21:9 monitors. its a huge productivity conventional ratios, and I prefer it over dual monitors. I'm now wanting a larger monitor like a 38" or 42" monitor with slightly higher resolution to keep up with the size increase.Reply -
DJWarpen Expensive as hell :/ I bought Crossover's QHD 2560x1440 32inch 10Bit 75hz for little over 400 with VAT from korea.... And this display has Zero backlight bleed and not even one dead pixel... and colors are amazing!Reply -
C 64 I really like the 21:9 format and the size, but why curved ???Reply
If I liked something good and curved I would have bought a banana.... -
Novell SysOp fire phasers 5 time Why would these be used in a work "enterprise" environment? That's professional work and they would not want cheap azz monitors. They buy true 10-bit panels, not 8 or 8+FRC, and they use Quadro cards that can output 10-bit color. Geforce cannot do that. And I don't buy any monitor that is not 100% Adobe RGB. None of this 99% crap.Reply -
Dantte This monitor is a joke, right? For $100 more you could get a OMEN X35; slightly bigger, faster refresh, faster pixel response, MUCH lower input lag, and g-sync amongst other superior specs; so why would someone even consider this?Reply
You call this a "business" display, no "professional." Here's what I look for in a "business" display, cheap and does it get the job done, this display is not cheap and as far as "getting the job done" there is a ton of options out there for less, consider the Samsung C34F791. As for a "professional" display, this falls flat on its face for performance and should not even be considered! -
ESCAP0 This monitor IS a joke. 75hz refresh rate? Where the F do they think we live, the Stone Ages? ;-) If you are going to drop $1k you need at minimum 100-144hz that is 100% Adobe RGB with preferably an IPS Panel. Not his POS.Reply -
Brian_227 Amazon has an LG 32 inch for $199 right now. It has none of the features this thing does and a lower resolution, but the price is so ridiculously low.Reply -
delta5 Seems to me this monitor falls between two classes and is missing key features for both. Business class the key feature of cost verse competitors.Reply