Tom's Hardware Verdict
An incredily accurate monitor that doesn’t require calibration (though it offers many ways to do so). Its native contrast isn’t high enough to do HDR justice, and a lack of extended gamut support may hamper Ultra HD applications. But if you only need sRGB color, this monitor should be at the top of your short list.
Pros
- +
Phenomenal out-of-box accuracy
- +
Build quality
- +
Flexible calibration options
- +
Accepts HDR and Ultra HD signals
Cons
- -
No wide gamut support
- -
Contrast
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Features & Specifications
ViewSonic’s VP3881 is a 38-inch ultra-wide with a 2300R curve, 3840x1600 resolution and HDR10. Color is sRGB, but this monitor manages to create a decent approximation of DCI-P3 (which offers a wider color gamut than sRGB). The main draw here is factory-certified color accuracy. If you operate in the sRGB or Rec.709 realm, you can simply unpack this monitor and get to work - no calibration necessary.
The VP3881 is focused more on productivity than gaming. It comes with calibration reports for sRGB, Rec.709 and European Broadcast Union (EBU) gamuts. We won’t keep you in suspense – this monitor met all its claimed results during our color, grayscale, gamma tracking and screen uniformity tests. There's no question that this monitor is accurate. Calibration is possible (and thoroughly supported) but completely unnecessary.
HDR support is becoming mandatory for pro screens, and luckily the VP3881 accepts HDR10 signals. A 10-bit color depth is achieved with frame rate control (FRC). While this may give some users pause, we saw no ill effects from the up-conversion. If you avail yourself of ViewSonic’s Colorbration software at added cost, you can create a 14-bit internal lookup table, taking possible colors to 4.39 trillion.
Speaking of color, the one omission here is DCI-P3 gamut support. The VP3881 makes do with sRGB, though it manages to mimic the extra color through a little creative engineering. By leaving out things like GBr LED or quantum dot film, ViewSonic has kept the cost to a reasonable $1,100 (street price at this writing).
While it may not have absolutely everything, it offers a good package to professionals at a decent price.
Specifications
| Brand & Model | ViewSonic VP3881 |
| Panel Type & Backlight | AH-IPS / W-LED, edge array |
| Screen Size & Aspect Ratio | 37.5" / 21:9Curve Radius - 2300mm |
| Max Resolution & Refresh | 3840x1600 @ 60HzDensity - 111ppi |
| Native Color Depth & Gamut | 10-bit (8-bit+FRC) / sRGB14-bit internal LUT, HDR10 |
| Response Time (GTG) | 7ms |
| Brightness | 300 nits |
| Contrast | 1000:1 |
| Speakers | 2 x 5w |
| Video Inputs | 1 x DisplayPort 1.22 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x USB-C |
| Audio | 3.5mm - 1 in, 1 out |
| USB | v3.0 - 1 x up, 3 x downv3.1 - 1 x up |
| Power Consumption | 46.7w, brightness @ 200 nits |
| Panel DimensionsWxHxD w/base | 35.3 x 19.7-24.7 x 11.8"897 x 500-626 x 300mm |
| Panel Thickness | 4.1" / 104mm |
| Bezel Width | Top/sides - .4" 11mmBottom - .7" / 19mm |
| Weight | 28lbs / 12.7kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
Product 360
The VP3881 requires assembly of its base and upright, but you won't need any tools. The power supply is external and comes in a small, thin brick. The monitor comes with USB 3.0 and 3.1 cables, along with one each of DisplayPort and HDMI. You also get an analog audio wire with 3.5mm mini-connectors. Literature includes calibration reports, a quick-start guide and supporting documentation on CD.
If there’s anything a professional looks for in a monitor, after accuracy of course, it’s size. When working with photos or video, a display can’t be too large. Many opt for multiple screens and still wish for more real estate. A 38-inch ultra-wide can help eliminate the clutter of a two or three-monitor setup. The VP3881 is large, but it’s more space efficient than two 27-inch monitors.
Its base is enormous and heavy, so only a major earthquake can knock it over. The upright is also very solid and features a generous 60° swivel to either side, along with 5-inch height and 20° back tilt. Movements are firm, but the attachment point at the back is a little small, which creates some wobble after adjustments are made.
Controls are around the back right and consist of five keys, plus a power toggle. Unintended turn-offs happen a little too easily. Menu navigation is a bit cumbersome, but not more so than any other button-based system. We’re just spoiled by on-screen display (OSD) joysticks.
The anti-glare layer is of high optical quality and resists reflections without creating grain or softness in the image. Nothing clutters the front view except a subtle ViewSonic logo at the bottom center. Styling is simple and elegant with the chassis made from hard plastic with a matte finish.
The back has a small grill to exhaust internal heat. Speakers are five watts apiece and fire out the bottom. A 100mm VESA mount lives under the upright’s attachment point if you want to use an arm or wall bracket.
All connections, including USB, are on a bottom-facing panel. A single upstream port each, along with three downstream ports support both USB 3.0 and 3.1. Video support includes one DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0, both with HDCP 2.2 content protection. The USB-C port also accepts video signals. Analog audio flows through 3.5mm jacks, one in and one out.
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