Viotek SUW49DA 49-inch Monitor Review: An Ultrawide and Colorful View

Take a walk on the mega-wide side.

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Viewing Angles

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Thanks to its extreme size, you can share the SUW49DA with some pals, but only two or three users will be able to see the best picture. At 45 degrees to the sides, color shifts to red, and brightness falls off by 40%. This is typical of the VA panels we’ve photographed; size and shape do not affect off-axis image quality. Only an ultrawide IPS will look better in this test. The top down view is very washed out and also exhibits a red shift.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

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Screen uniformity is a challenge with any large screen, but our SUW49DA managed a decent result in this test. We observed barely visible hot spots at the bottom edge of the screen but only when the room was completely dark. If you turn the lights on, or view anything but an all-black screen, there are no issues. Color is uniform at every brightness level, and the image is smoothly toned from edge to edge.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

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The SUW49DA’s response and control lag scores are typical for a 120 Hz monitor. The monitor's form factor does not affect video processing performance. An 8ms draw time coupled with a well-implemented overdrive means that motion blur is not an issue. 32ms of input lag is also a non-issue for anyone but the most skilled gamers. We had nothing but a satisfying experience when playing fast-paced shooters or wild flight simulators.

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.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • TrackSmart
    First, thanks for the detailed review!

    A suggestion: It would be useful to reiterate in the conclusions that this monitor does not have an SRGB mode. You say in the article that this is not a big deal (and mention potential workarounds), but to some users this is indeed a deal-breaker on a wide gamut display that would be used for more than just gaming.
    Reply