LG 34WK650 Monitor Review: Ultra-Wide Gaming Value

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Conclusion

We have long held fast to the industry-accepted principles of image fidelity: contrast, color accuracy and resolution, in that order. But monitor buyers tend to shop resolution first, then panel technology. And gamers, with good reason, always seek the highest possible refresh rate their budget will allow.

There are many displays that offer all these things in a 21:9 ultra-wide aspect ratio, at sizes ranging from 34 inches to as much as 49 inches. But so many of those products command premium prices. The best screens will lift around $1,000 from your wallet. Even a decent 16:9 monitor with IPS technology will set you back $500. But the LG 34WK650 is a true price breakthrough in the ultra-wide gaming category. For less than $400, it provides ample size, decent contrast, accurate color, 75Hz, FreeSync and HDR.

By now, some will have dismissed its 2,560x1,080 resolution. We enjoy a high pixel count when gaming as much as anyone, but when looking for a budget-deal, few will consider a $1,000 high performance monitor. The 34WK650 is for those people. It provides a superb gaming experience when paired with a modest video board. We had no trouble playing near this monitor's maximum framerate while enjoying tear-free motion, accurate color and solid contrast. Would a curve be nice? Of course. Would we appreciate more pixels? Sure, right after we order a new Radeon RX Vega 64 to drive those extra pixels. With our mid-grade FreeSync system though, greater resolution would simply upset the balance.

Our gripes here are minor and center around HDR. While capable of good contrast and color saturation, we wish there were adjustments available to fix grayscale tracking. The reference-level accuracy delivered to SDR material wasn't possible with HDR. Primary colors looked rich and saturated, but neutral tones were noticeably cool. In fairness, we have yet to see an HDR monitor hit all the marks. The technology is improving steadily but isn’t at full potential. And even though we’re happy to see 24p support for Ultra HD movies, there is no vertical stretch mode to eliminate the black bars.

If you’ve wished for an affordable ultra-wide monitor, the 34WK650 is pretty much in a class by itself at this writing. For $400, we know of nothing better--or even close. Color accuracy is top-notch, contrast is decent; all it really gives up is resolution. We don’t see that as a negative given our experience.

And when it came to gaming, this monitor truly shined with 75Hz and FreeSync, making the experience nearly as good as many far-pricier displays. For that reason, this LG comes highly recommended.

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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.

  • LinuxDevice
    The Acer CB351C 35" Ultra-Wide isn't too bad, and costs below $300. It could use a bit faster response time, but I find it is has a better image than the previous ASUS monitor it replaced. It doesn't have gsync or freesync.
    Reply
  • LinuxDevice
    Forgot to mention, it too is 2660x1080.
    Reply
  • parkerygc8
    The supply is getting closer to my demand.

    Nice.
    Reply
  • milkod2001
    Price is low so we can't complain about pathetic resolution. Wonder how long it will take till ve get 32''4k non curved,100Hz factory calibrated decent monitors, good enough for games but also for content creation.
    Reply
  • jdt067
    Add your voice
    Reply