NEC MultiSync EX341R-BK - Review 2022

It took a while, just NEC has finally released its kickoff curved-screen monitor, the MultiSync EX341R-BK ($999). Based on a huge 34-inch Samsung Vertical Alignment (SVA) panel, the EX341R-BK is designed for professionals looking to expand their desktop workspace. Information technology offers a generous features prepare, including NEC'southward ControlSync applied science that allows yous to control multiple monitors from a single host display. While colors aren't as accurate equally that of Dell's UltraSharp 34 Curved Monitor U3417W, this pricey console delivered a highly detailed UWQHD (iii,440-by-1,440) movie and very good grayscale reproduction in our testing.

Design and Features

The huge 34-inch screen is housed in a matte-black, bezel-gratuitous cabinet that weighs 16.viii pounds and is 31.eight inches wide. The cabinet is supported by a stand consisting of a round base of operations with a Lazy Susan swivel mechanism, and a telescoping mounting arm that provides top and tilt adjustments. It comes with a VESA mounting plate that tin can exist attached to hang the cabinet on a wall using an optional wall-mounting kit. The EX341R-BK has two embedded 1-watt speakers that are woefully underpowered for a monitor of this size. In contrast, the aforementioned-size Dell U3417W has a pair of 9-watt speakers that are loud and offer good bass response.

The three,440-by-1,440 (UWQHD) panel has a not-cogitating coating and a height brightness of 290 cd/m², a 3,000:ane native contrast ratio, a 21:9 attribute ratio, and a five-millisecond (gray-to-grey) pixel response. The screen has a curvature of one,800R (which means that if y'all put several of these monitors edge to edge to create a complete circle, the circle's radius would be 1,800mm). This is more pronounced than the Dell U3417W's one,900R curvature and provides a potent sense of immersion.

At the rear of the cabinet, facing downward, are two HDMI ports (1.iv and ii.0), a DisplayPort input, and a DisplayPort output that allows y'all to daisy-chain up to three monitors in a multi-display configuration. Hither, y'all'll also find two ControlSync ports (In and Out) that allow you to synchronize settings with up to 24 sub-monitors connected to the EX341R-BK by ControlSync cables. The left side of the cabinet holds two USB iii.0 upstream ports, four USB three.0 downstream ports, and a headphone jack. The USB hub uses NEC's DisplaySync applied science, which allows information technology to be pressed into duty equally a KVM switch to command two PCs using one mouse and keyboard.

NEC MultiSync EX341R-BK

The lower edge of the cabinet is habitation to eight touch-sensitive buttons that are used to navigate the on-screen menus, select settings, and plow the monitor on and off. Here, you'll too discover an ambient light sensor that, along with the Auto Brightness feature, adjusts screen brightness based on the electric current lighting surroundings, and a motion sensor that works with the Human Sensing feature to put the monitor into a ability-saving mode if no human activeness is detected.

You get a multitude of settings, including five color control presets with varying degrees of red, light-green, and blue saturation levels, native and sRGB presets, a DICOM (medical imaging) preset, a low blue lite preset, and a programmable preset. In improver to Brightness, Contrast, and Black Level settings, there are six DV modes (pic presets) including Standard, Movie, Gaming, Photograph, Text, and Dynamic, a Uniformity setting, sensitivity settings for the above-mentioned move and light sensors, two power-saving ECO modes, and multiple Picture-in-Picture (PiP) settings. Missing are the half dozen-color Hue and Saturation settings that you get with the Dell U3417W and the Acer XR382CQK.

NEC MultiSync EX341R-BK

Every bit with other MultiSync models, such as the EA305WMi and the E241N-BK, the EX341R-BK has a carbon meter that tracks the monitor'south carbon footprint, energy usage, and costs. NEC covers the display with a three-year warranty on parts, labor, and backlight. Inside the box are DisplayPort, USB (upstream), and ControlSync cables, and a Setup Guide.

Operation

The EX341R aced the DisplayMate 64-Step Grayscale test, correctly displaying every shade of gray, from dark to light. Shadow and highlight item was outstanding in my test images, and every bit is the case with almost VA panels, blacks were nice and dark. Viewing-bending performance was likewise quite skilful; there was no noticeable color shifting or loss of luminance when viewed from an extreme top, lesser, or side angle.

Out-of-the-box colour accuracy was good, only non ideal. Every bit shown on the chromaticity chart beneath, ruddy and blueish colors (represented by the colored dots) are closely aligned with their deal CIE coordinates (represented past the boxes), but green is just exterior of its box. However, the skewed greens did not result in tinting or oversaturated colors in testing, and volition likely go unnoticed in most not-colour-critical applications. Colors appeared vibrant against the panel's dark groundwork in my examination images and while streaming Marvel'due south Helm America: Civil State of war on Netflix.

NEC MultiSync EX341R-BK

While not designed for gaming, the EX341R-BK'due south 5-millisecond pixel response is respectable. The monitor does an adequate job of treatment fast motion. There was modest screen trigger-happy and ghosting in darker scenes in my Crysis 3 (PC) and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (Sony PlayStation 4) gaming tests, but gameplay was still enjoyable. Input lag, as measured with a Leo Bodnar Video Input Lag Tester, came in at relatively high 34.three-milliseconds. Our fastest monitor, the BenQ SW2700PT delivered a low lag time of 9.5 milliseconds.

While set to the Standard picture preset with ECO style disabled, the EX341R-BK consumed 59 watts of ability in testing. With ECO way 1 enabled, consumption dropped to 46 watts, and with ECO style 2 enabled, the monitor used thirty watts. In comparing, the Acer Predator X34 consumed 49 watts in Standard fashion and 36 watts in ECO mode, while the AOC C3583FQ consumed 49 watts, and the Dell U3417W consumed 56 watts, both while operating in Standard mode (neither offers an ECO style).

Conclusion

If you're a fan of NEC's MultiSync line of desktop displays, you lot will appreciate the EX341R-BK'southward robust feature set, which includes a fully adaptable stand up, a KVM switch, a DisplayPort output for daisy-chaining multiple monitors, and NEC's ControlSync technology. Its 34-inch curved screen panel offers a more immersive workspace than a traditional flat-screen panel, as well equally first-class grayscale and viewing-bending operation. That said, it lacks the precise color accuracy and advanced vi-color adjustments you get with our Editors' Choice for high-stop, extra-large-screen monitors, the Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Monitor U3417W, which costs only $100 more.