2 minute review
We have seen many computer monitors released in recent times, but the BenQ EW3880R, with its 21: nine aspect ratio, is one of the most extensive and also interesting that are currently offered. Its thirty-eight-inch screen (thirty-seven by five perceptible inches) packs a massive punch (even before you turn it on) with its subtle coppery speaker grille and stand. It resembles something that would practically fit in a living room.
With a resolution of 4 x 4, it is capable of displaying a clean and detailed Windows desktop and lets you put XNUMX (count them) full size AXNUMX windows side by side. This can be a huge productivity boon for those who work with multiple documents, browsers, and most importantly, spreadsheets. However, we did find that turning your head to look through the screen can strain your neck a bit. Still, there's a subtle curve to the screen that reduces the amount your eyeballs need to refocus as they move from side to side, aiding viewing comfort. There's also BenQ's TÜV Rheinland-certified anti-flicker and anti-blue light filter technology that claims to further prevent eye fatigue. In the end, we loved working on this display, but it's a display built more for multimedia and productivity than gaming.
Our first thought, looking at a screen of this shape and size, is that it should be ideal for the latter job. However, while we were impressed with how Far Cry six's UHD graphics and textures looked on the screen, the low XNUMXHz refresh rate was a quick reminder that this is not suitable for action games and racers. fast-paced, if you're used to one. From the new highly updated game screens, your eyes will complain of motion blur, picture tearing and picture skipping very quickly.
Nonetheless, BenQ wants to promote the video performance of the EW3880R and it did impress us. The XNUMX-bit IPS panel is ideal for viewing movies, TV shows and video content in general, especially demos adapted to the native resolution of the panel. Colors are vivid and vibrant, while gradients (both chromatic and monochromatic) are smooth, with no obvious progression.
However, the 1000: 1 contrast ratio and 300 nit brightness ratio are somewhat poor. Details can be lost in particularly dark and bright areas. BenQ is trying to solve this problem with its HDRi (simulated HDR) technology but frankly, we found it to be more of a failure than a success - it could easily make pictures worse and rarely make things better. We are picky though, as most of the film's content generally looked good. Just keep in mind that you'll generally have a letterbox bar shape near the sides of the screen, as even supposedly native 21: 9 content (of which there's a lot on streaming sites like Netflix) doesn't always fill the entire panel.
Especially noteworthy are the speakers integrated into the screen. The large grille at the bottom hides two 3W speakers and an 8W subwoofer. These are significantly higher specs than other midrange monitors, and it shows: the sound gets loud and punchy, the vocal fidelity is excellent, the bass is strong, and the treble stays clear. Very impressive.
The usual range of monitor settings (and connections) are available to play with, but we've rarely strayed from the defaults. A remote control is also included.
If it had a higher refresh rate for better gaming capabilities, the EW3880R would be downright brilliant, but even without it, it's great for independent work and play. It's expensive, but it's reasonably priced in that 38-inch ultra-wide footprint, and many casual computer users will love it.
Prices and availability
The BenQ EW3880R monitor is now available in most major markets and costs € 1,050 / € 1,030 / AU € 1,799. While not cheap, it is one of the more affordable 38-inch ultrawide and compares to LG's similar 38WN95C (which costs a lot more at € 1,750 / € 1,350 / AU € 2,199) or Alienware AW3821DW (€ 1,950 / € 1,565). / AU € 2499), the value proposition seems to improve. Just keep in mind that LG and Alienware are 144Hz displays, with faster pixel response time (1ms) and support for FreeSync and G-Sync, making them more attractive to play games.
Other alternatives include Dell's 21: 9 monitors. While the U3821DW (€ 1,549 / € 1,399 / AU € 1,899) offers similar specs at a higher price, there is also an even bigger 40-inch sibling (the U4021QW) at € 2,099 / 2,049. € / AU € 2,639 for those who want the same ratio and performance seen on an even larger screen.
Integrated
The EW3880R's panel is pretty much something that would fit in a compact modern living room, thanks to the brown tint to the speaker grill under the display and on the stand. However, the stand tends to scream that it is still a computer screen, which means that it is not entirely suitable to be the centerpiece of a family living room. However, having a computer screen mount has its advantages. It comes with generous adjustments including a -5º to 15º tilt, a -15º to 15º swivel and a 120mm height adjustment.
Accessing the input ports is relatively easy thanks to the large cutout at the bottom of the screen on the back (which can be covered with a removable panel). Just keep in mind that the power cord plugs in on the left side, which can cause problems in your particular setup if all the power outlets are on your right.
Installation is simple thanks to the three-part design: bracket, rod and panel. You will need the included hex key screwdriver and four screws to secure the panel to the post as there is no quick release system.
Features
BenQ is doing a great business with its simulated HDR feature called HDRi. This can be activated via the OSD controls, a button at the bottom right of the speaker grill, or the included mini remote control. Switch between three modes: Cinema HDRi, Game HDRi, and HDR. With Windows HDR enabled, Cinema HDRi seems to delight by removing important and significant details and objects from the screen, especially in bright areas. HDRi games aim to prevent enemies from hiding in shadows and lights by reducing localized darkness and glare by compressing the contrast range and that makes all the difference.
The main HDR setting is somewhere in the middle. Using HDRi with Windows HDR off leaves you with a mess in bright areas where it's hard to see anything. In dark content, it might as well wrap everything in darkness. Individual experiences vary based on content, but overall we thought it was a gimmick.
The remote itself is small and black, which means you can easily lose it in a dark room. It works responsively as long as you point it directly at the IR receiver in the middle of the speaker grill. It has a directional button that emulates the mini directional control button on the back right of the screen, as well as individual buttons for power, input, HDRi, volume in night mode (to protect against explosions and unexpected screams late at night ), Controls volume and audio mode.
There is also a KVM function that allows you to connect your keyboard and mouse to the monitor and share its functionality, and on-screen input, through the USB-C connection. We're huge fans of it, as the lockout has caused us to regularly switch between personal computer and work laptop, and simply swapping a USB-C cable can make the switch more efficient.
BenQ also likes to highlight its visual comfort features. These include the subtle 2600R curve to help alleviate the strain caused by focusing the eyeballs when looking at different parts of the monitor. It also features TÜV Rheinland certified anti-flicker technology and blue light filtering which we recognize have helped ensure the screen is comfortable to view over long periods of work.
Connectivity
It can be a bit difficult to reach the cables that point down the center of the back of the monitor if your desk is set up so that it is difficult to reach the back of the panel. However, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, two USB-A downstream ports, thirty and one DisplayPort-compliant USB-C port, and a 60W power supply.
HDMI and USB-C cables are included. Remember that the latter is quite short, so your PC or laptop should be close to the monitor.
Performance
We loved working on the BenQ EW3880R. Its ability to display four full-size A4 documents (and more), huge spreadsheets, and large graphical workspaces was a productivity dream: you rarely need to waste time and effort switching between windows, no matter what you do. The 3840 x 1600 Ultra HD resolution kept everything crisp and sharp. It's evenly lit and all the eye comfort features, along with the matte screen, really mean our eyes don't get tired after long periods of work. Just be aware that if you have a neck injury, you may experience pain when looking left and right more than normal.
In general, we were also impressed by its multimedia prowess. The IPS panel supports 95% of the challenging DCI-P3 color space to improve accuracy, and we rate the mids above average in terms of contrast and smoothness of motion. Nonetheless, enthusiasts may complain about the vibrancy and brightness of the colors not being at the top. Jouer avec les paramètres HDR dans Windows et sur le moniteur peut améliorer certain types de contenu, mais les résultats peuvent quickly vous échapper s'il ya trop de lumière ou d'obscurité à l'écran, il become easily difficult to see than anyone of the two. Still, we did tweak a bit: Video generally looked great, and there were smooth color (and monochrome) transitions with minimal banding.
Naturally, you'll often see pillarboxing (also known as reverse letterboxing) with video, since most TV shows and movies aren't native 21:9. We really appreciate the 21:9 content available on Netflix and Amazon as it could take up the entire screen. However, you will find that many videos come out black...