Advise on a 21:9 Display

[HeavyMental]

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of building a new PC and I managed to get a 6800XT on a very good price  and now I'm going over monitors within my budged (500-600EU). I'm currently using a 29 Inch 2560x1080P 21:9 one from LG but I want to get a 3440x1440 preferably curved. Upon reading numerous blogs and price checking on local stores it seems that my two best options are:

https://www.dell.com/en-bg/shop/dell-monitors/dell-34-curved-gaming-monitor-s3422dwg/spd/dell-s3422dwg-monitor

 

https://www.gigabyte.com/Monitor/G34WQC#kf

 

The Dell monitor is currently going for 475EU, whereas the Gigabyte one in 650EU - a but over budget... 

 

I also saw that both displays are VESA HDR400 certified, but based on the reviews that I read the support is not the best one. I haven't used a HDR monitor so far, but it's something that I wouldn't mind to have and if it's worth the price difference between the two I would be okay with it.

 

I do not watch movies on my screen, I use it for gaming and work (no video, picture editing) and the games that I play are WoW and RPGs in general.

 

Kind Regards,

[RONOTHAN##]

12 minutes ago, HeavyMental said:

but it's something that I wouldn't mind to have and if it's worth the price difference between the two I would be okay with it.

In some games, yes it's worth the price difference. Problem is the cheapest monitors with proper HDR support (HDR 1000) will be double your budget. HDR 400 doesn't really help and on my personal monitor (Gigabyte FI32U, also an HDR 400 panel) it actually looks worse in HDR mode. The only advantage of having HDR 400 is when the HDR master is just better than the SDR master, which is not super common. 

 

Not good enough with specific models to know which one is better. In my 10 seconds of googling the Dell does look fine and is in your budget so it's probably your best option, though trust someone else's opinion over mine. 

[Andrewtst]

If you thinking on trying the HDR experience. You need to go for HDR 600 and above with 10-bit panel (10.7 Billions color). That is the minimum to feel the suppose HDR output.

 

Both you highlight is good for SDR but not HDR as 1st HDR 400 is not enough as you will experience dull output in dark scenes and over exposure in bright scenes, 2nd both is 8-bit panel (16.7 Millions color) which is not the colors output of HDR.

[HeavyMental]

Any suggestions that do not include HDR are welcomed, I assumed that proper HDR is out of the question, and as both of those displays havyit, I'm sure that the OEM is charging for it

[Andrewtst]

17 minutes ago, HeavyMental said:

Any suggestions that do not include HDR are welcomed, I assumed that proper HDR is out of the question, and as both of those displays havyit, I'm sure that the OEM is charging for it

From Rtings comparison, I will go with Dell as it get overall all better than Gigabyte.

https://www.rtings.com/monitor/tools/compare/dell-s3422dwg-vs-gigabyte-g34wqc/24247/17023?usage=3623&threshold=0.10

 

Weird Dell and Gigabyte both said it is 8-bit panel but both is detect as 10-bit by Rtings.

[Stahlmann]

In your budget the Dell S3422DWG is about as good as it gets.

 

14 hours ago, Andrewtst said:

If you thinking on trying the HDR experience. You need to go for HDR 600 and above with 10-bit panel (10.7 Billions color). That is the minimum to feel the suppose HDR output.

 

Both you highlight is good for SDR but not HDR as 1st HDR 400 is not enough as you will experience dull output in dark scenes and over exposure in bright scenes, 2nd both is 8-bit panel (16.7 Millions color) which is not the colors output of HDR.

You're right about the low brightness spec and it's impact on HDR content, but to further elaborate on 8bit vs. 10bit:

10bit is no hard requirement for HDR, it's merely recommended. Still, there is very little difference when watching movies or playing games. There is a bit more banding but that's it. In games this is hardly noticeable. Color bit depth doesn't make colors more saturated, it introduces more steps between the brightest and darkest shade of a color. There is a lot of misunderstanding around color bit depth and what it actually does and unless you really know what you're looking for, you won't be able to make out a difference between an 8bit HDR scene and a 10bit HDR scene.

[Andrewtst]

13 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

In your budget the Dell S3422DWG is about as good as it gets.

 

You're right about the low brightness spec and it's impact on HDR content, but to further elaborate on 8bit vs. 10bit:

10bit is no hard requirement for HDR, it's merely recommended. Still, there is very little difference when watching movies or playing games. There is a bit more banding but that's it. In games this is hardly noticeable. Color bit depth doesn't make colors more saturated, it introduces more steps between the brightest and darkest shade of a color. There is a lot of misunderstanding around color bit depth and what it actually does and unless you really know what you're looking for, you won't be able to make out a difference between an 8bit HDR scene and a 10bit HDR scene.

I am very particular banding issue, it is my priority on monitor selection. You check my signature and you will notice my recent purchase monitor is came with highest scores in gradient. 

 

I do can seen the differences on 10-bit vs 8-bit, too me it is obvious to spot and I can't stand on banding. Now 8-bit + FRC (to make 10-bit possible even though it is not real 10-bit) is the minimum I can accept.

[Stahlmann]

5 minutes ago, Andrewtst said:

I am very particularon banding, it is my priority on monitor selection. You check my signature and you will notice my recent purchase monitor is came with highest scores in gradient. 

 

I do can seen the differences on 10-bit vs 8-bit. Even 8-bit + FRC is ahead 8-bit a lot.

There is a difference. I never said anything else. But in real-world (moving) content it's very hard to notice. And even then mostly just when you really know what to look for.

 

But GPUs can also use dithering to simulate 8bit + FRC on a native 8bit monitor, which can reduce banding to a minimum. With this there is no difference between 10bit and 8bit on the Alienware AW3423DW for example.

[Andrewtst]

6 hours ago, Stahlmann said:

There is a difference. I never said anything else. But in real-world (moving) content it's very hard to notice. And even then mostly just when you really know what to look for.

As I said I can notice it. Every human eye is different.

1.07 Billions color v/s 16.7 Millions color is a big differences in everywhere from productivity to gaming to movie. This is especially obvious if the content is HDR.

 

8bit + FRC need to have hardware support to output 10-bit color but if the monitor is 8-bit only (no FRC) you cannot set it as 10-bit.

 

I replying you this is based on you said in real world gaming 10-bit had no differences v/s 8-bit, not based on both monitor capability as both monitor is detected as 10-bit but previously I though both is 8-bit as official site both provide information it is 8-bit panel with 16.7 millions color output only.

 

 

[HeavyMental]

Guys I purchased the Dell as it went on sale, I will ping you next week when it arrives