Looking for Monitor Recommendations - AW3418DW Finally Dying. Building my "reasonable dream office"

[Snowmirage]

Hey everyone! Long-time lurker, appreciate all the knowledge this community shares about tech. My trusty AW3418DW is showing its age with random black screens (goes black for 1-2 seconds, then recovers), so it's time to plan my next long-term display investment.

Current Setup

• Main Display: Alienware AW3418DW (34" 3440x1440) - bought at launch, has been fantastic
• Side Displays: 2x LG 34" ultrawides (matching the original I had before the Alienware)
• GPU: RTX 4080 Super (upgraded ~6 months ago from 2080 Ti)
• KVM: Level1Techs 4-display, 2-input KVM with DP 1.4 support (absolute game-changer!)
• Secondary Input: MacBook Pro for work

The KVM Constraint (This is Important!)

I LOVE this Level1Techs KVM - one-click switching between my gaming desktop and work MacBook across all displays is absolutely essential to my workflow. If you've ever managed cables for a 3-monitor + 2-computer setup, you know the effort involved (shoutout to LTT's cable management solutions for keeping this clean).

The reality check: DP 2.1 KVMs probably won't exist for years, and when they do, they'll likely cost $1000+ (this one was already $800+). Even at the same price, it's hard to justify replacing something that works perfectly. This means I'm realistically limited to DP 1.4 bandwidth, which factors heavily into my monitor choice.

My Dilemma

I'm torn between staying at 1440p ultrawide or making the jump to 4K. The new 5K2K monitors look incredible, but I've deliberately avoided 4K until now because of the pixel pushing requirements. 3440x1440 has been the sweet spot for performance vs visual quality.

I considered upgrading to RTX 5080/5090 for the extra performance and DP 2.1 support, but honestly the cost difference ($1200 vs $3000+) doesn't justify the experience improvement I'd get compared to my current 4080 Super with a great 4K display.

Requirements & Use Cases

• Primary Use: "Do everything" solution - productivity + gaming
• Gaming: Variety of genres, but I'm no esports pro (My brain probably can't utilize >200Hz anyway)
• Size Preference: Larger than 27", Otherwise my side display would feel even more preposterously tall than they already do.  But there isn't anything wrong with them so I can't really justify replacing them with a different size.  Also the 1440x3440 resolution is really great for reading long articles on a semi regular basis.
• Streaming: Frequently use Steam Link to living room 4K TV (Google TV Streamer via gigabit ethernet) and Galaxy Tab S7+ in bedroom which is also hardwired for gig ethernet.
• Longevity: Looking for another long-term investment like my AW3418DW was

Budget Philosophy

Happy to invest in quality tech that's worth the price, but want good value. I'd rather put money toward a premium display than overpay for marginal GPU improvements.

Questions for the Community

1. Given DP 1.4 bandwidth limitations, should I stick with ultrawide or make the 4K jump?
2. Any specific models you'd recommend that work well with DP 1.4 and be ready for DP 2.1 in the future?  Though it may be time for another new display before similar DP 2.1 KVMs are available anyway.
3. Those using 4K displays with similar GPUs via DP 1.4 - how's the experience?
4. Am I overthinking the KVM limitation, or is this a real constraint I should plan around?

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise! This community always comes through with solid advice.

 

[strange13930]

1 minute ago, Snowmirage said:

Hey everyone! Long-time lurker, appreciate all the knowledge this community shares about tech. My trusty AW3418DW is showing its age with random black screens (goes black for 1-2 seconds, then recovers), so it's time to plan my next long-term display investment.

Current Setup

• Main Display: Alienware AW3418DW (34" 3440x1440) - bought at launch, has been fantastic
• Side Displays: 2x LG 34" ultrawides (matching the original I had before the Alienware)
• GPU: RTX 4080 Super (upgraded ~6 months ago from 2080 Ti)
• KVM: Level1Techs 4-display, 2-input KVM with DP 1.4 support (absolute game-changer!)
• Secondary Input: MacBook Pro for work

The KVM Constraint (This is Important!)

I LOVE this Level1Techs KVM - one-click switching between my gaming desktop and work MacBook across all displays is absolutely essential to my workflow. If you've ever managed cables for a 3-monitor + 2-computer setup, you know the effort involved (shoutout to LTT's cable management solutions for keeping this clean).

The reality check: DP 2.1 KVMs probably won't exist for years, and when they do, they'll likely cost $1000+ (this one was already $800+). Even at the same price, it's hard to justify replacing something that works perfectly. This means I'm realistically limited to DP 1.4 bandwidth, which factors heavily into my monitor choice.

My Dilemma

I'm torn between staying at 1440p ultrawide or making the jump to 4K. The new 5K2K monitors look incredible, but I've deliberately avoided 4K until now because of the pixel pushing requirements. 3440x1440 has been the sweet spot for performance vs visual quality.

I considered upgrading to RTX 5080/5090 for the extra performance and DP 2.1 support, but honestly the cost difference ($1200 vs $3000+) doesn't justify the experience improvement I'd get compared to my current 4080 Super with a great 4K display.

Requirements & Use Cases

• Primary Use: "Do everything" solution - productivity + gaming
• Gaming: Variety of genres, but I'm no esports pro (My brain probably can't utilize >200Hz anyway)
• Size Preference: Larger than 27", Otherwise my side display would feel even more preposterously tall than they already do.  But there isn't anything wrong with them so I can't really justify replacing them with a different size.  Also the 1440x3440 resolution is really great for reading long articles on a semi regular basis.
• Streaming: Frequently use Steam Link to living room 4K TV (Google TV Streamer via gigabit ethernet) and Galaxy Tab S7+ in bedroom which is also hardwired for gig ethernet.
• Longevity: Looking for another long-term investment like my AW3418DW was

Budget Philosophy

Happy to invest in quality tech that's worth the price, but want good value. I'd rather put money toward a premium display than overpay for marginal GPU improvements.

Questions for the Community

1. Given DP 1.4 bandwidth limitations, should I stick with ultrawide or make the 4K jump?
2. Any specific models you'd recommend that work well with DP 1.4 and be ready for DP 2.1 in the future?  Though it may be time for another new display before similar DP 2.1 KVMs are available anyway.
3. Those using 4K displays with similar GPUs via DP 1.4 - how's the experience?
4. Am I overthinking the KVM limitation, or is this a real constraint I should plan around?

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise! This community always comes through with solid advice.

 

One idea: you could get a monitor with two dp inputs and just swap between them.

[Snowmirage]

3 hours ago, strange13930 said:

One idea: you could get a monitor with two dp inputs and just swap between them.

That is a good point.  I very much do enjoy the simple one button press for it all to switch between my 2 PCs but if also changing a monitor input means a better solution so be it.

I'm leaning toward a 4k display as I suspect it would make the resolution changes when I try to use steam streaming to my 4k TV a bit less wonky.