Curved monitors are all the rage now, here’s a sneak peek of another one!

After a while, some products all look the same, whether it’s because they are copying each other or not. So it’s cool when newer tech comes our way and wows us, such as the current slew of curved monitors appearing. Say hi to BenQ’s XR3501 curved monitor.

Contour that works
It’s immediately apparent that the BenQ XR3501 has a very pronounced curve. It’s hard to tell if there’s any difference at a glance, but we have noticed that with the 21:9 ratio screens, the side edges might have some distortions. The advent of curved screens rectifies this issue, so that does count for something.

Good placement required
The stand for the XR3501 wasn’t the best, as it was very rigid and couldn’t be adjusted at all. And since it’s crucial for healthy posture that monitors are eye level, gamers will likely have to prop this monitor up for the optimal height. Curiously, the input and output ports can be covered by a removable panel, then cables kept neat by routing it through the hole made for cable management. That can be handy, but makes the initial setup of plugging the cables quite a chore.

Top-notch specs
Though ergonomics might feel slightly compromised, there’s no doubt that BenQ’s XR3501 was a powerhouse. We didn’t have much time to try it out, but its 2K resolution made for a substantially crisp image. It also had superb viewing angles, good brightness and contrast. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten around to testing games on it, so I can’t comment on the gaming experience. With 144Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time though, it’ll definitely be obvious to see with racing or FPS games.

Gamer’s Arch
I’d say to get the best out of a screen with such a curve, a multi-monitor setup is ideal. With three monitors, for example, racing games or simulators like Star Citizen would look awesome since it will be possible to get a very wide view. Overall, though pricey, I can see this becoming the curved monitor for many PC gaming enthusiasts.