Displays
Review: BenQ EW3280U

BenQ recently announced the launch of the EW3280U 32-inch 4K monitor onto the market. The monitor, which is aimed at gamers, also comes packed with HDRi technology. The proprietary HDRi intelligent technology is built to improve colour performance, detail contrast, and image clarity.
The panel used on the monitor is that of the IPS variety and the display comes with Adaptive-Sync technology. The 16:9 flat panel offers lots of screen real estate and immersive gaming experience. The refresh rate is rated at 60Hz, while the response time is 5ms.

Since the monitor offers 4K resolution and multiple accurate colour modes, it can also serve as a professional monitor for those working in either the Rec.709 or DCI-P3 colour spaces. In addition, you also get a colour depth of 10-bits, and support for HDR10 signals with a VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification.

The BenQ EW3280U is a neatly designed monitor that follows the typical BenQ design cues. BenQ also packs in a well-designed remote control with the monitor. In addition, we found something on the monitor, which we haven’t seen recently on monitors we have reviewed – a volume dial on the lower left hand corner. It is an actual mechanical dial that lets you adjust the volume from the built-in speakers.
The output of the speakers on the monitor are rated at 2w, while the subwoofer is rated at 5w. Once you unpack the panel, you will need a screwdriver to fix the panel to the stand. Inside the box, you also get a USB-C cable and an HDMI cable. An IEC cable provides power to the monitor.

In terms of connectivity, the monitor offers one DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 ports. You also get a USB-C port that can be used to either connect external video sources or charging devices at 60-watts. There’s also a 3.5mm audio output for headphones or speakers.

The OSD on the monitor is well designed and quite intuitive to use. The OSD can be invoked by pressing the joystick or the menu button on the remote. The EW3280U offers six image modes and three HDR modes to choose from.

The picture quality of the monitor is very good. Black levels were really good, while HDR was good, too. Out of the box the monitor was surprisingly well-calibrated in terms of gamma tracking and white point. The monitor also comes with a range of Low Blue Light (LBL) settings, which were easy to activate and deactivate.

The 32-inch screen with high pixel density worked nicely for gaming as well. We found the BenQ EW3280U offers an immersive experience. The EW3280U delivers a productive work area while delivering excellent clarity and detail for high resolution content.
Price: AED 4585

Displays
Lenovo Legion R34w-30 Ultrawide Gaming Monitor Review: Smooth Gaming Meets Stunning Visuals

The Lenovo Legion R34w-30 is a 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor designed to deliver immersive gameplay and enhanced productivity. With a 180Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and WQHD resolution, it stands as a compelling option in the mid-range ultrawide gaming monitor segment.
Design and Build Quality
The Legion R34w-30 sports a sleek, gamer-friendly aesthetic with a matte black finish and subtle Legion branding, keeping the design professional yet purposeful. The thin bezels on three sides enhance immersion, making it ideal for multi-monitor configurations.
The stand is sturdy but somewhat limited in adjustability—it supports tilt (-5° to +22°), swivel (-30° to +30°), a 135 mm lift range, cable management hole, and a phone holder. The monitor is VESA-compatible (100x100mm), allowing for third-party mounting solutions. While the build is primarily plastic, it feels robust enough for daily use.
Screen Size and Aspect Ratio
Featuring a 34-inch ultrawide (21:9) display with a 1500R curvature, the Legion R34w-30 wraps around the user’s field of vision, enhancing immersion in both gaming and productivity tasks. The extra screen real estate is excellent for multitasking, allowing for side-by-side app usage without feeling cramped.
Resolution and Picture Quality
The monitor’s WQHD (3440 x 1440) resolution delivers sharp, detailed visuals with strong pixel density. The VA panel excels in contrast, offering deep blacks (3000:1 contrast ratio) and vibrant colours, though viewing angles are slightly inferior to IPS panels.
With 350 cd/㎡ brightness and HDR400 support, the display remains visible even in well-lit environments. Colour accuracy is impressive, covering 90% DCI-P3 and 99% sRGB, making it suitable for both gaming and content creation.
Refresh Rate, Response Time and Adaptive Sync
Gamers will appreciate the 180Hz refresh rate, which ensures smooth, fluid gameplay with minimal motion blur. The 1ms MPRT (4ms GTG) response time is solid for fast-paced gaming, though not class-leading.
AMD FreeSync Premium eliminates screen tearing when paired with compatible AMD GPUs, and it also works in NVIDIA G-Sync Compatible mode, providing flexibility for different setups.
Gaming Performance
The ultrawide aspect ratio provides a wider field of view (FOV) in racing sims like Forza Horizon and F1, as well as RPGs such as Cyberpunk 2077, enhancing immersion. The VA panel minimises ghosting, ensuring clear motion in fast-paced scenes. While HDR400 improves dynamic range, it doesn’t match the impact of higher-tier HDR displays. Still, for the price, it’s a respectable addition.
Setup and Ergonomics
The monitor’s tilt adjustment (-5° to +22°) is its only ergonomic feature, lacking height, swivel, or pivot adjustments. Connectivity includes:
- 1x DisplayPort 1.4
- 2x HDMI 2.0
- 1x 3.5mm audio jack
A notable omission is a USB hub.
Overall Performance and Verdict
The Lenovo Legion R34w-30 is an excellent mid-range ultrawide gaming monitor, offering strong color accuracy, smooth performance, and an immersive curved display. While it lacks USB ports, its 180Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium, and WQHD resolution make it a compelling choice for gamers, content creators, and professionals alike.
Pros:
✅ 144Hz + FreeSync Premium
✅ WQHD + 1500R Curvature
✅ High Contrast VA Panel
✅ HDR400 Support
Cons:
❌ No USB Hub – Limits peripheral connectivity
Price: $400 approx.
Lenovo Legion R34w-30 Ultrawide Gaming Monitor
$400 approx.
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Final Rating
Summary
The ultrawide aspect ratio provides a wider field of view (FOV) in racing sims like Forza Horizon and F1, as well as RPGs such as Cyberpunk 2077, enhancing immersion. The VA panel minimizes ghosting, ensuring clear motion in fast-paced scenes.
User Review
( votes)
Displays
Alienware Announces Six New Gaming Monitors

Alienware has announced updates across its monitor lineup, introducing new QD-OLED displays and a revamped design language to attract a broader range of gamers. The company has introduced three new QD-OLED monitors, bringing its total offerings in this category to five. These monitors aim to deliver superior visual performance for gamers:
- The Alienware 34 Ultra-Wide QD-OLED Monitor (AW3425DW) features a 240Hz refresh rate, enhanced connectivity with HDMI 2.1, and certifications such as G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. The ultra-wide design with WQHD resolution provides an immersive experience.
- The Alienware 27 280Hz QD-OLED Monitor (AW2725D) combines a QHD resolution with a high refresh rate, offering both vivid imagery and smooth gameplay.
- The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Monitor (AW2725Q) achieves a pixel density of 166 PPI, setting a record for clarity and detail in OLED and QD-OLED monitors.
Alienware continues to offer a 3-year limited OLED burn-in warranty for its QD-OLED monitors, addressing durability concerns.
The company is also introducing three additional monitors in its QHD range, catering to varying preferences in size and price. These include:
- A 34-inch ultrawide model (AW3425DWM) for an expansive gaming setup.
- A 32-inch 16:9 model (AW3225DM) for larger desktop screens.
- A compact 27-inch monitor (AW2725DM) delivering the same performance in a smaller form factor.
All three models support a 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and features like NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync for smooth, tear-free gaming.
The new AW30 design language unifies Alienware’s monitor portfolio with a modern aesthetic. Inspired by celestial phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis, the design emphasizes performance and functionality. First revealed at CES, this design evolution coincides with Alienware’s 30th anniversary.
Displays
OLED Rival? Sony Unveils Promising New RGB LED Technology

Sony has announced a promising new display technology dubbed “General RGB LED Backlight Technology.” This innovation replaces the standard blue LEDs in mini-LED TVs with RGB LEDs, allowing for more accurate color projection without relying on traditional color filters or quantum dots. The result is significantly richer colors and brighter images compared to conventional mini-LEDs, potentially rivaling OLED’s picture quality.
Currently, the top TV technologies are mini-LED LCD and OLED. Mini-LED excels in bright HDR highlights, while OLED offers superior contrast with individually controlled pixels but typically lower brightness. Sony’s RGB LED aims to bridge this gap.
While lacking the pixel-level control of OLED, RGB LEDs demonstrate remarkable color accuracy and exceptional brightness. Demonstrations have shown brightness levels exceeding 4,000 nits, surpassing even high-end models and approaching professional reference monitor standards. Furthermore, this technology significantly improves viewing angles, a long-standing weakness of mini-LED TVs, eliminating color saturation loss or green tints at wider angles.
Interestingly, this technology isn’t exclusive to Sony, with manufacturers like Hisense also displaying impressive TVs utilising RGB LEDs. The technology is also expected to scale well, potentially leading to more affordable large-screen TVs. While it might not immediately dethrone OLED, RGB LEDs offer a compelling combination of vibrant colors, stellar brightness, and wide viewing angles, occasionally even outperforming OLED in color richness. With further development, especially in improving response times for gaming, RGB LED technology could become the next dominant display technology, similar to how OLED once overtook plasma.
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