16:9 monitors not wide enough? Looking to go even wider with an ultrawide? A monitor with a 3440 x 1440 resolution might be the way to go for you, but there are some things you should know before going all in.
The 3440 x 1440 resolution has an ultrawide aspect ratio of 21:9. This resolution and the 2560 x 1080 resolution are the two most common with a 21:9 ratio. It’s much wider than the common 16:9 ratio that most monitors nowadays have. The 3440 x 1440 resolution is 29.3% wider than its 2560 x 1440 counterpart.
Is it 4K?
No. It should not be confused with the 3840 × 2160 resolution, officially referred to as 4K. While the numbers look similar at a glance. It’s pretty far from it.
The 3440 x 1440 resolution contains 4,953,600 pixels whereas a 4K resolution has 8,294,400 pixels. That’s a difference of 50.4% or 3,340,800 pixels! Also, 4K has an aspect ratio of 16:9 and not 21:9.
3440×1440 for gaming
This is a pretty obscure resolution and uncommon for gaming. That’s not to say they are impossible to find, but only a handful of monitors with high refresh rates with this resolution. Also, they are pretty expensive. With that said. They are incredible at immersing you in a game, especially if you go for a curved one.
| Monitor | Size | Panel | Adaptive Sync | Pixel Density | Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Predator X35 | 35″ | VA | G-Sync HDR | 107 PPI | 200Hz |
| AOC AG353UCG | 35″ | VA | G-Sync HDR | 107 PPI | 200Hz |
| ASUS XG35VQ | 35″ | VA | G-Sync HDR | 107 PPI | 200Hz |
| LG 34GK950F | 34″ | IPS | FreeSync 2 | 110 PPI | 144Hz |
If you want one for gaming, then the first thing you should know is whether your current graphics card will handle the increase in pixels. If it won’t, you’ll end up with a bigger monitor but a choppy lackluster gaming experience.
Look up benchmarks of your card performing at the resolution to get a rough idea of what you’re getting yourself into. The hit in framerate will also depend on the actual game and the settings, of course. Holding system specs and in-game settings consistent and comparing the two, we can get an idea of how much impact it could have.
For example, upgrading from 2560 x 1440 to 3440 x 1440 and using the Rise of the Tomb Raider to benchmark, you can see the average frame rate drop from 114 to 94 FPS. That’s a drop of 17.5%—definitely a considerable amount. So keep an eye on your graphics card to avoid future frustration.