Today, I’m reviewing the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A, an ultrawide curved gaming monitor from ASUS. This model is a great option for those looking to try the Ultra-Wide format (21:9) but have reservations about the Super Ultra-Wide format (32:9). As a happy owner of a Super Ultra-Wide monitor, I can understand these concerns. Firstly, Super Ultra-Wide monitors are significantly more expensive. Secondly, proper and full support for the 32:9 aspect ratio, especially in games, is not as common as it is for 21:9. And thirdly, Super Ultra-Wides are generally larger in size and thus take up more space. Therefore, the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A can be considered a well-balanced model, essentially a golden mean.
The TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A features a 34″ diagonal curved panel with a 1500R curvature, WQHD resolution (3440×1440), and a refresh rate of 180 Hz. The response time is stated to be 1 ms (GTG). It also supports Freesync and HDR. In my opinion, this is a solid set of technical specifications for a gaming monitor. Another important factor is its reasonable price. I’ll go into more detail about what else makes the VG34VQL3A interesting in this review, starting with a quick rundown of the technical specifications.
Тechnical specifications
- Model: TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A
- Panel size: 34″
- Aspect ratio: 21:9
- Display viewing area (W×H): 797,22×333,72
- Display surface: matte
- Type of backlight: LED
- Panel type: VA
- Viewing angle (CR≧10, H/V): 178°/178°
- Curvature: 1500R
- Pixel pitch: 0.232 mm
- Resolution: WQHD (3440×1440)
- Color space (sRGB): 125%
- Brightness (HDR, peak): 400 cd/m²
- Brightness (typical): 400 cd/m²
- Contrast ratio (typical): 4000:1
- Display colors: 16.7 million colors
- Response time: 1 ms (GTG)
- Refresh rate (max.): 180 Hz
- Support for HDR (high dynamic range): HDR10
- Flicker-free: yes
- Technologies: Trace Free, GameVisual, GamePlus, PIP/PBP, VRR (Adaptive-Sync), GameFast Input, Shadow Boost, DisplayWidget Center, Low Blue Light
- Select the color temperature: 4 modes
- HDCP: 2.2
- Extremely low motion blur: yes
- Speaker: 2 built-in 2W speakers
- I/O ports: 2×DisplayPort 1.4 (HBR3), 2×HDMI (v2.0), 3×USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, headphone jack
- Digital signal frequency: HDMI 30~149 kHz / 48~100 Hz; DP 267~267 kHz / 48~180 Hz
- Power consumption: <27W
- Power saving mode: <0.5W
- Power off mode: <0.3 W
- Voltage: 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz
- Tilt: +20° ~ -5°
- Horizontal rotation: +10° ~ -10°
- Height adjustment: 0~130 mm
- VESA wall mount: 100×100 mm
- Kensington Lock: yes
- 1/4″ tripod socket: yes
- Dimensions (W×H×D): 80.80×54.10×25 cm
- Dimensions without stand (W×H×D): 80.8×36.4×11.1 cm
- Package dimensions (W×H×D): 91.5×49.5×28.0 cm
- Weight: 8.1 kg
- Weight without stand: 5.8 kg
- Package contents: DisplayPort cable, power cable, USB-A to USB-B cable, quick start guide, warranty card
- Certificates and standards: TÜV Flicker-free, TÜV Low Blue Light, VESA DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro
Positioning and price
The VG34VQL3A belongs to the ASUS TUF Gaming product line. While the ASUS ROG line is positioned as premium gaming devices with corresponding prices, TUF is considered more affordable. These are still high-quality gaming devices but with slightly simplified features and more accessible prices.
In fact, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A is a great example of this. The device’s price in online stores ranges from $343-392 / €319-365. I can say that this is a reasonable price for this model.
Package contents
The monitor comes in a large branded box measuring 91.5×49.5×28.0 cm. There are finger holes on the sides for easy transportation. The packaging design is recognizable, typical for the TUF series: gray-black colors with orange accents, images of the device on both sides, the exact model indicated along with some specifications, and a brief list of key technologies.
Inside, the monitor is securely housed and fixed within a thick styrofoam frame consisting of two parts. When removing the device, I recommend carefully placing the box on its side on the floor and pulling out the styrofoam, then removing the top half to avoid damaging the monitor. Additionally, the monitor is encased in a soft bag that protects the body and display surface from accidental scratches. Overall, the packaging is reliable, ensuring that the monitor will arrive intact and undamaged.
Assembly is straightforward and hassle-free. The stand is pre-attached to the monitor body straight out of the box. All you need to do is attach the V-shaped base to the stand. You won’t even need a screwdriver because the base is secured with two screws that have special rings, allowing you to tighten them easily with your fingers.
The package includes a standard basic set. Apart from the monitor with its stand, the package includes:
- DisplayPort cable
- USB-A to USB-B cable
- power cable
- V-shaped leg support
- quick start guide
- warranty card
Some might say that including an extra HDMI cable would have been nice. However, it’s worth noting that most similar monitors typically only come with DisplayPort cables. The monitor truly reaches its full potential when connected via DisplayPort. By the way, the cables are of decent length: the DisplayPort cable is 1.8 meters and the power cable is 1.78 meters.
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Design, ergonomics, build quality
The monitor’s design is understated, I would say classic: no backlighting or RGB elements, and no standout accents. The model is available only in pure black.
The monitor has a diagonal of 34 inches with an aspect ratio of 21:9. It features a curvature radius of 1500R, making it a typical curved Ultra-Wide size. It’s not too large, not too small—optimal, in short. The dimensions of the monitor without the stand are 80.8×36.4×11.1 cm. With the stand, the dimensions are 80.8×54.1×25 cm. The total weight of the assembled monitor is 8.1 kg, while the monitor itself weighs only 5.8 kg without the stand.
The monitor’s dimensions allow it to easily fit on a desk that is 1.35 meters long and 65 cm deep. This leaves plenty of space for peripherals and a CPU. Additionally, due to its lightweight design, you can consider mounting it with an inexpensive bracket without concerns about weight capacity.
The stand inserts into a V-shaped support and is secured with two screws. Interestingly, the stand itself doesn’t take up much space, which can also be seen as a plus.
The standard stand allows adjusting the display height and tilt angle. It also supports horizontal swivel adjustment of ±10°. Additionally, if desired, the monitor can be rotated vertically by 90°. However, due to the small stand, it may touch the table when rotated, but this option is available nonetheless.
On top of the stand, there is an additional mounting bracket where you can attach a camera or microphone. I believe this feature will be particularly useful for streamers and bloggers.
There’s a sort of cable management system for securing wires. You remove the cover from the stand, thread the cables through, and then put the cover back on, effectively securing them in place.
At the front, the entire space is occupied by the display. On a small panel at the bottom, we only see the ASUS logo and a downward-facing LED indicator. There are no stickers on the sides, which can also be noted as a positive feature. The bezels are standard: 2mm for the frame of the casing and 7mm for the actual screen bezel.
At the back of the monitor, we see distinctive decorative lines on the sides. They do not protrude above the surface and do not particularly stand out against the overall background. In the center, there is another ASUS logo, but larger. Located right in the center is the mounting point for the stand or bracket. To install a VESA100 bracket, you can simply remove the stand by pulling out the rubber plugs at the corners and unscrewing the screws beneath them. In the bottom left corner, there is a Kensington lock slot.
The connection ports are located in the lower part of the rear panel, with all cables routed downward. It’s worth noting right away that there are no covers to conceal these ports, as found on some other monitors. As for the ports, we have a standard set. On the right side, there are: 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, 2 DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and 1 3.5mm mini-jack. On the left side, there are: 2 USB-A ports, 1 USB-B port, and the standard power input port.
The power supply unit is integrated into the monitor’s casing. There are special vents at the top and bottom for the exhaust of hot air. By the way, in terms of heat generation, I didn’t notice any issues. The plastic casing doesn’t crack either during the initial operation of the monitor, during its use, or after it’s turned off. I paid attention to this detail because my main monitor, the Odyssey G9, heats up noticeably and exhibits characteristic plastic creaks when it starts up (due to heating) and after it’s turned off (when it cools down).
At the bottom right of the monitor, there is an additional USB-A port. In the center, there is a standard 5-way joystick used for navigating through the settings menu, along with 2 buttons. The right button toggles the monitor on and off. The left button collapses the settings menu completely.
The build quality is good. The main material is sturdy matte plastic. In summary, ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A deserves praise for its design, ergonomics, and build quality.
The monitor settings menu can be accessed by pressing the 5-way joystick. I usually don’t pay much attention to such details, but here I’ll note that the design of the menu itself is quite appealing. It fits well with the TUF Gaming style.
The settings menu is divided into 6 main sections: Game, Image, Color, Input Source, PIP/PBP, Preset, and System settings.
In the “Game” menu, as you might guess, you’ll find all the gaming settings. There are quite a few settings available: matrix overclocking, Overdrive, FreeSync, ELMB, FPS counter, crosshair, various timers, monitor alignment, scene selection, and dark area adjustment (Shadow Boost).
In the “Picture” menu, you will find settings for brightness, contrast, and sharpness of the image. Additionally, there are settings for HDR, ASCR (ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio), and blue light filter.
In the “Color” menu, you can adjust color reproduction: the available settings include color temperature and saturation adjustments.
In the video signal selection menu, you can switch between signal sources. This function can be useful if you have multiple devices connected to the monitor. For example, a PC via DisplayPort and a console via HDMI. By default, the source is automatically detected.
The PIP/PBP (Picture-in-Picture/Picture-by-Picture) menu allows you to display and switch between images from different sources simultaneously.
In the MyFavorite menu, you can select your favorite settings for quick access. You can also save and load your settings here.
In the system settings menu, you can select the menu language, adjust power settings, view detailed model information, and adjust the volume of the built-in speakers. Yes, the monitor has two built-in speakers that can output sound.
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Display, technology, image quality
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A features an 8-bit VA panel with a WQHD resolution of 3440×1440 and a refresh rate of 180 Hz. It’s worth noting that the 180 Hz refresh rate is achieved only in overclocking mode and when connected via DisplayPort. The monitor boasts a 1 ms (GTG) response time, a brightness of 400 cd/m², and a contrast ratio of 4000:1. It covers 125% of the sRGB color gamut and supports HDR. Additionally, the matte coating on the panel prevents glare from surrounding objects.
The primary focus of the VG34VQL3A is gaming, and therefore, the monitor includes not only standard gaming features but also a whole set of technologies and functions aimed at enhancing the gaming experience. Let’s go through them.
AMD FreeSync Premium Pro reduces screen tearing and input latency, allowing for smooth gameplay without the need for vertical synchronization (V-Sync), which typically reduces FPS if the graphics card cannot keep up.
Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) is a special technology designed to minimize image blur, enabling the monitor to deliver clearer visuals in dynamic scenes.
Variable Overdrive is a technology that allows increasing picture clarity beyond the manufacturer’s stated nominal value. This technology reduces blur of fast-moving objects, among other benefits.
Shadow Boost is a technology that enhances the visibility of dark areas while maintaining brightness levels unchanged. In simpler terms, it allows you to see enemies hidden in shadows more clearly.
Flicker-Free and blue light filtering are technologies designed to reduce eye strain, which positively affects eye health. Flicker-Free minimizes flickering effects, while blue light filtering reduces its impact on vision.
There are also GameVisual and GamePlus features. GameVisual offers a set of 7 modes that can be switched on the fly depending on how you use the monitor: Racing, MOBA, Cinema, RTS/RPG, FPS, sRGB, and Landscape modes. Honestly, I’ve never been a fan of preset settings and prefer to adjust everything manually, starting from brightness/contrast to response time. However, just know that the monitor includes preset modes that might be useful to you. By the way, each mode can be further customized to suit your preferences.
GamePlus is a set of various gaming metrics and indicators: FPS counter, timers, and stopwatches. You can also overlay a crosshair at the center of the screen, which helps with precise sniper shots in CS or any other shooter game.
As for the image quality – it’s excellent. The color reproduction is outstanding: vibrant and saturated colors, great contrast, deep blacks. Watching content, working, and gaming on the monitor is a very enjoyable experience.
The viewing angles are wide. Typically, at extreme angles, there might be some reduction in contrast or color dullness. However, monitors like these are not usually used at such extreme angles. When you sit directly in front of the monitor, as intended, there are no issues with the picture quality at all.
There is some backlight bleed, which you can see in the photo below. However, I would note that it’s noticeable only under certain conditions and from specific angles. In games, I didn’t see it at all, even in particularly dark scenes. And for regular work tasks like using Google Docs, editing photos, or navigating the OS, it’s even less noticeable.
In terms of response time, the monitor is quite agile. The TFT Monitor Test showed a response time of 5.5 ms.
While I had the monitor for testing, I put it through its paces in several games. I tried dynamic shooters, meditative strategies, racing games, and even a casual space sim on it. I can say that everything was excellent in terms of speed and response. The picture was clear, fast, and smooth. There was no ghosting noticed throughout the entire testing period. Overall, gaming on the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A was a delight.
Sound
The monitor is equipped with two 2-watt speakers. I’ll say right away that you shouldn’t expect anything extraordinary from them. The speakers are not very loud and lack bass. Essentially, they are standard speakers that you would typically find in a monitor, just enough to provide sound.
I don’t know about others, but this option would suit me well. For example, my main work PC isn’t connected to any speakers at all. Most of the time, I work with the sound turned off, and when I need to, I switch on my wireless headphones. Built-in monitor speakers would be handy for quickly listening to a voice message in a messenger or watching something on YouTube. In principle, you could even watch some movie with this sound quality. So, I think built-in speakers here would not be superfluous. However, they wouldn’t be suitable for games or music, of course.
By the way, the monitor also has a standard 3.5mm audio jack, to which you can connect something as well. Although there isn’t much point in it.
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Proprietary software
To customize the monitor, in addition to the standard built-in menu, you can also use the proprietary ASUS DisplayWidget Center application. You can download the application from the official ASUS website.
The application is extremely simple and mostly just duplicates the settings from the built-in menu. Here, you can select a scene and adjust it further to your liking, enable screen splitting, and view device information.
Experience and impressions of use
In everyday life, I’ve been using a Super Ultra-Wide monitor for quite some time now, so my impressions of the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A have been entirely positive. Essentially, it’s the same thing, just on a smaller scale.
The monitor is perfect for work. You can open 2-3 work windows simultaneously, and everything is within reach and visible. For convenience, you can use screen splitting, although I personally prefer the old-fashioned way of manually resizing windows. This monitor format is ideal for people who work with texts. It can also be recommended for video editing: you can see the entire video timeline in the editor. For designers, VG34VQL3A could also be a good option, although you might need to calibrate the monitor settings beforehand. Overall, I think you’ve got the idea: for work, this monitor is spot on.
The monitor is also suitable for movies. However, it’s important to understand that not all movies support the 21:9 aspect ratio. Some movies are only available in the standard 16:9 format, so you will watch them with black bars on the sides. This mainly applies to older films. Newer releases are generally better at supporting 21:9 aspect ratios. In any case, 21:9 is much better for movies compared to 32:9, where you would have black bars on all sides for every movie.
For gaming, the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A is absolutely perfect. It’s no surprise, considering it was primarily designed with gaming in mind. Thanks to its ultra-wide format, you get better immersion in games—a distinct sense of presence. In my opinion, this format is ideal for first-person shooters like Battlefield, HALO, and COD. It’s also excellent for racing games and strategy games if they fully support the format. Additionally, I would recommend this format to fans of space and flight simulators. Overall, this monitor suits any gaming genre well. I’ve just provided examples where, in my view, this format shines at its best.
However, everything is not so smooth here, again, because of the format. The thing is that not all games support Ultra-Wide properly. Somewhere the camera may be cut off. Some menus, loading screens, cut-scenes will not be full screen. Somewhere there will be a fisheye effect on the sides. And some old games simply do not support it.
In any case, nowadays developers are increasingly adding proper support for Ultra and Super Ultra-Wide monitors in their new releases. Therefore, in practice, everything mentioned above isn’t as critical as it may initially seem. I’ll also point out that you’ll encounter proper support for 21:9 in games more frequently than for 32:9. This is why I mentioned at the beginning of the review that the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A with its format is an optimal choice.
The only aspect that could be reluctantly considered a downside is the height of the monitor. However, this isn’t specific to the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A but rather a characteristic of Ultra-Wide and Super Ultra-Wide formats in general. These monitors are typically wide but narrow in height. Most of them have roughly the same height, which is comparable to a 27-inch monitor. If I’m not mistaken, they measure about that in height. Sometimes I find myself thinking that it would be nice if the monitor were slightly taller. These thoughts occur to me when I’m using my Odyssey G9 (49″ / 5120×1440 / 32:9), and I had similar thoughts when testing the TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A. Apart from that, they are perfect monitors for me in every other aspect.
Conclusions
Summing up, I can say that the ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL3A is an excellent monitor. It’s the optimal choice for those looking to switch to the Ultra-Wide format. It has a perfect screen size, ideal resolution, fast refresh rate, good color reproduction, various gaming features, and most importantly, it comes at a reasonable price. In my opinion, the VG34VQL3A model is perfect for both work and modern gaming. What else could you ask for? I didn’t find any drawbacks for myself, so I confidently recommend it!
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