As for the Qi charging dock, it
works as advertised. When you
combine the Qi charging with the
decent sound system and USB-C
connectivity, the result is a monitor
that promises a clean installation
with a very low cable count.
A single cable would allow you to
drive the display for both video and
audio, power a laptop, all the while
you can wireless charge your
smartphone. If you have a strong
aversion to cable clutter, the
MX38VC should definitely be on
your shopping list, that’s for sure.Summary
With HDR technology entering the
mainstream, a £1,000 ($1,099)
display that only offers SDR visuals
isn’t an easy sell. However, the Asus
Designo Curve MX38VC is still a
compelling PC monitor.
Partly that’s thanks to the sheer
scale of the 38-inch panel. It may
not be high DPI, but it does deliver
loads of usable desktop real estate.
It also makes for a very immersive
gaming experience, even without
100Hz+ refresh capability.
Overall, this is a very expensive
display that conspicuously lacks
some high-end features, most
notably HDR certification. But if
you can afford it and are willing to
overlook its limitations, it’s still a
wonderful LCD panel. QAsus’s new 38-inch mega monitor
is a super-wide sight to behold
even if it lacks HDR visuals.Another unusual feature is the
Harman Kardon sound system, with
support for Bluetooth audio
streaming. The speakers in most
monitors are very much an
afterthought – not so here.
Performance
In this age of ultra-punchy HDR
visuals, the core image quality of
the Asus Designo Curve MX38VC is
underwhelming. There isn’t the
contrast, saturation, or brightness
of the latest HDR monitors with
backlighting and local dimming.
The sheer size of the display also
means you don’t get the crispness
and sharpness that many 4K-class
screens offer. Spread over 38
inches, those 3,840 pixels are each
larger than those of, say, a 27-inch
4K monitor or a 32-inch model.
However, the MX38VC still offers
a lot of pixels in outright terms and
with them a huge amount of usable
desktop space. Most super-wide
screens feel constricted by limited
vertical resolution. But with 1,600
pixels, the MX38VC offers a decent
view of the vertical aspect of
documents and web pages, while
enabling the viewing of multiple
windows, documents and web
browsers side-by-side.
The 2300R curvature is certainly
helpful in that regard, ensuring the
far edges of the screen aren’t
viewed at an excessively oblique
angle. And when it comes to
absolute image quality, the IPS
panel ensures good performance.
The viewing angles are excellent,
while black-and-white scale test
images show plenty of detail at
default settings. As a productivity
machine, the MX38VC has a lot
going for it.
It’s not half bad as a gaming
panel, too. OK, you don’t have
high refresh on offer. But there is
FreeSync support up to 75Hz. Andthere’s no question games look
stellar stretched across the 38-inch
21:9 panel. It’s truly a sight to
behold and more immersive than a
smaller, more conventionally
proportioned PC monitor.
But what of that Harman Kardon
sound system? It’s far better than
the speakers fitted to most
monitors. There’s reasonable
dynamic range and definition on
offer, even if bass levels are limited.
Admittedly, you could exceed the
sound quality with a fairly cheap 2.1
speaker system. But there’s appeal
in the simplicity of keeping it all
integrated into the display. These
speakers are more than just backup
items to be suffered until a proper
speaker solution is available.
They’re much better than that.“The viewing angles are excellent, while black-
and-white scale test images show plenty of detail”
Upgrade
Asus Designo Curve MX38VC
May 2019 | |^85
KEYFEATURES
Asus MX38VC
Supplier http://www.asus.com
Panel size 95.29cm, 21:9 ultra-wide
Panel type IPS
Resolution 3,840x1,600 pixels
Pixel pitch 0.229 mm
Brightness (max) 300cd/m^2
Contrast ratio 1,000:1
Viewing angle 178 /178 d e g r e e s (H / V )
Response time 5ms (GtoG)
Display colours 1.07 billion
Flicker-free curved panel 2300R
Speakers 2x 10W (RMS)
Connectivity Bluetooth; 2x HDMI 2.0;
1x DisplayPort 1.2; 1x USB Type-C with
Superspeed USB Charging; 1x audio
input; 1x headphone socket;
QI wireless charging
Weight 9.9kg
Size (with stand) 896.6x490.3x239.7mm