Mac Format - UK (2020-04)

APPLE CHOICE Mac hardware

Philips 346B1C

A strong all–round 34–inch productivity panel

£499.99 FROM Philips, philips.co.uk FEATURES 3440x1440 resolution,

VA panel, USB–C with PD (90W) dock, KVM switch, built–in speakers

A strong all-round

34in productivity

panel, albeit at a

fairly high price.

+++++++

Great for productivity

USB-C with

90W charging

High-quality chassis

Low pixel density

VERDICT

The stand

offers tilt,

height

and swivel

adjustment

80 | MACFORMAT | APRIL 2020

find that the 346B1C doesn’t make dramatic

promises when it comes to colour accuracy. It

covers 90% of the Adobe RGB gamut. Likewise,

Philips doesn’t quote a figure for the DCI-P3

space at all. Indeed, it uses VA rather than the

IPS panel tech preferred for the most colour

accurate monitors.

Different aspectss

Given the modest 300cd/m2 brightness, image

quality is decent but a little dull and lacking in

vibrancy. The 110ppi pixel density is also poor

next to, say, a 27-inch 4K monitor with a pixel

density of around 154ppi. The 346B1C is thus

far from the sharpest monitor on the market.

That said, the 21:9 aspect ratio is absolutely

superb for viewing multiple documents or

web pages in parallel.

However, it’s the feature set that makes

this an intriguing display. It has full support

for USB Type-C connectivity, with up to 90W

of charging power, so you can charge your

MacBook and connect peripherals, all with

a single cable; plus the KVM switch has an

easy-access button for using dual Macs with

the single wide screen. JEREMY LAIRD

T

he Philips 346B1C is a very

nice package for all-round

productivity. While it doesn’t

necessarily come top of class for colour

accuracy and gamut support, there are plenty

of extras like full USB Type-C connectivity

for a slick single cable hook-up, a KVM

switch, and support for up to 100Hz refresh.

It’s also looks good, feels very nicely made,

and the stand is stable and offers tilt, height

and swivel adjustment.

As for the display itself, the core specs

involve a 34-inch 21:9 aspect panel with the

obligatory 3,440 by 1,440 native resolution.

Dig a little deeper into the spec list and you’ll

The monitor features adaptive sync technology to ensure

smooth refresh rates and a fast response time.

Image credit: Philips

The 346B1C is great

for viewing multiple

applications and

documents in parallel.