Xiaomi aims to prove that a good ultrawide curved monitor doesn’t have to cost the earth, but does it make too many compromises to bring the budget down?
Ultrawide monitors look awesome. They provide unparalleled views of your favorite video games and you can stick your favorite streamer or YouTuber in one corner without needing to hook in a separate monitor or compromising your visual experience.
Accordingly, these titans of the monitor world tend to cost a hefty price. Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has entered the scene with a budget ultrawide monitor option that can offer benefits without the cost.
Key specs: Xioami Curved Gaming Monitor G34WQi
- Screen size: 34-inch ultrawide
- Panel type: VA (Curved)
- Resolution: 3440×1440
- Brightness: 300 nits
- Contrast ratio: 3000:1
- Refresh rate: 144Hz
- Response time: 4ms
- Connectivity: 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
- Price: $289.99
| Pros | Cons |
| Great contrast range | Not quite bright enough |
| 144Hz refresh rate | Older panel tech |
| Budget price |
Design
Despite being fairly large at 34-inches wide, it is surprisingly unobtrusive. The slender neck looks almost too thin to support it, but the base is sturdy, well-balanced and has a nice little loop to route cables through to keep things neat.
The stand doesn’t take up too much desk real estate and has options to adjust height, tilt, and swivel for comfort. It actually looks fairly elegant when all is said and done. At the rear is a circle of LEDs that light up purple when the monitor is in use. It looks nice, but it’s difficult to tell what it is actually for.
A more interesting aspect is the monitor curve. It has a 1500R curve, which is not the most aggressive one out there, but is certainly noticeable on a monitor of its size. The size and shape of the screen provide a 21:9 aspect ratio. This can take some getting used to, as it feels quite narrow at first, like watching things through a weirdly curved letterbox. Once you get used to it, the level of immersion is very impressive.
Features
The G34WQi comes with plenty of ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 should be more than enough to connect whatever devices you might need. It does lack a USB-C connector that has become common on many other monitors, but this is a fairly minor gripe. The lack of HDMI 2.1 is also a disappointment, considering it’s a gaming monitor being released in 2024.
The on-screen menu comes with a surprisingly diverse number of features. The menu is very nicely laid out and easy to navigate. It comes with a broad range of presets, and many options such as Gamma, color hue, and saturation.
Options such as Game mode, HDR, and AMD Freesync are not on by default so some fiddling is needed to get the best out of the monitor for whatever you are watching or playing.
Controlling the menus involves reaching around the back to a little purple joystick just behind the lower right-hand bevel. It is awkward, but it functions fine.
The panel uses the older VA technology. Though it is probably out of the question for OLED at this price point, IPS would have been nice.
The refresh rate goes up to 144Hz, but you do have to set the on-screen menus to do this, and to enable AMD Freesync, which is tucked away in the menus alongside the HDR option.
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Watching the HBO Chernobyl miniseries on this monitor with HDR enabled was incredible. The curved monitor and a good pair of headphones made me feel like I was going into the water under the reactor with the volunteers at the end of episode 2.
Gaming performance
With AMD Freesync enabled it looks and feels great. Cyberpunk 2077 popped and I felt suitably immersed in the seedy underbelly of Night City. Using the monitor for Dead by Daylight provided something of an advantage, as the wider field of view gave me a better chance of keeping an eye out for whichever killer was out for my blood.
The only real problem was that the screen just was not quite bright enough. In daylight, it struggles to keep up, leaving everything looking either washed out or too dark to properly see anything, no matter how I fiddled with the settings.
The good news is that color accuracy and Gamma were both very good. Details were easy to see, and color and contrast looked exactly the way it should. Color temperature tended to be a bit on the cooler side, even after messing with presets.
Should you buy it?
The Xiaomi Mi 34 curved monitor G34WQi is a great choice for an entry-level ultrawide monitor.
It lacks a bit of brightness, and it does take quite a bit of tinkering with the on-screen menus in order to get the best out of it. Once you do, however, it performs remarkably well for something so inexpensive at just $289.99.
The 144Hz refresh rate and FreeSync cater to gamers, while the HDR option makes it a decent choice for content creation, or just watching movies.
I actually changed my monitor setup entirely. I used to use two monitors for work and leisure, but they’ve both been replaced by a single Xiaomi monitor which can pretty much do it all.
Our Verdict – 4/5
This Xiaomi Mi Curved gaming monitor G34WQi does have some compromises to bring it down to its affordable price. The older panel tech and the lack of brightness are two obvious points.Despite this, it’s a well-made monitor that clearly displays the benefits of curved ultrawide setups for clarity and immersion.
Those with deep pockets might be better served by something like the Samsung Odyssey G9, but for those on a more modest budget, it makes for an an excellent choice.
