Samsung S34J55W Review: 3440×1440 FreeSync UltraWide Monitor For Gaming And Work

The Samsung S34J55W is one of the rare 34″ 3440×1440 ultrawide displays with a flat VA panel available; it’s also the most affordable 1440p ultrawide display! 

Let’s see how it compares to the more expensive models.

Image Quality

Featuring an SVA (VA) panel by Samsung with a 3,000:1 static contrast ratio, the Samsung SJ55W is actually capable of producing deeper blacks as well as a more vivid relation between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites than its IPS counterparts.

However, when it comes to color reproduction, IPS displays have the upper hand, thanks to their better accuracy and consistency.

Nevertheless, the Samsung S34J55W monitor offers vibrant colors with true 8-bit depth and standard sRGB color gamut, while the high 3440×1440 resolution ensures crisp details and plenty of screen space.

Other panel-related specs include a 300-nit peak brightness, 178-degree wide viewing angles, a 4ms response time speed and a 75Hz refresh rate.

Overall, the picture quality is exceptional, considering the monitor’s price.

Additionally, you also get a lot of screen real estate, which makes this ultrawide monitor perfect for productivity, multi-tasking, spreadsheets and other office-related work.

Thanks to its superior contrast, the Samsung S34J55W is an excellent display for watching movies, everyday use and video games — but there are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to gaming.

Performance

While the black shades are eye-catching and deep, dark pixels also take longer to change from one shade to another, which results in noticeable black smearing in fast-paced games.

So, if you’re a competitive gamer, we don’t recommend this monitor for you. For casual gaming and everyday use, it won’t be an issue.

Instead, it would be best if you looked for a faster IPS panel gaming monitor.

On the other hand, the Samsung S34J55W input lag performance is a lot better with only ~9ms of delay, which is very good for a 75Hz monitor.

If you have a FreeSync compatible graphics card, you will be able to synchronize the monitor’s refresh rate with the GPU’s frame rate which will remove all screen tearing and stuttering within the variable refresh rate range of the Samsung S34J55W which amounts to 48Hz-75Hz/FPS (Frames Per Second).

On the Samsung SJ55W, FreeSync also works with compatible NVIDIA G-SYNC graphics cards without issues. Further, using CRU, it’s possible to extend the lower end of the VRR range to ~35Hz, and overclock the display up to ~90Hz though your mileage may vary depending on the panel quality of your particular model.

Lastly, make sure your favorite games support the 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio; otherwise, you will have to play with black borders around the screen or with a stretched-out picture.

Features

The OSD (On-Screen Display) menu of the Samsung S34J55W ultrawide display is navigated via the joystick that’s located at the back of the monitor.

Now, in addition to the standard brightness/contrast, input source, color temperature and other settings, you will also find Picture by Picture and Picture in Picture as well as the Low Input Lag option, which reduces input lag by bypassing specific image post-processing.

Just like most modern monitors, the Samsung S34J55W has a flicker-free LED backlight and a low-blue light filter. There’s also a built-in ECO Light Sensor that automatically adjusts the monitor’s brightness according to the ambient lighting.

Design & Connectivity

The design is very slim, while the matte black plastic bezels are reasonably thick. The stand is tilt-only, but the base is detachable and VESA mount compatible.

Connectivity options include HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2 and a headphone jack. FreeSync works over HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2.

Price & Similar Monitors

The Samsung S34J55W can be found for as low as $250, which makes it the most affordable 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor.

However, for gaming, we recommend investing another ~$30 for the Sceptre E345W-QUT with a 100Hz IPS panel.

If you can afford something a bit pricier, the Gigabyte G34WQCA with a 34″ 3440×1440 165Hz curved VA panel can be found for ~$330, while the Gigabyte M34WQ with a 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz flat-screen IPS panel goes for ~$400.

For more information about ultrawide monitors and the best deals currently available, check out our best ultrawide monitors buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

What’s the bottom line?

All in all, the Samsung S34J55W flat ultrawide display is an amazing monitor for the money. It’s great for work, multimedia entertainment and casual gaming.

Specifications