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.

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, multitasking, 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 goes for ~$300, which is a bit steep.

Nowadays, you can find 34″ 3440×1440 VA ultrawide monitors with curved screens, wide color gamuts and a high refresh rate for around $250, such as the KTC H34S18S and the MSI MAG342CQR.

The Sceptre E345B-QUN168W with a 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz flat-screen IPS panel can also be found for $300.

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

Conclusion

The Samsung S34J55W is an overall decent ultrawide monitor, but there are better options available in this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size	34-inch
Resolution	3440×1440 (UWQHD)
Panel Type	VA
Aspect Ratio	21:9 (UltraWide)
Refresh Rate	75Hz
Response Time	4ms (GtG)
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync (48Hz-75Hz)
Ports	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	3000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (true 8-bit)
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)