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Two years ago, Cooler Master launched its first ever gaming monitor – the GM34-CW. Today, the company is back with a new model, dubbed the GM34-CWQ ARGB. Priced at £419.99 here in the UK, it is positioned towards the entry level ultrawide space, though there are a few similar screens retailing for slightly less, including the iiyama GM3466WQSU.
Still, in this price bracket Cooler Master does have a few features to help set it apart from the competition. The main one being the use of Quantum Dot technology, which really helps to give the panel a punchy and saturated experience. I switched back and forth between the GM34-CWQ ARGB and the GB3466WQSU during this review, and Cooler Master definitely has the more visually alluring panel.
There's also no getting around the more premium design of the GM34-CWQ, with its metal stand and slim bezels. The ARGB lighting in the base of the stand could also be a boon for LED lovers, however the fact it requires a microUSB cable for the lighting to function is a slight drawback.
The main thing holding this monitor back really comes down to the response times and overall speed of the panel. The performance on offer from the Advanced overdrive mode should be enough for most users, with an average grey-to-grey transition time of just below 7ms. However, this isn't much faster than the aforementioned GB3466WQSU, and that panel is almost two years old at this point, so I would have liked to see a little more from Cooler Master in this regard.
Even factoring that in, the Cooler Master GM34-CWQ ARGB is still a good option to have. It's attractively priced, offers a gorgeous panel and a sleek design. There's still room for improvement, but you could do a lot worse than this when shopping for a new ultrawide monitor.
We don't yet have a buy-link but the MSRP for the GM34-CWQ ARGB is £419.99.
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Pros
- Punchy and vibrant panel.
- Strong contrast, as we'd expect from a VA screen.
- Sleek design with metal stand.
- Well priced at £420.
- ARGB lighting looks good, if you like that sort of thing.
Cons
- Not the fastest monitor we've ever tested.
- iiyama GB3466WQSU could be worth a look for £50 less.
- ARGB lighting requires a microUSB connection.
KitGuru says: Cooler Master's GM34-CWQ ARGB is a good addition to the ultrawide space, especially at its £420 asking price. It's not the fastest panel we've ever reviewed, but it offers excellent colours and strong contrast.
