The Jlink is packed with features that both gamers and creators can appreciate. If KVM isn’t important to you, however, then cheaper alternatives exist that offer the same native resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, and VA panel.
Amazon is now shipping the ultrawide 34-inch Jlink curved monitor for $50 USD off the original launch price of $500. The monitor is notable for being more affordable than most other 34-inch curved monitors such as the Alienware 34-inch OLED or the Samsung CH890. The manufacturer has sent us a sample for our honest impressions.
Much like the smaller 27-inch Jlink monitorsetup for the ultrawide 34-inch version is similar since they both utilize similar arms and bases. The arm attaches effortlessly to the rear and the base attaches to the arm via three Philips screws. A screwdriver is required unlike the tool-free assembly of most Dell monitors like the S2721dgf.
Once assembled, the display can tilt, pivot, lift, and swivel up to 5 to 20 degrees, 5 degrees, 3.54-inches, and 20 degrees, respectively, for a decent amount of adjustment if needed. The arm could’ve been tighter or bigger, however, as the display tends to wiggle from even just a small push.
Four separate video inputs are supported: 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, and 1x DP over USB-C. It’s highly recommended to use DisplayPort whenever possible to fully support all the features of the monitor including the 144 Hz native refresh rate and FreeSync or G-Sync since both are not guaranteed through HDMI. In fact, the retail box includes a DisplayPort cable and no HDMI cable.
A small four-directional joystick on the back of the monitor controls the OSD for adjusting colors, settings, volume, and more. There are no other buttons to speak of, but the joystick works intuitively and easily enough. The screen will wiggle when using the joystick, however, due to the small arm mentioned above. A stronger arm would have certainly made for better first impressions in this regard.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the Jlink monitor is its support for PIP, PBP, and KVM. Users can connect up to two separate PC sources and then display and control them side-by-side with just one keyboard and mouse. Though this Jlink is advertised as a gaming monitor, KVM is most beneficial for non-gaming applications. Such a feature is not always available on other monitors in the same sub $500 USD price range.
The manufacturer specifications of the monitor can already be found on the Amazon page and so we will only list our in-house measurements as shown below. The monitor was set to 100 percent brightness, 50 percent contrast, 2.2 Gamma, and a Normal color temperature prior to performing our tests. We’re able to measure a maximum screen brightness of 350 nits and a contrast ratio of 1960:1 when on these settings.
We’re only able to reach a DCI-P3 coverage of 81 percent via DisplayPort compared to the manufacturer’s claim of 98 percent. Thus, additional adjustments will be required for fuller colors beyond the default out-of-the-box settings. Raw black-white and gray-gray response times aren’t nearly as fast as most laptop displays where 5 ms or faster are becoming commonplace. Instead, the Jlink monitor relies on MPRT to reduce response times to 1 ms which introduces some flickering.
Viewing angles are poor as expected from a VA panel. The monitor is best suited for just one or two viewers despite its large size otherwise grayscale suffers if not sitting in front of the screen.
There is light-moderate uneven backlight bleeding near the corners of our review unit. They’re noticeable if viewing darkened content but not intense enough to be distracting.
320.8 cd/m² | 347.6 cd/m² | 333.4 cd/m² | ||
302.8 cd/m² | 352.9 cd/m² | 313.7 cd/m² | ||
291.2 cd/m² | 305.1 cd/m² | 311.1 cd/m² | ||
Distribution of brightness
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 352.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 319.8 cd/m² Minimum: 60.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Contrast: 1961:1 (Black: 0.18 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.73 | 0.59-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.5
80.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
81.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.19
Jlink D34QR4K 34-inch monitor 3440×1440, 34.00 | MSI Titan GT77 12UHS Sharp SHP1544 LQ173M1JW08, IPS-Level, 1920×1080, 17.30 | Acer Predator Helios 300 (i7-12700H, RTX 3070 Ti) BOE0A1A, IPS, 2560×1440, 17.30 | Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 SE G733CX-LL014W NE173QHM-NZ2, IPS, 2560×1440, 17.30 | Alienware x17 R2 P48E AU Optronics B173HAN, IPS, 1920×1080, 17.30 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | -8% | 8% | 8% | -1% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 81.3 | 70.8 -13% | 96.8 19% | 97.1 19% | 79.2 -3% |
sRGB Coverage | 99.7 | 98.9 -1% | 99.9 0% | 99.9 0% | 99.8 0% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 80.3 | 73 -9% | 84.8 6% | 84.8 6% | 79.6 -1% |
Response Times | 79% | 37% | 60% | 50% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 27.2 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(14.4, 12.8) | 3.03 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(1.28, 1.75) 89% | 16.4 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(7.8, 8.6) 40% | 5.7 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(2.7, 3) 79% | 12.4 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(6.4, 6) 54% |
Response Time Black / White * | 16.8 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(10, 6.8) | 5.28 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(2.32, 2.96) 69% | 11.2 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(5.8, 5.4) 33% | 10.1 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(5, 5.1) 40% | 9.2 {el.classList.toggle(‘hideEl’);});return false;”>?(5.2, 4) 45% |
PWM Frequency | |||||
Screen | -12% | 1% | 13% | -4% | |
Brightness middle | 352.9 | 280 -21% | 366 4% | 320 -9% | 365.4 4% |
Brightness | 320 | 275 -14% | 340 6% | 303 -5% | 344 8% |
Brightness Distribution | 83 | 79 -5% | 85 2% | 87 5% | 85 2% |
Black Level * | 0.18 | 0.4 -122% | 0.31 -72% | 0.3 -67% | 0.29 -61% |
Contrast | 1961 | 700 -64% | 1181 -40% | 1067 -46% | 1260 -36% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.73 | 2.1 56% | 3.56 25% | 1.1 77% | 3.17 33% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 8.06 | 5.83 28% | 5.66 30% | 2.7 67% | 7.69 5% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6 | 3.3 45% | 2.84 53% | 1.1 82% | 5.3 12% |
Gamma | 2.19 100% | 2.13 103% | 2.29 96% | 2.13 103% | 2.18 101% |
CCT | 7865 83% | 7060 92% | 6835 95% | 6599 98% | 5879 111% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 1.58 | 3.31 | 0.51 | ||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 20% /3% | 15% /8% | 27% /19% | 15% /5% |
* … smaller is better
The external AC adapter is rated for up to 168 W. The monitor consumes 56 W when at the maximum brightness level as shown by our graph below and so the extra 100+ W is reserved for USB-PD and other connected devices.
Lastly, the internal speakers are very weak and softer than the speakers on most laptops. We’re only able to record a maximum volume of just 72 dB(A) and with poor bass reproduction as well. You’ll definitely want to resort to external speakers whenever possible.
Our experience with the ultrawide Jlink 34-inch is largely positive. Aspects like the average non-MPRT response times, poor speakers, and difficult-to-reach USB ports could have been better, but these drawbacks are common on most inexpensive VA monitors. There’s no reason why the arm couldn’t have been stiffer, however.
The biggest threat to the 34-inch Jlink D34QR4K at the moment is perhaps the 34-inch Dell S3422DWG which is currently slightly cheaper at $430 USD. It doesn’t offer KVM, however, and so you’ll really have to exploit this specific feature to make the most out of the Jlink.
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Allen Ngo – Lead Editor U.S. – 5001 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There’s a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I’m not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.
Allen Ngo, 2023-01- 3 (Update: 2023-01- 3)