LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K – 34″ curved gaming monitor with 144 Hz & HDR1000 in review

A powerful monitor is essential for any gaming setup. Attributes like a high refresh rate for smooth moving images, a high resolution, fast response times and much more play a big role here. For this, you can leave a lot of money with Alienware and other renowned gaming experts. That good doesn’t have to be expensive is shown by lesser-known manufacturers like LC-Power. From them comes the LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K, which doesn’t only want to score with a curved design. It also offers a high refresh rate and a huge 34-inch VA panel. In our practical test, we checked whether LC-Power can keep its promise of the “ultimate gaming feeling”.

Technical details

Scope of delivery

The packaging of the 34-inch monitor makes a very good impression. But far more important than the cardboard cover are of course the inner values. When looking inside, the pleasingly extensive scope of delivery stood out very positively.

Besides the monitor itself, LC-Power includes 4x screws (PM5 x 15), 4x screws (M4 x 16), 1x DP cable, 1x HDMI cable, 1x USB-C cable, 1x power cord, 1x monitor stand, 1x VESA adapter, 1x screwdriver and the matching user manual.

The first impression

Visually, the LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K is a really fancy piece of technology. This already starts with the front. Here, one enjoys thin screen edges, which in combination to the curvature of 1000R and a screen size of large 34 inches, make for a nice mid-range feel. The back also makes gaming hearts beat faster. At least if you have a soft spot for RGB lighting. Here, LC-Power installs a chic RGB light strip that runs diagonally. The noble white also convinces us completely. Not only visually, but also practically, the color choice proves to be smart, as it already prevents fingerprints in advance.

In terms of connections, no wishes remain unfulfilled. You can connect your PC to the one DisplayPort 1.4. Those who prefer to gamble with PlayStation or Xbox can enjoy the total of 3x HDMI 2.0 ports. The USB-C port is also particularly cool. Thanks to an output power of 65 watts, it also allows connecting a notebook with screen transmission and simultaneous power supply. A classic 3.5 mm jack is available for connecting suitable speakers or even headphones.

Performance

In theory, this seems to be the best prerequisite. But now we want to put the monitor through its paces in its parade discipline – gaming. The Ultra WQHD resolution (3,440 pixels x 1,440 pixels) is already noticeable on the start screen. We have rarely seen such a beautiful wallpaper of a Windows computer. The color representation is also really impressive.

The LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K offers a color space coverage of 99% in sRGB, 85% in AdobeRGB, 99% in NTSC and 85% in DCI-P3. When watching movies and series, we also noticed the display’s non-glare coating positively. This avoids annoying reflections even in bright environments. LC-Power uses a VA panel that scores with a contrast of 3000:1.

This is especially noticeable in HDR mode. The monitor reaches a maximum brightness of 1,000 cd/m² thanks to HDR1000. On top of that, you get nice black levels that can even score in dark scenes. There are no clouds or ugly gray instead of black. The local dimming does a really good job here.

Of course, the LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K also has the typical teething troubles that you simply have to live with on a VA panel. For example, you don’t get nearly as stable viewing angles as with an IPS panel. However, the gaming monitor is not made for gaming or working together anyway. The curvature already makes that clear. LC-Power wanted to create the perfect immersion for sitting in front of it in the middle.

However, since this is a true gaming monitor, we naturally put it through its paces while gaming. Especially the 144 Hz refresh rate sounds really promising. However, as we already criticized in our test of the LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-V2, only a maximum of 60 Hz is possible here via the potential console ports despite HDMI 2.0. Thus, only PC gamers who connect their computer via DisplayPort can enjoy the blazingly fast refresh rate.

When gaming on the PC, the high refresh rate is immediately noticeable. You get wonderfully smooth moving images here, which provide a lot of gaming fun. We particularly liked the Adaptive Sync. The frame rate is always adjusted in cooperation with the GPU to ensure the most stable image reproduction. However, you should keep in mind that even this monitor can only provide beautiful screen content if you bring the necessary GPU power.

Operation

The On Screen Display (OSD) is located centrally under the display itself. Here, LC-Power relies on a combination of four arrow keys and a centered button to toggle on and off. Here you can select different screen modes like “Eco” or “Game Plus”. You can also change the color scheme of the RGB backlight. The fourth arrow key leads to the main menu.

Here you can adjust different parameters like brightness, gamma, color saturation and much more. On top of that, you can access special image renderings like picture in picture or picture next to picture here. The height-adjustable base provides a high level of operating comfort. Here you can optimally adjust the monitor to your eye level. Combined with the ability to adjust the screen’s tilt and swivel it to the left and right, you can quickly and easily create the optimal viewing position.

Conclusion

Very good work LC-Power! The company makes it clear with its LC-M34-UWQHD-144-C-K that a good gaming monitor does not have to be expensive at all. There is hardly a discipline in which the monitor shows a weakness. This already starts with the screen’s looks. While the screen’s edges are comparatively thin for a VA panel from the front, the back pleases us with a beautiful RGB illumination that conjures up a nice gaming feeling, especially in the dark. Certainly, you have to live with rather below-average viewing angles here, but they are typical for VA panels.

But the curved monitor also cuts a really good figure when gaming. Thanks to the 21:9 format and a curvature of 1,000R, you get a really good feeling of being in the middle of things. The monitor not only scores with great immersion in solo games, but also enables lightning-fast reactions in multiplayer games with a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. We only find it a bit unfortunate that console gamers cannot enjoy the great picture reproduction since only a maximum of 60 Hz is possible via HDMI port. Currently, LC-Power is unrivaled with the offered screen specifications and especially super attractive in terms of price. Therefore