UWQHD monitors have been in vogue for a while now. Meanwhile there are also some with more than 60 Hertz. If you need more features like a KVM switch and USB-C Power Delivery, you have to look at Philips P-line 346P1CRH*. The monitor is packed with Features and should be able to do almost everything. Is this the perfect all-rounder? We want to find that out in our test.
Scope of delivery
The monitor arrives well packed in a thick polystyrene case. In addition, an adjustable monitor stand, power, HDMI-2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB type A/C combo cable, a CD and some booklets are included.
The accessories are very extensive, only a USB type B to USB type A cable would have been useful.
Technical specifications
| Panel | VA (Samsung) |
| Screen size | 34″ (86.4 cm) |
| Resolution | 3440 x 1440 |
| Reaction time | 4ms (GtG) |
| Form | bent, 1500R/1.5m |
| Synchronization | Adaptive Sync/AMD FreeSync max. 100 Hz. |
| Contrast | 3,000:1 (static) 80.000.000 (dynamic) |
| Brightness | 500 cd/m² |
| Angle of vision | 178°/178° |
| Weight | 11.65 kg (with stand), 7.95 (without stand) |
| Stand | tilt: -5° ~ 25° height: 180mm Turning: +-180° |
| Color depth | 8bit |
| Energy efficiency class | A |
| Speaker | 2x 5 W |
| Price | € 112.66 * |
Design
The Philips 346P looks relatively simple at first glance and is almost completely in black. The monitor deliberately comes with a normal stand and without RGB lighting.
The base weighs just under 3 kg and looks well made. Due to the weight and the rubber coating on the floor, slipping is hardly possible. It has a cable bushing through which even a cold appliance plug fits easily.
The attachment of the stand to the monitor is very simple. It can be clipped in and then released again with a button.
When switched off, the border seems to be very thin and therefore looks visually appealing. When turned on, however, a somewhat thicker border is revealed.
Otherwise, the Philips 346P’s design, except for the curvature, deliberately appears relatively unspectacular. Overall, the monitor makes a good first impression despite everything.
The monitor has three monitor inputs: HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C with integrated DisplayPort. The latter additionally supplies up to 90 watts to the connected device and can also pass through anything connected to the monitor. A DisplayPort out connector, a Gigabit LAN input and a 3.5 mm jack connector are available on the bottom of the monitor. The integrated speakers are also hidden here.
On the left side there is a USB 3.0 hub, with 4 USB type A ports – one of them with quick charge function – and one USB type B port. There is also a Kensington lock on the left.
A hiding webcam is integrated on the top of the monitor. This can be brought out or hidden by a manual push. If the camera is hidden, it is not passed on via USB. The presence sensor and light sensor are also installed on the front.
The whole monitor can also be tilted from -5 to +25 degrees.
In our test the connections work as expected and without errors. A mouse and a keyboard are connected to the monitor. The monitor is connected to a PC via USB type B and DisplayPort. A laptop is also connected via Thunderbolt 3 cable. The monitor output works without any problems, as does parallel charging and passing the keyboard and mouse through. When shutting down the laptop and starting the PC, the USB devices were automatically made available to the PC.
Image quality
Let’s come to one of the most important points in our test: the image quality. In our test, we therefore carried out the monitor test of Eizo. Our test product has no visible pixel errors or dirt behind the display.
We also took a closer look at the illumination with the help of a dark image. Since a camera shows deficits in illumination much more extreme than they are actually perceived, we did not take any pictures of this. In our case, Samsung’s built-in VA panel illuminates the monitor evenly.
The Philips 346P offers an HDR mode, which is supposed to meet the standard DisplayHDR 400. As usual with this standard, no miracles should be expected here – especially with the built-in 8-bit panel. But at least the playback of HDR material is possible.
The Philips 346P’s refresh rate of 100 Hz is interesting. In our review, it is suitable for playing fast games of all kinds. Pictures don’t hang, but flow smoothly into each other; tearing and stuttering don’t occur during our test. For gamers with the main focus on gaming and faster games like CS:GO or Valorant, faster monitors might be more interesting, though.
Finally, we come to the image editing in our test. The Philips 346P is Pantone Validated and a printout is included in the scope of delivery, which certifies a calibration carried out before delivery.
Operation
The Philips 346P is operated using buttons placed under the monitor, which is typical for the class. In addition to a detailed menu for setting various parameters, it is also possible to select a predefined profile. The menu navigation is logically structured and ran smoothly and quickly after a very short familiarization phase.
Conclusion
Let’s come to our conclusion of the test report about the Philips P-line 346P1CRH*. All in all, it can completely convince us. The scope of delivery is almost perfect, the Features and functions very good, the handling is class standard and the picture quality is convincing. The 346P can definitely be considered an all-rounder: A monitor for the work laptop and gaming PC, simultaneous charging and use of the connected USB devices, webcam and network connection? No problem with this monitor.
In relation to the price of 600 Euro (currently:€ 112.66 *) you get a very good monitor. If you’re looking for a UWQHD monitor with a 100 Hz panel, USB charging and KVM switch, you’ll not only find the 346P from Philips currently the only one with this combination, but also a really good monitor! From us therefore a clear recommendation.
Philips P-line 346P1CRH
Workmanship
Image quality
Features
Value for money
95/100
The perfect all-rounder for demanding customers.
