Philips 345E2AE 34″ WQHD Ultrawide Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The Philips 345E2AE 34″ WQHD Ultrawide Monitor is available on Amazon for just £269.99 right now, however, I’ve seen some retailers drop this below £250 and even once saw a deal for just £215.99, so it’s very much worth hunting around for the bargains on this one. Sure, it’s got a few minor quirks, but in terms of £’s-to-panel-size, it’s giving you a lot of bang for your buck.

Overview

The Philips 345E2AE is an interesting monitor, as it’s lacking some premium features that we often expect from such a large panel like this. However, the price certainly reflects what it can and cannot do, and I think that’s what makes it quite popular. The user reviews on Amazon and similar sites reflect that too, people seem very happy with it for the price. However, if you’re looking for a monitor to do CAD work, colour calibration and grading, or video and photo editing, I don’t think this is the monitor for you.

You would be spending double this price for something more serious for professional work, but if it’s work critical, then obviously that’s money well spent. As for gamers, well this may be the first casual ultrawide monitor I’ve tested, as it’s just a bloody big panel, it gives you a taste of higher-end gaming experiences for a low price. You’ll be adding another £200 again to get the refresh rate to 100Hz+ although that typically comes with other gamer-focused technologies such as Sync, and faster response times too.

So really, this monitor is best suited for the work-at-home environment or even in the office, for those of you who still have to commute to sit at a different desk. Working on Facebook, Twitter and my editing work with three side-by-side windows is great. Plus, I can have a full 16:9 window for playing a game, watching YouTube etc, and still have an extra frame next to that for keeping Discord open.

For gaming, it’s honestly pretty good. If you’re coming from a 1080p or 1440p monitor and used to 60Hz, the little bump to 75Hz is actually noticeable. Sure, it’s not an eSports pro monitor or anything, but just having more screen is cool, there’s no doubting that. For games like Crusader Kings III, Cities Skylines and other map-focused games, it’s brilliant.

Should I Buy One

The Philips 345E2AE is not the ultimate monitor, but at this price range, it’s really hard to ignore just how much screen you get for your money. It’s great for daily work, and ticks enough boxes to keep you entertained should you wish to watch a movie or a bit of TV when the boss isn’t looking. Considering more serious ultrawide monitors are twice the price, it’s easy to accept its shortcomings. However, if you’re doing a lot of colour-sensitive work, CAD, or wanting a high-end gaming experience, I’d suggest getting a similarly priced 16:9 monitor such as the 27M1N5500ZA or investing in a higher-end ultra-wide model such as the 346E2CUAE.