Review: BenQ XR3501

Conclusion

A large and curved ultrawide gaming monitor inevitably comes with a significant price premium. The BenQ XR3501 is an premium-grade product targeting a niche market. In North America the current price is around $1,000 whilst here in the UK it's approximately £700. For reference, LG's 34UC97 fetches around $1,100 and £750 in North America and the UK, respectively.

On the fluidity versus resolution continuum for gaming monitors the BenQ XR3501 is very much positioned at the fluidity end. UWQHD has been foregone to achieve a 144Hz refresh rate making BenQ's XR3501 the only 144Hz ultrawide monitor, that we know of, currently on the market. Other monitors are able to achieve a more balanced position between fluidity and resolution, such as Acer's XR341CK Predator, which means the BenQ XR3501 is more limited in its target audience.

BenQ could potentially increase the appeal of the XR3501 by deploying adaptive V-Sync technology, but as it stands the XR3501 delivers an incredibly immersive and fluid gaming experience, particularly for fans of racing simulators and any other games that benefit from an increased field of view. Prospective buyers of the BenQ XR3501 should note they are paying an early-adopter cost for the curved ultrawide panel though for any serious gamers the XR3501 is still a solid investment.

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BenQ XR3501

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TBC.

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