BenQ EX3501R

Pros

• Great gaming chops
• Sharp, high-contrast image
• Excellent color accuracy
• Doesn’t need calibration
• 1800R curve
• FreeSync
• 100Hz
• Accepts 3840x2160 signals
• Processes 24p correctly
• Build quality

Cons

• Lower contrast than other VA panels
• A little less color than other DCI-capable screens

Verdict

BenQ EX3501R delivers a smooth immersive experience in fast-paced action titles. It supports HDR10 just fine but doesn’t offer as much contrast as some of the competition and has a little less color saturation in HDR mode. For SDR material however, it has few equals. While there are faster screens out there, few of them look as good.

Enter the BenQ EX3501R, a 35” curved VA panel with 100Hz and FreeSync. A gaming monitor first and an entertainment display second, it delivers a smooth immersive experience in today's fast-paced action titles. 

But while it supports HDR10 just fine, it doesn’t offer as much contrast as some of the competition and has a little less color saturation in HDR mode. For SDR material however, it has few equals.

The EX3501R goes beyond casual entertainment and adds a 35” 1800R curved ultra-wide screen with vertical alignment (VA) technology and 3440x1440 resolution. Speed-wise, it tops all the HDR monitors we’ve looked at thus far, including BenQ's EW3270U and EW277HDR. And the aspect ratio screams gaming all the way. While 100Hz isn’t the fastest ultra-wide we’ve seen, 100 frames per second (fps) shouldn’t be too hard to achieve at this monitor’s native resolution.

HDR10 is the most common form of HDR so far, and this monitor supports it. The panel is 8-bits native, so some content may show banding. 10-bit color is a better choice for HDR, though gaming at that depth will exact a serious toll on performance. By moving 25% fewer pixels than an Ultra HD display, the EX3501R can boast some decent framerates. And if you have a fast enough video card, you can easily reach 100fps. FreeSync is offered from 48-100Hz, which eliminates the possibility of low framerate compensation, but most cards from the mid-range and up should be able to keep the action above that lower limit.

The EX3501R also offers extended color, meaning it goes beyond the standard RGB (sRGB) spectrum. Though it won’t quite reach the 90% P3 level, which produces a wider color range than sRGB, of other HDR screens, it still goes beyond sRGB - up to about 80% of P3 by our measurements. How much does that matter? If you’re watching Ultra HD Blu-rays (the best way to enjoy HDR right now) the EX3501R will deliver most of that extra color and look more saturated than an sRGB monitor. 

However, gamers may want to consider that HDR titles are quite rare still. And games with color beyond sRGB are vaporware at present.

Specifications