November 30, 2019 by Paolo Reva Leave a Comment

Pros:

Cons:

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The ViewSonic VP3481 offers a balanced spec sheet that caters to both gamers and content creators which require high refresh rates, color quality, and reliability. The monitor is also competitively priced as far as 100Hz 34-inch monitors go which, if you can remember, used to cost over a grand. The ViewSonic VP3481 is trying to break into cutthroat territory with what it offers, but can it emerge at the top of the list?

The ViewSonic VP3481 sports a familiar aesthetic that is prominent on its VP line of monitors that offers excellent performance on the average. The monitor is mostly finished in matte black, but it has a few glossy accents and a bronzed-out upright to add some contrast. The display isn’t bezel-free, but the thick plastic border is limited to the bottom side only.

It’s also worth mentioning that the ViewSonic VP3481 is considerably bigger than other monitors in its class. The stand needs a foot of depth on your desk, while the device itself needs almost three feet of horizontal space with no obstructions. The device is heavy at almost twenty-seven pounds, so make sure that you have a sturdy desk to accommodate it along with the other parts of your setup.

Another aspect the ViewSonic VP3481 inherited from its predecessors is its excellent build quality. The monitor feels like a tank with its thick plastic panels with metal reinforcements, indicating that it will last quite a while. We also didn’t see any physical or cosmetic defects on the device, telling us that ViewSonic’s quality control department did its job well.

One of the aspects of the ViewSonic VP3481 we cringed at is its use of OSD buttons instead of the much preferrable joystick for easy OSD access. Each one is crisp and responsive, but its always more confusing to press buttons that you can’t directly see, especially at night. Displays meant for mixed usage like this model will also likely see a lot of tweaks or adjustments, so it’s crucial to have a more user-friendly interface for it.

The stand on the ViewSonic VP3481 looks like its overdesigned to hold a lot of weight with its thick verticals and massive base. The mechanism offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments, so there should be no need to purchase a VESA mount which is also compatible with the chassis. The only time a user might want to consider adding an armature is if the stand takes too much space.

But on the other hand, connectivity on the ViewSonic VP3481 is plentiful so you won’t end up looking for more slots or options. The layout includes DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 slots for video inputs. There is also a trio of USB 3.1 connectors and a USB-C slot with 15 Watts of power for modern devices.

You also get a pair of decently-powered built-in speakers with the ViewSonic VP3481 which is ideal for listening to music while working or even watching videos. Gamers will still prefer headsets for their specific tuning, but it’s nice to have a set that doesn’t sound tinny.

The ViewSonic VP3481 sports a 34-inch VA panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, 100Hz refresh rate, and 5ms response time. A 400 cd/m2 backlight is also specified, along with an expected 3000:1 contrast ratio thanks to the properties of VA modules. The 1800r curve of the screen isn’t the most aggressive in the market, but the ultrawide form factor makes it more appreciable for immersive gaming.

An upsized QHD monitor like the ViewSonic VP3481 is fantastic for both work and play since you get more virtual space without sacrificing the upgraded sharpness. The display’s pixel count is still within excellent levels, so details are still crisp while small objects aren’t too difficult to see. The massive increase also helps with productivity since you can spread out your applications horizontally with this monitor unlike with a 16:9 variant.

The ViewSonic VP3481 promises wide gamut coverage, but it falls short of a few of the manufacturer’s claims. The screen produces around 101% of the sRGB gamut which is excellent, but it’s insufficient for HDR performance. The monitor’s color accuracy sits at a DeltaE average of 2.1 which is great, but photo editing or any similar use will still require calibration to improve it.

The screen also doesn’t as bright as the specs list, since its backlight can only produce around 340 cd/m2 at maximum. That’s still too high for sustained or extended periods of use, but it also means the monitor misses the requirements of HDR400 specifications. The monitors still support HDR10 signals, but it can only translate or emulate it as best it can.

The screen’s contrast maxed out at 2040:1 in tests, putting the ViewSonic VP3481 behind a few models which breached 2500:1 easily. But despite that shortcoming, the monitor was still able to provide excellent black levels and a richer, overall vibrancy when compared to other panel types. Games like Modern Warfare can maximize these specifications, especially with the night missions where there are lots of green against black backgrounds from all the NVGs and lasers.

Uniformity isn’t an issue as well for the ViewSonic VP3481 even if its screen is oversized compared to the usual. Backlight variances stayed within 11% across the board and there were no leaks, so we did not see any clouding or grayish appearances in all-black images. However, take note that this aspect could vary between unit to unit, so no two monitors are made equal.

We didn’t’ expect competitive-gaming levels of responsiveness from the ViewSonic VP3481 since it wasn’t meant entirely for that purpose. Thankfully, the display was able to hold its own in keeping blurs and artifacts to a minimum. Some can become noticeable in select instances, but for most gamers, it shouldn’t get to a level that will become distracting.

The ViewSonic VP3481 is a FreeSync gaming monitor, but it should also support G-Sync functionality with no issues. Take note that you need to have FreeSync active all the time for both GPUs if you want to run the 100Hz refresh rate. Input lag sits at 10ms, so there should be no delays or “de-synced” instances during game time.

The ViewSonic VP3481 is a decent ultrawide monitor if you need a reasonably-priced product that can provide a middle ground for professional endeavors and gaming. The product doesn’t complete excel in one or the other, but the overall performance and the price makes it a good buy. We like the design and the sturdiness of the monitor, although it might be too bulky for limited desktops.

We have a few nitpicks with the ViewSonic VP3481 such as its use of OSD buttons instead of a joystick, but it’s hard to argue with a value proposition that can get the job done. This makes the VP3481 a very reasonable choice if you want an ultrawide monitor that will not break your bank.

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About the Author:

Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since his junior high years. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: 100Hz, 1440p, 3440 x 1440, 5ms, freesync, QHD, Ultrawide, UW-QHD, VA, viewsonic