BenQ EW3880R review 2024: recommended for work and play

In the last few years, we’ve seen some huge PC monitors come out, but the BenQ EW3880R, with its 21:9 aspect ratio, is one of the widest and most interesting on the market right now. Its subtle brown speaker grille and stand give its 38-inch (37.5-inch viewable) screen a lot of presence even before you turn it on. It almost looks like it would work in a living room.

With a resolution of 3,840 x 1,600, it can show a clear and detailed Windows desktop and lets you put four full-sized A4 windows next to each other. This can help people who work with multiple documents, browsers, and, especially, spreadsheets get more done in less time. But we found that it was hard on our necks to turn our heads to look from one end of the screen to the other. Still, the screen has a small curve that makes it easier on your eyes as you move from side to side.

BenQ EW3880R Specifications

BenQ EW3880R review: Design

The brown colour on the speaker grille below the screen and on the stand of the EW3880R make it look like it would fit in a modern, small living room. But the stand kind of shouts that it’s still a computer monitor at heart, which means it’s not quite right for the living room of a family.

But there are some good things about having a stand for your computer monitor. It has a 120mm height adjustment and can tilt from -5o to 15o, swivel from -15o to 15o, and swivel from -15o to 15o. The large cutout at the bottom of the display on the back makes it easy to get to the input ports. Just keep in mind that the power cord plugs in on the left side. You can buy this gaming monitor from its official website.

BenQ EW3880R review: Display and Performance

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the BenQ EW3880R was made with multimedia, not gaming, in mind first and foremost. This is shown by the fact that it has a 60Hz refresh rate, which is definitely on the slow side, especially if you like your games to run as smoothly as possible.

Even though the refresh rate is low, I had a good time playing games in 1440p on this monitor. First-person shooters and racing games benefited the most from the ultrawide display. Ride 4 was a particular highlight, especially when the 21:9 Ultrawide display was used with the game’s HDR modes.

BenQ EW3880R review: Connectivity

The BenQ EW3880R has a lot of ways to connect, but other options, like the Dell U3821DW, are better. You will find a DisplayPort 1.4 port, two HDMI ports, and a USB-C port with DP Alt Mode that can handle 60 watts. You also get two USB 3.0 ports for connecting accessories and a 3.5mm jack for headphones or PC speakers.

But this monitor doesn’t need the latter because it has a unique 2.1 channel setup that you won’t find on most others. It has a 3-watt pair of speakers that are backed up by an 8-watt subwoofer to give you bass, which most built-in speakers don’t do. The TreVolo treatment from BenQ makes it clearer and sound better, so you can use it for movies and games.

BenQ EW3880R review: Price and availability

The BenQ EW3880R tries to be one of the best gaming monitors not by having a very fast refresh rate but by having a good screen. Make no mistake, either. The BenQ EW3880R is a big monitor with a big price tag. It costs $1,050 (£1,030), which puts it in the same league as the best screens from Samsung and Alienware.

Final Words

The EW3880R from BenQ is in a bad spot. Even though it faces competition from better IPS Black, Mini-LED, or QD-OLED technology, it sticks with a standard IPS display panel with a simple LED backlight. We think this is a fact of making things. We haven’t seen a 38-inch ultrawide TV with cutting-edge panel technology yet, so we our guessing there aren’t any that are the right size.

Still, it’s hard to say that a monitor with average image quality is worth more than $1,000. Most people would be better off buying the AW3423DW from Alienware. Sure, it’s smaller, but that’s easy to fix. Just bring it within a few inches of your face.

FAQs

Are BenQ monitors good quality?

Even though you shouldn’t choose a monitor based on its brand alone—after all, most monitor brands have great products—BenQ has proven to be one of the best. This is true in terms of build quality, features, image quality, value, and number of options. BenQ screens are strong, reliable, and full of features.

Is a BenQ monitor worth it?

BenQ is a great brand if you want to buy something for gaming, prosumers, or entertainment. The brand has been around for a long time and is known as a veteran in the computer market, so they know what fans want and need. The brand is worth the money and time you spend on it.

Are BenQ monitors better for eyes?

Low blue light monitors block out harmful blue light to give your eyes the best care. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) shouldn’t stop you from doing your best work.