If you have plenty of space on your desk or in your gaming area, a 34-inch, ultra-wide, and curved monitor offers plenty of on screen real estate to multitask, or it allows you to immerse yourself in your favorite gaming adventures. The Dell Pro 34 Plus Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor (P3425WE) is not the highest-end monitor you can get, but for the average user or casual gamer, it’s loaded with features that check all the boxes for it to become a worthwhile addition to your work or gaming computer setup.
The folks at Dell recently provided me with a review unit of the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor. Over the past few weeks, I’ve connected it to an Asus Zenbook S16 (Windows) laptop, a 13” Apple MacBook Pro, and Nintendo Switch OLED Model video game console to see how well the monitor performed. As you’re about to discover, it handles itself well when used for a wide range of tasks. The monitor is also priced competitively and is loaded with ports.
Keep reading to learn more about my experience using this productivity boosting monitor, and discover if it can meet your needs.
Dell Dell Pro 34 Plus Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor (P3425WE)
Specifications
Price: $699.99.
Display Size: 34.1-inches.
Display Type: WQHD LCD IPS.
Max. Display Resolution: 3,440 x 1,400 pixels (110 PPI).
Refresh Rate: 100Hz.
Displayable Colors: 1.07 billion (99% sRGB).
Contrast Ratio: 1500:1.
Aspect Ratio: 21:9.
Response Time: 5ms GTG (Fast); 8ms GTG.
Max. Display Brightness: 350 nits.
Adjustability: Tilt, Height, Slant, Swivel.
Included Stand: Adjustable.
VESA Mount Compatible: Yes (100 x 100).
Built-In Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 3x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-N, 2x USB Type-C, 1x RJ45.
Dimensions: 32.13 inches long by up to 21.31 inches tall by 0.35 inches thick.
Weight: 21.85 pounds (with Stand).
Pros
- Adjustable stand included.
- Offers Picture-by-Picture and Picture-in-Picture.
- Anti-glare screen.
- Plenty of ports.
- Ideal for multitasking or gaming.
Cons
- Requires a lot of desk space due to its length.
- Ports are located on the back of the monitor (facing downward).
- No built-in webcam or speakers.
Who Will the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE Monitor Will Appeal To?
Casual business users who often multitask, people who need an abundance of screen space for their at home computing tasks, as well as casual gamers are the ideal users for the Dell Pro 34 Plus monitor. It’s suitable for running business and personal applications, streaming video, web surfing, multitasking, or casual gaming. I also found it easily handles basic photo and video editing, although there are certainly higher resolution monitors that are better suited for graphic-intensive tasks.
If you’re looking for pro-level performance from a monitor that displays bright and extremely detailed, high-resolution graphics or animations, you’ll need to spend a bit more for a higher-end monitor. The same is true if you’re a serious gamer looking for a specialty gaming monitor, such as the Dell Alienware 34 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor. For everyone else, the Dell Pro 34 Plus is a viable option.
Think of the Dell Pro 34 Plus as a nicely equipped and versatile, general purpose monitor that offers an abundance of on-screen real estate. It also offers tilt, height, slant, and swivel adjustability when used with its included stand. This is a curved, ultra-wide monitor that requires a significant amount of desk space, so based on how you plan to use it, you’ll want to be able to position yourself at an appropriate distance from the screen.
Keep in mind, if the 34-inch version of this ultra-wide, curved, and adjustable monitor is just too large for your space, Dell also offers a 14-inch, 22-inch, 24-inch, 27-inch, and 32-inch version of this monitor – all of which offer a similar design and feature set.
What the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE Monitor Offers
Hands down, what I found most useful about the Dell Pro 34 Plus is the abundance of ports built into the back of the monitor. Ports include one HDMI port, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, two USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-B port, one USB Type-C port, and one RJ45 ethernet port. On the front of the monitor, there’s also one USB Type-A port and one USB Type-C port which offers easier access.
Again, all of the ports on the back of the monitor face downward, so based on how you have the monitor positioned on your desk, they may not be easily accessible if space is tight. And while the ports are labeled, the labels for each are small and difficult to see.
The monitor is also equipped with two soundbar slots, a security key lock slot, and a stand lock. After connecting your computer to the monitor using a single cable, the monitor’s ports also serve as a hub for connecting other equipment.
Two of my favorite built-in features are the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes. Using the free Dell monitor software, you can configure and position multiple app windows on the screen in a way that matches your work style. If you don’t want to use the app window customization features, no special drivers are required to use the monitor with a Windows or Mac computer.
Between the monitor’s ability to showcase more than 1.07 billion colors (99 percent sRBG), its 100Hz refresh rate, and its 1500:1 contrast ratio, I found the monitor displays sharp text, vivid colors, and smooth animations that are impressive for a mid-priced, general purpose monitor. When used with the included stand, you get plenty of adjustability (tilt, swivel, slant, and height) options, so based on the applications you’re using, manually adjusting it for a perfect view is simple.
The Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE Monitor’s Operation
When it comes to work-related apps, the Dell Pro 34 Plus is all about multitasking and being able to position app windows in a size, format, and style that allows you to customize your workspace and promote maximum productivity. Meanwhile, the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes give you plenty of options when streaming video and performing other tasks simultaneously.
I found the monitor itself offers a straightforward, plug-and-play set up, but you’ll want to use options within Windows Setup or MacOS System Preferences to customize the monitor’s performance when used with your specific computer. The USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports located on the front of the monitor are forward-facing and easily accessible, but I found the ports on the back of the display are harder to reach, especially if you place the monitor close to a wall or you’re in a smaller workspace.
If you’re not accustomed to using an ultra-wide or curved monitor, there will be an adjustment period, since your eyes need to become accustomed to looking at a much wider workspace.
Many people, including myself, have found that using a curved monitor when you need to focus on work is helpful. You can become more immersed in your work since what you’re viewing also takes advantage of your peripheral vision. This helps to reduce distractions.
The trick is to position yourself at a comfortable distance from the monitor, so you can see everything displayed without having to continuously move your head around. During testing, I found sitting between 24 and 30 inches from the monitor allowed what’s being displayed to comfortably fit within my field of view, without causing eye strain or requiring excessive head movement. When gaming, I moved in a bit closer to enhance the immersive visuals in the games I played that were designed to accommodate an ultra-wide monitor.
Is the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE A Decent Gaming Monitor?
The Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE is a decent gaming monitor but mainly for a casual PC or console gamer. The Dell Pro 34 Plus is large enough to offer an immersive viewing experience thanks to its curvature. This monitor does a nice job showcasing accurate colors, along with deep blacks and bright whites. You also get a decent 100Hz refresh rate, which allows for smooth animations. Sure, a 120Hz refresh rate would be ideal, as would a higher maximum brightness and resolution, but for the price, the hardware configuration that’s offered represents a really good value.
From a brightness standpoint, the Dell Pro 34 Plus maxes out at 350 nits, which is suitable for a room with average lighting or a dimly lit work area. This is a typical maximum brightness for a general purpose monitor, but in direct light or direct sunlight coming in through a window, I discovered content sometimes appeared a bit faded or washed out.
Keep in mind, this monitor lacks built-in speakers, so you’ll probably want to use a gaming headset, headphones, or earbuds that are paired or connected to your computer or gaming console. That said, when it comes to the visuals, the Dell Pro 34 Plus does an impressive job showcasing popular games.
When I connected the monitor to my Nintendo Switch OLED Model via HDMI, as well as my Asus Zenbook S16 laptop (via a USB Type-C cable), the monitor delivered smooth animations and an impressive response rate considering the Dell Pro 34 Plus is not a specialty gaming monitor. It admirably handles casual gaming.
Dell Dell Pro 34 Plus Curved Ultra-Wide Monitor (P3425WE)
Final Thoughts: Is the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3425WE Monitor Worth It?
Based on its MSRP of $699.99 (less when it’s on sale), you can expect decent performance with sharp and clear visuals from the Dell Pro 34 Plus monitor. For me, its most impressive attributes are its abundance of ports, and the detachable stand that allows you to tilt, swivel, or slant the monitor. You can easily run multiple applications side-by-side, or stream content in a window while also working with your favorite software.
What I found lacking are built-in speakers and a webcam, but based on how you plan to use the monitor, you might not deem these necessary, or you can connect these optional peripherals separately. On the plus side, the screen offers a glare-free filter that works nicely to combat most ambient lighting.
To get the most out of this monitor, install the Dell Display and Peripheral Manager Application, or if you’re using the monitor with a Mac, install the Dell P3425WE Monitor Driver for Mac System. Both are available for free from Dell’s website.
After several weeks using the Dell Pro 34 Plus, I found it’s able to handle a wide range of tasks, but it does not offer pro-level resolution or performance. This makes it far more useful for general purpose computing, multitasking, streaming video, or casual gaming. If you’re a pro photo or video editor, creative professional, or serious gamer, you’ll likely want a more costly monitor, like the Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor that offers features like a higher resolution and faster refresh rate.
