Monoprice Dark Matter 49-Inch Gaming Monitor Is Ready To Rumble With Samsung
There are ultra-wide monitors, and then there's the class of super-wide 49-inch displays that take expansive screen real estate to a whole new level. Samsung has been the primary driver of 49-inch monitors, though ASUS and others have dabbled as well. One more contender just entered the ring—Monoprice.
Yes, the company that is perhaps best known for selling reasonably priced cables has been making a more aggressive push into the PC gaming space. In fact, I'm typing this article on a Dark Matter Aether optical-mechanical gaming keyboard that I purchased from Monoprice earlier this year for a relative pittance ($38 at the time).
I haven't used any of Monoprice's monitors, though I'm intrigued by its latest addition, the Dark Matter 49-inch curved gaming display. It joins a not-so-crowded field of contenders in the 49-inch space, a field that narrows further when looking at options with a 5124x1440 resolution (32:9 aspect ratio) like this one rocks.
It's built around a "grade A" VA screen sourced from TCL's China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) subsidiary. This is a curved display (1800R) with quantum LCD technology. It also features a respectable 120Hz refresh rate, 4ms response time, a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, and 400 nits brightness.
Monoprice is claiming high color gamuts by various standards (99% sRGB, 98% NTSC, 95% DCI-P3, and 93% Adobe RGB), which is typically an advantage of VA and IPS panels over cheaper TN screens. It also boasts 178-degree viewing angles (vertical and horizontal). Adaptive sync is part of the package too, though it's not clear how well it works with G-Sync (it's not certified G-Sync Compatible as far as I can tell).
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports and a pair of DisplayPort 1.4 ports. There are no built-in USB ports or speakers.
The 49-inch Dark Matter is available now for $999.99 at Monoprice. That's a competitive price, though recent Black Friday discounts on other 49-inch options create an interesting landscape. Here are other options (not all of which are on sale)...
- 49-Inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (5120x1440, 240Hz): $1,999.99 at Amazon (save $500)
- 49-Inch Samsung CRG9 (5120x1440, 120Hz): $949.99 at Amazon (save $250)
- 49-Inch Samsung CHG90 (3840x1080p, 144Hz, HDR): $999.99 at Amazon
- 49-Inch Samsung Odyssey G9 (5120x1440, 240Hz): $999.99 at Amazon (save $400)
- 49-Inch ASUS ROG Strix (3840x1080, 144Hz): $799.99 at Amazon
The Odyssey Neo G9 is twice as expensive as most of the other options because it sports fancy mini LED backlighting. The regular Odyssey G9, however, stands out from the bunch with its fast 240Hz refresh rate, and it is also certified G-Sync Compatible. The deep discount steals some thunder from Monoprice's launch.
If you're wondering what the appeal of these displays boils down to, it's that they essentially mimick a dual-monitor setup but without a gap or bezels in between. It's like having a pair of 27-inch monitors, just in a sleeker form factor. A 49-inch monitor is not for everyone, but if you need the real estate, they're definitely worth considering. Just pay attention to the specs, namely the resolution and refresh rate.
