LG UltraWide LG UltraWide BR55QC-B 34" QHD Curved Monitor Review

The LG UltraWide BR55QC-B is a 34-inch curved QHD monitor that offers great value under $400. It delivers smooth 100Hz performance, good color accuracy, and useful USB-C connectivity, making it a solid pick for productivity and casual gaming. Just don't expect top-tier HDR or esports-level response times.

If you're shopping for a 34-inch ultrawide monitor for under $400, the LG UltraWide BR55QC-B is a name you'll see a lot. It's a 34-inch curved VA panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution and a 100Hz refresh rate, which is a sweet spot for both work and casual gaming. The price, which hovers around $360 to $380, makes it one of the more affordable entry points into the ultrawide world. It's a monitor that promises to boost your productivity with its extra screen real estate and throw in some entertainment perks like FreeSync Premium and HDR10 support, all without breaking the bank.

The 100Hz refresh rate is a nice step up from the standard 60Hz, making everyday scrolling and motion in games feel noticeably smoother. Our data shows its performance score lands in the 55th percentile, which is solid for its class and price. The 5ms gray-to-gray response time is decent, but don't expect it to compete with high-end gaming monitors for fast-paced esports. The 300 nits brightness and 99% sRGB color coverage are good enough for most office and creative tasks, scoring in the 81st and 87th percentiles for display and color, respectively. It won't blow you away with HDR, but it gets the job done for the price.

At around $360, the LG BR55QC-B sits in a very competitive spot. You're getting a lot of screen for your money, with a sharp QHD resolution and a useful 100Hz refresh rate. For comparison, you'd often pay a couple hundred dollars more for similar specs from other brands. The main trade-off is that you're not getting the peak brightness or fastest response times of pricier models, but if your budget is firm, this monitor delivers a lot of core ultrawide benefits without the premium price tag.

The most direct competitor is often the Dell S3422DWG, which offers a similar 34-inch curved VA panel with 144Hz but usually costs a bit more. If you're willing to spend more for gaming, the MSI MPG 321URX offers a stunning 4K QD-OLED panel at 240Hz, but it's in a completely different price league. For productivity, the Dell UltraSharp 27" 4K is a sharper, more color-accurate option, but you lose the immersive ultrawide aspect ratio. The LG's real advantage is undercutting these on price while still offering that expansive 21:9 workspace and decent feature set.

Skip this monitor if you're a competitive esports gamer who needs the absolute fastest response times, or a creative professional who requires high brightness and wide color gamuts for HDR work. Also, if you need a monitor to travel with, its 15-pound weight makes it a poor choice. For those use cases, look at high-refresh-rate IPS panels or professional-grade monitors instead.

So, should you buy the LG UltraWide BR55QC-B? If you want an affordable, no-frills gateway into the ultrawide life for work and casual play, yes. It's a competent all-rounder that scores well in color, features, and ergonomics for its price. But if you're a hardcore gazer needing perfect HDR or a competitive gamer chasing every frame, you'll want to look at more specialized (and expensive) options. For everyone else looking to upgrade from a basic 1080p monitor without spending a fortune, this LG is a very sensible choice.