A Pretty Solid Buy

Assuming you don't get an XG35VQ with a dead pixel, I think this Asus monitor is a pretty solid buy. It packs nearly all the features you'd want from a high-end monitor of this shape and size at a price that's among the cheapest, from a major brand, for the specs. That's usually the combination of ingredients of a winner.

The XG35VQ's build quality is great. The design is a little too gamer for my taste, but I do appreciate features like slim bezels and an easy-to-navigate OSD with a directional toggle. There's plenty of connectivity and a flexible stand, along with an RGB ring on the back that doesn't make a lot sense.

Color performance is solid, with acceptable out-of-the-box colors and plenty of room for elite calibration. The display is bright, the VA panel technology allows for a high LCD contrast ratio, there's little (if any backlight bleed), and viewing angles are very good. Response times are typical for a VA display, so not as good as TN, but still serviceable for most gaming.

The only real complaint I have is with the display uniformity, which is a problem with a lot of curved monitors, and obviously the dead pixel mine shipped with that I hope almost all buyers wouldn't have to face. Keep this monitor in mind if 3440x1440 ultrawide gaming is your thing, particularly if you have an AMD graphics card.

The Asus XG35VQ can currently be bought for $800, which is around the lowest price on the market for this panel and specifications from a name brand. You can save a few dollars with older variants from less reputable brands, but I'll leave it up to you to decide whether you want to risk it.

Shopping Shortcuts:

80
TechSpot
score

Pros: Good value for the features you get. High resolution, 100Hz ultrawide. Solid design with reasonably slim bezels and easy-to-navigate OSD. Good color performance; great if calibrated.

Cons: Poor uniformity. My review unit had a dead pixel.