The Cooler Master GM34-CW is the first of its kind from a brand that previously focused on making the best cases, power supplies, and peripherals. This model offers a larger, 1440p ultrawide screen with a 144Hz compared to the smaller GM27-CW, making it more attractive for immersive gaming and multitasking. The Cooler Master GM34-CW is facing tough competition with a median price point, so let’s check out if what it brings to the table is worth the cost.
Cooler Master GM34-CW Specifications
- Screen Size: 34 Inches
- Resolution: 3440 x 1440 UW-QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- Panel Technology: Vertical Alignment
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Response Time: 4ms (1ms MPRT)
- Contrast Ratio: 3000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 400 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (75 x 75)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 2, HDMI 2.0 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, 3.5mm Audio Jack x 1
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 31.84” x 20.51” x 10.39”
- Weight: 15.48 lbs
Design and Features
The Cooler Master GM34-CW sports an aesthetic that matches the brand’s vibe in the gaming market without looking over-designed or gaudy. The chassis has a matte black finish that’s paired with a gunmetal stand that will make it look good next to the company’s premium cases. The display is bezel-free on three sides, but you will still see panel borders when its turned on.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW isn’t very heavy for its size, but you have to make sure that you have the space for it. The total depth once fully assembled is almost 11 inches, and not to mention that its width is almost at three feet. The 1500r curve also makes this model one of the steepest in its category, so that is a factor as well for its dimensions.
Build quality for the Cooler Master GM34-CW is great since there are no cosmetic defects or imperfections on the device. The stand does have a very minimal wobble, but it doesn’t happen often and its mostly unnoticeable. There are no uneven gaps or seams as well, so you’d know that the manufacturing process followed a good quality control program.
There are three LED strips on the rear panel of the Cooler Master GM34-CW which adds a gentle glow when activated. You can manipulate its settings in the OSD, but its color is fixed to purple which Cooler Master widely uses on its gaming models. Decorative lighting is always nice to have, but its pointless for many if you can’t match its hue with the rest of the build.
One downside we immediately noticed on the Cooler Master GM34-CW is its use of OSD buttons which are unfit for a premium monitor. Most manufacturers are now implementing joysticks and puck remotes to make accessing the various settings less tedious. There is a power button next to the layout, and its rather easy to wrongly press it and power down the screen while you are trying to hit the back button.
The attractive stand on the Cooler Master GM34-CW offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments so it can give you a bit of room in setting up the screen. The base shaped in the brand’s logo takes a bit of space, but its hollow space at the center is a great spot for small peripherals like stream decks or your mobile phone. You can use VESA mounts, but you have to use one with a 75 x 75 bolt pattern which is kind of small for a monitor of this size.
The connectivity layout on the Cooler Master GM34-CW includes dual DisplayPort 1.4 slots and a port each for HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 1.4. There are no USB slots with this model which isn’t completely essential, but they are nice to have since they help with cable management for your other peripherals. There is a 3.5mm jack and a basic pair of 2-watt speakers, but the monitor deserves a great headset to match its immersive screen.
Display and Performance
The Cooler Master GM34-CW boasts a 34-inch ultrawide SVA panel from Samsung with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, a 144Hz max refresh rate, and a 1ms MPRT response time. The backlight goes up to 400 cd/m2, while the contrast ratio sits at 3000:1 like most VA-type variants. The screen is HDR 400 compliant, but it cannot provide profound improvements found on better-equipped and more expensive models like the Acer X35.
Pixel density won’t be an issue with the Cooler Master GM34-CW and it can offer an excellent balance between clarity and visibility like 27-inch 1440p monitors. You can enjoy cleaner and less jagged edges, so some games won’t need a lot of post-processing effects like anti-aliasing. It’s also suitable for productivity since the PPI won’t miniaturize letters and numbers so scaling is unnecessary for most users.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW is one of the most vibrant monitors we’ve checked out, offering as much as 135% sRGB and 99.8% DCI-P3 coverage thanks to its Quantum Dot treatment. However, the factory calibration is way off, creating a delta E average of around 4.8 which induces discoloration and incorrect saturation in some hues. The color temperature, however, is already well-balanced so white backgrounds won’t look yellowish or bluish during normal use.
You can calibrate the Cooler Master GM34-CW to lower its dE average to a fantastic 1.03 which is comparable to some prosumer monitors. However, results like this are only guaranteed if you have a colorimeter which is quite expensive if you are buying it together with the monitor. We recommend adjusting the screen’s settings to your liking instead if you don’t want to spend the extra for it.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW hits around 2900:1 contrast at 40% backlight which is plenty for any type of use. The screen’s gamma is perfect as well, so there are no overly bright or dark scenes during the test. The only problem here is the incorrect saturation of the colors which heavily affects the monitor’s overall accuracy.
Panel uniformity for the Cooler Master GM34-CW is decent overall since there are no noticeable deviances when the screen is in use. There are, however, some minor leaks at the corners when viewing a black image, but it is rare to see them while playing games or viewing your apps and content. Take note that this varies between every unit, so you may get one with fewer or no symptoms at all.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW is prone to some blurring since its an accompanying characteristic of VA panels. However, it does have an effective overdrive feature that cleans up the screen to avoid visible halos and trailing while playing your favorite titles. Avoid setting it too high since the maximum level will induce overshoot in various transitions on the display.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW is a FreeSync2 HDR monitor, but it also supports G-Sync Compatible Mode with a 48Hz to 144Hz range. This capability is great if you want to save money in the long run since you don’t have to swap it out with a new model if in case you switch to the other GPU brand. Input lag sits at 4ms at 144Hz, so there are no delays or “de-synced” instances while gaming.
Thoughts on the Cooler Master GM34-CW
The Cooler Master GM34-CW is a fantastic ultrawide gaming monitor thanks to its eye-popping gamut coverage and responsiveness. The screen offers a lot of vibrancy which is great for games, while its blur mitigation is effective and one of the best we’ve seen on VA models. We like the design of the product as well, but we wish Cooler Master opted for RGB lighting instead of settling with purple.
The Cooler Master GM34-CW doesn’t have a lot of flaws, but its factory calibration needs a ton of work to be competitive. A lot of similar models like the AOC CU34G2X are better in this regard, so it spells less trouble for those without access to a colorimeter. It’s a fantastic option for gaming, but make sure you have the means to correctly tweak it if you are planning on some editing work.
Pros:
- Excellent Motion Handling
- FreeSync/G-Sync Compatible
- Fantastic Gamut Coverage
- Classy Design
- Low Input Lag
Cons:
- Poor Factory Calibration – Requires Calibration
- 2-Watt Speakers
- OSD Buttons
About the Author:
Paolo is a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since his junior high years. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations and he believes that it’s every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.