This is easily one of the most insane products we’ve ever covered on Ebuyer. With a 32:10 aspect ratio, the ASUS ROG STRIX XG43VQ is a frankly bonkers 43-inch super ultrawide gaming monitor. Guest presenter James unboxes and then demonstrates the incredible performance of this awesome gaming monitor.

Pronounced curve

Before we break down the technical nitty-gritty of this monitor’s specifications, let’s address the blindingly obvious – the screen real estate! The sheer size of the display is absolutely breath-taking, with a pronounced 1800R curve. It’s essential in facilitating a display this overwhelmingly wide.

The wraparound design completely engulfs your peripheral vision, realistically immersing you in the centre of the game. This effect is particularly apparent in the latest first-person perspective games, whether it be shooters or simulators.

We’ll be giving our first hands-on impressions with Doom Eternal, Microsoft Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon 4 later on.

Robust connectivity options

The port selection is well-rounded, with two USB 3.0 ports, two HDMI 2.0 and a DisplayPort 1.2. As far as monitors go, the built-in speakers are surprisingly competent, and are ideal for casual content consumption.

For productivity-focused applications, this 32:10 aspect ratio display delivers the equivalent screen real estate of two 16:10, 24-inch monitors squeezed together, but without an unsightly bezel ruining the view.

Smartly leveraging the robust connectivity options and the super ultrawide display, this monitor supports multiple inputs and picture-by-picture support. View up to three content sources simultaneously.

For instance, hook up your console over HDMI and your gaming PC over DisplayPort and enjoy them on the same screen for multi-tasking goodness.

An unfortunate number of monitors falsely claim to be HDR, selfishly cashing in on the highly demanding feature. Thankfully, this monitor passes VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. This is VESA’s base-level certification but represents a peak luminance 50% higher than conventional SDR displays.

Height, tilt and swivel adjustment

Given the hefty dimensions of the monitor, there’s still a decent amount of adjustability – from height adjustment up-and-down, to tilt forward-and-back for best possible viewing angles.

There is, however, no portrait rotation – for obvious reasons! Unless you want the display to enable cheats and no-clip through the desk, it just isn’t physically possible.

There’s some slight swivel adjustment, but not too much to disrupt the stability of the monitor. Ideally, you want to be facing dead-on for the optimal experience.

FreeSync fluidity

Let’s hook it up to a gaming-grade system to power the 3840 by 1200 super ultrawide resolution. This is essentially two 1080p displays side-by-side, so you require a capable gaming PC – especially if you want to saturate the 120Hz high refresh rate capabilities too. Working together, these produce a clearly defined image in motion.

If you, understandably, fail to consistently reach the demanding requirements of this monitor, FreeSync support saves the day. FreeSync smooths over drops in performance by dynamically adjusting the monitor’s refresh rate to accurately match your frame rate. This eliminates screen-tearing and makes frame rate fluctuations less noticeable.

Doom Eternal

First, we’ve got the lightning fast, non-stop action of Doom Eternal. Conventional 16:9 aspect ratio displays feel claustrophobic in comparison. The broadened peripheral vision feels naturally situated in the surrounding environments. You simply see more crucial information on-screen like enemies, projectiles and pick-ups. The high refresh rate genuinely improves your aim. Despite the first-person perspective, details remain convincingly sharp when getting up close and personal.

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Next up is the ridiculously ambitious Microsoft Flight Simulator. Simulators are practically designed for this display. The plane’s intricate instruments are evenly distributed across this super ultrawide display, requiring less awkward panning and zooming around the cockpit. Witnessing one of the most graphically impressive games at this aspect ratio and fluidity is truly game-changing. Flying low, the resolution keeps rooftops, lampposts and trees stretching into the distance sharp.

Forza Horizon 4

Lastly, Ebuyer’s go-to gaming test: Forza Horizon 4. Don’t be alarmed by the black bars during menu navigation, loading screens and cinematics. Once we’re in-game, it’ll take full advantage of our super ultrawide monitor. Though, it’s a firm reminder not all games are equally optimised for these frankly absurd aspect ratios.

We’re running the built-in benchmark, which produces a wide variety of scenarios. Alternating seasons, weather patterns and night-time racing – the colour reproduction and contrast performance are visually stunning, with 90% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The sense of speed is greatly enhanced as the surrounding environment shoots past your peripheral vision. Graphical effects like rain on the windshield realistically drip from the centre of the monitor across to the outer edges. With more cars and road on-screen, you can take more educated decisions and overtaking opportunities.

More than an incremental upgrade

Words such as ‘insane’ and ‘bonkers’ barely scratch the surface of this monitor’s capabilities. If you’re looking for a game-changing experience rather than another incremental upgrade on your next monitor, the ASUS ROG STRIX XG43VQ certainly provides.

Check it out, over at Ebuyer: ASUS ROG STRIX XG43VQ 43″ Curved Ultra-Wide VA 120Hz Gaming Monitor