2 years ago I bought a Samsung 27" 120hz monitor to see what all the fuss was about and I can say that yes, the difference is noticeable to me in most games whether they are shooters, platformers, racing games, etc. 120hz combined with TN response times results in a very fast, crisp, fluid, smooth, and lag-free experience. Blurring and ghosting during movement were greatly minimized if not all but eliminated, which made fast motion much more enjoyable.
Now, with that being said, you do make certain sacrifices. In order to experience this extremely fast, fluid, blur-free gameplay I had to endure the color and viewing angle limitations that come along with TN panels. But the Samsung had a glossy screen which made the colors look better than a typical TN, and I do not do photo-sensitive work so the monitor was fine for general gaming and Windows use. You quickly get used to the TN color palette and the difference was only striking when I compared it side by side with my Dell U3011 (which looked better but was slower, obviously).
Both TN and IPS panels lack the deep blacks that a VA panel can provide, so I recently sold the U3011 to fund a BenQ BL3200PT which so far has been marvelous. I play a lot of dark games (the horror genre is one of my favorites) and the experience in games such as Amnesia and Outlast can be marred by not having true blacks. Now, here's the kicker...VA panels are typically regarded as being slower than most IPS panels and obviously much slower than TN panels, so I was a bit worried about going from a fast 120hz TN to a slow-by-comparison 60hz VA panel. But the regression wasn't as jarring as I had feared. Yes, it would be nice to have 120hz with the great color and black levels that the BenQ has, but 60hz is perfectly playable and enjoyable.
When I first saw these 21:9 monitors, I knew that I had to have one. I can easily see how a wide horizontal view can increase immersion in games, not to mention productivity on the desktop. The 29" versions were a bit too small, and I didn't really want the 34UM65 because although it would be easier to drive, I'm not a huge fan of the lack of horizontal real estate that a 1080p display provides. So, enter the 34UM94/95 (and the upcoming AOC, Dell, and possibly Samsung 34" 3440x1440 displays). These aren't perfect, but I think it will be a fantastic compromise. Ultra widescreen gaming and increased productivity without the hassles and bezels of a triple monitor setup, gorgeous IPS color, adequate speed from everything I've read so far, etc. Sure it lacks 120hz and G-Sync, but if you can't live without that then you should be getting the ROG Swift anyway. I for one am very much looking forward to using the 34UM94 and I think it will be a game changer as far as how much I enjoy using my computer. And now, thanks to those who bought into this drop, I can have it for $850. Bring it!
Now, with that being said, you do make certain sacrifices. In order to experience this extremely fast, fluid, blur-free gameplay I had to endure the color and viewing angle limitations that come along with TN panels. But the Samsung had a glossy screen which made the colors look better than a typical TN, and I do not do photo-sensitive work so the monitor was fine for general gaming and Windows use. You quickly get used to the TN color palette and the difference was only striking when I compared it side by side with my Dell U3011 (which looked better but was slower, obviously).
Both TN and IPS panels lack the deep blacks that a VA panel can provide, so I recently sold the U3011 to fund a BenQ BL3200PT which so far has been marvelous. I play a lot of dark games (the horror genre is one of my favorites) and the experience in games such as Amnesia and Outlast can be marred by not having true blacks. Now, here's the kicker...VA panels are typically regarded as being slower than most IPS panels and obviously much slower than TN panels, so I was a bit worried about going from a fast 120hz TN to a slow-by-comparison 60hz VA panel. But the regression wasn't as jarring as I had feared. Yes, it would be nice to have 120hz with the great color and black levels that the BenQ has, but 60hz is perfectly playable and enjoyable.
When I first saw these 21:9 monitors, I knew that I had to have one. I can easily see how a wide horizontal view can increase immersion in games, not to mention productivity on the desktop. The 29" versions were a bit too small, and I didn't really want the 34UM65 because although it would be easier to drive, I'm not a huge fan of the lack of horizontal real estate that a 1080p display provides. So, enter the 34UM94/95 (and the upcoming AOC, Dell, and possibly Samsung 34" 3440x1440 displays). These aren't perfect, but I think it will be a fantastic compromise. Ultra widescreen gaming and increased productivity without the hassles and bezels of a triple monitor setup, gorgeous IPS color, adequate speed from everything I've read so far, etc. Sure it lacks 120hz and G-Sync, but if you can't live without that then you should be getting the ROG Swift anyway. I for one am very much looking forward to using the 34UM94 and I think it will be a game changer as far as how much I enjoy using my computer. And now, thanks to those who bought into this drop, I can have it for $850. Bring it!