49-inch monitors extend diagonally over 124 centimeters in an aspect ratio of 32:9. More image area on a screen is not possible. The comparison reveals which models are suitable for gamers and the home office.
Whether it’s at work or gaming, more screen space is always welcome. Just a few years ago, there was no getting around multiple screens on the desk. However, the quite thick display edges in the multi-monitor setup are extremely annoying, especially when they are being gambled on. If you really want to immerse yourself in the game or have a particularly large number of windows open next to each other, it is better to use a 49-inch monitor. With a resolution of 5120 x 1440 pixels, they offer as much pixel area as two 27-inch devices with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels). The superwide monitors extend over 124 centimeters diagonally. Most models are curved.
That’s a good thing, because otherwise the human eye would have problems seeing the full screen. For the same reason, those interested in a 49-inch monitor should make sure they sit at a large desk. Depending on the radius of curvature of the monitor, you should sit closer or farther from the monitor. As a reminder: Manufacturers indicate the curvature with the R value. At 1500 R you should sit no more than 1.5 meters away, at 3000 R the maximum distance is 3 meters. Logical: the smaller the radius and thus the R value of the monitor, the greater the curvature of the screen.
49 inch monitors for gamers
Of course, gamers make different demands on their monitor than normal office workers do. Response time and frame rate are particularly important in competitive games. The latter should not be less than 144 Hertz in 2022. Regarding the response time, 4 milliseconds is the minimum for gamers. Here, the faster the better. If the monitor is only used for gaming, the color values are secondary. However, if you edit photos or videos on the screen as a hobby, you should pay attention to which color spaces the monitor covers and by what percentage.
The Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ is one of the more affordable 49-inch monitors on the market. The reason for this is its comparatively low resolution. With 3840 x 1080 pixels, it offers just 81 pixels per inch (ppi). That’s the same number of pixels per inch as a 27-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Asus uses VA for the panel. As a reminder: Vertical alignment panels offer the best contrasts, but react more slowly than TN panels. With 49-inch monitors, however, that’s not a big deal because competitive players don’t usually rely on them. The maximum refresh rate of the Asus monitor is 144 Hertz, and its response time is 4 milliseconds according to the manufacturer. Both are sufficient for normal gamers. Of course, the monitor on the stand is height-adjustable, rotatable and tiltable. The curvature of the screen is 1800R. So you don’t want to sit more than 1.8 meters away from the Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ.
The Samsung Odyssey G9 C49G94TSSR is significantly more expensive but technically far more sophisticated. It trumps the Asus monitor in the comparison in almost everything: instead of a 144 Hertz refresh rate, the Odyssey achieves 240 Hertz and not with 3840 x 1080 pixels, but a full 5120 x 1440 pixels. According to Samsung, the monitor offers a quick response time of just one millisecond (GtG). The manufacturer only specifies the brightness as slightly lower at 420 nits, and that is curiously enough, even though Samsung has equipped its screen with its own QLED technology. Samsung also uses VA for the panel. Of course, the monitor can also be adjusted in height, rotated and tilted.
49-inch monitors for the office
For the office monitor, it doesn’t have to be the best of the best. A 60 Hertz refresh rate and a more frugal response time are completely sufficient here. The height adjustability of the base is more important so that the monitor can be set up ergonomically correct. A USB hub on the screen, to which the worker can connect a mouse and keyboard, is also an advantage.
Yes, you don’t need 144 hertz in the office, but if the monitor still offers it, that’s not wrong either. This is exactly the case with the Samsung C49J890DKR. The screen is suitable for the office for several reasons: First, its design is simpler than that of gaming monitors. In the office, most users should welcome a screen that is free of bling-bling LEDs. Second, the screen on the stand is height-adjustable, rotatable, and tiltable.
Third, Samsung integrates a KVM switch into the screen. This allows you to operate two computers on one screen with just one mouse and keyboard. And fourth, there are also USB-C sockets on the monitor, to which you can connect modern laptops. However, the Samsung C49J890DKR has one shortcoming: its resolution is only 3840 x 1080 pixels.
If you are looking for an office monitor with a higher resolution, the Philips 498P9/00 could be just what you need, as it has a resolution of 5120 x 1440 pixels. Compared to the 49-inch Samsung office monitor, it can only do this with a refresh rate of 70 Hertz. That’s not a big deal, but it’s annoying that it doesn’t have any USB-C sockets. To connect a MacBook Air to the monitor, for example, you need a USB-C dongle. However, if you can overlook this, you get a formidable office monitor, because the Philips 498P9/00 also has a KVM switch that allows you to work on two computers at the same time on the screen with just one mouse and keyboard. And of course you can adjust the height of the screen on the stand.
49-inch monitors for video editing and image processing
49-inch monitors are a blessing, especially for video editing. Being able to see the complete timeline on the monitor is an enormous convenience at work. It is particularly important here that the monitor is calibrated at the factory and covers the desired color space. It doesn’t matter what the response time of the screen is. A high refresh rate is also negligible. But it doesn’t really do any damage.
Unfortunately, there is not yet a large selection of 49-inch monitors for videographers and photographers. Brands that are popular among creative people, such as Eizo, do not yet produce oversize models. But there are two copies that cover at least 99 percent of the sRGB color space. One of them is the LG 49WL95C. Its resolution is 5120 x 1440 pixels with a refresh rate of 60 Hertz. LG uses in-plane switching (IPS) for the panel. The design enables the best colors. Of course, the monitor is factory calibrated. Nice: The monitor has a USB-C input to which you can connect your laptop. However, the screen is less suitable for gamers. Its response time of 5 milliseconds is too slow for that. However, the 49WL95C offers a KVM switch with which you can easily work on two computers with just one input device.
The Dell UltraSharp 49 U4919DW also offers this KVM switch, as well as factory calibration. According to the manufacturer, the monitor also covers 99 percent of the sRGB color space. Of course, the Ultrasharp 49 also has USB-C sockets to which you can transfer the image from your laptop. The LG and Dell monitors also have a resolution of 5120 x 1440 pixels. The same applies to the refresh rate. In the Dell model, this is 60 Hertz. However, with a response time of 8 milliseconds, the UltraSharp 49 U4919DW is even more frugal than the LG screen.
Note: The article was first published in August 2022.
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