ASRock has announced a new range of gaming monitors at CES 2023 with built-in WiFi antennas and mini OLED screens baked into the stands. The PC component company is definitely trying something new here.
Why do you need WiFi antennas in your gaming monitor? Exactly what I thought. ASRock says the included antenna high-end Phantom Gaming screens (opens in new tab) will kick the butt of the one you could have with your motherboard and will remove any interference you might otherwise encounter with your desk or hulking large PC tower in the way of wireless reception.
Lack of Wi-Fi reception was definitely an issue I ran into while testing the Secret Lab Magnus Pro (opens in new tab). That thing has mass and is made almost entirely of metal, so it blocks wireless signals surprisingly well. That said, being a sit/stand desk, I couldn’t position the Wi-Fi antenna exactly on top of the desk, and I’m afraid the same goes for ASRock’s integrated Wi-Fi antenna.
But that’s a niche case. My standard plyboard desk with the density of a paper bag doesn’t really block signals as far as I know. My signal strength seems fine anyway. Otherwise, this seems like a neat solution for most seated desktop setups. One less piece of plastic to deal with on your desktop. Although there are still a few cables running to your monitor.
Plus, on ASRock’s flagship Phantom Gaming monitor at CES 2023, the catchy name PG34WQ15R3A (opens in new tab)installs ASRock another smaller screen in its position. In an effort to allow for further customization, ASRock’s new 1.3-inch Mini-OLED display can be customized with an image or GIF to a user’s preference.
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of putting screens on absolutely anything, but if so, then I think a monitor stand is prime real estate that I’ve yet to see anyone else take advantage of. Asus has some nice laser-like lights on its monitors, but a screen? No.
That’s the only OLED you get on the PG34WQ15R3A. The main 34-inch panel is an ultra-wide VA with a 1500R curve. It’s rated to 165Hz and comes with a 1ms MPRT response time, so the gaming credentials are spot on, but it’s not a good choice for HDR gaming with DisplayHDR 400 alone. Overall, it looks to be a pretty advanced monitor are, but certainly not comparable to some of the newer ones OLED monitors (opens in new tab) we’ve seen at CES so far. Hopefully the price reflects that, but I don’t have confirmed pricing for any of these monitors yet.
Including the PG34WQ15R3A, there are six Phantom Gaming monitor models at CES 2023 this year. Only the top model comes with the Mini-OLED, but four models feature the built-in Wi-Fi antenna.
- PG34WQ15R3A – 34-inches | Ultra-wide 1440p | 165Hz | Curved VA | Integrated Wi-Fi antenna | Mini OLED screen on stand
- PG34WQ15R2B – 34-inches | Ultra-wide 1440p | 165Hz | Curved VA | Integrated WiFi antenna
- PG32QF2B – 31.5 inches | 1440p | 165Hz | Flat VA | Integrated WiFi antenna
- PG27Q15R2A – 27-inches | 1440p | 165Hz | Curved VA | Integrated WiFi antenna
- PG27F15RS1A – 27-inches | 1080p | 240Hz | Curved VA
- PG27FF1A – 27-inches | 1080p | 165Hz | Flat IPS
The PG34WQ15R2B looks just as good a monitor as the top model, but without the tiny OLED screen. Perhaps that’s the one to look forward to, but again that will be determined by the price tag across the range. For a 1440p model, even an ultrawide one, ASRock will have to be extremely competitive on price. It’s a buyer’s market out there – you can get one ultra-wide 1440p monitor for less than $400 (opens in new tab)even.