Samsung CF791 review: A stunning quantum dot 34in curved monitor

Samsung is widely renowned for its TVs, and rightly so. But what you may not know is that they also do a range of fantastic monitors, combining sleek design, good viewing angles and fantastic colour reproduction. Step forward the CF791, a 100Hz curved monitor that shows off Samsung's impressive quantum dot technology in all its glory.

Samsung CF791 review: Design, features and build quality

Monitors with a silver finish aren't a particularly common sight, but we're glad to see Samsung has opted for the colour here. The CF791 has a white backplate and low-profile silver bezels and it looks fantastic.

The stand is beautifully engineered and provides both height and tilt adjustments, plus if you want to wall mount it, you can use the VESA mounting kit included in the box. That option is especially attractive, since in addition to its wide, 21:9 aspect ratio it's a jolly big screen, measuring a substantial 34in across the diagonal. Samsung also introduces a dramatic 1500R curvature here, the idea being to provide a more immersive viewing experience than a flat monitor.

As for connectivity, that's pretty good. The monitor has DisplayPort, a pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs, a 3.5mm headphone jack and two USB ports. It also has two integrated 7W speakers, which produced incredibly good sound for a monitor, and we'd be happy to listen to music and streaming TV audio through the CF791's speakers.

If you're looking to keep your cable connections neat and tidy, you'll be able to route those through the monitor's stand and if you route it carefully, you'll be able to clip on the plastic cover at the back to keep it all hidden away.

It's also good to see Samsung avoiding the use of touch buttons, instead choosing to implement a clickable joystick, located at the back of the monitor in the bottom right-hand corner. Through the OSD you'll be able to adjust the gamma, colours, and response time of the monitor.

Lastly, the monitor also supports AMD FreeSync, meaning if you own a compatible AMD GPU, you can enjoy tear-free gaming. There's no Nvidia G-sync variant available of the CF791.

Samsung CF791 review: Image quality

Samsung's quantum dot technology impressed us in the Samsung C24FG70, and the CF791 is no different. Colour accuracy is impressive. An average Delta E of 0.56 means this screen is ideal for colour critical work such as professional-level photo editing, and gamut coverage is just as good. sRGB coverage hit an impressive 99.1%, Adobe RGB coverage is 81.2% and DCI P3 gamut coverage is 87.2%, while set in sRGB mode.

And because the CF791 uses VA panel technology, its contrast ratio is much higher than your average IPS display. Indeed, in our testing we measured it at 2,330:1 contrast ratio, which translates to incredibly lifelike imagery. The 34in curved monitor doesn't disappoint when it comes to its brightness levels either, reaching an impressive 315cd/m2; that's fine for use indoors, even in bright, sunlit rooms.

The monitor fared well in the brightness uniformity tests, too, and we found only very slight backlight bleed at the bottom-edge of the monitor. It's barely noticeable, though, and in general the panel is impressively evenly lit. It should also be noted that we didn't experience any problems with viewing angles either, whereas with other ultrawide panels, such as the Philips BDM3470UP where the display tails off if you view it off-axis, resulting in text and icons mysteriously disappearing.

And then there's the resolution, which hits the heights at a gloriously sharp 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, delivering an unquestionable advantage over cheaper 2,560 x 1,080 screens.

Samsung CF791 review: Verdict

The Samsung CF791 might be expensive, but there's a reason behind its price tag. It's simply a fantastic all-rounder. Its dramatically curved 21:9 ultrawide panel provides an immersive, cinematic experience whether you're working, playing or watching TV.

Its 3,440 x 1440 resolution provides ultra-crisp visuals and, coupled with great colour accuracy and a surprising lack of ghosting and motion blur, it's suitable for not just photo editing but also a host of other tasks. In short, Samsung has produced yet another great monitor here; if you can afford it, don't hesitate to splash out.

Verdict

The Samsung CF791 might be expensive, but there’s a reason behind its price tag. It’s simply a fantastic all-rounder. Its dramatically curved 21:9 ultrawide panel provides an immersive, cinematic experience. In short, Samsung has produced yet another great monitor here; if you can afford it, don’t hesitate to splash out.