Most computer monitors cater to gamers. The extra wide aspect ratios, the curved screens and the fast refresh rates are all great, but not every setup is for a gamer. Some people simply have different needs. A professional setup can work with gaming laptops, but if you want to take it up a notch, take a look at the HUAWEI MateView.
The MateView features a 28.2” 4K+ monitor with a resolution of 3840×2560 (1.5 million pixels more than a standard 4K monitor), which translates to a 3:2 aspect ratio. The extra 18.5% of real estate is a true gift to a content creator, giving you all kinds of space for an editing or streaming layout that just isn’t possible with a standard 16:9 monitor without shrinking your panels down to near microscopic levels.
As an editor and streamer, the amount of workspace you have on the screen is outstanding. I can open up every panel in OBS or in DaVinci Resolve and still have a ton of space for a large preview screen. Having all of your tools at the ready is incredibly efficient and so much more convenient than having to constantly hide your panels and inspectors in favour of getting back more space.
But just because the MateView is a monitor that prioritizes productivity, it is not short on quality. It’s capable of achieving 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space, which, for those who don’t know, is the cinema standard colour gamut. The monitor can produce 1.07 billion colours, providing an incredibly vivid and colour accurate viewer experience. The MateView is also certified VESA DisplayHDR 400.
“The MateView features a 28.2” 4K+ monitor with a resolution of 3840×2560 (1.5 million pixels more than a standard 4K monitor), which translates to a 3:2 aspect ratio.”
For the brand-loyal, users of the HUAWEI MateBook can wirelessly cast to the MateView in 2K resolution and even choose to extend or duplicate their screen on the monitor, allowing MateBook owners to quickly and easily expand their viewing real estate at low latency without the use of a bunch of extra cables.
The most unique design aspect of the monitor is the fact that everything is connected through the MateView’s stand to allow the screen to maintain such a thin profile. The speakers, microphones, power button and all the ports are built into the stand. There are a ton of advantages to this, including a forward facing speaker and the fact that the cables plugging into the stand are better hidden and more easily managed. The only disadvantage is that you cannot mount this monitor on an arm if you want your monitors up off the desk.
With everything moved to the stand, the only functional part left on the monitor is the Huawei Smart Bar, an OSD (On Screen Display) touch control; the first of its kind on a monitor. The Smart Bar contains all the controls for the monitor in a few easy taps, and you can change most settings with the slide of your finger. A single finger sliding across the Smart Bar will change the volume. Using two fingers will change inputs. Control any aspect of the display with just the tap of a finger.
“The most unique design aspect of the monitor is the fact that everything is connected through the MateView’s stand to allow the screen to maintain such a thin profile.”
With all the great features on the monitor, one potentially overlooked aspect is how easy it is to move the screen around. With a single finger, you can raise, lower, or tilt the screen without the need to brace the stand for fear of knocking the monitor over. It is brilliantly balanced. The ease of movement is also greatly appreciated by a person who is constantly wrestling with his monitors to adjust them just right.
Now I didn’t just use this monitor as a creator. I used it plenty as a gamer as well. While it was a beautiful picture, you can see the advantages that a gaming monitor has over this one. The wider aspect ratio gives you a better field of view and the faster response times in gaming monitors are built to give you the advantage. The specs on the MateView are in no way a dealbreaker for gamers, but the fact that it is built for professional use over gaming is an important distinction to be aware of.
At a price of $898.99 CAD, this monitor is an investment. It’s hard to find a reasonable competitor to compare prices because the MateView is so unique. This is definitely not meant for the everyday user, but a creator looking to put together a great setup would find the MateView to be a wonderful addition.
