Every once in a while, products come along that completely supplant expectations. It happens to everyone, depending on individual interests. That just happened for us with the Corsair Xeneon Flex, which is a massive, ultrawide OLED gaming monitor that bends from flat all the way to an encompassing curvature.
Corsair revealed the panel at Gamescom 2022 and shared some details about the project and capabilities of the panel. The Xeneon Flex is the result of a collaboration between Corsair and LG, which manufacturers many of the OLED panels on the market today. Just as the name suggests, this ultra-wide panel can go from flat all the way to an 800R curvature, not to mention anywhere in between.
Just like that, Corsair seems to have solved the debate over whether you should get a flat or curved monitor. Why not both? As the marketing suggests, you can simply choose the viewing angles you want based on what you’re doing. Of note, the bending process is manual on this product. There are hinges on each side that allow you to perform the desired adjustments. It sounds cool to try, though the thought of intentionally bending what is surely a several thousand dollar panel does sound foreign and slightly intimidating.
Spectacular OLED, but in 1440p
The LG-made OLED display comes in a 3,440-1440 pixel resolution, which translates to a 21:9 aspect ratio. That sounds a bit low for the pixel density given that this is a 45-inch panel, but it will be sufficient for most gamers since 1440p remains a popular render resolution. Corsair makes up for this with a 240Hz refresh rate. Coupled with the 0.03ms GtG response time and 0.01ms Pixel on/off time, there is no doubt this will be a good competitive monitor.
No matter how you feel about curved monitors, this monitor should also look great whether flat or fully curved. That’s thanks to another inherent benefit of OLED technology, which further highlights why there’s so much hype behind the tech. In this context, the Corsair Xeneon Flex will serve as a good demonstration on the versatility of OLED panels.
Additionally, the Corsair Xeneon Flex features G-Sync and FreeSync Premium, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits for strong HDR performance, a new anti-reflective coating to reduce glare, and a three-year no burn-in or dead pixel warranty guarantee. Additional details have yet to be announced, but we can already see that the panel offers at least four USB Type-C, two HDMI, one DisplayPort, and two standard USB Type-A ports which are good additions for modern inputs/outputs.
Here’s a glimpse at the mechanism that supports the flexible housing.
Okay, but how much?
Corsair will announce availability and more information about specs later this year, but the Corsair Xeneon Flex is sure to be a pricey gaming monitor given the massive OLED panel and the bending display tech. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see a several thousand dollar price tag attached to it. However, it may be worth it to those who have the cash and want this type of experience.
OLED display tech offers many benefits, such as strong levels of brightness for impressive HDR results, strong color accuracy and vividness, and particularly fast response times compared to older tech just to name a few.
The high-end gaming monitor market is in the midst of a transition towards next-gen technologies and significantly better viewing experiences. Panels like the Alienware OLED AW3423DW, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 and G8, the AOC AGON Pro PD32M are ushering in mesmerizing picture quality. Perhaps the Corsair Xeneon Flex will be the next to join the ranks of the best high-end gaming monitors.
