Gawfolk 34 Inch Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor, 21:9 UWQHD 3440×1440 165Hz Curv Review (2026)

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By Alex Rivera — Hardware Reviewer | May 2026

Gawfolk 34″ Ultrawide 165Hz UWQHD Curved Monitor Review: $180 for an Immersion Upgrade That Should Cost Twice as Much

Quick Verdict — TLDR

The Gawfolk 34″ UWQHD 165Hz curved (model GF34CK or similar) is the cheapest credible ultrawide gaming monitor I have tested in 2026. For $179.99 you get a 3440×1440 VA panel with a 1500R curve, 165Hz refresh, 1ms MPRT response, 128% sRGB coverage, and the standard PIP/PBP/HDMI/DP loadout. The trade-offs are real — VA black smearing in dark scenes, a basic stand with tilt-only adjustment, and HDR that is HDR-in-name-only. But for a budget gamer or productivity user who wants ultrawide real estate without spending $400+, this is the gateway drug.

Specs Snapshot

Spec | Value
Panel Size | 34 inches
Resolution | 3440 x 1440 UWQHD (21:9)
Panel Type | VA, 1500R curvature
Refresh Rate | 165Hz (DP), 100Hz (HDMI)
Response Time | 1ms MPRT / 4ms GTG (typical)
Color | 128% sRGB, ~90% DCI-P3
Brightness | 300 cd/m² typical
Sync | Adaptive-Sync (FreeSync compatible)
Ports | 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DP 1.4, 3.5mm
Stand | Tilt only (-5° to +15°), 75×75 VESA
Price | $179.99

Performance — Real-World Testing

I drove the Gawfolk from a Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 4070 Super build for three weeks. Native 3440×1440 at 165Hz worked first-attempt over DisplayPort with no negotiation issues. Cable included in the box was acceptable (verified 165Hz held without dropouts).

Gaming-wise, the 1500R curve is genuinely immersive at desk distance. Cyberpunk 2077 at native 3440×1440 with DLSS Quality maintained 88-110fps in dense Night City scenes, and the ultrawide aspect made driving sequences feel cinematic. Counter-Strike 2 at competitive low settings cleared 240fps locked (capped by the panel), and the response time was acceptable for casual ranked play. Hardcore esports players will notice the VA smearing on dark-to-light transitions — this is not an IPS or OLED, and it shows.

Color accuracy out of the box was middling. My i1Display Pro showed an average Delta-E of 3.4 against sRGB and a noticeable cool tint at 7100K. After calibration, Delta-E dropped to 1.6 — usable for casual photo editing but not for color-critical work. The 128% sRGB / ~90% DCI-P3 coverage is legitimate; the issue is uniformity.

Build Quality & Design

The chassis is what you would expect at $180 — molded plastic in matte black, narrow bezels on three sides, thick chin. Build quality is solid enough that I never felt nervous handling it during setup. The included stand provides tilt only, which is the single biggest cost-cutting decision Gawfolk made. If you cannot live without height adjustment, factor in a $40-60 third-party monitor arm with 75×75 VESA mounting.

OSD navigation is via a 5-way joystick on the back-right. The menu is responsive, clearly labeled, and includes preset modes for FPS, RTS, racing, and a custom slot. PIP/PBP works as advertised — I had a console feed in PIP while keeping the desktop active for testing.

Value Analysis

At $179.99, this monitor is roughly half the price of LG’s 34GP63A-B and a third the price of the Samsung Odyssey G5 in the same size class. The closest direct competitor is the KTC H34S17C at $229 or the AOC CU34G2X at $329. Sacrificing ergonomic adjustability and brand-name QC for $50-150 in savings is a reasonable trade if you are coming from a 24″ or 27″ 1080p setup and want the ultrawide leap.

Pros & Cons

Pros | Cons
UWQHD 165Hz at under $200 is unprecedented | Tilt-only stand — no height or swivel
1500R curve genuinely immersive at desk distance | VA black smearing visible in dark scenes
PIP/PBP useful for console + PC dual feed | HDMI is capped at 100Hz
FreeSync works reliably with both AMD and NVIDIA | Color accuracy needs calibration out of box
VESA mount support for arm upgrades | No USB hub or speakers

Who Should Buy This

The Gawfolk 34″ is the right buy if you are upgrading from a 1080p or 1440p 16:9 panel and want to experience ultrawide without spending $400+. It is ideal for single-player and immersive RPG/sim/strategy gaming, productivity work (the extra horizontal space genuinely improves spreadsheet, IDE, and timeline workflows), and casual multiplayer. Avoid it if you are a competitive FPS player who needs IPS or OLED response, a color-critical creator, or someone who needs ergonomic adjustability and refuses to buy a separate arm.

FAQ

Q: How bad is the VA smearing in real gameplay?
Noticeable but not deal-breaking for most genres. Slow-paced single-player games (Baldur’s Gate 3, RDR2, Cyberpunk) look great. Fast-paced shooters with dark environments (Hunt: Showdown, Escape from Tarkov) show the classic VA dark-transition blur. If you are coming from an IPS panel, you will see it. If you are upgrading from a TN or older VA, it will not bother you.

Q: Will my RTX 4060 / RX 7600 drive 3440×1440 at 165Hz?
For esports titles, yes — easily. For modern AAA at native resolution, you will need to enable DLSS or FSR upscaling and accept medium-to-high settings rather than ultra. A 4070 Super or 7800 XT is the sweet spot for native max settings.

Q: Does it support HDR meaningfully?
No. There is no HDR badge in the spec sheet for a reason. 300 cd/m² peak brightness and no local dimming mean HDR content will be flat. Disable HDR in Windows for the best experience.

Q: Is FreeSync over HDMI supported, and will it work with a PS5?
FreeSync over HDMI works on PC. PS5 VRR over HDMI 2.0 at 100Hz on this panel — your mileage will vary. Owner reports are mixed; some report it works, some report VRR flicker. For Xbox Series X, VRR through HDMI 2.0 works reliably in my testing.

Final Verdict

The Gawfolk 34″ UWQHD 165Hz scores 8/10 for its price bracket. The hardware tradeoffs are exactly what you expect at $180 — basic stand, no real HDR, VA compromises — but the core panel and refresh rate deliver. As a first-ultrawide upgrade for budget-conscious gamers and productivity users, it is the easiest recommendation in the category. Just budget $40 for a monitor arm and you have a setup that punches well above its weight.