Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 assessment: A bizarre monitor in all the appropriate methods

Greatest Costs In the present day: Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5

The Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 is probably the most versatile PC show I’ve ever reviewed.

It may be used as a secondary show, which is how I used it. Nonetheless, it will also be mounted to a 1/4″-20 tripod mount, or connected to a 360mm radiator mount in a PC desktop. You can use it as a part of a streaming setup, connect it to a flight- or driving-simulator rig, or mount it inside a desktop PC so as to add aptitude or present a efficiency monitoring dashboard.

That makes it a enjoyable and helpful peripheral. Plus, at an MSRP of $249.99, it’s fairly priced.

Additional studying: The perfect displays: 11 high picks for gaming, 4K, HDR, and extra

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 specs and options

The Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 is finest summarized as a small super-ultrawide touchscreen. It measures 14.5 inches diagonally, as its identify implies, however has a roughly 32:9 facet ratio and 2560×720 decision.

• Show dimension: 14.5-inch 32:9 facet ratio
• Native decision: 2560×720
• Panel kind: AHVA-LCD 5-point multi-touch
• Refresh fee: 60Hz
• Adaptive sync: None
• HDR: None
• Ports: 1x USB-C with Energy Supply and DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
• Audio: None
• Further options: Magnetic desk stand, magnetic mount, 360mm mounting choice, 1/4″-20 tripod mount
• Value: $249.99 MSRP

Uncommon dimension apart, the Xeneon Edge 14.5 additionally stands out due to its lengthy checklist of mounting choices. It ships with a magnetic desk stand for desktop use, but in addition contains choices to be used with a 360mm PC desktop radiator mount or a tripod mount. You’ll be able to even use the built-in magnets to connect the show to the facet of a desktop PC (or any magnetic floor).

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 design

The Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 isn’t your typical pc monitor, and that’s mirrored within the design. It’s vast and thick. The physique is plastic, however the plastics used are inflexible and a few present a premium soft-touch really feel. The Edge seems much less like a monitor and extra like a high-end gaming peripheral, equivalent to a gamepad or joystick.

It ships with a stand for desktop use. The stand is a straightforward plastic wedge that attaches magnetically to the rear of the monitor. The plastics utilized by the stand really feel noticeably much less strong than the monitor itself, maybe as a result of they’re thinner. Additionally, the stand doesn’t supply a number of viewing angles. The monitor can be utilized in each vertical and horizontal orientation, however the stand solely helps the monitor in horizontal mode.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Nonetheless, the monitor can even connect to a 360mm fan mount, can cling magnetically to steel surfaces (together with the entrance or facet of many PC desktop circumstances), and has a telescope arm mount with two 1/4″-20 mounting factors for attachment to tripods or different arms and stands that help this mounting choice. It additionally works with Corsair’s Body LCD mount, which is discovered on some Corsair circumstances.

The big selection of choices factors to the Xeneon Edge 14.5’s versatility. I largely used it as a small second show for viewing guides and Discord whereas I performed a recreation on-screen. However you should utilize it as a flashy billboard or management panel connected to your gaming rig. It might probably show your rig’s efficiency info or, in the event you simply need aptitude, a repeating video clip of your alternative.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

I like this not solely as a result of it matches extra use circumstances, but in addition as a result of it offers you choices in the event you tire of utilizing the monitor in a single function. As a substitute of placing it within the closet, or attempting to promote it on-line, you can provide it a second life.

On high of that, the Xeneon Edge 14.5 positively fills a spot available in the market. Yow will discover many cheap small LCD shows on Amazon, AliExpress, and Temu, however they’re not a lot to take a look at. Excessive-end choices just like the Asus ProArt Show PA147CDV exist, too, however are costlier and meant for artistic professionals. The Xeneon Edge 14.5 matches between these extremes in each design and worth.

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 connectivity

There are simply two methods to hook up with the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5: USB-C with DisplayPort, and HDMI.

Nonetheless, the monitor doesn’t ship with an HDMI-to-HDMI cable. It as a substitute ships with a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable. So whereas the monitor has HDMI enter, it solely works with DisplayPort enter out-of-the-box.

Most desktop customers might want to join each ports on the similar time. The USB-C port can ship each DisplayPort video and energy, however most desktop graphics playing cards don’t embody USB-C. Alternatively, HDMI or DisplayPort alone can’t provide the ability and information the Xeneon Edge 14.5 wants for its full characteristic set. Consequently, most desktops require a twin connection: USB-C for energy and information, plus HDMI or DisplayPort for video.

The vast majority of trendy laptops have a USB-C port with DisplayPort, although. In that case, a single-cable connection over USB-C is feasible.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The ports are positioned in a good carve-out on the again of the monitor. This can be a logical alternative, because it retains the connectors out of the best way as a lot as doable. Nonetheless, cables which have notably giant connectors, or that are unusually stiff, could also be tough to attach. Even the HDMI-to-DisplayPort cable that ships with the monitor is a tad tough to suit into the house accessible.

Corsair gives one last cable that’s not all that frequent: an inner USB header to USB-C cable. That is meant to be used when the show is positioned inside a desktop. Whereas I didn’t use the monitor on this method, I count on it’s important, as I doubt most avid gamers can have an inner USB to USB-C cable within the tangle of cords of their closet.

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 software program, options, and audio

Whereas the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5’s design and connectivity is generally a win, one choice left me upset. The monitor solely lacks menu buttons to regulate the show.

It even lacks an influence button and enter choice button. The monitor as a substitute activates mechanically and auto-detects an enter. That is high-quality in concept and labored accurately in my testing. Nonetheless, I’ve run into loads of conditions the place a monitor fails to auto-detect a sign. The Xeneon Edge 14.5 provides no approach to tackle this. The shortage of energy and enter choice buttons additionally make troubleshooting harder, because it is likely to be tough to inform if the monitor is even turned on (there’s no energy LED, both).

The shortage of buttons can also be an issue in the event you plan to make use of the monitor with something aside from Home windows. Mac help is listed, however not one of the iCUE software program options can be found. Linux help will not be listed.

Corsair’s iCUE software program is okay. It’s enticing and simple to know. Whereas the software program doesn’t present an enormous vary of adjustment (you’re not going to seek out an AdobeRGB mode right here!) it really works for the meant objective. Nonetheless, the reliance on software program means even primary adjustment, like brightness, requires the software program.

One other quirk is the lack to play video games in fullscreen mode whereas utilizing the Xeneon Edge 14.5. That is true as a result of Home windows will mechanically change focus to a second show in the event you faucet or click on on it. And when you’ve got a fullscreen app open, it is going to be minimized (at finest) or would possibly glitch out (at worst).

Thankfully, most video games run high-quality in a windowed or borderless fullscreen mode, however this is a matter in video games that don’t help a windowed or borderless fullscreen mode. I discover that’s mostly a problem with video games which are a decade previous, or older.

Getting again to the positives, Corsair’s iCUE software program contains built-in widget help for issues like efficiency exercise. Whereas I count on some fanatics will select to roll their very own, the widgets are acceptable and will do the job for most individuals.

The widgets cowl a variety of use circumstances together with efficiency and temperature monitoring, video playback, Twitch chat, and Home windows notifications. The monitor helps as much as 30 “pages” of widgets, which strikes me as way over anybody might ever want (although I’m certain somebody will show me improper).

What about audio? Unsurprisingly, it’s not included. A monitor this small would wrestle to ship good audio, and if it did, the value could be a lot greater. The monitor doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio pass-through jack, both. I don’t maintain the shortage of those options towards the monitor but it surely’s one thing to bear in mind.

Utilizing the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5

The Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 is an uncommon monitor, and for a lot of this would possibly beg a query: What’s it for?

I already touched on {that a} bit within the design part of the assessment, however I additionally wish to dive deeper into my private expertise. As a result of it seems I’m precisely the form of individual this monitor might attraction to.

You see, I’m a agency believer within the worth of a single-display PC setup. Having extra shows can appear good, and in some conditions it is likely to be important, however I’ve discovered it’s distracting. That is true not just for work but in addition for play. Having one or two giant displays subsequent to my main gaming show make it exhausting for me to focus my consideration on what I’m taking part in, and my enjoyment plummets.

However that doesn’t imply I desire a fully zoned-in expertise both. Relying on what I’m taking part in I’d nonetheless wish to learn a information, play music, or hearken to a podcast. The Xeneon Edge 14.5 provides a method to do that with out the distraction (and bulk) of a second 27-inch or 32-inch beside my main show.

Whereas Corsair’s iCUE software program provides widgets, and I did strive them, I spent extra time utilizing the monitor as a easy secondary show. I used to be in a position to place YouTube or YouTube Music on one half, offering straightforward media management, and leaving room to learn a information on the opposite half.

I’m at present having fun with Rimworld, a notoriously advanced recreation, and located fast entry to a second display screen helpful for wanting up ideas. Nonetheless, as a result of the display screen is small, I wasn’t tempted to fireside up social media or open my e mail.

That’s how I used the Xeneon Edge 14.5, and I loved it. However as talked about earlier, the Xeneon Edge 14.5 is flexible, so I might use it otherwise if I began to play one other recreation. I’ve been desirous about diving again into World of Warcraft after taking a break for a number of years. If I do, Discord might discover a residence on one half of the show.

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 picture high quality

Picture high quality is a secondary concern for the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5. It’s not meant for content material creation, and even to show video games. Video playback is probably the most demanding use case more likely to be thrown at it.

Due to that, the picture high quality will be summed up in a single phrase. Satisfactory.

The monitor has an AHVA panel with an LCD backlight. VA panels have higher distinction than IPS panels and present much less “glow” when displaying darkish content material. This, mixed with the show’s shiny end, makes for a contrast-rich expertise. I believed it is likely to be OLED for a second.

Don’t get too excited, although. My misleading eyes have been corrected once I positioned the Xeneon Edge 14.5 subsequent to an OLED monitor. The Edge seems good, but it surely’s not as wealthy and vibrant as an OLED show.

The Xeneon Edge 14.5’s shiny coat will probably be a problem in the event you use the monitor in a brilliant room or close to home windows. And reflections are made worse by the stand’s lack of adjustment, which suggests it’s not straightforward to alter the angle of the show if a mirrored image is in your view. I might’ve most well-liked a matte or semi-gloss end.

Decision, alternatively, is the place the Xeneon Edge 14.5 has a bonus over most displays. 2560×720 decision on a 14.5-inch show works out to about 183 pixels per inch. That’s greater than a 27-inch 4K monitor, which has about 163 pixels per inch. Whereas the sharpness is obvious when viewing movies, it’s maybe most useful when displaying widgets. Fonts and icons look crisp.

The Xeneon Edge 14.5 doesn’t help HDR. It additionally has a 60Hz refresh fee and lacks Adaptive Sync, so movement readability isn’t nice. These points usually are not a lot of a priority, nonetheless, as a result of the show gained’t typically be known as on to show HDR or to view fast-moving content material. Quite the opposite, I count on normally it is going to be used to view static content material or on-line video, which is normally at 30 or 60 frames per second.

So, as I mentioned, the Xeneon Edge 14.5’s picture high quality is enough. It gained’t knock your socks off but it surely’s high-quality for what the monitor is designed to deal with.

Do you have to purchase the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5?

The Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 is a distinct segment monitor, however one which manages to fill a spot available in the market and supply good worth for cash. A lot of the monitor’s direct opponents are cheaper, and whereas they may more-or-less do the job, they lack Corsair’s ease-of-use and enticing design. Different options, just like the Asus ProArt Show PA147CVD, ship a lovely design however are rather more costly.

The Edge is extraordinarily versatile, too, because it helps a number of mounting choices together with a 1/4”-20 tripod mount and a 360mm radiator mount for placement inside a desktop PC. Not one of the options supply this many mounting choices.

It’s not good, although. The shortage of buttons means Corsair’s iCUE software program is required for even primary show changes. Additionally, the monitor will not be very helpful if used alongside a fullscreen app, on account of limitations in Home windows 11’s window administration.

The Xeneon Edge 14.5 can have explicit attraction to individuals who desire a second (or third) show however don’t have the house, finances, or want so as to add one other full-sized monitor.