ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA review: Massive 49-inch screen at a budget-friendly price

You'll be forgiven if you've never heard of electriQ before. It's a brand that primarily sells everything from halogen ovens and cooker hoods to air purifiers, juicers, and monitors. While the price of these products is usually cheaper than what's found on competitor hardware, the internal components are usually put together within the same factory as big brands.

This is precisely what happened with the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA with its very descriptive but horrific model number. On the outside is a cheap plastic shell that covers a stunning 49-inch VA panel from Samsung. Being able to source such high-quality parts and match them with more affordable materials for other parts of the device, electriQ is able to price it accordingly.

So, how does this more affordable Samsung-sporting 49-inch screen compare to the competition? Could it deserve a spot on our best PC monitors collection?

ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA: Price and availability

The electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA is affordable at its set MSRP, but you can often find this monitor at discounted prices even when there's no promotional period like Black Friday underway. LaptopsDirect has plenty of units available in the U.K., but you may find it difficult to locate stock elsewhere, particularly in the U.S.

ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA: What's good

The electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA is well packaged and secured in enough protection during transit. Unboxing the display revealed some accessories, cables, a manual, and a stand. Connecting the stand to the arm and to the rear of the display was a painless process that took a few moments.

It's a sturdy stand with a three-prong base. ElectriQ allows one to adjust tilt, swivel, and height, and there's not a position where the monitor feels like it'll topple over. The main panel itself feels a little cheaper than the base, which is probably a good thing at this price segment of the market. I'd rather have a sturdy base over a cheap one.

The bezel around the main display is small enough, measuring in at about 13mm and the chin is a little thicker at 19mm. That's still super thin considering just how expanse this 49-inch panel is. There's a small hump at the center of the display below the branding, which houses the IR receiver for the remote and power LED light that illuminates when the display is on.

All the ports for connecting hardware to the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA are located on the rear and face downwards. This is ideal for routing cables through the hole in the stand to keep everything neat and tidy. This may affect those who want to connect the best USB PC stick as there's not a whole lot of space around the single USB port.

The two HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports will happily connect all your devices and then some. ElectriQ even allows for aftermarket stands and arms to be used, thanks to the included VESA support (75mm x 75mm).

Image 1 of 5

It's possible to use more than one input connection simultaneously with the eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA thanks to the included support for Picture in Picture (PIP) and Picture By Picture (PBP). Using the OSD can be a little wonky, especially with the physical buttons on the display. ElectriQ is likely aware of this, which is why the remote is bundled with the display.

Once you've set everything up and are using your favorite OS, the experience is excellent. While the monitor doesn't get very bright at all, hitting a maximum of 350 nits, the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA managed to achieve 99.6% sRGB, 88.4% Adobe RGB, and 89.7% DCI P3 for the color gamut. This isn't too bad, especially for a 49-inch budget-friendly VA panel.

Working away with multiple windows on-screen or with more than one input displayed is great, so too is gaming. Not all games support ultrawide monitors such as this, including Elden Ring, but the game still manages to look amazing.

ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA: What's not good

The panel may be fantastic (largely thanks to Samsung), but it's not all good news with the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA. The physical shell feels cheap, but thankfully the stand is sturdy enough that you won't notice much wobble through use if any. The same goes for the buttons that are cut out of the plastic chassis instead of dedicated units.

Speaking of buttons, the on-screen display is a little wonky to navigate through. ElectriQ does bundle a remote with the monitor, and while this does make the OSD easier to live with, it's not the best controller. Then there are the built-in speakers. These are poor on plenty of cheaper monitors and the eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA is no exception. Get your own speakers.

These are minor complaints, however. The HDR isn't brilliant, but that's to be expected at this price. The overall screen specifications are excellent, even for some gaming on the side. So long as you don't frequent the OSD and have a decent pair of headphones or speakers, you'll be able to live with these gripes.

ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA: Competition

There isn't an abundance of ultrawide panels available on the market, though larger brands including Samsung, LG, and Philips all make considerably more expensive monitors than the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA. The Philips Brilliance 499P9H, for instance, was reviewed by myself as the king of 5K monitors.

The Philips monitor is far more expensive (double the price at the time of writing) than this electriQ screen, but it also has a few tricks up its sleeve. First is the integrated Windows Hello webcam for quick and secure sign-in. Then there's the exceptional color accuracy that doesn't require calibration.

But that's where the differences end, and you could choose either display without regretting the purchase. The only drawback to these "5K" displays is it's not a joining of two 4K panels. You're restricted by the 1,440-pixel height, though the ultrawide nature of the 5120x1440 does at least allow you to cram more on the screen.

ElectriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

• You have enough desk space for a 49-inch monitor
• You want a 1440p ultrawide screen
• You plan on playing some games as well as work
• You don't need the absolute best panel on the market

You shouldn't buy this if ...

• You don't have enough desk space
• Don't want an ultrawide monitor
• Want a standard 4K display

Using the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA over two 24-inch AOC panels completely changed the way I work and play. While there's no difference in overall resolution, having everything on one display makes it far easier to get more done. Then there's gaming, which can take full advantage of the 49 inches, as opposed to just 24 inches on a single screen.

This display won't be for everyone. It's massive. A 49-inch screen takes up a lot more space than you'd assume prior to taking delivery and unboxing it for the very first time. The massive panel also has a lower PPI than other displays due to the relatively low resolution. The 120Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time more than make up for this.

If you want to save a little on your next monitor and want to try something new, I'd recommend considering the electriQ eiq-49CV5UWD120FSHQA if the thought of using one monitor over two (or more) becomes appealing. Even without a screen calibrator, you're going to have an excellent time with this screen, so long as you can find stock available.