Connectivity

In terms of video inputs, the Cooler Master GM34-CWQ2 didn't change compared to its predecessor. Meaning it's equipped with a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB Type-C port. Using HDMI 2.0 inputs limits you to 100 Hz at native resolution (3440x1440), while the USB Type-C and the DisplayPort interface can be pushed to 180 Hz at 3440 x 1440.


The USB Type-C port is more than just an ordinary video input. It also delivers up to 65 W of charging power to any device connected to it, such as your smartphone or laptop.


There are two USB Type-A downstream ports on the left edge of the panel. All USB ports are connected through a KVM switch, which wasn't the case with the first iteration of the monitor. Thanks to that, you can connect a set of peripherals to the USB Type-A ports and use them on both computers connected to the monitor, as long as one of them is using a USB-C and the other one a DisplayPort or HDMI video input.


The GM34-CWQ2 also has a 3.5-millimeter headphone output. You can also use the integrated 5 W stereo speakers, although you can't expect much in terms of their quality. They aren't unusable, but shouldn't be considered a permanent solution either.

Power Consumption

The power supply unit is integrated, so there's no external power brick we need to deal with. A simple IEC power cable will be enough to power the Cooler Master GM34-CWQ2. I've used the Meross MSS315 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug and the accompanying mobile app to determine the monitor's power consumption at various brightness levels, as well as in Power Saving mode, which it enters as soon as the PC goes to sleep. My power consumption measurements are summed up in the chart below. They were made after resetting the monitor to factory defaults.



The power efficiency of the Cooler Master GM34-CWQ2 is very good. It's interesting to note that the brightness range is implemented quite differently compared to the predecessor. Namely, the monitor can become darker at 0 Brightness (46 cd/m², compared to 65 cd/m² on the GM34-CWQ ARGB), has almost exactly half the actual brightness at the 50 Brightness setting (183 vs 363 cd/m²), but hits almost identical maximum brightness (429 vs 423 cd/m²). What that means is that the 50-100 Brightness range changes the actual screen brightness in larger steps than before, giving us less granularity at higher values, but more of it in the lower part of the range. This is merely an observation; it doesn't impact the overall monitor performance or its everyday usage in any way. It's also interesting that this time around Cooler Master went with a much more conservative default brightness setting. The actual out-of-the-box Brightness value is 65, which translates into an actual screen brightness of 223 cd/m². On the predecessor, we got a brightness of 363 cd/m² at the same setting, which is way too much for the monitor to typically be used comfortably. This is a simple issue to solve, but some users will use the monitor in whatever state it comes from the factory, without ever touching a single setting. For that reason, it's better to have the default brightness adjusted to a more sensible value.