Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 Bendable OLED Review: Curved or Flat, Your Choice
when Organic EL panel Bendability was one of the promised features when it first arrived. In theory, you can bend and roll your TV or monitor. At his CES 2020, LG demoed a revolving TV that rises out of the cabinet. Now in 65 inch size he is available for a whopping $100,000. Of course, foldable smartphones are also on sale.
However, Corsair was the first company to introduce bendable computer monitors. Eliminates the problem of choosing between flat and curved panels. With the Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 you can do both. At 45 inches wide and with a 21:9 aspect ratio, it’s the largest ultra-wide angle we’ve seen so far. best gaming monitorThe bend is up to 800R which is a very small radius. It also has serious gaming reliability with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and wide color gamut. Let’s see.
Specifications of Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240
| Panel type/backlight | Organic EL |
| Screen size/aspect ratio | 45″/21:9 |
| Curve radius: Flat to 800R | |
| Maximum resolution and refresh rate | 3440×1440@240Hz |
| G-Sync & FreeSync Certified | |
| 48-240Hz | |
| Native color depth and color gamut | 10bit/DCI-P3 |
| HDR10 | |
| Response time (GTG) | 0.3ms |
| Brightness (mfr) | 450 nit SDR |
| 1,000 nits of HDR | |
| Contrast (mfr) | 1,500,000:1 |
| speaker | none |
| video input | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 |
| 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C | |
| audio | 3.5mm headphone output |
| USB3.1 | 1x up (type C), 4x down |
| power consumption | 61.5w, brightness @ max |
| Panel dimensions (flat) | 41.7 x 22.5 x 12.4 inches |
| Width x Height x Depth with Base | (1059×572×315mm) |
| panel thickness | 0.2 inch (6mm) |
| bezel width | 0.4 inch (10mm) |
| weight | 13.9 lbs (6.3kg) |
| guarantee | 3 years zero dead pixels |
| 3 years zero burn-in |
In the world of unique computer monitors, the Xeneon Flex stands out. As OLED, it joins the small elite display group with great contrast and rich colors. The Flex has the same infinite dynamic range as other OLEDs I’ve reviewed, with just under 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. A few tweaks provide reference level accuracy and also a usable sRGB mode.
OLEDs aren’t known for their high brightness, but the Flex can achieve 1,000 nits when displaying small highlights in HDR mode. The SDR brightness is properly lowered. In my testing, the 25% window is around 437 nits, which is respectable.
The game’s reputation is thanks to its 240 Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync. Flex is certified by both Nvidia and AMD. G-Sink and FreeSync Premium Works in the 48-240 Hz range. Input lag is also very low. In my testing, it proved to be faster than his other 240 Hz monitors by a comfortable margin.
The big story, of course, is the bend. Flex is the first, and so far only, bendable computer monitor. You can lay it flat and enjoy a vast screen that is perfect for productivity. Or he can bend it tight to 800R for immersive gaming. You can leave it anywhere between those extremes, or bend it on just one side.It’s effectively multiple monitors in one. Bending is done manually using two handles extending from the sides.
According to Corsair, a Flex’s life cycle is at least 10,000 flexes, which in theory would take years to achieve. 3 years warranty for zero dead pixels and zero burn-in. Pixel orbit and refresh functions are included to maintain panel state in standby mode.
There’s a lot to see here, so let’s unpack.
assembly and accessories
The Flex is an integrated display with an integrated stand. Both inputs and controls are built in, so no assembly is required and the stand cannot be removed. The box is lift-off style, like a TV, with frangible foam blocks protecting the contents. Includes a powerful 240 Watt power supply and DisplayPort, HDMI, USB AC and USB CC.
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If you find a spot large enough for your flex, your flex will be an impressive sight. It needs some space on the sides to fit the handles that slide when bending and extending. My first reaction was a little intimidating, because it’s hard to get your head around bending a computer monitor. The panel is only 6mm thick, but has a bulge of components protruding to the rear and two stabilizing arms that manage the bending motion. To bend, simply pull the handle. It is also possible to bend only one side if desired. A click will sound when the 800R limit is reached. The Flex is so large that the maximum bend is perfect for gaming from a viewing distance of 3-4 feet.
The build quality is certainly premium, with a solid metal base that is over a foot deep. Stability is fine. The back of the upright is slightly textured, but it’s fairly wide. There is a metal handle in the bottom center, which is convenient for tilting the screen. 7 degrees forward or 15 degrees backward. No swivels or height adjustments.
WQHD The resolution, or 3440×1440, is more commonly found on 34-inch screens. At 45 inches diagonal the Flex gives up some pixel density. 83ppi is less than the more common 109ppi found on 34″ ultrawide or 27″ 16:9 QHD panels. This means not getting too close to see the pixel structure. The screen surface is also matte, which is rare for an organic EL. Most are very glossy and show reflections easily, but the Flex bucks this trend.
Flex’s panel and stand are one piece that cannot be disassembled. The controls are on the front below the screen and include an input selector, a power toggle with LED, and a joystick for menu control. It also has two USB ports and a headphone jack, which is very convenient. No built-in speakers. On the back are two HDMI 2.1 inputs, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C video, and his second USB-C for peripherals. The screen is slightly lowered to make it perfectly vertical without the small stand underneath.
OSD function
The OSD is completely text-based, with just a small Corsair graphic in the top left corner. Pressing the joystick invokes the menu. You can also press the input key or right-click to go directly to the input selector. Top selects brightness, left adjusts volume, bottom selects image mode, right selects input.
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Flex has six image presets, including Standard, which can be calibrated using the DCI-P3 color space, and sRGB, which uses a smaller color space. Unlike most monitors, the Flex’s sRGB mode can be adjusted independently, making it perfect for professionals who need reference quality in both color standards. Also available are three color temperature presets, a custom mode, and three gamma options. The Refresh Overlay is a frame counter that allows you to create your own aimpoint with a combination of different shapes shown in the second photo above.
This large monitor is perfect for PIP and PBP functions that can display two sources simultaneously. Flex can easily replace two monitors with its vast screen real estate.
System settings let you turn Adaptive-Sync on or off and manage panel maintenance options. Pixel Orbiter shifts the image up and down to prevent burn-in. You will never notice it in action. I stared at the screen for a while, but almost nothing happened. The refresh option works when the Flex is in standby mode. Corsair guarantees the Flex burn-in for his three years, so we’re confident in these features. In my own experience, I saw no burn-in on my 2 year old LG OLED TV.
Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 Calibration Settings
The Flex has a factory certified calibration, but I’ve seen improvements with tweaks. The RGB sliders worked accurately and allowed us to adjust standard and sRGB modes separately. I was then able to switch between them at will. Gamma and color tracking were very good out of the box. I have provided my settings below.
There are no adjustments in HDR mode, but we found solid grayscale tracking with good color saturation.
| picture mode | Standard – sRGB |
| Brightness 180 nits (full field of view) | 100 |
| contrast | 50 |
| gamma | 2.2 |
| color temperature user | Standard – Red 100, Green 98, Blue 85 |
| sRGB – Red 92, Green 94, Blue 100 |
Games and hands-on
It’s hard to experience a monitor like the Flex, and hard not to fall into an adjective stream that spends hours figuring out how to describe it in as many words as possible. Rather than boredom, let me just say that there is absolutely no such thing.
First is the size. I have reviewed many ultrawide monitors. Most are 34″ diagonal and wrap the perspective nicely. The 49-inch megawide packs more, but the lack of height can detract from the user’s experience a bit. A 45-inch screen and Flex with his 800R curve maxed out takes immersion to another level. Nothing else compares.
As for Bend vs Flat, I went back and forth a few times before settling on Bend. Most of my work is done in the center of the screen, so I don’t mind the bend when editing Word documents. For spreadsheet tasks, it’s nice to see all the numbers without having to scroll too much. Graphic editing is best done on a flat screen. That way, you can make good judgments about proportions and perspective. The Windows desktop was bright and crisp in standard image mode, with true blacks and bright but no harsh highlights. I lowered the brightness to 75% at night and left it at 100% during the day.
Flex’s gaming abilities are phenomenal. Input lag is low enough to be imperceptible. There is no visible blurring in screen response. Precise movement is the strength of this monitor.go through monsters Doom Eternal Horde mode was an addicting experience. I literally couldn’t stop playing until my Chihuahua finally demanded her dinner. You should have a timer or alarm clock handy to remind you when it’s time to eat.
And like other OLED panels, it plays smoother at lower frame rates.i watched at about 160fps call of duty ww2, However, it was as good or better than an LCD running at 200+ fps. Of course, the image was stunning with its rich colors, true blacks, and deep contrast. Range erases the perception of pixel structure.
The Flex is one of the best gaming monitors I’ve experienced. It suits my skill level and casual playstyle at best.
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