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34-inch vs 38-inch ultrawide: more width and rows, not more sharpness

By TechCompare · Updated · How we check

The 38-inch is bigger, not sharper. It adds 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) of width and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of height, so pick it when the desk has room for that width.

Both panels drawn to scale

38-inch 3840×1600 ultrawide overlaid on a 34-inch 3440×1440, both at true size

34-inch ultrawide (3440×1440): 31.4 in (79.7 cm) × 13.1 in (33.3 cm) · 412 in² (2656 cm²)
38-inch ultrawide (3840×1600): 35.1 in (89.1 cm) × 14.6 in (37.1 cm) · 513 in² (3307 cm²)
Width difference: 3.7 in (9.4 cm) (11.8%) · Height difference: 1.5 in (3.8 cm) (11.3%) · Area ratio: 1.25×
Both panels share a corner and are drawn at the same scale, so the extra width and height of the larger screen are true to size. Open these two in the full Screen Size Comparison

The 38-inch ultrawide is 3.7 in (9.4 cm) wider and has 24% more pixels than the 34-inch.

The 34-inch 3440×1440 and the 38-inch 3840×1600 are neighbors on the ultrawide ladder. The 38-inch adds columns and rows, so the real question is whether that extra room is worth the desk space it takes. Sharpness isn't the difference: both panels sit near 110 PPI.

Try this comparison with our tools

Draw both ultrawides to scale
Overlay a 34-inch 21:9 and a 38-inch 3840×1600 panel at true size.
See 38-inch 3840×1600 dimensions
Width, height and area for a 38-inch ultrawide panel.
See 34-inch 21:9 dimensions
Width, height and area for a 34-inch 21:9 ultrawide.

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Option A
34-inch ultrawide (3440×1440)
Wins 0 of 10 compared specs
Option B
38-inch ultrawide (3840×1600)
Wins 7 of 10 compared specs

Side-by-side specs

Spec34-inch ultrawide (3440×1440)38-inch ultrawide (3840×1600)
Diagonal
34 in (86 cm)
38 in (97 cm) (better on this spec)
Resolution
3440 × 1440
3840 × 1600
Pixel rowsRows are the vertical pixels, the second number in a resolution.
1440
1600 (better on this spec)
Total pixels
4.95 million
6.14 million (better on this spec)
Pixel increase
Baseline
+24% (better on this spec)
Width
31.4 in (79.7 cm)
35.1 in (89.1 cm) (better on this spec)
Height
13.1 in (33.3 cm)
14.6 in (37.1 cm) (better on this spec)
Screen area
412 in² (2656 cm²)
513 in² (3307 cm²) (better on this spec)
Typical pixel densityPPI means pixels per inch. More pixels in each inch gives a sharper picture.
109.7 PPI
109.5 PPI
Added desk width
Baseline
+3.7 in (9.4 cm)

How they differ

The 34-inch panel measures 31.4 inches (79.7 cm) wide by 13.1 inches (33.3 cm) tall, about 412 in² (2656 cm²) of screen. The 38-inch measures 35.1 inches (89.1 cm) wide by 14.6 inches (37.1 cm) tall, about 513 in² (3307 cm²). The gap is 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) in width and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in height.

The extra room comes from the pixel grid: 1600 rows against 1440, and 3840 columns against 3440. That's 6.14 million pixels against 4.95 million, or 24% more.

Pixel density is 109.7 PPI on the 34-inch and 109.5 on the 38-inch. That makes the 38-inch a hair less dense, so text at the same scaling comes out a hair larger, not sharper.

Measure your desk before you buy. The panel alone is 35.1 inches (89.1 cm) wide, and the stand needs room too.

Verdict

Pick the 38-inch 3840×1600 if your desk can hold a panel 35.1 inches (89.1 cm) wide and you want its 1600 rows for documents and timelines. Pick the 34-inch 3440×1440 if the desk is tight. The 38-inch has about 25% more screen area for 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) more width.

Draw both ultrawides to scale

Which should you pick?

Choose 34-inch ultrawide (3440×1440)

Pick the 34-inch if your desk is tight or you want a smaller panel. It's 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) narrower than the 38-inch, which can decide whether it fits.

See 34-inch 21:9 dimensions

Choose 38-inch ultrawide (3840×1600)

Pick the 38-inch if your desk is wide enough and you use the extra rows for documents, timelines or code. It has 24% more pixels than the 34-inch, all of them as room on the screen.

See 38-inch ultrawide dimensions

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Frequently asked questions

Is 38-inch ultrawide sharper than 34-inch?
No. The 34-inch 3440×1440 gives 109.7 PPI, and the 38-inch 3840×1600 gives 109.5, a hair less. The extra pixels fill a bigger panel, so the picture is wider and taller, not denser. The gap is too small to notice in daily use, so pick on width and desk fit.
How much more desk does a 38-inch ultrawide need?
The 38-inch measures 35.1 inches (89.1 cm) wide by 14.6 inches (37.1 cm) tall, against 31.4 inches (79.7 cm) by 13.1 inches (33.3 cm) for the 34-inch. That's 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) more width, which is the number to check against your desk. Height grows by 1.5 inches (3.8 cm), so the top edge sits a little higher. Measure before you order, and leave room for the stand base.
Does the 38-inch add more height than the 34-inch?
Yes, but only a little. The 38-inch has 1600 pixel rows against 1440, which adds 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of physical height. The width gap is the bigger one at 3.7 inches (9.4 cm), so the wider screen changes the desk more than the taller one does.

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