Tested: Corsair's Xeneon Edge secondary monitor is weird in all the right ways

Price When Reviewed

$249.99

Best Prices Today: Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5

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

It can be utilized as a secondary show, which is how I used it. However, it may also be mounted to a 1/4″-20 tripod mount, or hooked up to a 360mm radiator mount in a PC desktop. You may 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.

Further studying: The best monitors: 11 top picks for gaming, 4K, HDR, and more

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 specs and options

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

• Display measurement: 14.5-inch 32:9 side ratio
• Native decision: 2560×720
• Panel kind: AHVA-LCD 5-point multi-touch
• Refresh price: 60Hz
• Adaptive sync: None
• HDR: None
• Ports: 1x USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort, 1x HDMI
• Audio: None
• Additional options: Magnetic desk stand, magnetic mount, 360mm mounting possibility, 1/4″-20 tripod mount
• Price: $249.99 MSRP

Unusual measurement apart, the Xeneon Edge 14.5 additionally stands out due to its lengthy record 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 may 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 broad and thick. The physique is plastic, however the plastics used are inflexible and a few present a premium soft-touch really feel. The Edge appears much less like a monitor and extra like a high-end gaming peripheral, similar to a gamepad or joystick.

It ships with a stand for desktop use. The stand is an easy 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. Also, 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

However, the monitor may also connect to a 360mm fan mount, can grasp 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 possibility. It additionally works with Corsair’s Frame LCD mount, which is discovered on some Corsair circumstances.

The wide selection of choices factors to the Xeneon Edge 14.5’s versatility. I principally used it as a small second show for viewing guides and Discord whereas I performed a sport on-screen. But you should use it as a flashy billboard or management panel hooked up to your gaming rig. It can show your rig’s efficiency info or, should you simply need aptitude, a repeating video clip of your selection.

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 should you tire of utilizing the monitor in a single function. Instead of placing it within the closet, or attempting to promote it on-line, you may give it a second life.

On prime of that, the Xeneon Edge 14.5 undoubtedly fills a niche out there. You can discover many cheap small LCD shows on Amazon, AliExpress, and Temu, however they’re not a lot to have a look at. High-end choices just like the Asus ProArt Display PA147CDV exist, too, however are dearer and meant for artistic execs. 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 connect with the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5: USB-C with DisplayPort, and HDMI.

However, the monitor doesn’t ship with an HDMI-to-HDMI cable. It as an alternative 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 identical time. The USB-C port can ship each DisplayPort video and energy, however most desktop graphics playing cards don’t embody USB-C. On the opposite hand, HDMI or DisplayPort alone can’t provide the ability and knowledge the Xeneon Edge 14.5 wants for its full characteristic set. As a consequence, most desktops require a twin connection: USB-C for energy and knowledge, plus HDMI or DisplayPort for video.

The majority of contemporary 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 is a logical selection, because it retains the connectors out of the way in which as a lot as doable. However, cables which have significantly massive connectors, or that are unusually stiff, could also be troublesome to attach. Even the HDMI-to-DisplayPort cable that ships with the monitor is a tad tough to suit into the house obtainable.

Corsair offers one closing cable that’s not all that frequent: an inner USB header to USB-C cable. This is supposed to be used when the show is positioned inside a desktop. While I didn’t use the monitor on this approach, I anticipate it’s important, as I doubt most players may 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

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

It even lacks an influence button and enter choice button. The monitor as an alternative activates routinely and auto-detects an enter. This is ok in principle and labored accurately in my testing. However, I’ve run into loads of conditions the place a monitor fails to auto-detect a sign. The Xeneon Edge 14.5 gives no approach to deal with this. The lack of energy and enter choice buttons additionally make troubleshooting tougher, because it is likely to be troublesome to inform if the monitor is even turned on (there’s no energy LED, both).

The lack of buttons can be an issue should you plan to make use of the monitor with something aside from Windows. Mac help is listed, however not one of the iCUE software program options can be found. Linux help isn’t listed.

Corsair’s iCUE software program is ok. It’s enticing and simple to know. While 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 goal. However, the reliance on software program means even primary adjustment, like brightness, requires the software program.

Another quirk is the shortcoming to play video games in fullscreen mode whereas utilizing the Xeneon Edge 14.5. This is true as a result of Windows will routinely change focus to a second show should you faucet or click on on it. And if in case you have a fullscreen app open, it will likely be minimized (at greatest) or may glitch out (at worst).

Fortunately, most video games run nice 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 difficulty with video games which might be a decade outdated, or older.

Getting again to the positives, Corsair’s iCUE software program contains built-in widget help for issues like efficiency exercise. While I anticipate some lovers 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 Windows notifications. The monitor helps as much as 30 “pages” of widgets, which strikes me as way over anybody may ever want (although I’m positive somebody will show me flawed).

What about audio? Unsurprisingly, it’s not included. A monitor this small would wrestle to ship good audio, and if it did, the value can be a lot increased. The monitor doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio pass-through jack, both. I don’t maintain the dearth of those options towards the monitor however it’s one thing to remember.

Using the Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5

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

I already touched on {that a} bit within the design part of the evaluation, however I additionally need to dive deeper into my private expertise. Because it seems I’m precisely the sort of individual this monitor may enchantment 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. This is true not just for work but in addition for play. Having one or two massive screens subsequent to my main gaming show make it arduous for me to focus my consideration on what I’m taking part in, and my enjoyment plummets.

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

While Corsair’s iCUE software program gives widgets, and I did attempt them, I spent extra time utilizing the monitor as a easy secondary show. I used to be capable of place YouTube or YouTube Music on one half, offering simple media management, and leaving room to learn a information on the opposite half.

I’m at present having fun with Rimworld, a notoriously complicated sport, and located fast entry to a second display useful for trying up suggestions. However, as a result of the display is small, I wasn’t tempted to fireplace up social media or open my e-mail.

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

Corsair Xeneon Edge 14.5 picture high quality

Image 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 prone to be thrown at it.

Because of that, the picture high quality may be summed up in a single phrase. Adequate.

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 after I positioned the Xeneon Edge 14.5 subsequent to an OLED monitor. The Edge appears good, however it’s not as wealthy and vibrant as an OLED show.

The Xeneon Edge 14.5’s shiny coat might be a difficulty should 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 simple to vary 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.

Resolution, then again, is the place the Xeneon Edge 14.5 has a bonus over most screens. 2560×720 decision on a 14.5-inch show works out to about 183 pixels per inch. That’s increased than a 27-inch 4K monitor, which has about 163 pixels per inch. While the sharpness is clear 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 price and lacks Adaptive Sync, so movement readability isn’t nice. These points are usually not a lot of a priority, nevertheless, as a result of the show received’t typically be known as on to show HDR or to view fast-moving content material. On the opposite, I anticipate usually it will likely be used to view static content material or on-line video, which is often at 30 or 60 frames per second.

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

Should you 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 niche out there and supply good worth for cash. Most of the monitor’s direct rivals are cheaper, and whereas they may more-or-less do the job, they lack Corsair’s ease-of-use and enticing design. Other alternate options, just like the Asus ProArt Display PA147CVD, ship a horny design however are way 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. None of the alternate options supply this many mounting choices.

It’s not excellent, although. The lack of buttons means Corsair’s iCUE software program is required for even primary show changes. Also, the monitor isn’t very helpful if used alongside a fullscreen app, attributable to limitations in Windows 11’s window administration.

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