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Get Immersed in Your Gaming Experience With the Best Ultrawide Curved Monitors

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Get Immersed in Your Gaming Experience With the Best Ultrawide Curved Monitors

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Ultrawide Curved Monitor Buyer’s Guide

Whether you’re watching a movie or playing video games, an ultrawide monitor can really add to the entertainment experience. The wider screen space not only means you have more room for apps, ‌but it also means that you can see environments in games and watch films in higher quality and without those annoying black bars on the top and bottom all the time. Among ultrawide monitors, it’s the curved variant that really makes for the ideal gaming and watching experience. Since ultrawide monitors are, well, wide, having the screen curve slightly means that you can see every pixel without getting a weird perspective toward the edges of the screen. Here are some of the top-rated ultrawide curved monitors of 2023.

If you want to enjoy games and movies in a more immersive way, you’ll want to save up for an ultrawide curved monitor. Here’s all you need to know about these powerful devices.

What Is Ultrawide?

The term “ultrawide” is something you’ll find in gaming monitor products, and it’s used to describe monitors that are much wider than your typical computer monitor. Technically speaking, it’s a type of monitor that ‌has an aspect ratio of 21:9, as opposed to the standard wide-screen resolution of 16:9. While not all ultrawide monitors are curved, many people prefer getting curved ultrawide monitors. This is because, unlike regular 16:9 monitors, you can’t as easily see the pixels and images on the side of the screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio. This is especially true if the monitor is large enough. Curving the monitor slightly will make it easier to see the edges of the monitor without ruining the overall perspective.

Why Get an Ultrawide Monitor?

It provides unparalleled immersion

Ultrawide curved monitors are often sought after for their ability to immerse the viewer more efficiently. While a 16:9 monitor will only take up a certain amount of their range of vision, an ultrawide curved monitor will be much larger, and you’ll see more of the images and videos displayed on the screen. 

It’s useful for productivity

Have you ever tried working with two monitors before? While a dual monitor setup may seem unnecessary for many people, it’s actually quite useful for many others. The added space can ‌check data, watch videos, and multitask‌. Ultrawide Curved monitors offer a similar benefit; you can have one app open on one side of the screen with a second app open on the other. It’s also a lot easier to use than having two monitors as you won’t need to worry about setting two monitors up.

They’re perfect for gaming

Because ultrawide curved monitors are quite expensive, they’re ‌guaranteed to have all the features you want in gaming. Things like high refresh rates, low response times, HDR support, FreeSync and GSync and more. While these are all extra premium features in typical monitors, they’re the norm for ultrawide curved displays.

Elements of an Ultrawide Curved Monitor

Refresh rate

The refresh rate is the rate at which the display updates its pixels per second. The higher the refresh rate, the more frames the monitor can show per second. A monitor’s refresh rate is a direct indicator of the max FPS (or frames per second) it can support.

Size

When a product listing mentions a monitor’s specs, it will usually include a size. The size, in inches, is the length from the top corner of one side of the monitor to the bottom corner on the other side, or vice versa. This gives you a general idea of how large the monitor is.

Response time

The response time of a monitor determines how fast the image on the monitor gets updated based on input. Response times are measured in milliseconds, and the faster the response time, the better. So, for example, a response time of 1ms will cause the screen to update 1ms after the input is sent to the computer.

Tips When Using an Ultrawide Curved Monitor

Watch or play supported media

To make the most out of your ultrawide monitor, try watching movies or playing games that support this resolution. Most AAA games and high-budget movies should have ultrawide support.

Make use of HDR

HDR is a technology that makes your monitor display bright colors. While this feature is useful for adding even more immersion to your viewing and gaming experience, not all games or media support it, so be sure to check in advance.

01 Samsung Odyssey G5 Gaming Monitor

It’s difficult to find an ultrawide gaming monitor that combines resolution, performance, and a reasonable price, but Samsung seems to fit that bill. This gaming monitor has a 34-inch screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for games that need high frame rates for optimal performance. In particular, ultrawide monitors with this much refresh rate are great when playing MOBA games and other online games as they can give a slight competitive advantage. For just under $450, it’s definitely the best overall on the list.

Pros

  • 165Hz refresh rate
  • 34-inch ultrawide screen
  • 1-ms response time

Cons

  • Extremely thick bottom bezel can be off-putting for those who prefer sleeker monitors
Samsung Odyssey G5 Gaming Monitor

02 LG UltraWide Monitor

LG makes everything from TVs to refrigerators, and their monitors are just as good, too. Their UltraWide monitor has a 34-inch display with support for sRGB 99% color gamut. It has on-screen controls for accessible settings whenever you need to make some adjustments.

You can use the monitor with or without a stand provided you have a supporting mount. Finally, USB-C support makes this monitor compatible with a lot of modern systems, which can be useful for futureproofing in a way.

Pros

  • Relatively thin bezels on all sides
  • Clean monitor stand design
  • Uses USB Type-C

Cons

  • Bezel thickness and evenness look a little old-fashioned
LG UltraWide Monitor

03 AOC Curved Frameless Monitor

What makes a monitor a “gaming monitor”? Is it the response time? The refresh rate? HDR support? You could make arguments for all of these things, but if there’s one way to really sell the “gamer” aspect of a monitor, it’s through the aesthetic. This gaming monitor by AOC may be like any other curved monitor on our list performance-wise, but its monitor stand makes it “stand” out. The sharp edges combined with the red flair on the base of the stand give the monitor this gamer-like look that’s perfect for any traditional gamer setup.

Pros

  • Delivers on the “gamer aesthetic”
  • Can be wall mounted
  • 144Hz refresh rate

Cons

  • You’ll need quite a bit of space on your desk
AOC Curved Frameless Monitor

04 VIOTEK 34-Inch Monitor

Unlike the computer monitors of the early 2000s, gaming monitors these days put a premium on thin and sleek designs. In particular, bezels are often seen as something that should be minimized or removed entirely, as they can ruin the immersion due to how noticeable they can be. Viotek’s gaming ultrawide monitor features ‌thin bezels for something so cheap. In fact, it’s the cheapest monitor on our roundup, coming in at ‌just $389. It has FreeSync and G-Sync support and comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, too, so you get the total package for something that’s relatively affordable.

Pros

  • Thin and sleek design with bezels
  • Supports both G-Sync and FreeSync
  • 1ms response time

Cons

  • Looks pretty thick and bulky behind the monitor itself
VIOTEK 34-Inch Monitor

05 Sceptre Curved UltraWide Monitor

If you’ve got a complex setup on your desk, you may need a monitor that can accept multiple sources of video. This could be useful if you wanted to use the same monitor for your PC and your multiple gaming consoles or even your laptop. Sceptre’s gaming monitor comes with multiple ports that can all display video at a 100Hz refresh rate. It’s a little slower in that regard compared to other monitors, but with HDR support, high brightness capabilities, and a wide 35-inch screen, you’re still getting a lot for your money.

Pros

  • Relatively affordable compared to other ultrawide monitors
  • HDR support for more vivid colors
  • Can accept multiple video sources

Cons

  • Only a 100Hz refresh rate, with some ports only supporting 60Hz
Sceptre Curved UltraWide Monitor

People Also Ask

Are all ultrawide monitors curved?

No. While many ultrawide monitors are curved, there are also many ultrawide monitors with a flat screen.

What is the aspect ratio of an ultrawide monitor?

The typical aspect ratio of an ultrawide monitor is 21:9.

Are ultrawide curved monitors worth it?

If you enjoy immersing yourself in media and prefer a larger working space, ultrawide curved monitors may very well be worth the premium attached to them.

Alex Baum

May 19, 2022

37 Articles Published

Our Process & Method

We're not just tech junkies, but we're also tech experts. Each and every "Best of.." list on TechJunkie is curated by our content-area subject matter experts to provide a well-rounded, unbiased perspective to help and inform you, our reader. Our lists are constantly reviewed and updated, so you can be sure you're reading relevant and up to date information.

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