Standard monitors come with an average of 16:9 aspect ratio, so being able to get something in the region of 21:9 delivers a completely unique experience for gaming and productivity. Instead of having to merge two or more monitors in some cases, these ultrawide monitors help you achieve all of that with a single screen, making them a set of productivity and entertainment tools you can’t do without.
In a Hurry? Here’s Our Top Three
I have put together five of the best ultrawide monitors for gaming and productivity. These monitors are way cheaper when you consider their prices compared to the cost of buying and installing multiple monitors. And while they are large screens in themselves, you’re bound to have a lesser demand for space, making them the ultimate set of monitors for users with small desks and small spaces.
Best Ultrawide Monitors for Gaming and Productivity
Alienware AW3420DW – Best Ultrawide Monitor for Gaming and Productivity
Pros:
- Premium ultrawide design
- No IPS “glow” or “back bleed”
- Onboard lighting control and Alienware software that lets you customize your settings and RGB light
- More pronounced curve
- Ultrawide makes immersive games even more engrossing
- G-Sync is 100% worth it
- The default settings were nearly perfect out-of-the-box
Cons:
- Not so affordable
- Would need more ports
- No HDR support
The Alienware AW3420DW remains one of the best ultrawide monitors for most uses. If you need a gaming monitor that can deliver immersive gaming experiences in games like Fortnite, COD, and Sim Racing, then this 21:9 screen will do the job for you. If you also need an ultrawide monitor for productivity, like work, coding and programming, video and photo editing, and for MacBook Pro, then you should try the Alienware AW3420DW.
The Alienware AW3420DW comes with a 2ms response time and a 120Hz refresh rate. You also get Nvidia G-Sync which works better when you put it side-by-side with a compatible Nvidia Graphics card. All of these are features that gamers would appreciate.
It also comes with an ultrawide resolution, which means you’ll be able to run two large browser windows and applications, so if you’re looking to do any type of work on a monitor, the Alienware AW3420DW ultrawide monitor remains our most recommended option.
The Alienware AW3420DW comes with decent out-of-the-box accuracy, and with a little bit of calibration, you should be able to get the best out of it for video and photo editing.
This monitor comes with a futuristic-looking oval-shaped RGB light ring on the back of the monitor stand and there is an alien head on the back of the display. You wouldn’t appreciate the beauty of this monitor until you start working or gaming with the lights at the back turned on.
On the bottom right corner at the front of the display, you will find a little stick with which you’re able to open the settings menu, plus three buttons on the back that work for the settings and the main menu. The RGB lighting around the back of the monitor can be controlled through both the Alienware control center software and the menu.
The ports are covered by a little shield that has to be slid in and out whenever you need to make connections. For gamers, there are HDMI and DisplayPort ports on the right side while there are two USB-A ports and a special USB port on the left side at the back of the monitor. I did feel, though, that for a monitor in its price range, having only two ports for the Display is quite limiting.
For those who fancy using headphones, there is a quick-access USB-A port and a 3.5mm audio jack port on the bottom of the monitor. This area comes with its own illumination, making it easy to plug anything even when you’re working or gaming in the dark.
You’ll absolutely fall in love with the bezels of the Alienware AW3420DW monitor. The bezels are not very thick, they’re not very easy to notice, and you wouldn’t even notice them when you’re engrossed in your work or games. The only problem I have with it is why Dell hasn’t worked to eliminate bezels from their premium monitor line as they have managed to do on their premium laptops.
Sceptre C305B-200UN – Best UltraWide Curved Monitor for Gaming PC & PS5
Pros:
- Ultrawide
- AMD FreeSync, G-Sync capability
- Display Port with up to 200Hz refresh rate
- Picture-in-Picture Mode
- Tiny Bezels
Cons:
- I didn’t like the color straight from the box
- May start ghosting at high refresh rates
The Sceptre C305B-200UN comes in a metal black color, it comes with two main connectivity options, DisplayPort and HDMI. This monitor sports a screen resolution of 2560x1080p, a response time of 5ms, and a refresh rate of 200Hz. The curved gaming monitor also comes with a 3.5mm audio jack, FreeSync that is compatible with most Nvidia graphics cards and two built-in speakers.
The Sceptre C305B-200UN proved to be one of my best ultrawide curved monitors for gaming on PC and gaming consoles as it exhibits a 90% sRGB palette, producing so many different ranges of colors, delivering bright colors with uniformity, producing refreshing image quality, and having a pretty amazing color production while selling for under $500.
On the backlight, this monitor is powered by an industrially modified light source only found on Sceptre monitors, and this lighting is designed to adapt to any environment in which you’re using the monitor.
The curvature of the monitor is rated 1800R, and it’s designed specifically for gamers, giving you the freedom to customize the monitor as much as you want. It comes in a distinctly gamey look and feels, it comes with a triangular backbone which also sports red LED illumination strips. You also get built-in speakers that are pretty loud, so you don’t have to invest in an audio setup especially since the quality of the audio produced is great for most gamers.
For gamers who have a wall-mounting setup for their monitors, the Sceptre C305B-200UN comes with a 75x75mm VESA mount measurement. I should also add that the curved gaming monitor weighs around 12 pounds, so you can move it around and mount it seamlessly with little to no risk of damage.
I should point out that if you want to use the 200Hz monitor for gaming, you will need to use the DisplayPort as the HDMI ports are designed to produce up to 144Hz in refresh rate.
Overall, for its price, (which isn’t the cheapest) and for the number of outstanding features that gamers get to enjoy, the Sceptre C305B-200UN remains one of the best ultrawide curved monitors for gaming on both PCs, the PS5 and other gaming consoles.
Read more: Best monitors for home office
AOC CU34G2X – Best Ultrawide Curved Monitor for PS4 Pro and Xbox One
Pros:
- Curved VA panel
- G-Sync Compatible works flawlessly
- 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time
- Nice picture quality
- No bezels design
- Accurate out of the box
Cons:
- No pivot
- No built-in speaker
- The built-in settings could be a bit more intuitive
The AOC CU34G2X comes with a curvature that is rated 1500R, you get a 1ms response time and a 144Hz refresh rate. Other features include FreeSync, 80,000,000:1 image contrast ratio, and a monitor that’s coated in black and silver color.
The AOC CU34G2X is an excellently built monitor that’s great for both console gaming, entertainment, and work demands. The AOC CU34G2X comes with a base that can be attached to the back of the panel with no need for special tools. There is DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB cords out-of-the-box, a calibration datasheet you’ll rarely find on other gaming monitors, and VESA 100x100mm compatibility.
You’d appreciate the thin bezels of this gaming monitor, added to a flush-mounted anti-glare layer which looks like its frameless when you turn the screen off. I didn’t notice any kind of bleeding, glow, or hotspots on the monitor, and the front layer doesn’t have an air gap, which surely helped to remove all cases of grainy pictures. The AOC CU34G2X doesn’t come with RGB lighting, it comes with LED lighting, though, on the power indicator.
The monitor control buttons are on the bottom-right corner of the screen, they’re small and recessed, and they clicked firmly. While I felt it would have been better if they were bigger, I loved that they weren’t visible. All other connectivity ports, like the DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 are on the back of the gaming monitor. In other to run G-Sync, I needed the DisplayPort, and that was also the case when I tried to play with AOC CU34G2X in its full native resolution of 144Hz.
Playing games like Tomb Raider with the AOC CU34G2X produces smooth, seamless performance. The extra color and contrast were noticeable, the reds didn’t look oversaturated, and you could tell that all flesh tones looked very natural.
Overall, for a curved gaming monitor in this price range, delivering immersive image quality, amazing refresh rate and response time, lots of customization options, and a gamey feel and look, the AOC CU34G2X surely passes as one of my best ultrawide curved monitors for PS4 Pro, Xbox One and all other PC and console gaming needs.
Philips 346B1C – Best Ultrawide Monitor for Productivity and Office Work
Pros:
- 4K resolution + IPS + 10-bit color
- Width is great for productivity
- KVM switch for using the display with multiple PCs
- Sturdy metal base
- High-quality chassis
- Brighter and much more accurate colors
- The top and side bezels of the monitor are thin
- Built-in speakers
- It sports up to 350 nits / 350 cd/m2 in brightness
Cons:
- No VESA compatibility
- Button placement for settings and power is in the back, which is weird
- No DisplayPort
The Philips 346B1C is one of those gaming monitors that are well-suited for the demands of a workplace. This 34 inches ultrawide curved screen, is one that isn’t exactly designed with gamers in mind. Instead, it comes with features that help get the best in terms of content creation and productivity. The panel is great for keeping multiple tabs, documents, and applications open at the same time. The height of the monitor can be adjusted, and it comes with LowBlue mode, a feature that’s great for protecting your eye from strains when you have to game or work for long sessions.
For users who still love a monitor that can game, I should add that the Philips 346B1C comes with 5ms response time and 100Hz refresh rate, it comes with 5 USB Type-C ports, One HDMI port, and built-in speakers. I should also add that it comes out-of-the-box with Adaptive-sync, so you’re sure to get stutter-free graphics.
The Philips 346B1C also comes with a KVM switch, an easy-to-reach button with which you can switch between using more than one PC with this single display. If you are looking for a curved ultrawide monitor for office work, video editing, photo editing (Photoshop), programming, architecture (AutoCAD), graphic designing, and even for console gaming, then the 100Hz refresh rate that you get is way more responsiveness than you’d demand.
As for the image quality, you’re sure getting something decent, and its 300cd/m2 brightness ensures that there isn’t any dull, poor image quality. While the panels perform well when we consider the display from a bigger level, I felt it falls short if a pro needs the display quality for high-class designing work as the color saturation wasn’t the best we’ve seen.
Overall, if you’re on the lookout for the best ultrawide monitor for productivity and office work, then the Philips 346B1C checks all the boxes of things you need on a monitor. You get great image quality, you can view more than one application and document in parallel, the build is sturdy and high quality, and it comes at an OK pricing.
LG 34GL750-B – Best Budget Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor
Pros:
- Excellent response time
- Low input lag
- VRR support
- Supports AMD FreeSync and G-Sync
- Great color reproduction
- Great refresh rate for gaming
- Great menu options and control
Cons:
- Bad black uniformity
- No built-in speakers
- No separate button for power
The LG 34GL750-B is a 32 inches, 21:9 aspect ratio, and a 2560 x 1080 pixels IPS display. The monitor features a 5ms response time and a 144Hz refresh rate. The ultrawide display coupled with the quick response time and fast refresh rate all add up to improve the viewing experience both for gamers and users who use it for work. A very low input lag plus a 144Hz refresh rate add up to provide an amazing level of responsiveness when gaming.
The LG 34GL750-B is another one of our best ultrawide monitors for gaming and productivity that managed to deliver top-notch image quality, fluid performance, and ample screen space for both gaming and productivity needs.
You have connectivity features like DisplayPort and HDMI connection ports. I should add that this monitor’s AMD FreeSync is compatible with G-Sync, it is compatible with HDR10, and a height-adjustable base which helps with ergonomics. I should also add that this monitor comes with support for tilt, an ability to use it in vertical and horizontal modes, and a support for wall mounting with its 100x100mm VESA support.
The back of the monitor is plain and very minimalistic, there is a clip on the back of the stand that helps with cable management, the build of the monitor is sturdy and of good quality. The chassis is made from plastic, the monitor seats, and feels strong on the desk even though it’s one of the widest monitors I’ve used, and the bezels are quite thick.
The monitor doesn’t come with built-in speakers, but you can use the headphone jack to get the audio out. It peaks at 144Hz and can be configured to run at as low as 50Hz. This is especially great for when you’re into console and PC gaming. The 144Hz peak can best be used via a DisplayPort.
While the LG 34GL750-B doesn’t bring anything new to the table especially at this price, it still managed to come out as one very cool gaming monitor. Fast refresh rate and quick response time, coupled with more support for ergonomics and a wonderful improvement on the graphics and display, the LG 34GL750-B makes it into our list as the best budget ultrawide curved gaming monitor, not only for being the cheapest option but also for not sacrificing quality.
Looking for a cheap 4k curved monitor for gaming under $500? Here are the best.
John follows everything happening in the tech industry, from the latest gadget launches to some of the big-name moves in the industry. He covers opinionated pieces and writes on some of the biggest names in the industry. John is also a freelance writer, so he shares articles on freelancing every now and then. email: john@tekpip.com
Last update on 2023-06-01 We are an Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.in affiliate and earn from qualifying purchases through our links at no extra cost to you.