The best budget ultrawide monitor brings big changes to your setup, but with a cheap enough price tag that it shouldn't dent your bank account. The 21:9 aspect ratio is a perfect companion, whether you want a larger workspace for writing, editing, and browsing, or fancy full immersion in your games as the screen sucks you into the action.
While having the best ultrawide monitor is great if money is no object, you don't need the $2,000+ USD Samsung Odyssey to experience a quality display. In fact, brands like LG and Dell offer affordable ultrawide monitors with a price tag under $600.
So, what's the catch? Well, you'll have to miss out on a few features, such as better HDR, RGB lighting, and the fastest refresh rates, but that's really it.
For a reasonably affordable price, you can get a great ultrawide monitor with a fantastic pixel resolution - and we've selected the cream of the crop based on specs, features, and anything else that makes them stand out from the crowd.
Let's take a look at the best cheap ultrawide monitors out there:
- Dell Curved Gaming Monitor
- LG UltraWide 34WP65C-B
- ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B
- Sceptre 30-inch Curved Gaming Monitor
- LG UltraWide Monitor 29WP60G-B
Dell Curved Gaming Monitor
Best budget ultrawide monitor for most people
When it comes to monitors, Dell is up there with the best. This particular monitor boasts an impressive spec sheet that makes it great for gamers and those looking to use it for everyday activities.
On the gaming front, you'll find a 144hz refresh rate, 2ms response time, and AMD FreeSync, all of which add up to smooth on-screen movement with a low chance of screen tear or jitter.
Read more: Best video editing monitor
It's also VESA Display HDR 400 certified, which means you're going to be getting more 'inky' blacks than you'd see on non-HDR monitors. You're also getting a higher peak brightness, which does two things...makes the monitor excellent for well-lit rooms and makes colours appear more vivid. Win, win.
When it comes to design, sure, this isn't glowing with all the RGB in the world, but we think that's what makes it quite special...
This is a gaming monitor that, aesthetically speaking, doesn't really look like one. That ultimately makes it fit well into most interiors, without turning your exquisitely designed office into an all-out gaming station (which wouldn't be a bad thing, mind you).
Overall, a solid consideration for most people looking for ultrawide on a budget.
LG UltraWide 34WP65C-B
Best budget ultrawide monitor for everyday use
For everyday use, this LG UltraWide monitor should provide a good balance between performance and design that we think ticks a lot of boxes.
LG seems to be pushing the gaming primarily element here, and rightfully so as this packs a 160hz refresh rate plus AMD FreeSync. Monitors like this are actually great for sim racing setups, where drivers often benefit from higher frames per second.
Read more: Best HDR monitor
What this monitor has are features that should make the image quality quite impressive. A 99% sRGB, for instance, combined with HDR 10 makes for a winning formula for those watching movies or even designing.
Sure, colours won't be as accurate as some of the best graphic design monitors out there, but this display isn't super far off.
As far as looks, again, LG makes some of the sleekest monitors we've seen and this is no different. We love the brushed metal effect and the ultra-thin bezels in particular.
For those who want something that looks great, and performs well with work and gaming, then this could be the one for you.
Asus TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B
Best budget ultrawide monitor for gaming
Asus produce a ton of monitors, many of which pack the best specs and features you could ask for. You may have come across their Asus ROG range, where you'll find many of these powerhouses, but what if you're limited to a budget?
You head right over to their hugely popular Asus TUF range, which brings the heat when comes to performance, without wiping out your savings!
Case in point, the VG34VQL1B, which we think is one of the best budget ultrawide monitors for gaming.
Read more: Best gaming monitor under 200
Why? Well, it's got the classic high refresh rate, low response time combo, and features AMD FreeSync Premium, but it goes one step further.
This monitor has DisplayHDR 400 which, like an earlier entry on the list, means that it's both bright and can showcase deep blacks.
That means this monitor will be able to provide a cinematic experience to your slower-paced titles, like Death Stranding or God of War, but also be able to keep up with any of your more competitive games too.
Throw in looks to kill, and you've got the whole package.
Sceptre 30-inch curved
Best budget ultrawide monitor for refresh rate
Now we know we've banged on about refresh rates a few times in this article, but if you're as obsessed with them as we are, you'll want to check out this monitor from Sceptre.
Connecting to it via Display Port can offer an impressively high refresh rate of 200hz for a silky smooth gaming experience. The HDMI 2.0 connection is also beneficial for higher resolution gameplay up to 120hz.
Speaking of smoothness, the monitor also includes AMD Free Sync to help remove tearing and stuttering. It should really liven up fast-paced, action-packed games so they adhere to real-time as much as possible.
Read more: Best 43-inch monitor
In fact, to enhance your gaming experience even more and give you a little helping hand to make you the best gamer you can be, Sceptre has custom set display settings like FPS (First Person Shooter) and RTS (Real-Time Strategy).
Something to think about when you're planning on staring at a monitor screen for a long time is the negative effect it can have on your eyes.
Luckily, Sceptre has taken that into consideration and, with their Blue Light Shift, the monitor should reduce blue light to protect your eyes from fatigue and strain so you can game for longer.
LG UltraWide Monitor 29WP60G-B
Best budget ultrawide monitor for video editing
Have you got the beginnings of a comprehensive office setup that you're looking to complete?
Perhaps you've already got one of the best ultrawide monitor arms but you're looking for a top ultrawide monitor to match? Well, this LG UltraWide display may well be a good choice for you.
The wide screen and 21:9 aspect ratio should work well with its Full HD resolution to provide rich detail whilst gaming.
Moreover, you get HDR10 and an IPS display that boasts 99% of the sRGB colour spectrum which, in our opinion, is particularly useful for design work and video editing.
Read more: Best triple monitor stand
Editing videos full-time usually involves a lot of staring at screens all day. Whilst this is a necessary part of being able to do your job, it can have a potentially negative effect on your eyes.
Luckily, though, LG has equipped this monitor Reader Mode which is designed to reduce blue light enough to lessen eye fatigue by creating an on-screen colour temperature similar to paper.
All in all, a good option to aid your artistic ways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions in case you still have some queries when it comes to purchasing the best budget ultrawide monitor.
Are ultrawide monitors worth it?
Yes, we'd say ultrawide monitors are worth it. They can offer a brilliantly immersive experience, either when gaming or working.
This is because they can give you a better field of view and make multi-tasking easier as they allow you to split windows and still view them in full size.
They can also be great for watching movies or television as films are usually shot at 21:9, meaning you can get the best viewing experience possible without encountering any black bars disrupting the action after the ratio has been adjusted.
What is the best size for an ultrawide monitor?
The best size for an ultrawide monitor will ultimately come down to personal preference and what you need to use it for.
The most common size is generally around 34 inches from what we've encountered, but there are smaller options available.
If you need it for work, such as video editing, then it's perhaps best not to go for anything above 34 inches because presumably you'll be working at your desk and you'll want to make sure the entire screen is in your field of vision.
But, for console gaming, then it might be a case of the bigger the better, just as with a TV. However, competitive gaming is arguably better suited to smaller screens as they present all the action in front of your eyes and away from your peripheral vision.
How much should I spend on a budget ultrawide monitor?
How much you want to spend on a 'budget' ultrawide monitor is completely up to you.
As mentioned before, top-end ultrawide monitors can be as expensive as $2,000 USD which isn't always a viable option.
But, as you can see from our selection, you should still be able to find a really good monitor for far less. We'd say that anything below $600 USD counts as a budget ultrawide monitor.
The trick with selecting a good budget monitor is to keep an eye out for some of the core features that make a display great. For gaming, for example, keep an eye on the refresh rate and response time for the smoothest gameplay possible.
Make note of the resolution as well as you'll no doubt want something that's capable of showcasing gameplay or your work in as much detail as possible.