What is the best ultrawide monitor you can get right now? Well, 'best' means a lot of different things to different people, so let's first take a look at what makes a great ultrawide monitor, and why you should consider getting one.
Ultrawide monitors encapsulate any monitor that offers a widescreen format but has a minimum of a 21:9 ratio vs the more common 16:9 aspect ratio you'll find with most monitors.
Having a 21:9 ratio allows greater screen real-estate for productivity, which comes in very handy for coding, video editing, or simply everyday use.
A wider field of view can also make compatible games look incredible, and we've already seen some AAA titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn enter the ranks of 21:9.
They can be amazing additions to any PC setup, especially if you choose to mount one onto one of the best ultrawide monitor arms to give you some extra desk space.
While PS5 doesn't support 21:9, and it's still yet to be seen if the Xbox Series X supports ultrawide either, if you're looking for something epic for your work/ gaming space, there are some pretty impressive ultrawide monitors on the market.
We've selected these monitors based on specs, general reviews, and features that we think make them worth considering. We've also answered some of your most frequently asked questions, plus, we've highlighted some of the best upcoming ultrawide monitors you'll want to keep your eye out for!
Let's get to it - these are what we think are the best ultrawide monitors you can buy.
Best ultrawide monitor
- Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
- Alienware AW3423DW
- Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ
- BenQ EX3501R
- Samsung Odyssey G9
- LG 34WN80C-B
- Acer Nitro XZ342CK
- AOC Agon AG493UCX
1. Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
Best ultrawide monitor
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 looks to be an incredible addition to the world of ultrawide gaming monitors, especially given it's a world's first.
It features a 4K panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, which should offer you the combined power of an incredibly detailed image with wonderfully smooth motion, complete with little in the way of ghosting.
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In addition, the G8 features a 1000R curve to offer up some immersive gaming, especially given that 1000R matches your natural eye line. The fact it's a Mini LED-backlit panel should provide some great vibrancy alongside excellent contrast and colours.
1000R monitors are very strongly curved - in fact, the smaller the number before the R, the more curved a screen will be.
It's also a great-looking monitor with a glossy white plastic finish in the same vein as the Odyssey G9, with a sandblasted metal base that should be pretty sturdy.
2. Alienware AW3423DW
Best QD-OLED ultrawide monitor
The Alienware AW3423DW is arguably one of the most hotly anticipated monitors of 2022, and looks to be quite the powerhouse panel.
With it comes the fact this is one of the world's first QD-OLED monitors, which is a technology majorly associated with televisions at the current moment that combines the excellent contrast of OLED with the vibrancy of a QLED display.
Read more: Best budget 4K monitors
QLED technology allows OLED screens to be enhanced through the use of AI, granting clarity down to singular pixels themselves.
The monitor also features 1000 nits of brightness to offer an immensely sharp image, and a 175Hz refresh rate should provide some super smooth gameplay.
As a 1440p panel, this isn't an HDMI 2.1 capable display, given the best HDMI 2.1 monitors are capable of 120Hz at a 4K resolution, but the fact it features QD-OLED and an incredible set of features should more than make up for it.
3. ASUS ROG Swift PG35VQ
Best premium ultrawide monitor
The ASUS ROG range is ASUS' more premium range in comparison to their, still impressive, Asus TUF line, so it's no surprise that the ASUS ROG Swift PG35VQ is an absolute powerhouse of an ultrawide monitor.
This is definitely geared towards gamers first and foremost and that comes through with the design itself, which features the sharp angles and lighting you'd expect from any one of the best gaming monitors around.
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From a gaming perspective, the curve, the super low response time (especially for a larger screen), and 200hz refresh rate make this one of the best you can go for.
It's also DisplayHDR 1000 certified, which basically means it has to be super bright, have incredible contrast and excellent colour - making this a good choice for streaming too, and one of the best HDR monitors out there.
It's expensive, but this looks to be one of the ultimate ultrawide gaming monitors on the market today.
4. BenQ EX3501R
Best mid-range ultrawide monitor
BenQ is another great brand to go to, especially if you're looking to spend in the mid-range and still get quality. The BenQ EX3501R is an excellent ultrawide monitor that covers both gaming and productivity very well.
On the productivity front, there are a host of features designed to keep both eye and next strain at bay. Low blue light settings, a brightness sensor that adapts to the surrounding lighting conditions and full height and tilt adjustability are great for people working for long hours at home.
If you combine this with one of the best monitor light bars you'll be especially comfortable.
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On the gaming front, it's solid. A 100hz refresh rate with a 4ms response time is more than enough for most gamers out there, asides from the hyper-competitive (in which case you'd want a smaller screen anyway). For more info, our friends at Gfinity Tech have a handy guide on what monitor size is best for gaming, too.
Overall, it's a great monitor for the price and looks to hit a nice balance between looks, performance and functionality.
5. Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9
Best 49" ultrawide monitor
Samsung monitors are always pretty epic, and the Odyssey G9 has been one of the top dogs for quite some time now.
Even with the likes of the Samsung Odyssey Ark on the market, the appeal of the G9 is still there for many looking to create the ultimate setup at home.
This is the kind of monitor you'll want to look into if you're spending a lot of time gaming and working from home. From a work perspective, the massive screen allows for multiple tabs to be open at once and positioned practically anywhere you'd want, without being split across the bezels as it would be with a dual monitor setup.
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Its 49-inch panel is also comparable in size to some of the best gaming TVs out there and gives you plenty of screen real estate to play with.
The 1000R curve is also very impressive, especially for immersion when gaming. Add that to its HDR 1000 rating, and 200hz, 1ms response time, and you've got one of the best gaming monitors, period.
In addition, it also features a Mini LED backlight which means it offers some immense HDR performance, as well as some incredibly accurate colours and above all, excellent brightness - Samsung quotes it as being around 2000 nits.
Mini LEDs essentially offer a backlight with a larger quantity of smaller LEDs that can be precisely controlled individually to optimise colours and contrast, for instance.
Overall, it's well worth considering if you don't fancy waiting for Samsung's upcoming (and predicted to be pricey) ultrawide releases this year and one heck of a centrepiece for your home setup.
6. LG 34WN80C-B
Best mid-range ultrawide monitor for productivity
LG makes some fantastic monitors and amazing TVs, and we think the LG 34WN80C-B is up there with the best.
This is the kind of monitor that's more for work than gaming, and that shows not only with the specs, but the design as well.
It's super minimal, has narrow bezels, and even has a USB C 60W port to keep your setup looking as clean as possible.
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Featuring an IPS display, WQHD resolution, and a very impressive 99% sRGB colour gamut, this monitor will be excellent for video editors (making it one of the best video editing monitors might we add), coding, and everyday use. It's even got an anti-glare coating in case you're working in a well-lit room.
On the picture quality front, you're getting HDR 10, plus a solid 300-nit brightness. That's around the same level as most gaming monitors, and it's more than enough for most.
Overall, it's a great-looking monitor that should be high up on your list if you're looking for something in the mid-range, that has a more reserved, minimal style.
7. Acer Nitro XZ342CK
Best affordable ultrawide monitor
If you're looking for the ultrawide experience, but don't want to throw down too much of your setup budget, then this Acer Nitro XZ342CK could be worth checking out.
On paper, it packs a pretty impressive resume for the price, including DisplayHDR 400, a 144hz refresh rate, and even a 1ms response time.
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Not only that, but we'd argue that the bezels are even thinner than what we'd see on some of the high mid-range options of the market too.
It's also minimal enough to not look out of place in a more conventional home setup but has just a touch of gamer-oriented design that looks like it still means business.
A worthy contender for your attention!
8. AOC Agon AG493UCX
Best ultrawide monitor with 1800R curve
We cannot list the best ultrawide gaming monitors and leave out AOC gear. More specifically, the AOC Agon AG493UCX stands out as an excellent choice with its ultrawide, curved display, giving you 49 inches of screen wrapped around your desk. AOC also boasts that its 1800R curvature helps reduce eye fatigue, which is great for your long gaming sessions.
The screen itself has a 5120x1440 DQHD resolution with a VA panel that promises to deliver wider viewing angles. What's more, the monitor covers a colour gamut of 90% Adobe RGB and 121.6% sRGB, which should suffice for content creation and deliver bright, colourful gameplay with ease. Furthermore, the AOC monitor features VESA DisplayHDR 400 for greater contrast and colour vibrancy.
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Coming to gaming-specific specs, it has a surprisingly low response rate of 1ms. With the 120Hz refresh rate too, you're able to run all your favourite video games without motion blur and stuttering slowing you down. To make it even more smooth, the monitor also features AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.
As far as the ports are concerned, you get two DisplayPorts, two HDMI connections, USB-C docking, and built-in KVM switches to help you connect the dots quickly and easily. With all this and more, what's not to like about this excellent widescreen display?
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
There are always a few questions that pop up time and time again when it comes to ultrawide monitors, so here are our two cents to help you make an informed decision.
What is a good size ultrawide monitor?
We'd say 34" is a good size in general for an ultrawide monitor. Much like when you shop for a TV in a store, it can be a shock when you bring it back home, and it's standing there taking up all the room.
34" is a size that won't dominate your setup, but also can take advantage of the resolution thanks to the laws of pixel density. Too big, and you may run the risk of losing some image quality if you're at lower resolutions (1080p for instance).
Our friends over on Gfinity Tech have a great guide on the latest 360hz monitors, which you should check out if you're looking for something for competitive gaming.
Are ultrawide monitors worth it?
In short, yes. If you're looking to get that immersion factor within games or just have some extra wide-screen real estate for multitasking, then we'd say getting an ultrawide monitor is fantastic.
They can be costly, so just make sure it's exactly what you want, but in our humble opinion, if you go for an ultrawide monitor, you shouldn't be disappointed.
How much should I spend on an ultrawide monitor?
We'd say that spending between $400 and $900 is likely to get you a capable ultrawide monitor.
Spending more may well get you the likes of a Mini LED panel with higher brightness and better contrast, for instance, as well as a larger screen size should you need it. You may also be paying more for increasingly specialist monitors for video editing or colour-sensitive work, which will therefore have wider colour gamut coverage.
Can my computer handle an ultrawide monitor?
This majorly depends on the spec of your computer, but most PCs should be able to handle an ultrawide monitor in any guise.
Of course, if you want to run higher refresh rates at a higher resolution, then you're going to need a powerful PC in order to do so.
Do 4K ultrawide monitors exist?
Funnily enough, no. That's because 4K resolution is actually 4096 x 2160, which wouldn't be possible in the ultrawide format due to it being too tall.
That's one of the reasons you usually find WQHD resolution on even the highest-end ultrawide monitors. WQHD, in other words, is 1440p, otherwise known as Quad HD.
It is possible to get ultrawide panels with a 5K2K resolution (5120 x 2160), which allows for 4K content, although these monitors are majorly designed for those involved in creative tasks such as video editing.
Are ultrawide monitors good for gaming?
Depending on the game, yes. MMOs, racing games, and immersive and compatible titles are the way to go, but for first-person shooters, we'd say it's better to use a smaller screen, so you can keep an eye on the action.
Is an ultrawide monitor good for work?
Ultrawide monitors can be great for work and productivity in general, given the extra screen real estate on offer compared to a standard 16:9 offering.
The extra width can help you to fit more apps or windows onto your screen, and also allow you to be more immersed in your work, which is especially handy if you're working on creative tasks.
Is it better to have 2 monitors or one ultrawide?
This really depends on what you're going for with your setup. If you're after immersion and seamless looks, then going for one large ultrawide will be better.
However, if you're wanting some flexibility to use two monitors in completely different configurations (e.g. one portrait and the other landscape), then a single ultrawide can't match two separate displays.
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