Wider aspect ratios have been growing massively in popularity in the last few years, and manufacturers have been eager to jump on the trend, meaning there are more options available than ever before, as well as a broadly rising level of quality. Read on to see our picks for the best ultra-wide monitors currently available. The monitor measures 49 inches and has a downright massive 32:9 aspect ratio—one of the largest on the market. It uses QLED technology, which matches Samsung’s high-end televisions and features high dynamic range to create bright visuals. If you want to play games on the device, you’ll be happy to hear the monitor comes with a 144Hz refresh rate, so fast-moving action won’t get distorted. Multiple game modes are available as well. The monitor itself has ultra-thin bezels around the screen and a small stand that’s designed to limit the amount of space it takes up on your desk. It’s also worth noting that this is a curved display, so although it’s wide and big, it’ll make for a more immersive experience that won’t take up too much room. Another cool feature is the Arena Lighting on the back, which adjusts brightness based on audio in games. So, if there are important scenes and the audio is getting louder, the lights will also adjust in response. The CHG90 might seem big, but it’s about the equivalent of having two 16:9 monitors next to each other. And, you can evenly split the screen to create two virtual monitors in one. The monitor is 25 inches and has a 21:9 aspect ratio. It also comes with a split-screen feature, so you can create a dual-monitor experience on a single screen. On the color side, it can produce up to 99 percent of all visible colors. And since it comes with full-HD 1080p resolution, you should be able to enjoy all kinds of content in high resolution. If you’re a gamer, the LG 25UM58-P has three game modes, including two first-person-shooter modes and one real-time strategy mode. Based on what you’re playing, you can choose the mode and the monitor will automatically adjust its settings to optimize your gameplay. If you’re a more advanced gamer, you can also make optimization tweaks to everything from colors to screen synchronization. This monitor definitely comes with bells and whistles. There is a smart RGB panel on the front, which has excellent utilities with both games and weather apps, working as a health bar or other neat functions. There is included software which lets you create settings for profiles and quickly shift between them. A built-in camera can provide facial recognition to load different gaming profiles per user, or a lower quality webcam, but you also have a webcam cradle on top of the monitor for better cameras and streaming. Little touches like the mouse bungee make you feel like the designers thought a lot about you in the design of this monitor. With all of the extras, and solid performance at a fair price, the MSI Optix MPG341CQR is a monitor you can feel confident in. A lot of thought went into making this your ultimate productivity machine, like on-screen controls for changing display settings and automatic brightness control, both of which allow for time saving adjustments on the fly. The screen looks great and is HDR 10, but don’t expect this to also be a gaming powerhouse, as the refresh rate is only 60Hz and the response time is only 5ms. The design of this monitor is clean and professional looking, making it fit in perfectly in the office. A sleek white backing and well designed input placement make for a great looking monitor that you will be happy to work on each day. The Predator Z35’s screen measures 35 inches diagonally and has a 2560 x 1080 resolution. The curved display has a 144Hz refresh rate to handle fast action and comes with Nvidia G-Sync Display technology to ensure all of your games look good. The curved monitor has thin bezels around its screen and a simple stand that won’t take up too much room on your desk. Perhaps most importantly, it features dual 9-watt speakers that deliver impressive sound, whether you’re watching a movie or playing a video game. And, just in case you’re worried about eye strain, the monitor has EyeProtect features that claims to reduce flicker and blue-light exposure. The monitor measures 35 inches and has a resolution of 3440 x 1440. It includes high dynamic range to deliver vibrant colors and has a single USB-C cable that allows you to do everything from transfer files to display content. The monitor’s design allows for easy height and tilt adjustments and a feature called Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology means the screen will optimize viewing quality on the fly. Don Reisinger is a tech writer with more than 12 years’ experience and an expert in consumer and gaming technology. His work has appeared in Fortune, PCMag, CNET, and The New York Times, and other major publications.
What to Look for in an Ultra-wide Monitor
Resolution - A higher resolution means you get to see more of a game world when you’re playing, but it takes power to push those extra pixels. If your GPU isn’t capable of handling 3,440 x 1,400, you’ll end up having to turn down graphics options in your games, deal with poor frame rates, or both. FreeSync vs. G-Sync - These are similar but competing technologies that can help smooth out screen tearing when you’re playing video games. The problem is that FreeSync and G-Sync only work when paired with a compatible video card. If you have an Nvidia video card, get an ultra-wide monitor with G-Sync. If you have an AMD video card, get an ultrawide with FreeSync. Curved screens - To get the most out of a curved screen, you need to have a pretty big monitor. That means ultra-wide monitors, which trend more toward the larger end of the spectrum, work well with curved screens. For the most immersive experience outside of virtual reality, you can even place two or more curved ultra-wide monitors next to each other. Just make sure your computer can handle it.
