Image: Matt Smith
Attain you love to contain a mountainous amount of usable teach home, however don’t are in search of to trouble with a double-show screen setup? If that is the case, an ultrawide show screen is the attach. Ultrawide monitors contain an essential wider teach panel that provides an immersive experience and great more conceal actual-property than your common widescreen. I’ve tested a bunch of ultrawide monitors in explain to name the actual picks in varied courses starting from those optimized for gaming to those ultimate for legit employ. Below you’ll win a curated list of my favorites in each and each category. It’s most likely you’ll perchance possibly be taught more about our review job for monitors here at PCWorld and what to leer for in an ultrawide show screen under our recommendations.
It’s most likely you’ll perchance possibly win even more show screen recommendations in our roundup of the ultimate monitors.
Up-to-the-minute March 26, 2024: Dell’s Ultrasharp U4025QW joins our list of picks because the actual 5K ultrawide. Be taught our abstract under to search out out more about this impressive teach that now not ultimate provides unparalleled readability across its 40-wander IPS Dim panel, however a beneficiant array of ports for final productiveness, and a 120Hz refresh rate that makes it staunch for gaming. It’s so succesful that it’s essential to possibly even forgive its top class mark.
Alienware AW3423DWF – Easiest ultrawide show screen
Pros
- Fabulous disagreement ratio
- Top-notch coloration gamut and accuracy
- Indispensable circulation readability
- First rate HDR efficiency
- Extraordinarily competitive mark
Cons
- Stand is rather too enormous
- No USB-C
- Maximum HDR brightness is lackluster
Trace When Reviewed:
$1,099.99
The Alienware AW3423DWF is a legendary show screen. It packs the unbelievable disagreement and realism of OLED in a 34-wander widescreen panel, yet it’s priced at staunch $1,099. That’s now not more cost-effective, on the opposite hand it’s better price than different OLED monitors available factual now.
Image quality is the attach it stands out. It delivers a vivid, immersive, rich experience with deep unlit stages and incandescent highlights, which can perchance be enhanced by the teach’s glossy invent. Movies and games seem nearly three-d—as if you’re looking by a window, now not observing a show screen.
What’s the rob? The show screen is now not incandescent, especially in SDR, so it’s a depraved different for a brightly lit room. We moreover observed the OLED panel has pain rendering tiny fonts smoothly. These are minor elements, even supposing, and shouldn’t pain most house owners.
This show screen targets gamers, so it provides an enhanced refresh rate of as much as 165Hz and helps AMD FreeSync Premium Professional for gentle frame pacing in games. On the opposite hand, its very just actual image quality will be impressive in everyday employ, as effectively.
It has upright connectivity, with two DisplayPort inputs and one HDMI, to boot to a USB-A hub with four ports. There’s even a healthy range of calibration alternatives that assist tense owners dial within the image to their non-public specs.
Be taught our paunchy
Alienware AW3423DWF overview
Gigabyte GS34WQC – Easiest payment range ultrawide show screen
Pros
- Hundreds of connectivity and menu alternatives
- Pleasing disagreement ratio
- Staunch coloration efficiency
- Up to 144Hz refresh rate with upright circulation readability
Cons
- Stand setup makes employ of screws rather than clip mechanism
- Modest maximum brightness
- HDR is supported however lackluster
Trace When Reviewed:
$329.99
The Gigabyte GS34WQC is a gigantic payment range ultrawide show screen. It has a inviting 34-wander ultrawide teach panel that provides 3440×1440 choice. It moreover delivers sturdy rankings across disagreement and coloration accuracy that continuously rival more expensive displays. The final end result is image quality an such as many monitors bought for twice as great.
Breeze readability is great, as effectively. The show screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, which also can moreover be overclocked to 135Hz, and helps AMD FreeSync for gentle and fixed gameplay. Digicam pans bring upright detail and mercurial objects are easy to track. There’s better monitors for circulation readability, for sure (in an identical vogue priced widescreen monitors can hit a refresh rate of 240Hz), however the GS34WQC’s outcomes are sturdy for the mark.
Gigabyte’s GS34WQC depends on a purposeful, even supposing general, originate. The show screen’s win quality is commendable and entails an essential stand. Assembling the stand is a pain, as it’s good to to manually set four screws. Most competitors contain a clip-in stand that can moreover be assembled without tools. Luckily, the GS34WQC has an intuitive menu intention with intensive customization alternatives that assist gamers customise the visuals to their need.
However the GS34WQC’s ultimate trait is undeniably its mark. The show screen carries an MSRP of $330 and can moreover be had for even less on sale. It’s now not the least expensive ultrawide available on the opposite hand it without impart beats the image quality of its less expensive ultrawide competitors.
Be taught our paunchy
Gigabyte GS344WQC overview
LG Ultragear 34GN850 – Easiest midrange ultrawide show screen for gamers
Pros
- 21:9 panel with a 34-wander conceal
- Crooked show screen
- Spectacular gaming efficiency
- Ergonomic adjustment alternatives
Cons
- Only common energy consumption
- Costly
Trace When Reviewed:
999.99
The LG Ultragear 34GN850-B, launched in 2020, modified into as soon as the king of ultrawide gaming. It modified into dethroned by Alienware’s AW3423DWF—and this capability that LG has slashed the mark. In the initiating $999.99, this show screen is now available for $699.99 (and usually less).
That’s gigantic files. Even supposing surpassed by the Alienware, LG’s Ultragear 34GN850-B is a in reality just actual show screen with very just actual coloration efficiency, upright image readability, and a incandescent, vivid image. It has an enhanced refresh rate of as much as 144Hz (with a 160Hz overclocked mode) and helps both AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync for gentle gameplay.
Its weakness? Distinction. The IPS panel rankings decrease in disagreement than different monitors on this list, alongside with the Asus ProArt PA348CV, which moreover has an IPS panel. The image can leer hazy in darker scenes.
Connectivity is legit with two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and two-port USB-A hub for connecting wired peripherals. The show screen moreover retains most of the substances that could be anticipated of a excessive-dwell show screen alongside with a sturdy ergonomic stand and inviting originate.
Be taught our paunchy
LG Ultragear 34GN850 overview
Dell U4025QW – Easiest 5K ultrawide show screen
Pros
- Full of life, brilliant, coloration-staunch 5K teach
- Fabulous connectivity alongside with Thunderbolt, Ethernet
- Prolonged list of menu alternatives and substances
- 120Hz refresh rate is impressive at this choice
Cons
- Stand is wobbly and hard to adjust
- Distinction ratio stays far looking OLED competitors
- HDR doesn’t leer its ultimate
- Extraordinarily expensive
Trace When Reviewed:
$2,399.99
The Dell Ultrasharp U4025QW is a in reality just actual ultrawide show screen with an infinite 40-wander teach and 5K choice that ensures every detail is inviting and outlined. But it’s now not staunch about its size and readability; it’s packed with substances, too.
Visually, the U4025QW is a take care of, offering unparalleled sharpness and a giant workspace that enhances productiveness and elevates leisure. The show screen’s impressive 120Hz refresh rate is a rare win at this choice, guaranteeing gentle circulation on the Windows desktop and in games. It even has an IPS Dim teach panel, which improves disagreement and delivers a more realistic, immersive image.
The U4025QW’s connectivity is intensive. It has Thunderbolt, Ethernet, HDMI, and DisplayPort, to boot to a USB hub that entails just a few downstream USB-A and USB-C ports. The show screen’s menu alternatives and settings provide well-known image qc to boot to precious substances love image-in-image and image-by-image modes.
That’s to now not claim it’s ideal. The show screen’s stand isn’t as sturdy because it desires to be, and while the disagreement ratio of IPS Dim is commendable, it will’t rival OLED. However the most extreme downside is the mark, which soars conclude to $2,000. But when you love to contain a gigantic, inviting show screen to assist because the point of curiosity for a desktop expose heart, the Dell Ultrasharp U4025QW is price it.
Be taught our paunchy
Dell U4025QW overview
Asus ProArt PA348CGV – Easiest ultrawide show screen for mavens
Pros
- Fabulous SDR image quality
- Sturdy, hefty originate
- Gargantuan different of customization
- 120Hz refresh rate
Cons
- USB-C hub lacks video-out or ethernet
- HDR is merely ample
Trace When Reviewed:
729.99
The Asus ProArt PA348CV surpassed our expectations. Priced at staunch $729.99, it’s in direction of the low dwell of pricing for a legit ultrawide teach—yet its efficiency is conclude to the head of the pack.
This show screen has a huge coloration gamut, very just actual coloration accuracy, and a digital buffet of image-quality calibration substances that allow customers precisely tune the image. It’s moreover a incandescent and vivid show screen, making it easy to employ in nearly any field of business. Admittedly, it doesn’t field any files in image quality assessments—on the opposite hand it ties or comes conclude to selections which can perchance be a strategy of of bucks more expensive.
Asus throws in a precious USB-C port that helps DisplayPort Alternate Mode and delivers 90 watts of USB Energy Supply. It moreover drives a USB-A hub with four downstream ports. Additional video connectivity entails two HDMI and one DisplayPort for a total of 4 enter alternatives.
Surprisingly, Asus throws in an enhanced refresh rate as much as 120Hz. It’s now not bought as a gaming show screen, on the opposite hand it will take care of gaming effectively enough. That’s upright files if you’ll need one home field of business show screen for both work and play.
Be taught our paunchy
Asus ProArt PA348CGV overview
Corsair Xeneon Flex – Easiest gigantic-conceal ultrawide show screen
Pros
- Incredibly immersive gaming experience
- Gargantuan 45-wander ultrawide OLED panel also can moreover be adjusted from flat to 800R curve to suit your setup
- Outstanding image quality, disagreement, coloration efficiency, and HDR
- Elite circulation readability on a 240Hz panel
- Mighty connectivity with USB-C hub and energy offer alternatives
- It made four of us that walked into my field of business cease and inform “WHOA” love Keanu Reeves
Cons
- Wretched text readability and general sharpness for productiveness work
- Very expensive
- No swivel or tilt alternatives, stand can’t be modified
- Bending mechanism feels clunky and mildly gruesome originally
- Enabling HDR mutes desktop disagreement and vibrancy
Trace When Reviewed:
$2,000
Desire a show screen that takes immersion to a brand fresh level and outshines your buddy’s measly 34-wander ultrawide? The Corsair Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 is for you.
The Xeneon Flex 45WQHD240 takes immersion to a brand fresh level, outshining pedestrian 34-wander ultrawides. It’s an incomparable capability to win pleasure from visually very most inviting games.
The 45WQHD240 has an extraordinarily excessive disagreement ratio and a huge coloration gamut. Maximum brightness is excessive (for OLED) as effectively, which is a earnings if you love to must play games with HDR grew to become on. The show screen’s 240Hz refresh rate and low pixel response instances provide high-notch circulation readability. Even its modest 3440×1440 choice could be seen as a earnings. Whereas it does soften the image, it moreover reduces the stress on your GPU, making it that you simply would also judge to win pleasure from excessive-quality settings on midrange hardware.
But there could be even more to the Xeneon Flex, which is hinted at in its name: The teach substances a different versatile OLED panel that can moreover be adjusted from a in reality flat field to a ambitious 800R curvature, undoubtedly one of the most tightest curves available in a show screen. You adjust the curve manually, the employ of the handles located on each and each facet of the teach. The flexibleness is precious if you win pleasure from a huge diversity of game genres (it’s essential to possibly need it flat while playing Civilization IV however bent in Cyberpunk 2077).
The Corsair Xeneon Flex substances an essential and stable stand with integrated ports alongside with USB-C. The stand doesn’t, on the opposite hand, offer height adjustment. With a retail mark of nearly $2,000, the Xeneon Flex is an funding, however its versatile OLED panel and superior image quality build it an evident different for gamers.
Be taught our paunchy
Corsair Xeneon Flex overview
What to leer for in an ultrawide show screen
Ultrawide monitors are a favourite of PC fans, however dwell a definite section throughout the larger show screen market. This leaves customers with fewer alternatives. Most ultrawide monitors contain a 34-wander panel with a call of 3440×1440, and an identical connectivity.
Peaceable, these monitors can differ in plenty of key areas. Right here’s what to leer for.
Panel form is a gigantic deal
Ultrawide monitors offer less different in some regards however that script is flipped by diagram of panel form. Ultrawide monitors come in a diversity of panel forms: IPS, VA, and OLED.
IPS panels are standard in mid-range and top class ultrawide monitors. This panel form delivers gigantic coloration efficiency, excessive maximum brightness, very just actual sharpness, and upright circulation efficiency. It’s frail in disagreement, on the opposite hand, which could disappoint when viewing TV reveals or movies.
VA panels are in general a payment range option, even supposing some are gift in top class ultrawide monitors. They’ve better disagreement than IPS panels and produce an identical coloration efficiency and brightness—on the opposite hand, payment range VA panels are usually merely k in these areas. Most VA panels tumble quick in circulation efficiency and can leer blurry when playing mercurial-paced games.
OLED is king of the hill. It leads in coloration, disagreement, and circulation efficiency. Sharpness is usually a petite bit reduced when when compared with IPS and VA, however most of us will win it a minor downgrade. OLED moreover is the actual different for HDR.
Every so often, OLED is more fit than IPS, and IPS is more fit than VA. On the opposite hand, some of us could snatch VA over IPS on memoir of it has a larger disagreement ratio and appears to be like to be darker in darkish whine material.
A height-adjustable stand is a must-contain
The total monitors on this list provide an ergonomic stand that adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel. Right here’s a must-contain characteristic, however individual who isn’t chanced on on the least expensive ultrawide monitors.
As tempting because it will be to establish money on a payment range model without a height-adjustable stand, it’s essential to feel sorry about it.
Ultrawide monitors are chubby and have a tendency to require a larger, heavier stand, which in turn makes them more refined to field on an elevated platform. The extinct college trick of sticking a show screen on a shoe box won’t work.
Look USB-C, however don’t demand it
USB-C compatibility is a in reality just actual characteristic, and USB-C hub monitors can obvious away a strategy of clutter on your desk. Sadly, many ultrawide monitors don’t reinforce USB-C yet, or contain limitations that detract from the USB-C port’s usefulness.
Asus’s ProArt PA348CV, our favourite ultrawide for mavens, is one exception. It has a USB-C port with as much as 90 watts of Energy Supply, and the port drives a USB-A hub with four downstream ports.
Dell, HP, and BenQ moreover offer ultrawide monitors with USB-C. These forms of lack an enhanced refresh rate, on the opposite hand, they usually’re in general more expensive than the Asus.
Pricing is considerable—and can swing wildly
Computer screen pricing is always crucial, on the opposite hand it’s key for ultrawide monitors. Even supposing very expensive at MSRP, ultrawide monitors routinely look mountainous mark cuts sooner or later of seasonal gross sales. They moreover receive main semi-permanent mark cuts later of their life.
The LG Ultragear 34GN850-B is an example of this. In the initiating bought for $999.99, it’s now routinely available for $699.99, and went as low as $599.99 sooner or later of Amazon’s Dim Friday sale. That’s a 40 percent carve payment in mark! Observing for a deal can establish you a strategy of.
Don’t desire an ultrawide for console gaming
A mercurial observe of warning: You mustn’t desire an ultrawide show screen if you intend to connect a game console continuously.
Game consoles don’t reinforce ultrawide facet ratios, so you’ll look unlit bars on both facet of the image. That’s unattractive and wastes the show screen’s doable. It’s ultimate to follow a widescreen show screen if console gaming is a priority.
How we take a look at monitors
PC World’s crew of workers and freelance reviewers conduct in-depth attempting out to study monitors across a huge selection of courses and price facets. We take a look at dozens of monitors each and each year to search out the actual contain for every category and price point.
Our attempting out makes employ of a Datacolor Spyder X2 Extremely coloration calibration instrument. It delivers goal, just measurements for a huge selection of metrics alongside with brightness, disagreement, coloration gamut, coloration accuracy, coloration temperature, and gamma. Results are recorded and logged for future comparability. This enables our experts to without impart compare many monitors in the present day and eliminates subjective bias from the outcomes.
FAQ
1.
What size of ultrawide gaming show screen is ultimate?
Most ultrawide monitors contain a 34-wander panel with a 21:9 facet ratio, which is the actual option for a form of gamers.
Some ultrawide monitors could be found in larger sizes, however these in general aren’t the actual different for gamers. Many enact now not reinforce excessive refresh rates. These that enact are expensive and usually employ the an identical 3440×1440 choice chanced on on smaller ultrawide monitors, which diagram they seem less inviting than a 34-wander teach.
2.
What is the actual choice for an ultrawide show screen?
Virtually all 34-wander ultrawide monitors contain a teach choice of 3440×1440. Right here’s a in reality just actual different for gamers.
It’s inviting enough to leer impressive in standard games. On the opposite hand, this choice stays significantly decrease in total pixel depend than 4K, which makes it less tense on graphics hardware. That’s upright files if you contain a mid-range graphics card love an Nvidia RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6650XT.
Elevated 38-wander models contain a elevated choice of 3840×1660—on the opposite hand, nearly all these monitors lack reinforce for excessive refresh rates, making them a depraved different for gamers. LG provides a line of 34-wander 5K2K ultrawide monitors with 5120×2160 choice, however this line moreover lacks reinforce for enhanced refresh rates.
About a fresh 45-wander ultrawide monitors could be found with 3440×1440 choice. This also can moreover be a area, on memoir of stretching the an identical choice across an essential larger teach reduces sharpness. We recommend 3440×1440 staunch for 34-wander ultrawide monitors.
3.
What’s the actual refresh rate for an ultrawide gaming show screen?
A refresh rate of 144Hz to 165Hz is ultimate for a form of ultrawide gaming monitors.
Very few ultrawide monitors exceed this refresh rate, and folks who enact are too expensive to construct it a upright price.
Additionally, gamers browsing for an ultrawide gaming show screen have a tendency to comprehend immersive and graphically tense games that build it refined to look the paunchy just actual thing about a refresh rate above 144Hz. You’ll desire a excessive-dwell video card, love an RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon 6800, to drive most ultrawide gaming monitors at frame rates above 144 frames per 2d.
4.
Does an ultrawide gaming show screen need HDR?
HDR isn’t a must-contain for an ultrawide gaming show screen, on the opposite hand it’s a nice addition.
Gaming is a gigantic employ case for HDR—arguably the actual, in truth—and it will bring improved image quality. We recommend making an are trying to search out an ultrawide gaming show screen with HDR reinforce in case your payment range is $500 or more.
Author: Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith is a contract expertise journalist with 15 years of experience reviewing individual electronics. Apart from to PCWorld, his work also can moreover be chanced on on Wired, Ars Technica, Digital Traits, Reviewed, IGN, and Lifewire. Matthew moreover covers AI and the metaverse for IEEE Spectrum and runs Laptop Gaming The day prior to this, a YouTube channel devoted to PC gaming historic past.
