Top 7 Best curved monitors for gaming

The best-curved gaming monitors are best suited to immersive gaming experiences. The wider the screen, and the curvier the panel, the more of your vision is engrossed in your game. If we had the choice, we'd put an ultrawide 49-inch curved gaming monitor, like the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, on every PC gamer's desk.

Lately, we've seen the arrival of OLED gaming monitors, and none better than the Alienware 34 QD-OLED and Philips Evina 34M2C8600. Both are curvy, ultrawide panels and while we slightly prefer the Philips for its glossy finish, it's not on sale everywhere just yet. Alienware is more readily available.

You don't need to spend over $2,000 on a decent curved monitor either; gamers on a budget might consider something smaller than an ultrawide beastie, such as the Dell S2722DGM or Pixio PXC277. These won't break the bank, but they'll still offer a large enough panel size to provide excellent front-sitting viewing angles and less image distortion, reducing eyestrain. You'd be surprised how much they deliver through specs and performance. That's as long as you don't mind omitting some pixels and other fancier features.

Below, we've rounded up the best-curved monitors for gaming, having tested each one extensively. Some we even use daily in our setups. Check them out, and treat your eyeballs to some immersive, responsive gaming action for the right price.

 

 1.Alienware 34 AW3423DWF

 

 Alienware has a second 34-inch ultrawide OLED gaming monitor out in the Alienware 34 AW3423DWF and, hallelujah, it has a glossy anti-glare coating in place of the OG model's matte coating. Hold that thought, we'll come back to the glossy goodness in a moment.

When Alienware wheeled out what was the world's first OLED gaming monitor, the Alienware 34 AW3423DW, it went straight to the top of the table. It was simply stunning.

But it wasn't, you know, actually perfect. Now there's another 34-inch ultrawide Alienware OLED monitor that looks nearly identical but costs several hundred dollars less. So what, exactly, is going on?

The new Alienware 34 AW3423DWF adds an "F" on the end and loses a few on-paper features in the quest for that lower price point. For starters, the mostly pointless Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate certification, and the costly G-Sync chip it requires have been ditched. Hallelujah, it has a glossy anti-glare coating.

In its place, you get AMD's Free Sync Premium Pro and therefore perfectly adequate adaptive refresh support. Speaking of refresh rates, this new F model steps down from 175Hz to 165Hz. You're never going to feel that difference in-game and it seems like the sort of minor spec tweak designed for product differentiation. You know, to help Alienware justify the price of the more expensive model: it's 10Hz faster!

Whatever, those details aside you're mostly getting the same 34-inch ultrawide and slightly curved proposition as before. The Samsung QD-OLED panel is carried over, which is a very good thing.

This Alienware does have a brightness limiter, but it's far less aggressive than on most LG-equipped monitors and you barely notice it happening. More to the point, this monitor always looks punchy, which you absolutely cannot say of monitors with LG OLED tech.

In fact, it's better than that because the glossy really lets the OLED panel sing. In that regard, it's just like the Philips Evina 34M2C8600, which is another member of the Samsung QD-OLED gang and also has a glossy anti-glare coating. It does wonders for black levels and contrast. Along with the Philips, this is simply the best HDR gaming experience you can currently get.

Incidentally, the coating is very well judged. It's not over-reflective and distracting in that regard. It just ups the contrast and removes that slight greying of darker tones that comes with a matte coating.

It's also cheaper than the Philips Evina and compared to that monitor is only missing a USB Type-C connection, which in a gaming context isn't a huge loss. Current USB Type-C power delivery is limited to 100W, which isn't enough to keep a gaming laptop juiced.

As for reservations, well, once again it's the same story as the OG Alienware OLED. For general computing, the pixel density isn’t great. That doesn't make for terribly crisp fonts in Windows or super sharp image detail. The triangular rather than vertically striped RGB subpixel substructure doesn't help with text clarity, either.

And of course, this is still a very expensive monitor, even at a relative discount. But you can still ink the new Alienware 34 AW3423DWF as our new favorite gaming panel. Because it's absolutely farking fabulous.

 

2. Dell S2722DGM

The classic 27-inch Dell S2722DGM marries that screen real estate with a 2560 x 1440 native resolution, which gives you a great pixel pitch for fine detail. At 1440p it's also a decent resolution for getting high frame rates without the GPU demands of a 4K display. It's also capable of delivering that resolution at 165Hz, which is appreciated.

At 2ms GtG response, it's just a hair behind the 1ms and 0.5ms ratings of the best IPS panels, so you're covered in speed. That said, you can find quicker panels if you really want to chase speed. This VA panel does have a high contrast ratio, at least, given the technology's inherent strong contrast.

 

As for picture quality, the Dell S2722DGM is a reasonably punchy and vibrant monitor considering it's a pure SDR panel. The strong inherent contrast certainly helps with that, ensuring you don't feel short-changed running games like Cyberpunk 2077, which supports HDR, in SDR mode.

We'd steer clear of MPRT mode, which hammers the panel's brightness and vibrancy. 'Extreme' mode, which is rated at 2ms, does suffer from a whiff of overshoot, but that's only just visible in-game, while 'Super-fast' resolves the overshoot but allows just a little smearing of darker tones.

USB Type-C connectivity isn't a feature. But the dual HDMI and single DisplayPort connections are just fine, even if the HDMI ports top out at 144Hz rather than 165Hz.

This Dell monitor is most importantly available at a great price. Dell delivers high-quality gaming panels; with all the features you need and a few extraneous ones to bump up the price. And that makes it one of the best gaming monitors for most PC gamers today.

 

3. Dell S3222DGM

We'd all love to have a thousand bucks burning a hole in our back pockets to blow on a new gaming monitor. But back in the real world, the Dell S3222DGM wants a crack at the kind of budget most of us have.

It's a 32-inch beast with a VA panel running at up to 165Hz and delivering 2560 by 1440 pixels. Yup, the tried and tested 1440p resolution, the sweet spot for real-world gaming according to many, the perfect balance between performance and visual detail. The catch is all that normally applies to 27-inch models. 32 inches? That makes for a pretty big panel for 1440p in terms of pixel density.

Where the low pixel density hurts most is actually in Windows. If you like crisp fonts and lots of desktop real estate, this isn’t the monitor for you. For everyone else, well, it comes down to the value proposition. There are faster monitors. There are monitors with superior IPS-powered image quality. There are monitors with all kinds of HDR support not found here. And others with far more pixels or more dramatic aspect ratios.

So, how does it perform? Initial impressions are middling to mediocre. This isn't the brightest or punchiest panel we've ever seen, even accounting for expectations set by the modest spec list. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong, there's no banding, no sign of compression. It's just not immediately exciting in terms of colors and inherent visual pop.

Inject some emotion into proceedings and the picture, pun intended gets a little clearer. I find the 'extreme' overdrive setting is arguably a little overcooked, with some overshoot actually visible in-game rather than merely detectable in test images. The 'MPRT' setting is, for me, a non-starter since it crushes brightness so comprehensively. 'Super-fast' it is, then, and the result is good but not a great response with no overshoot. Pretty much what you’d expect given the 4ms rating for 'super-fast'.

But add in the 165Hz refresh and you have a convincing monitor for response-critical online shooters. To be sure, if that is your number one priority, you’d be better off with a higher refresh 1080p IPS monitor with faster response. But if you want something for a broader remit, the Dell S3222DGM does a decent job at the low latency stuff.

But it's worth remembering that pricing for this class of display—a 32-inch 165Hz 1440p panel—extends all the way up to $800 in the Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165. So, while the Dell S3222DGM isn't all that exciting from a technical point of view, for the money, it's convincing.

4. ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B

Does less than $400 buy you a premium gaming panel? That kind of money barely touches the sides when it comes to graphics cards these days. But the new ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B gives you a 34-inch ultrawide experience, with 165Hz refresh, 1ms response, and even HDR support, all for just under $370.

What more do you really need? The catch, of course, is that mere specifications rarely tell the whole story with gaming monitors. We've seen several $2,000 screens with outrageous on-paper capabilities recently that are thoroughly disappointing. What are the odds that ASRock has delivered at well under $400?

Beyond those headline figures, the PG34WQ15R2B certainly is promising. Predictably, it's based on VA rather than IPS panel tech given the appealing pricing. That typically means compromising on pixel response performance, but not necessarily by a huge amount.

Brightness is rated at a punch of 550 nits, which is impressive at this price point, and you get Display HDR 400 certifications, which is entry-level stuff but better than nothing. Given the punchy backlight and the fact that the VA panel offers 3,000:1 native contrast, it actually all bodes pretty well for a half-decent entry-level HDR experience.

What about the response? ASRock claims 1ms MPRT, but VA panel tech generally lags behind the best IPS panels. Unfortunately, the ASRock's fast MPRT mode crushes brightness so badly, that it's hard to imagine anyone using it.

As good as the best 1ms GtG IPS screens? Not quite, but at this price point, the response is good enough. The same goes for the 165Hz refresh and overall input latency. If extreme esports are your thing, you'll be better off with a higher refresh 1080p panel. But for everyone else, the PG34WQ15R2B is going to be quick enough, it really is.

 

So, yeah, this really is a surprisingly nice screen for the money. 34-inch ultrawide remains a really nice form factor for immersive gaming, you get a nice, contrasty VA panel, plenty of backlight punch provided you run the screen in HDR mode (in which setting SDR content in any case looks better), reasonable pixel response and high enough refresh for most gamer's purposes.

That you can have all that for $370 really is fantastic. That this is ASRock's first stab at a gaming screen is even more impressive.

 

5. Gigabyte M32UC

We're finally in an era of gaming where an affordable 4K monitor and a fast 4K monitor are one and the same. You could still buy a lower resolution panel for a whole lot less, and there are less desirable 4K panels out there, but as the Gigabyte M32UC proves you can get a whole lot of screens for what feels like a fair price.

You can find this monitor going for as low as $600, which is an awfully competitive price tag for a speedy 4K gaming monitor of this size. Gigabyte has figured out a heady blend of features for that sort of money too, with two HDMI 2.1 ports, 1ms MPRT, Free Sync Premium Pro, and even a USB 3.2 hub.

The M32UC runs at a perfectly reasonable 144Hz out of the box—and you'll need a powerful graphics card to make the most of that at 4K. However, if you hook this monitor up via DisplayPort 1.4 you can also overclock the panel via the OSD. That bumps the refresh rate up to 160Hz, and while that's probably excessive for most if you're going big with the rest of your rig (or plan to pick up a powerful next-gen GPU sometime in the future) then it's a decent option to have at the ready. Fine details are well preserved, and this panel doesn't struggle with saturation.

But something to consider with the M32UC's resolution and refresh rate blend is that even a high-end GPU won't always make the most of it. That's what makes the M32UC's Free Sync capabilities so crucially important. Keeping this panel in sync with your graphics card when it's under the max refresh rate of the screen, as it is likely going to be at times, prevents a whole lot of screen tearing.

It should come as no surprise that the 32-inch panel running at 4K results in a stunningly crisp image while gaming. I've been playing arguably too much Destiny 2 right now and the M32UC is a stunning way to experience the game. Fine details are well preserved, and this panel doesn't struggle with saturation, which makes for a luscious and vibrant image.

The M32U also offers a Display HDR 400 rating on the box, though I wouldn't consider it for its HDR capabilities. It lacks much of what's required of a true HDR monitor, such as a higher brightness and local dimming. You also have to look past what is otherwise a fairly bland outer shell on the Gigabyte.

In terms of value for money, Gigabyte has hit the nail on the head with the M32UC. If you look around for competition with similar specs at around the same price, you'll often only find other Gigabyte models coming close, including a handful of often discounted Aorus models. That makes the M32UC a great choice if you're planning for a next-gen 4K-capable gaming PC or if you already have a high-end GPU but are not yet making the most of it.

 

6 . Pixio PXC277

 

What are the essential ingredients for a good gaming monitor and how much will that cost you?

On paper, the answer might just be $240 with the new Pixio PXC277 Advanced. It's a 27-inch 1440p panel with 165Hz refresh and 1ms claimed response. Oh, and HDR support. That's one heck of a package for the price.

It also meets pretty much all our key metrics. 1440p on a 27-inch panel remains a great all-around compromise between size, pixel density, and GPU load. Likewise, 165Hz is plenty for all but the most demanding esports addicts. Ditto 1ms response, in theory.

Ostensibly, there's HDR support. But unsurprisingly, the backlight is monolithic. There's no full-array local dimming and the rated brightness tops out at 320 nits, which is modest by today's standards.

As for the actual image quality and gaming experience, well, there are no immediate horrors. Phew. The panel's default calibration is reasonably accurate and there are none of the weird sharpening filters or backlight blotchiness you sometimes see on cheap panels.

Even with the backlight set to maximum, this admittedly isn't the punchiest display. But it's reasonably vibrant and the inherent contrast of the VA panel tech delivers good black levels. The basic desktop experience in SDR mode is pleasing.

Less impressive, predictably, is the panel's HDR performance. It will process an HDR signal and punch out broadly correct colors. But it's not remotely a real HDR experience. The HDR calibration also has some compression at the high end which results in bright details being blown out.

Thankfully, with slim bezels on three sides, plus a bit of a chin, and a crisp metal stand, the PXC277 doesn't look like a bargain basement item it might have done. The external power supply does admittedly drag the tone down. It's a generic item with a cheap-looking Pixio sticker slapped on the side. And the stand is tilt-only.

But you know what? This monitor delivers. At this price point, we were willing to make a few excuses. But that's not actually necessary. The Pixio PXC277 Advanced does almost everything pretty well.

 

7. Acer Predator X38

 

Acer makes good gaming monitors. Some of the best. So, it's no surprise that the Acer Predator X38 made it onto the list. The Predator X38 provides high brightness (for a curved monitor) and great colors on a 38-inch IPS panel with a 3840x1600 native resolution.

What can't be understated is the X38's killer design with its built-in LEDs, speakers, and thin aluminum legs. The under-glow of the monitor's bottom-facing LEDs provides a nice ambiance to whatever you're playing as well. And first impressions are very good, too, thanks to an unusually pleasant unboxing and setting up process. I found it surprisingly light for a monster this size, at just 9.48kg – and that includes the big metal stand, which comes pre-fitted, another setup nicety.

The ultrawide aspect ratio, and 3840x1600 resolution, give you a wide field of view, especially in shooters where expanding the battlefield could give you a strategic edge. In Doom Eternal, the experience was almost overwhelming, and seeing the colors of this IPS in such a sumptuous environment was an eye-candy deluxe thrill. It doesn’t quite dazzle like a Quantum Dot screen, again Samsung does slightly better with that technology across its recent gaming screens, but there’s little to complain about. At HDR 400, it’s good enough to deliver what you want in HDR effects, but it’s not dazzling like the HDR 1000 screens you can now buy, like the Asus PG43UQ.

But that also makes it extremely well suited to driving games, and while it might not have the extreme width of something like the 49-inch Samsung CRG9, its 1600 vertical res is debatably more useful than the maximum 1440 of that Samsung models, or paltry 1080 of its still-popular 49-inch predecessors.

Indeed, it’s the 1600 vertical res that makes this really shine as a gaming screen – every ultrawide monitor I’ve reviewed so far is lacking in that department, and having as much tall as you do wide really opens things up both viscerally, and for better usability.

This feature-loaded gaming monitor doesn't come cheap, though. Expect to spend around $1,700 on this bad boy, but it'll be worth every penny.

 

 

As we conclude our exploration of the top 7 best-curved monitors tailored for gaming, it's evident that the world of immersive gaming experiences has reached new heights. Each of these monitors offers a unique blend of features, catering to diverse gaming needs and preferences.

 

From the stunning visuals to the seamless gameplay, these curved monitors have showcased their prowess in delivering an unparalleled gaming experience. Whether you prioritize high refresh rates, crisp resolutions, or immersive curved designs, there's a monitor on this list to match your desires.

 

Remember, selecting the ideal curved monitor depends on various factors such as budget, screen size preference, panel type, and specific gaming requirements. It's crucial to weigh these aspects before making your choice.

 

We've journeyed through a range of impressive contenders, from those offering exceptional value to others boasting cutting-edge technology. Our aim has been to guide you through this diverse landscape, aiding you in making an informed decision that elevates your gaming setup.

 

I hope this guide has been insightful and helps you navigate the market with confidence. Dive into the world of immersive gaming, armed with the knowledge gained here. Don't forget to check the detailed reviews and specifications of each monitor in the description below.

 

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