The most effective ultrawide displays: Let’s get giant

Would you like an enormous quantity of usable show house, but in addition need to keep on with a single monitor? If that’s the case, an ultrawide monitor is the ticket. These displays have a wider show panel that’s much more spectacular, and immersive, than your common widescreen. We’ve examined a bunch of ultrawide displays so as to title the most effective picks in numerous classes. You may be taught extra about our analysis course of and what to search for in an ultrawide monitor beneath our suggestions.  

You could find much more monitor suggestions in our roundup of the greatest displays.

Table of Contents

1. Alienware AW3423DWF – Greatest ultrawide monitor

Execs

• Glorious distinction ratio 
• High-notch shade gamut and accuracy
• Nice movement readability 
• Respectable HDR efficiency
• Extraordinarily aggressive worth

Cons

• Stand is a bit too giant
• No USB-C
• Most HDR brightness is lackluster

The Alienware AW3423DWF is a legendary monitor. It packs the unbelievable distinction and realism of OLED in a 34-inch widescreen panel, but it’s priced at simply $1,099. That’s not cheap, but it surely’s higher worth than different OLED displays out there proper now.

Picture high quality is the place it stands out. It delivers a vivid, immersive, wealthy expertise with deep black ranges and shiny highlights, that are enhanced by the show’s shiny end. Motion pictures and video games appear almost three-dimensional—as in the event you’re wanting by means of a window, not observing a monitor.

What’s the catch? The monitor just isn’t shiny, particularly in SDR, so it’s a nasty alternative for a brightly lit room. We additionally observed the OLED panel has bother rendering small fonts easily. These are minor points, although, and shouldn’t bother most house owners.

This monitor targets avid gamers, so it provides an enhanced refresh charge of as much as 165Hz and helps AMD FreeSync Premium Professional for clean body pacing in video games. Nevertheless, its glorious picture high quality will likely be spectacular in on a regular basis use, as effectively.

It has good connectivity, with two DisplayPort inputs and one HDMI, in addition to a USB-A hub with 4 ports. There’s even a wholesome vary of calibration choices that assist demanding house owners dial within the picture to their private specs.

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Overview Alienware AW3423DWF

2. Asus ProArt PA348CGV – Greatest ultrawide monitor for professionals

Execs

• Glorious SDR picture high quality 
• Sturdy, hefty design 
• Wide selection of customization
• 120Hz refresh charge

Cons

• USB-C hub lacks video-out or ethernet
• HDR is merely satisfactory

The Asus ProArt PA348CV surpassed our expectations. Priced at simply $729.99, it’s in the direction of the low finish of pricing for an expert ultrawide show—but its efficiency is close to the highest of the pack.

This monitor has a large shade gamut, glorious shade accuracy, and a digital buffet of image-quality calibration options that allow customers exactly tune the picture. It’s additionally a shiny and vivid monitor, making it straightforward to make use of in almost any workplace. Admittedly, it doesn’t set any data in picture high quality assessments—but it surely ties or comes near options which are tons of of {dollars} dearer.

Asus throws in a helpful USB-C port that helps DisplayPort Alternate Mode and delivers 90 watts of USB Energy Supply. It additionally drives a USB-A hub with 4 downstream ports. Extra video connectivity contains two HDMI and one DisplayPort for a complete of 4 enter choices.

Surprisingly, Asus throws in an enhanced refresh charge as much as 120Hz. It’s not offered as a gaming monitor, however it might deal with gaming effectively sufficient. That’s excellent news in the event you want one house workplace monitor for each work and play.

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Overview Asus ProArt PA348CGV

3. LG Ultragear 34GN850 – Greatest price range ultrawide for avid gamers

Execs

• 21:9 panel with a 34-inch display screen
• Curved monitor
• Spectacular gaming efficiency
• Ergonomic adjustment choices

Cons

• Solely common energy consumption
• Costly

The LG Ultragear 34GN850-B, launched in 2020, was as soon as the king of ultrawide gaming. It was dethroned by Alienware’s AW3423DWF—and consequently LG has slashed the value. Initially $999.99, this monitor is now out there for $699.99 (and generally much less).

That’s nice information. Though surpassed by the Alienware, LG’s Ultragear 34GN850-B is a gorgeous monitor with glorious shade efficiency, good picture readability, and a shiny, vivid image. It has an enhanced refresh charge of as much as 144Hz (with a 160Hz overclocked mode) and helps each AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync for clean gameplay.

Its weak point? Distinction. The IPS panel scores decrease in distinction than different displays on this listing, together with the Asus ProArt PA348CV, which additionally has an IPS panel. The picture can look hazy in darker scenes.

Connectivity is respectable with two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, and two-port USB-A hub for connecting wired peripherals. The monitor additionally retains most of the options that may be anticipated of a high-end monitor together with a sturdy ergonomic stand and enticing design. 

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Overview LG Ultragear 34GN850

4. AOC CU34G2X – Greatest price range ultrawide

Execs

• Gaming monitor in ultrawide 21:9 format
• Spectacular gaming efficiency
• Massive 34-inch curved panel
• Ergonomic adjustment choices

Ultrawide displays have many perks, however low pricing just isn’t amongst them. Happily, price range buyers have one good possibility: the AOC CU34G2X, which retails at or beneath $349.99.

This monitor has a 34-inch ultrawide VA panel that, by most measures, performs surprisingly near dearer options. It supplies a superb distinction ratio and delivers vivid shade efficiency. It additionally has the identical 3440×1440 decision as the opposite displays on this listing, so it appears simply as sharp. In reality, much less demanding buyers could discover it troublesome to note any distinction between this monitor and dearer choices just like the Asus ProArt PA348CV.

The AOC CU34G2X is marketed as a gaming monitor and has an enhanced refresh charge of as much as 144Hz. It doesn’t formally assist AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync, nonetheless, so avid gamers could have combined outcomes when making an attempt to make use of these adaptive sync requirements.

Although it punches above its worth in picture high quality, the AOC CU34G2X’s design appears low-cost. It leans a bit too exhausting on an aggressive red-and-black gaming theme. That can annoy buyers preferring a calmer, much less obtrusive look.

Connectivity is nice, although, with two HDMI and two DisplayPort inputs plus a four-port USB-A hub. The monitor additionally has a top adjustable stand, essential perk that isn’t assured on price range ultrawide displays.

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Overview AOC CU34G2X

What to search for in an ultrawide monitor

Ultrawide displays are a favourite of PC fanatics, however stay a distinct segment throughout the bigger monitor market. This leaves buyers with fewer choices. Most ultrawide displays have a 34-inch panel with a decision of 3440×1440, and comparable connectivity.

Nonetheless, these displays can differ in a number of key areas. Right here’s what to search for.

Panel kind is an enormous deal

Ultrawide displays provide much less alternative in some regards however that script is flipped relating to panel kind. Ultrawide displays are available in a wide range of panel varieties: IPS, VA, and OLED.

IPS panels are widespread in mid-range and premium ultrawide displays. This panel kind delivers nice shade efficiency, excessive most brightness, very good sharpness, and good movement efficiency. It’s weak in distinction, nonetheless, which may disappoint when viewing TV reveals or films.

VA panels are usually a price range possibility, although some are present in premium ultrawide displays. They’ve higher distinction than IPS panels and ship comparable shade efficiency and brightness—nonetheless, price range VA panels are typically merely okay in these areas. Most VA panels fall brief in movement efficiency and will look blurry when enjoying fast-paced video games.

OLED is king of the hill. It leads in shade, distinction, and movement efficiency. Sharpness is commonly barely lowered in comparison with IPS and VA, however most individuals will discover it a minor downgrade. OLED is also the only option for HDR.

Typically, OLED is healthier than IPS, and IPS is healthier than VA. Nevertheless, some individuals would possibly favor VA over IPS as a result of it has a greater distinction ratio and appears darker in darkish content material.

A height-adjustable stand is a must have

All of the displays on this listing present an ergonomic stand that adjusts for top, tilt, and swivel. This can be a must-have characteristic, however one which isn’t discovered on the least costly ultrawide displays.

As tempting as it might be to save cash on a price range mannequin with no height-adjustable stand, you’ll remorse it.

Ultrawide displays are cumbersome and have a tendency to require a bigger, heavier stand, which in flip makes them tougher to put on an elevated platform. The outdated school trick of sticking a monitor on a shoe field received’t work.

Search for USB-C, however don’t anticipate it

USB-C compatibility is a superb characteristic, and USB-C hub displays can clear away tons of litter in your desk. Sadly, many ultrawide displays don’t assist USB-C but, or have limitations that detract from the USB-C port’s usefulness.

Asus’s ProArt PA348CV, our favourite ultrawide for professionals, 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 4 downstream ports.

Dell, HP, and BenQ additionally provide ultrawide displays with USB-C. Most of those lack an enhanced refresh charge, nonetheless, they usually’re usually dearer than the Asus.

Pricing is essential—and may swing wildly

Monitor pricing is all the time essential, but it surely’s key for ultrawide displays. Though very costly at MSRP, ultrawide displays routinely see enormous worth cuts throughout seasonal gross sales. Additionally they obtain main semi-permanent worth cuts later of their life.

The LG Ultragear 34GN850-B is an instance of this. Initially offered for $999.99, it’s now routinely out there for $699.99, and went as little as $599.99 throughout Amazon’s Black Friday sale. That’s a 40 p.c discount in worth! Ready for a deal can prevent tons of.

Don’t purchase an ultrawide for console gaming

A fast phrase of warning: You shouldn’t purchase an ultrawide monitor in the event you plan to attach a sport console regularly.  

Recreation consoles don’t assist ultrawide side ratios, so that you’ll see black bars on both facet of the picture. That’s unattractive and wastes the monitor’s potential. It’s greatest to stay with a widescreen monitor if console gaming is a precedence.

How we take a look at displays

PC World’s staff of employees and freelance reviewers conduct in-depth testing to check displays throughout a variety of classes and worth factors. We take a look at dozens of displays every year to search out the most effective choose for each class and worth level.

Our testing makes use of a SpyderXElite shade calibration instrument. It delivers goal, unbiased measurements for a variety of metrics together with brightness, distinction, shade gamut, shade accuracy, shade temperature, and gamma. Outcomes are recorded and logged for future comparability. This enables our consultants to simply examine many displays without delay and eliminates subjective bias from the outcomes.