The Best Budget Ultrawide Gaming Monitors for 2024

Gaming monitors have never been as good as they are now. The current market is flooded with a plethora of gaming monitor options – ranging from simple flat 1080p monitors to 4K high-end refresh rate displays. However, ultrawide displays are increasingly popular as they provide an immersive experience without adding a second display.

Not only are these monitors capable of showing a wider field of view, but they also come with a variety of panels, resolutions, curvature, and refresh rates. Having tons of options in the current market can easily confuse gamers as each price range has similar specs. However, Game Rant’s guide will help users pick monitors that provide the best specifications and technological benefits for their price.

Choosing a Budget Ultrawide Gaming Monitor

Gamers should keep in mind several factors when shopping for a budget ultrawide gaming monitor. These include panel type, contrast ratio, connectivity, anti-tearing technology, split-screen mode, and cost.

• Panel Type: Gaming monitors come in three panel types: VA, OLED, and IPS. OLED screens are good with contrast, color, and motion. However, IPS and VA screens tend to be sharper and last longer.
• Contrast Ratio: A higher contrast ratio is better, but a monitor with a super high contrast ratio is probably a marketing trick.
• Connectivity: The number and type of inputs on a monitor matter. Make sure to buy a monitor that has enough ports and connection types (for instance, HDMI) for one’s needs.
• Anti-Tearing Technology: The type of anti-tearing technology will depend on the type of graphics card. AMD users need a FreeSync monitor. Nvidia users will want G-Sync. Sometimes a monitor supports both, but that is not always the case.
• Split-Screen Mode: A split-screen mode can replace multiple monitors, but not all monitors will support it.
• Cost: The cost of a monitor is a major consideration. Generally speaking, more expensive monitors will provide more features and higher resolution, but it is possible to find quality gaming monitors on a reasonable budget.

Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Budget Ultrawide Gaming Monitors

The Gigabyte G34WQC Gaming Monitor is the best overall budget ultrawide monitor that boasts excellent specs for fast-paced gaming. Apart from featuring a tiltable and height-adjustable screen, it offers impressive features on a 34-inch display with a resolution of 3440×1440 pixels and perfect viewing angles that provide undistorted picture quality. The monitor is designed for gaming with a fast 144Hz refresh rate and quick 1ms response time, offering an edge in competitive gaming.

The screen has a 21:9 aspect ratio and a natural curve (1500R) for an immersive experience. This is ideal for AAA titles, particularly racing games. Moreover, the availability of AMD FreeSync Premium makes games look smooth by eliminating the frequent tears by syncing frames to the monitor’s refresh rate. However, the HDR400 support is not really that impressive, considering some of the already existing best high-end displays on the market boast better HDR support.

Looking for an ultrawide gaming monitor with a super fast refresh rate? The ASUS ROG Strix XG309CM Gaming Monitor is an excellent choice, giving gamers a high refresh rate of 220Hz that will offer buttery smooth gameplay. The monitor is also compatible with NVIDIA G-SYNC, which makes gaming more enjoyable without screen tearing. It works automatically on most NVIDIA graphics cards and is superior to AMD’s Freesync in many areas, including the elimination of ghosting and working flawlessly on eliminating the stuttering and tearing completely.

Now consider all of this on a fast IPS panel that not only excels in providing more accurate colors and better viewing angles than TN and VA panels but also provides a quick 1ms GTG response time. Also, the 2560×1080 resolution won’t force gamers to upgrade to a higher-end GPU like a 4080 or 4090. Those who are looking to push the frame rates beyond 200 fps may upgrade to a better video card.

The MSI Optix MAG342CQR offers impressive features without going over $300. With a 1500R curvature design, this big 34-inch UWQHD display will make sure gamers immerse themselves completely in the game. Furthermore, the 144Hz refresh rate with a quick response time of 1ms is ideal for competitive gaming.

Even though the monitor lacks support for HDR, its excellent color saturation and 300 Nits of brightness should be adequate for clear and crisp visuals. But this is certainly one of the significant drawbacks to why some users would prefer a pricier monitor like the Gigabyte G34WQC. Except for this, the monitor provides ample features to satisfy gamers’ needs at a fair price.

Users who have less than 300 bucks in their pocket but still want a UWQHD resolution can get their hands on the AOPN 34HC5CUR, which offers similar specifications to the MSI Optix one. Of course, this is a cheaper display, and there are some drawbacks that gamers have to keep in mind before choosing it. First off, the maximum brightness level is lower. Secondly, the color saturation is not that impressive.

Speaking of the features that are impressive, the 1500R curvature and 144Hz refresh rate offer immersive and smooth gameplay. Moreover, the built-in speakers allow gamers to switch to these occasionally if their ears start hurting after several hours of usage.

The next outstanding feature is the availability of AMD FreeSync Premium, which has advantages over the basic FreeSync tech, including low frame rate compensation for a much better experience. So, despite being “entry-level,” users get some of the best modern-day tech for a satisfactory experience.

The Acer Nitro 34-inch monitor has a ZeroFrame design with a 1500 curvature that allows gamers to immerse themselves even more as the edges are super thin while the screen wraps around them. Not many UW-QHD monitors out there boast a 165Hz refresh rate at this price. Also, the availability of AMD FreeSync Premium further enhances tear-free gaming by introducing the LFC.

The HDR400 support is also satisfactory, even though not the best in the game. However, considering that fewer monitors support HDR at less than $300, this one stands out. Lastly, the height, swivel, and tilt adjustments are there for users to alter the viewing angles according to their needs.

Sceptre offers one of the very few ultrawide monitors out there that, despite being dirt cheap, boasts a crazy high refresh rate of up to 200Hz. Not only is this exceptional for a normal 16:9 ratio monitor, but it’s also rare to find an ultrawide monitor with such a refresh rate at a price of around $200. The monitor also brings the curved aspect for an immersive experience and AMD FreeSync for tear-free gaming. Moreover, unlike most monitors, it boasts dual 3W built-in speakers for superior audio quality.

The only problem is the 5ms response time, which will be a disadvantage for those looking for a competitive edge. Still, it won’t be a huge drawback if competitive gaming is not the ultimate goal. Apart from this, the monitor is up to modern standards in most areas, especially when the price is taken into consideration.

How to Choose the Best Budget Ultrawide Gaming Monitors

Choosing a gaming monitor should not be a hassle. However, buyers will want to keep several factors in mind when purchasing a new ultrawide monitor in order to ensure that it meets their needs. Remember to consider these factors before buying a new monitor.

Panel Type: Gaming monitors come in three panel types: VA, OLED, and IPS. The VA Panels are often inexpensive ultrawide screens. They have better contrast, but aren’t great at some things. When playing fast games, most VA panels struggle with motion and can look blurry. OLED screens are good with motion, contrast, and colors. Sometimes, they are less sharp than IPS and VA, but most people won’t notice. Their disadvantage is that they are not long-lasting like other screens.

Contrast Ratio: A higher contrast ratio is better. Look for numbers between 1000:1 and 3000:1 for the best image quality. But be careful. A monitor with a contrast ratio higher than 3000:1 is probably a marketing trick. It won’t make a big difference.

Connectivity: Remember that the number and type of inputs on a monitor matter. Gamers can connect a console and a PC with an HDMI cable or use a USB-C or display port for a PC. Players who wish to game in 4K with high refresh rates must have a monitor with the latest HDMI tech. The PS5 and Xbox Series consoles need HDMI2.1 for 4K at 120Hz.

Anti-Tearing Technology: Adaptive-sync tech has changed gaming a lot. The kind of graphics card a gamer has decides which gaming monitor to get. AMD users should choose a FreeSync monitor, while Nvidia’s RTX card users might want G-Sync. Sometimes, G-Sync works on some FreeSync monitors, but not always.

Split Screen Mode: People who want to replace multiple monitors must check if the monitor has a screen-splitting feature. Ensure it can connect to various devices and show them separately. This gives more screen space like one has with separate monitors.

Cost: Budget is a crucial factor. Ultrawide monitors used to be expensive, but now they’re more affordable. A cheap monitor has fewer pixels, while an expensive one offers a better resolution. But good budget ultrawide monitors still exist.

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FAQ

Q: What’s the suitable refresh rate for an ultra-wide gaming monitor?

A refresh rate of 144Hz to 165Hz is good for most ultrawide gaming monitors. Few ultrawide monitors go beyond this refresh rate and are too pricey to be a good deal.

Q: What is the best size for an ultra-wide gaming monitor?

The 34-inch ultrawide monitor with a 21:9 shape is usually the best for gamers. Bigger ultrawide monitors might not be great for gaming because they can’t do high refresh rates. Even when they can, they might not look as sharp as a 34-inch one.

Q: What is the best resolution for an ultra-wide monitor?

Most 34-inch ultrawide monitors use a resolution of 3440×1440. This is great for gamers. It looks good in modern games and doesn’t need super-powerful graphics.

Q: Is HDR a must for an ultra-wide gaming monitor?

No! But it’s a good feature to have. HDR can enhance gaming visuals. Gamers who want an ultrawide gaming monitor with HDR support must dig deep into their pockets.