The Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors in 2024

The launch of the Samsung G9 provided a major shakeup to the ultrawide gaming monitors market. The G9 was the world’s first commercially popular ultrawide monitor, while the subsequent G9 Neo offered best-in-class hardware in a form factor that was rarely seen as acceptable to gamers. Since then, the market for ultrawide monitors has seen steady demand as more games support them and consider the 21:9 aspect ratio a more standard offering than ever before.

Related: The Best 4K Gaming Monitors

At the same time, multiple monitor brands have carved themselves niches in this growing industry. This makes it harder to pick the best of the best in the market when it comes to ultrawide displays as tradeoffs are often heavy with VA, and IPS LED panels not being the only ones in the running with LG’s OLED and Samsung’s QD-OLED offerings also fighting to get a chunk of the market. To help consumers pick the right choice for their setup, Game Rant takes a closer look at some of the best ultrawide gaming monitors in the business.

Factors for Buying an Ultrawide Gaming Monitor

When buying an ultrawide monitor for gaming, buyers should consider several factors, including refresh rate, response time, connectivity options, and panel type.

Refresh Rate: When it comes to choosing a gaming monitor, refresh rate is a non-negotiable factor to consider. Refresh rate refers to the number of times a screen can refresh images per second. Getting a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz is a smart move for gamers.

Response Time: Another crucial factor worth thinking about is the response time. This simply means the number of times a pixel can switch from one color to another. Monitors with response times of 1 ms and below are best suited for gaming as there’s little chance of users experiencing issues like blur or screen tearing.

Connectivity Options: Seeing as a monitor is just a component of a gaming setup, it makes sense that it should come with various connection options for consoles, PCs, and peripherals. When shopping for a monitor, ensure that the most preferred options support USB-C, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort.

Panel Type: Manufacturers use different display technologies for their gaming monitors, so it’s worth knowing what they offer before buying one. Monitors with TN panels are famous for high refresh rates and low input lag, two critical factors that make a great gaming monitor. Monitors with IPS panels deliver greater color accuracy, while those with VA panels are designed to render better color reproduction than their IPS counterparts. OLED panels deliver wide viewing angles and impeccable color accuracy, though screen burn-in is an issue.

Related: Best 27-inch OLED Gaming Monitors

Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors to Buy in 2024

The Samsung G5 Odyssey 34-inch is a capable ultrawide gaming monitor that delivers a decent refresh rate coupled with an excellent resolution for its screen size. This ensures that it is a viable yet affordable ultrawide gaming monitor that users can consider as a primary gaming and productivity display. While it is a far cry from its higher-end G9 Neo sibling, it does offer a considerably better price for performance and a decent VA panel that should not disappoint users because of the price.

Related: The Best 2K Gaming Monitors

At the same time, the G5 Odyssey is a unit that doesn’t pass on its FreeSync premium certification to consoles like the current-generation Xbox Series X and PS5. It is limited to only doing so via DisplayPort. While fixes do exist, they are an added inconvenience for what should be a no-brainer offering from a current-generation ultrawide monitor. Anyone who needs a capable ultrawide display on a budget and a slightly higher refresh rate should check out the Samsung G5 Odyssey. To get the most out of their purchase, buyers should be sure to pair it with the best gaming PCs.

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The Alienware AW3423DW is an excellent QD-OLED gaming monitor that ups the ante for ultrawide displays. With excellent HDR in play along with Nvidia’s premium GSync Ultimate VVR technology along with a 0.1ms response time, this is one of the fastest premium gaming monitors in 2024. The ultrawide form factor is just another plus for people looking for additional screen real estate for their gaming or productivity needs.

As a QD-OLED monitor, it has better brightness than standard OLED models while also offering the same perfect black color reproduction that is synonymous with OLED displays. While burn-in is a larger issue with OLED monitors than with regular TVs (and QD-OLED seems to have a slightly worse record than LG’s OLED TVs in this regard), this might not be a concern for casual users who do not have a static HUD or play a variety of games. However, it is still a cause for worry even if Alienware does offer excellent warranty support.

The LG 45-inch UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE-B is an excellent OLED-based gaming monitor that holds its own against some of the best in the ultrawide business, offering a niche of ultra-fast refresh rates coupled with some of the lowest response times that are currently possible. All of these attributes make it a unique product. With high peak brightness and excellent color reproduction, the 45-inch Ultragear is a sight to behold. This is without considering its subtle RGB effects at the back, which makes it look more premium than arguably any other monitor on Game Rant’s current list of the best ultrawide gaming monitors.

At the same time, the resolution seems a little less sharp upfront, given the 45-inch size of the display when using it for productivity-based workloads. Some users have also pointed out some issues with the whites having slightly yellowish tinges, an experience both we and some consumer reviews share based on early impressions of the monitor. Anyone keen on acquiring a 240Hz monitor that’s perfect for FPS titles and doesn’t mind the hefty price tag should consider the LG 45GR95QE.

The LG 34WP65C-B is a 34-inch monitor that packs a 21:9 screen ratio, making it ideal for gaming and productive activities like content creation and video editing. Its 3440×1440 QHD display brings more screen real estate in terms of width than a 1920×1080 FHD display. This monitor doesn’t skip on HDR10, meaning buyers enjoy enhanced picture quality for games and movies.

Moving to its gaming features, the monitor gets a refresh rate of 160Hz along with AMD FreeSync Premium. FreeSync Premium helps avoid screen tearing and stuttering to deliver a wholesome gameplay experience. It does this in collaboration with AMD Radeon series graphics cards. The monitor also gets Black Stabilizer and Crosshair features that provide improved vision and professional aiming for FPS titles. Lastly, the LG 34WP65C-B has MAXAUDIO, an audio enhancement software that delivers great sound to make gaming more enjoyable.

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 G95NA is a monstrous Mini-LED gaming monitor that outdoes its competition thanks to its unique form factor and excellent peak brightness, which also factors into its spectacular HDR performance. It also comes with an impressive amount of screen real estate, although it’s quite pricey. With a 240Hz refresh rate, it is easily ahead of the curve when it comes to gaming performance while offering relatively low input lag to further improve one’s gaming performance.

However, it has issues with games that do not natively support it. Most games barely support ultrawide monitors with their 21:9 aspect ratios. The G9 Neo takes it a step further, pushing a 32:9 aspect ratio. That means that playing older titles as well as some indie ones might be a chore. Even when it’s not, it might not make use of the screen to the extent offered by Samsung. Users with smaller gaming desks might also find it hard to accommodate the Neo G9, which takes up a tremendous amount of space. It also weighs much more than a standard run-of-the-mill monitor.

The GIGABYTE G34WQC is Game Rant’s best ultrawide gaming monitor for budget-conscious users. It does so for all of the right reasons, offering excellent specifications and a decent screen that can do 144Hz at a price that is easy to digest for most people looking to buy an ultrawide monitor. It supports both FreeSync Premium and GSync, making it capable of VRR performance irrespective of what GPU buyers pair it with.

It isn’t without faults, though. Much like most gaming monitors which have limited dimming zones or brightness, it does have subpar HDR performance. While the design is practical, it looks somewhat unrefined for those looking to decorate their gaming space with sleeker, premium-looking hardware. Therefore, if looks aren’t a bother, then this is an excellent monitor worth the financial commitment.

The ASUS ROG Strix 29.5-inch XG309CM gaming monitor aims to deliver a high refresh rate at a somewhat acceptable resolution for gaming while staying relatively balanced in the pricing department for a premium ultrawide gaming monitor. It does tend to undercut itself with the WFHD resolution that many potential buyers will not be a fan of today. Its somewhat weird port placement may disappoint some buyers too. That being said, it does excel with an excellent 220Hz overclockable refresh rate coupled with a dedicated KVM switch for users looking to move between work and play with a keen interest in the extra screen real estate.

The ROG branding and being part of the XG lineup is just icing on the cake for its target audience of FPS gamers who will appreciate its offerings. Others may love or hate the tradeoff it represents in resolution and refresh rate in a relatively small form factor as far as an ultrawide monitor goes. Essentially, the ASUS ROG Strix XG309CM is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, this is pretty much the best ultrawide gaming monitor to buy if a high refresh rate in a compact ultrawide form factor is a must-have feature for buyers.

The world’s first bendable OLED monitor comes with a suite of premium features that almost instantly justify the hefty retail price. Built with visionary bendable OLED technology, the 45-inch Xeneon Flex allows games to switch from a curved to a flat display, depending on the title being played. Feel free to go curved when playing simulation titles or adjust the screen to flat for strategy games.

Gaming on this monitor will be a blast thanks to a 240Hz refresh rate along with a GtG response time of 0.3ms. NVIDIA G-SYNC compatible and AMD Premium Sync certified, the Xeneon Flex promises low input lag plus minor screen tearing. To protect gamers from eye fatigue without compromising their ability to play for long periods, the monitor features low blue-light technology. Although the price may discourage many gamers, it brings tons of value to the table.

More: The Best Monitors For FPS Gaming

FAQ

Q: Is it worth buying an ultrawide monitor?

Gamers who want an immersive experience with their favorite titles should consider getting an ultrawide monitor. They’re also ideal for improving one’s productivity and reducing eye strain.

Q: What is the best ultrawide monitor?

Although Game Rant’s guide comprises a list of various excellent options, the best overall pick is the Samsung G5 monitor. It offers an above-average refresh rate of 165Hz and a low response time of 1ms.