How We Ranked The 5 Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors

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Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated Apr 12, 2024 7:57 AM
best ultrawide gaming monitor guide that shows the top best gaming monitor model

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When you’re hunting for the best ultrawide gaming monitors, you need a combination of top-tier specs and immersive features. Look for a 21:9 aspect ratio or larger for an expanded field of view, which is critical for both gaming and productivity. Ensure the monitor includes AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-Sync technology to prevent screen tearing and stuttering, and aim for input lag below 15ms to maintain responsive control in fast-paced games. High brightness and wide color gamut coverage will enhance visibility and color accuracy, providing a vivid and engaging gaming experience. Additionally, a low response time is essential to reduce motion blur, offering smoother and more precise image transitions.

Out of the 196 gaming monitors we analyzed, five earned their place on our buying guide. We certified these products as tested after reviewing 321,947 customer and expert reviews, filtering out 71% of untrustworthy or fake reviews. Our unique approach uses True Score and proprietary Trust Score to ensure only the best recommendations. These winning monitors excelled in our tests, demonstrating superior performance and reliability. Brands like Acer, Dell, and Samsung were particularly notable for their high-quality offerings in the ultrawide category. If you’re looking for a more conventional gaming setup, our guide to the top gaming monitors includes models for every gamer, featuring high refresh rates for competitive play and impressive resolutions for immersive gaming. Additionally, our best computer monitor guide offers options suitable for daily tasks, professional environments, and high-demand activities, ensuring adaptability for a variety of uses.

How Did We Rank the Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors?

Our buying guides at Gadget Review are based on rigorous analysis, examining testing methods and customer reviews from over 200 sites. For ultrawide gaming monitors, we scrutinized expert reviews and identified critical criteria, resulting in 2 essential test results and 2 vital specifications. This thorough process ensures that our recommendations are both precise and trustworthy, helping you make an informed decision.

Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

?️ Minimum Specification

  • Aspect Ratio of 21:9 or high
  • G-Sync or FreeSync

? Test Criteria

  • Input Lag: An input lag of less than or equal to 15 milliseconds ensures a highly responsive gaming experience with minimal delay between action and on-screen response.
  • Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 or higher (or infinite), offering deep blacks and bright whites for an exceptional viewing experience.

Latest Updates

  • 04/30/2024: Republished the list to include the best ultrawide gaming monitors based on our True Score system.

Top Ultrawide Gaming Monitors For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Dell S3422DWG

    The Dell S3422DWG excels as a budget-friendly, versatile ultrawide monitor with standout input lag and color performance for gamers and creators alike.

    Dell S3422DWG Review →

    True Score

    84
    82
    4

    Experts

    91
    6k

    Customers

    SAVE $51
    $399.99
    $349.00
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Dell Alienware AW3423DW

    The Dell Alienware AW3423DW excels with its OLED panel, quick response time, and comprehensive features, making it a top pick for gaming and productivity.

    Dell Alienware AW3423DW Review →

    True Score

    83
    85
    14

    Experts

    87
    2k

    Customers

    SAVE $300
    $1,099.99
    $799.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Samsung Odyssey G85SB

    The Samsung Odyssey G85SB excels with its OLED panel, quick response time, and exceptional color accuracy, making it ideal for gaming and content creation.

    Samsung Odyssey G85SB Review →

    True Score

    82
    83
    10

    Experts

    87
    8k

    Customers

    SAVE $121
    $1,199.99
    $1,078.86
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Samsung Odyssey Neo G9

    The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 excels in gaming and beyond with unmatched brightness, impressive contrast, and color accuracy, making it the top ultrawide choice.

    Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Review →

    True Score

    81
    81
    4

    Experts

    85
    3k

    Customers

    SAVE $900
    $2,499.99
    $1,599.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    LG 40WP95C W

    The LG 40WP95C W excels as an ultrawide gaming monitor and a productivity tool. It offers vibrant colors, sufficient brightness, and smooth performance.

    LG 40WP95C W Review →

    True Score

    75
    75
    2

    Experts

    81
    342

    Customers

    SAVE $487
    $1,799.99
    $1,313.30

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors?

By focusing on these criteria (2 required), anyone can quickly and easily compare these computer monitors and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase the best ultrawide gaming monitor!

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
Contrast Ratio>1000:1YesThe difference in brightness between the whites (lit sections) and blacks (dim or unlit sections) of a monitor panel.
Input Lag≤ 15 msYesThe time it takes for the monitor to register inputs from the user and process them as action.

Our Trusted Data Sources

We looked at 110+ computer monitor reviewers and found that 33 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for computer monitors.

  1. Samuel Breton – Rtings, MuckRack
  2. Chris Eberle – Tom’s Hardware, LinkedIn
  3. Tony Hoffman – PC Mag, MuckRack

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every computer monitor review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Computer Monitor Test Data & Results

1. Contrast Ratio (as ratio, x:1) Test Results

Contrast ratio is responsible for making images appear “dynamic” and “dramatic.” By having a good contrast ratio, a monitor is able to recreate dramatic differences between light and dark spots in scenes, images and games accurately.

At a minimum, we recommend a contrast ratio of 1000:1, as this will do a good enough job at allow for detail in dark scenes and images. If contrast ratio gets too low, the picture quality suffers, and the monitor performs worse across the board, no matter the lighting condition. By getting a monitor with a sufficiently high contrast ratio, you can ensure the picture quality doesn’t suffer, and dramatic scenes with stark shifts in lighting, whether they be in games or videos, are created as accurately as possible.

Contrast Ratio (higher is better)

2. Input Lag (ms) Test Results

Input lag is more of a concern when it comes to gaming, but if you plan on using a monitor for a bit of gaming when you aren’t focused on productivity, editing or other tasks, lower values help improve responsiveness. High input lag means your actions take longer to register on the monitor, effectively introducing an artificial delay to your reactions.

It’s for this reason that we generally recommend an input lag of less than or equal to 15 ms. This ensures the delay that’s introduced has minimal impact on your reactions to what’s happening on screen. It’s important to note that a high input lag won’t have any real effect on anything that isn’t gaming, so it can be safely ignored if you don’t plan on gaming on your monitor.

Input Lag (in ms; lower is better)

Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring the Refresh Rate: Higher refresh rates (measured in Hz) result in smoother gameplay, especially in fast-paced games. Aim for a monitor with at least 144Hz refresh rate for optimal gaming performance. For those seeking even more fluidity and precision, consider upgrading to the best 240Hz gaming monitor, which can significantly enhance your experience in fast-action games by reducing motion blur and providing sharper visuals.

  2. Not Checking Response Time: Lower response times reduce motion blur and ghosting, enhancing the clarity of fast-moving images. Look for monitors with a response time of 5ms or less for a better gaming experience. Many of the leading 1080p gaming monitors feature rapid response times and high refresh rates, making them an excellent choice for professional gamers.

  3. Overlooking Panel Technology: Different panel types (TN, IPS, VA) offer varying levels of color accuracy, contrast, and viewing angles. IPS panels generally offer better color reproduction and viewing angles, while VA panels provide deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios. TN panels often have the fastest response times but poorer color accuracy and viewing angles. OLED models, like in our Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED review, deliver exceptional color depth, perfect blacks, and nearly instantaneous response times, making it a standout choice for gamers and professionals alike.

  4. Neglecting Resolution: Ultrawide monitors come in various resolutions, with 3440×1440 (WQHD) and 5120×1440 (DQHD) being common for gaming. Higher resolutions provide sharper images, but they may require more powerful graphics cards to run games smoothly. Similarly, the best 4K gaming monitors offer great detail and clarity, enhancing immersion in gameplay, though it similarly demands a high-performance graphics card to leverage its full potential.

The Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitors Tests Compared

Product
True Score
Brightness
Contrast Ratio
Color Gamut (DCI P3)
Color Gamut (sRGB)
Input Lag (ms)
Response Time (ms)
Reflections %

Dell S3422DWG

  • Best for 144Hz

84
  • 413 nits

  • 3,007.5:1

  • 87%

  • 98.5%

  • 4.5 ms

  • 6.9 ms

  • 5.1%

$349.00
$400
$51
83
  • 241.39 nits

  • 241.39:1

  • 99.81%

  • 100%

  • 15.8 ms

  • 1.96 ms

  • 1.4%

$799.99
$1,100
$300

Samsung Odyssey G85SB

  • Best for HDR Content

82
  • 237.45 nits

  • 237.45:1

  • 109.6%

  • 141.3%

  • 13.4 ms

  • 3.45 ms

  • 1.4%

$1,078.86
$1,200
$121
81
  • 628.33 nits

  • 628.33:1

  • 91%

  • 99.6%

  • 8.9 ms

  • 2.7 ms

  • 5.4%

$1,599.99
$2,500
$900

LG 40WP95C W

  • Best for Freesync

75
  • 254 nits

  • 1,087:1

  • 94.4%

  • 99.5%

  • 9.3 ms

  • 8.6 ms

  • 6.1%

$1,313.30
$1,800
$487

Ultrawide Gaming Monitor Questions (FAQ)

Is Ultrawide better for gaming?

An ultrawide gaming monitor provides an increased field of view in many games, which allows for better peripheral vision; this can give an advantage for competitive gaming. However, some older games might have an issue with the ultrawide gaming monitor ratio.

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