Whether you’re a streamer, content creator, or die-hard gamer, upgrading your rig with one of the best curved gaming monitors increases immersion while reducing eye strain and helps you keep your head in the game. Our favorite is the Dell S3220DGF, a 32-inch gorgeous screen with high brightness, solid HDR support, and support for high refresh rates.
It’s not the only one we like, though. Here are the best curved gaming monitors you can buy, for all sorts of uses and at a range of prices.
Best curved gaming monitors
- Best curved gaming monitor: Dell S3220DGF
- Best curved gaming multitasking monitor: Samsung CRG9
- Best budget curved gaming monitor: Acer ED273
- Fastest curved gaming monitor: Alienware AW3418DW
- Best curved gaming monitor for dark rooms: Samsung Odyssey G7
Best overall monitor: Dell S3220DGF
Daniel Martin/Screenshot
With a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 at 165Hz for DP connections and 144Hz for HDMI connections and a 32-inch screen, the Dell S3220DGF is an ideal curved gaming monitor entry point for users with mid-level systems and beyond who don’t want to break the bank. Coming pre-loaded with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, gamers can be assured their PCs can compensate for lower frame rates while enjoying reduced latency and a refresh rate of at least 120Hz at minimum FHD resolution, ensuring a smooth gaming experience. For those concerned with attaching multiple devices and and an audio line-out.
QHD resolution allows the monitor to power through HDR media and games while offering users up to a 77% increase in the amount of viewable content when compared to regular FHD, and the VESA Display HDR 400-certification testifies to its 90% DCI-P3 color coverage — 1.07 billion — and its 3000:1 contrast ratio. Best of all, this curved gaming monitor is on sale at Dell for almost 50% off the regular price, so consider acting quickly before they’re snatched up.
Best multitasking monitor: Samsung CRG9
Daniel Martin/Screenshot
If you feel like splurging on a gigantic new curved monitor and have cash burning a hole in your pocket, the Samsung CRG9 is calling your name. While it might seem excessive to spend the same amount of money as a top-shelf smart TV on a single monitor, the CRG9’s impressive array of features and functions speak for themselves. This single monitor offers the equivalent screen space of two QHD 27-inch screens side by side, and while the refresh rate is only 120HZ, this monitor features an eye-popping 5120 x 1440 resolution, an HDR 1000 peak brightness rating, a DCI-P3 of 95%, and Samsung QLED technology, more than making up for any downgrade in that regard.
The 32:9 screen offers users an ultrawide view of content on their screens, allowing minute examinations of superfine details, and the picture-by-picture or split-screen mode allows simultaneous input sources to be viewed without adversely affecting the image quality (note that picture-by-picture mode disables Freesync and reduces the refresh rate to 100Hz). Anyone working from home full-time or engaging in streaming on a regular basis will be able to work, play games, and even watch content without losing a step.
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Best budget monitor: Acer ED273
Daniel Martin/Screenshot
For those on more restrictive budgets who can’t afford or aren’t interested in purchasing an ultrawide display, the Acer ED273 is a great option without any bells and whistles. While the display isn’t the brightest at 250 nits, and the pixel pitch of .3114mm may leave something to be desired, the 144Hz refresh rate via DisplayPort and GSync/FreeSync compatibility means you don’t need an AMD card to play top-tier games, making it a strong contender for the price. With individual ports for DisplayPort, HDMI, and DVI cables, users can connect to the monitor quickly and easily while maintaining high-quality output thanks to incorporated ACER Visioncare Technologies.
You can even get a 2TB internal hard drive installed for an extra $55 and make your own PC for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one outright.
Best responsiveness monitor: Alienware AW3418DW
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In the fast-paced world of competitive gaming, milliseconds can make the difference between digital life and death. Your setup is essential for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. If this is the kind of obstacle that you regularly encounter, you should strongly consider purchasing an Alienware AW3418DW with a truly impressive 2 ms gray-to-gray response time that won’t impact your game’s adaptive sync, brightness, or image quality.
As expected from Alienware, the AW3418DW comes with a variety of ports, including a VESA mount, DisplayPort, three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, a USB 3.1 Gen 1 port with Power Charging, USB upstream port, headphone jack, audio line-out, and HDMI port. With a remarkable 98% DCI-P3 color coverage, in-plane switching technology (IPS), and on-screen display features including guiding lines for multiscreen setups, frames-per-second counter, intuitive dashboard, and customizable preset gaming modes, your games have never looked so good or played so well.
Best monitor for dark rooms: Samsung Odyssey G7
Daniel Martin/Screenshot
Let’s face it — despite the stereotype of a gamer or techie slaving away alone in a shadowy room, some of us really do accomplish our best work in the dark and appreciate a display that serves to enhance the experience. With a variable refresh rate of up to 240Hz and capability of supporting both GSync and FreeSync, the Samsung LC27G75TQSNXZA also boasts a 1 ms response time and Infinity Core lighting powered by Odyssey, Samsung QLED with 125% more color space than sRGB, HDR 600, and WQHD 2560 x 1440 resolution to provide amazing true blacks. Users can connect via the HDMI 2 port, the two USB 3.0 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and a headphone jack.