The 5 Best Curved Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best curved monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. With a 32-inch screen and 1700R curve, its 4k, 240Hz QD-OLED display combines outstanding gaming performance with highly realistic and detailed images. You can buy it directly through Dell's website. Although you need a high-end graphics card to take advantage of its high refresh rate and 4k resolution, if you can do so, it provides a smooth and detailed gaming experience. It also has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crisp motion.

Its QD-OLED panel makes it an incredible choice if you just want to sit back and watch content, even in HDR. It has a near-infinite contrast ratio for deep and inky blacks, and it also gets bright enough for highlights to pop. It also displays a wide range of colors that look extremely vivid. OLEDs risk permanent burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, so if that's a concern for you, check out the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. It uses Mini LED backlighting and doesn't risk burn-in, but its picture quality and motion handling are worse.

If you don't like the 32-inch, 16:9 format of the Dell Alienware AW3225QF and prefer an ultrawide format, check out the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. The AW3423DWF doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth like the AW3225QF, and with a lower 1440p resolution, games look less detailed if you have a high-end computer capable of 4k gaming. However, the AW3423DWF costs considerably less than the AW3225QF, and the extra horizontal screen space provides a more immersive feel for atmospheric games, so there are some considerable benefits.

The AW3423DWF is a QD-OLED like the AW3225QF, so it has the same inky blacks in darker rooms and vivid, life-like colors. Both monitors also get bright enough for small highlights to truly pop. The AW3423DWF works well with all graphics cards. However, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card and want to take full advantage of it, consider the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. Though it's more expensive, it has a slightly higher maximum refresh rate and native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support.

If you don't need gaming features and want a curved monitor only for work, consider the LG 40WP95C-W. It has fewer gaming features and worse picture quality than both the Dell Alienware AW3225QF and the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF, but the differences don't have a big impact on productivity tasks. However, in place of high-end picture quality, it has a much bigger 40-inch screen with a 5k2k resolution and high pixel density, producing extremely sharp text. It has many productivity features that make it great for office use, and it doesn't risk permanent burn-in like the QD-OLED panels on the Dell monitors, either.

Connecting your work laptop to it is easy because it has two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support. This lets you display an image from a compatible laptop and charge it with the same cable using the monitor's 96W of power delivery. It also has a few handy features, like a Picture-by-Picture mode to display images from two sources simultaneously. If you want something cheaper, you can also consider the LG 38WN95C-W, which has more gaming features, like a higher refresh rate, but has a lower resolution and worse text clarity.

If you don't need a high-end display for gaming or an extra-large office-oriented monitor like the LG 40WP95C-W, then the Dell S3422DWG is something to consider in the lower mid-range price category. It has the same 34-inch screen size, 1440p resolution, and 1800R curve as the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. The main trade-off is that it has worse picture quality than the AW3423DWF, but that's what you have to expect if you want to save some money. Instead of the QD-OLED panel, it has an LED-backlit LCD panel, so deep blacks appear slightly gray in a darker room, and highlights don't pop. Also, its HDR colors aren't nearly as vivid.

However, it's still an effective low-cost option for gaming. It has FreeSync VRR support to reduce screen tearing, but fast-moving objects look somewhat blurry and have smear behind them. Additionally, it has narrow viewing angles that make the screen look washed out from the sides, so it's not a good choice if you frequently do local co-op gaming. Luckily, the curved screen brings the edges closer to you, so you won't notice as many inconsistencies at the sides of the display if you're gaming on your own.

If you need a simple and cheap curved monitor, there are a few decent options you can choose from, although most have a 16:9 aspect ratio and aren't ultrawides like the Dell S3422DWG. If you're interested in that, the Gigabyte GS27QC is a decent choice that works well for gaming. It's a step down in overall performance compared to the Dell because it doesn't get as bright, meaning it looks best in dark or moderately lit rooms. As it's a backlit display with no local dimming, deep blacks appear slightly gray in a darker room.

Besides that, it has a max 170Hz refresh rate that you can achieve over a DisplayPort connection, but like the Dell, fast-moving objects look somewhat blurry and have smear behind them. Though it works well with gaming consoles, without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and a 4k resolution, it can't take full advantage of them. Unfortunately, the monitor isn't very versatile for other uses as it has narrow viewing angles, but this is the case for most curved entry-level displays.