Curved displays can be helpful for various usages. The edges of the screen are brought closer to you for a more immersive experience compared to flat monitors. The curved monitor market has a bunch of different models available, and while many focus on gaming, there are also some with productivity features. Many have a 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio, which provides extra horizontal screen space, but there are also curved 16:9 displays, including those with a 4k resolution for sharp images. Even a monitor's curvature changes from model to model, and the curve radius defines the shape of the curve. A smaller number, like 800R, is more aggressive, while a 2500R curve is more subtle.
As there's no perfect solution for everyone, considering your personal needs and budget is a good place to start. For example, you'll want a fast response time and good picture quality for gaming, while having high brightness and good reflection handling is useful for working in well-lit rooms.
We've bought and tested over 380 monitors, and below are our picks for the best curved monitors available to buy. Check out our recommendations for the best curved gaming monitors, the best ultrawide monitors, and the best 34-49 inch monitors.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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Best Curved Monitor
OfficeEditingPC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize32"Panel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3840 x 2160See all our test resultsCurve RadiusThe best curved monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. It's a premium 4k, 32-inch QD-OLED monitor that's focused on gaming. It offers outstanding overall performance and a smooth, detailed gaming experience thanks to its high resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. It has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crisp motion, and it even has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles.
In terms of picture quality, its QD-OLED panel makes it an incredible choice if you just want to sit back and watch HDR content. It has a near-infinite contrast ratio, with deep, inky blacks in dark rooms, and it gets bright enough for highlights to pop. This monitor also displays a wide range of colors that look extremely vivid. One thing to note is that OLEDs risk permanent burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, and the black levels rise in bright rooms, making them look purple. This means it performs best in dark rooms, and you can reduce the risk of burn-in by using it for varied content.
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Best Upper Mid-Range Curved Monitor
OfficeEditingPC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize34"Panel TypeQD-OLEDMax Refresh Rate240 HzNative Resolution3440 x 1440See all our test resultsCurve RadiusIf you don't have the budget for a premium monitor like the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, then the Dell Alienware AW3425DW is a good upper mid-range alternative. It's similar in performance and picture quality to the AW3225QF because it's another QD-OLED, so it has the same deep and inky blacks in dark rooms with bright highlights and vivid colors. While it has less total screen space than the AW3225QF and has a lower resolution for less detailed images, its 21:9 aspect ratio offers a more immersive gaming experience with more horizontal screen space.
Besides that, it offers all the gaming benefits of an OLED, like a near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion, and its 240Hz refresh rate has a smooth feel. Like the AW3225QF, there are some downsides to getting this monitor, though. It doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare, and reflections can be somewhat distracting because light bounces off light like a mirror. Blacks also look purple in bright rooms, and if that bothers you, you can check out the LG 34GS95QE-B instead. It's another OLED with deep blacks in any environment, but colors aren't as vivid.
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Best Mid-Range Curved Monitor
OfficeEditingPC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize34"Panel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzNative Resolution3440 x 1440See all our test resultsCurve RadiusIf the Dell Alienware AW3425DW is still out of your price range or you simply don't want a QD-OLED, then check out a mid-range option like the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM. It has the same 34-inch screen size as the Dell Alienware AW3425DW, so it offers an immersive feel, but it's a step down in a few performance aspects, like picture quality. It doesn't have a QD-OLED panel with the same perfect black levels in dark rooms, highlights that pop against the rest of the image, and vivid colors for a premium HDR experience. In fact, it's best to avoid using this monitor in HDR because it has a terrible edge-lit local dimming feature that automatically turns on in HDR, creating haloing around bright objects.
It has a lower 180Hz refresh rate than the AW3425DW, which is still good enough for most gamers. While it handles motion consistently at any refresh rate, it smears with fast-moving objects. On the plus side, it's versatile for work and play, and it doesn't risk burn-in like the AW3425DW. It also gets much brighter, which is great if you want to use it in a moderately-lit room.
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Best Budget Curved Monitor
OfficeEditingPC GamingConsole GamingResponse TimeSDR PictureHDR PictureColor AccuracyBrightnessSize32"Panel TypeVAMax Refresh Rate180 HzNative Resolution2560 x 1440See all our test resultsCurve RadiusIf you're looking for a curved monitor on a budget, there are some decent low-cost options you can get, like the Dell Alienware AW3225DM, which is a step-down model from the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM. It has many of the same features as the higher-end AW3425DWM, though, and performs similarly. However, it offers a less immersive experience in certain games, such as atmospheric or sim racing, due to its narrower aspect ratio. That said, it's still good for PC gaming thanks to its consistent motion handling, though it suffers from black smearing with fast-moving objects. One downside is that it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of gaming consoles, but that's normal for an entry-level model.
Besides gaming, it's still a decent choice for office work because the 32-inch screen is big enough for some multitasking, and it has good text clarity. It also gets bright enough to fight glare, but reflections are distracting, so it's best to avoid placing it opposite a sunny window. Unfortunately, it has a narrow viewing angle, so you get the most consistent image when sitting directly in front of it, not from the sides.
Notable Mentions
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Dell U5226KW:
The Dell U5226KW is a big 52-inch ultrawide monitor with a ton of work features, including a large USB hub. It's something to consider over the Dell Alienware AW3225QF if you want something with a lot of screen space for work, but not for gaming. However, it costs a lot more than the AW3225QF.
See our review -
Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85:
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 is a high-end 4k, 240Hz monitor. It's an alternative to the Dell Alienware AW3225QF if you don't want an OLED, as it uses Mini LED backlighting, but that means its picture quality is worse than the Dell.
See our review -
MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED:
The MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is an ultrawide monitor with similar picture quality to the Dell Alienware AW3425DW, thanks to its QD-OLED panel. It also has extra productivity features, like a KVM switch, but it's usually more expensive.
See our review -
Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55:
The Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 is an entry-level monitor that's an alternative to the Dell Alienware AW3225DM if you want something cheaper. However, it's a step down in performance because it has worse motion handling than the Dell.
See our review
Recent Updates
Mar 11, 2026:
We removed the Dell U4025QW as a recommended monitor because it's hard to find. In the Notable Mentions, we added the Dell U5226KW, and we removed the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 and the LG 40WP95C-W.
Jan 23, 2026:
We renamed the Dell Alienware AW3425DW as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range Curved Monitor' to better reflect its market position. We also removed the Gigabyte GS27QC as it's hard to find. Lastly, we added the Samsung Odyssey G55C S27CG55 to the Notable Mentions.
Sep 02, 2025:
We replaced the LG 34GS95QE-B with the Dell Alienware AW3425DW because the Dell has better picture quality. We also added the Dell Alienware AW3425DWM and replaced the Dell S3422DWG with the Dell Alienware AW3225DM to better represent the current market.
May 01, 2025:
We replaced the MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED with the LG 34GS95QE-B, as the MSI is harder to find. We also removed the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 from the Notable Mentions and added the 341CQPX and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 as Notable Mentions.
Feb 19, 2025:
We introduced a new format to the article and updated the text to reflect these changes.
All Reviews
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best monitors with a curved screen currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. The rating is based on our review, factoring in price and feedback from our visitors.
If you'd prefer to make your own decision, here's the list of all the curved monitors we've tested. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.