Curved monitors have just started to catch on, despite being widely available for a few years. As monitors have grown in size, it has become more and more difficult to maintain an accurate image across the entire screen when sitting up close. Curved monitors were one of the solutions monitor manufacturers came up with: a gentle curve brings the edges of the screen into your field of view, so the image remains accurate and uniform even if you're sitting close to a large screen.
We've tested over 155 monitors, and below you'll find our picks for the best curved monitors that are available for purchase. Also, make sure to check out our recommendations for the best curved gaming monitors, the best ultrawide monitors, and the best gaming monitors.
The best curved monitor that we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey G7. It’s available either in a 27 or 32 inch size and performs very well for a wide variety of uses. It has very good picture quality thanks to its 1440p resolution, with good out-of-the-box color accuracy and an outstanding SDR color gamut. It also feels very well-built, but its aggressive 1000R curve might take you some time to get used to.
It uses a VA panel with a great contrast ratio to display deep blacks, which makes it a good choice for watching movies or gaming in dark rooms. It also has a very fast 240Hz refresh rate and incredibly low input lag, giving you a smooth and responsive gaming experience. The response time is outstanding at both its max refresh rate or 60Hz, resulting in exceptionally clear motion and minimal blur. It supports FreeSync and is compatible with G-SYNC.
Unfortunately, the viewing angles are quite narrow so you quickly lose image accuracy when viewing from the side. Also, even though it supports HDR, it doesn’t get quite bright enough for most HDR content. That said, if you like curved monitors, this is the best one we’ve tested.
The best curved monitor with an ultrawide screen for gaming is the LG 34GN850-B. It has a large screen and a 1440p resolution to give you an immersive gaming experience, as well as plenty of space for office work or media creation. It can get bright enough to use in moderately-lit rooms and has decent reflection handling.
It has impressive gaming performance, with a superb response time that results in clear images and very little motion blur. It also has a high refresh rate and exceptionally low input lag, giving you a smooth and responsive gaming experience. The sRBG mode produces colors with great accuracy, and our unit has impressive out-of-the-box calibration. It also has native FreeSync support, and it's compatible with G-SYNC.
Unfortunately, it has poor ergonomics, as it can’t swivel or rotate to portrait mode, and it doesn’t perform well in dark environments due to its low contrast ratio. It also doesn’t have any local dimming feature. Nevertheless, it's great for gaming, and it’s the best curved ultrawide monitor we’ve tested for this usage.
If you prefer a curved ultrawide monitor with native G-SYNC support, then consider the LG 38GL950G-B. At 38 inches, it's 4 inches bigger than the LG 34GN850-B, but its 3840 x 1600 resolution results in the same pixel density. It has a 175Hz refresh rate and exceptional response times, resulting in fluid and responsive gameplay, and it supports G-SYNC native to reduce screen tearing. It has wider viewing angles and gets brighter, enough to deliver a fairly decent HDR experience. It has a Picture-in-Picture/Picture-by-Picture mode that lets you display two input signals at once, great for multitaskers and streamers running on two computers.
Overall, if you don't think you need native G-SYNC support, go with the 34GN850-B because it has faster response times and is cheaper. However, if you want native G-SYNC support for optimal performance with your NVIDIA graphics card, then go with the 38GL950G-B.
The best curved monitor with a super ultrawide screen that we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey G9. It's a 49 inch monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio that provides incredible immersion in games and plenty of space for multitasking. It's equivalent to two 27 inch, 1440p monitors placed side-by-side but without any distracting bezels in between. It doesn't have the best viewing angles, but thanks to its aggressive curvature, images remain relatively accurate at the edges of the screen, even if you sit up close.
Gaming feels amazingly smooth and responsive. It has good response times and a 240Hz refresh rate; however, you can only achieve its full 240Hz if you have a graphics card that supports Display Stream Compression. Input lag is exceptionally low, and it has both native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. It can display a wide color gamut and gets very bright, enough to deliver a true cinematic HDR experience.
Unfortunately, even though it has a VA panel, the contrast ratio is only decent, so blacks still look grayish in the dark. Also, its edge-lit local dimming is terrible and can be quite distracting. On the upside, it has plenty of features, including two USB ports, a Picture-in-Picture/Picture-by-Picture mode, and even some RGB bias lighting on the back of the monitor. If you're looking for a smooth and immersive gaming experience, this is the one to get.
The best budget curved monitor we've tested is the AOC CQ27G2. It's an overall decent model that delivers great gaming performance at an affordable price. It has a good build quality and a design that isn't overly gamer-oriented, so it shouldn't stick out in a professional work environment. Its VA panel has poor viewing angles, but the screen's curvature helps maintain image accuracy at the sides. Unfortunately, it doesn't get very bright, making it a better fit for a dark to moderately-lit room.
Its great motion handling is well-suited for fast-paced games. Motion blur is minimal thanks to its quick response time and Black Frame Insertion feature, and it has a 144Hz refresh rate and low input lag to provide incredible responsiveness. It has native FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility, delivering a nearly tear-free gaming experience. There's no HDR support, although it's somewhat expected of a monitor in this price range.
Unfortunately, there aren't many extra features, but you can make objects more visible in dark scenes with its Shadow Boost feature and add a virtual crosshair for shooter games. Also, the backlight is flicker-free, which is great for helping reduce eye strain. All in all, it's a good, wallet-friendly choice for those shopping on a tight budget.
Feb 22, 2021: Minor text and structure changes. Replaced Dell Alienware AW3420DW with LG 38GL950G-B, replaced Samsung C49RG9/CRG9 with Samsung Odyssey G9.
Jan 05, 2021: Minor text and structure changes, replaced Samsung CHG70 with Samsung Odyssey G7, removed Dell S3220DGF.
Sep 04, 2020: Replaced the LG 34UC79G-B with the Dell S3220DGF; replaced the Samsung CF398 with the AOC CQ27G2; moved the Samsung C49RG9 to a main pick.
Jul 07, 2020: Replaced the 34GK950F-B with the 34GN850-B and the Alienware AW3418DW with the AW3420DW.
Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best curved monitors currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people, in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price, and feedback from our visitors.
If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our curved monitor reviews. 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.