The 5 Best Curved Monitors - Winter 2021 Reviews

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.

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.