The 6 Best Curved Monitors - Winter 2020 Reviews

The best curved monitor that we've tested is the Samsung C27HG70. It has a large 27 inch screen that provides an immersive gaming experience as well as plenty of space to work. Its 1440p resolution delivers a detailed image, and it has a 144Hz refresh rate that makes motion look incredibly smooth. Its build quality is great, and it has good ergonomics, with an arm-like stand that's easily adjustable.

It uses a VA panel with a high native contrast ratio to produce deep and inky blacks. It can get bright enough for use in any room setting and has a matte coating that handles reflections well. Response time is excellent; however, it's recommended to play at its maximum refresh rate, as its response time when playing at 60Hz is noticeably worse. On the plus side, it has support for FreeSync, and it's compatible with recent NVIDIA graphics cards. As expected, it has an exceptionally low input lag, even with VRR and HDR enabled.

The viewing angles are mediocre, which is expected of a VA panel, although the screen's light curve can help with visibility. It has great color accuracy out of the box, and it can display a wide color gamut for a decent HDR experience. If you're into 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's an impressive gaming model with a high refresh rate and 1440p resolution, giving you an immersive gaming experience. It has a decent build quality, but its ergonomics are poor, as it lacks swivel adjustment. It can't rotate to portrait mode either, although that's expected due to its ultrawide format. It gets pretty bright, so you shouldn't have any visibility issues in well-lit environments.

It has exceptional response time at its max refresh rate of 160Hz, even better than some 240Hz monitors. Motion looks incredibly clear, and the response time is also excellent at 60Hz, making it a good choice for console gaming. It has native FreeSync support and is certified as G-SYNC compatible. It has an incredibly low input lag, and even though it's a bit higher when playing at 60Hz compared to others, it shouldn't be an issue for most people.

Unfortunately, its IPS panel has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look grayish in the dark. On the upside, it has wide viewing angles, great color accuracy, and superb gradient handling. It has two USB 3.0 ports to charge your mobile devices and supports HDR. On the whole, this is a great ultrawide curved gaming monitor.

The best curved monitor with a super ultrawide screen that we've tested is the Samsung C49RG9. It's a well-rounded model with a 49 inch screen that's the equivalent of placing two 27 inch monitors side-by-side. It has a 32:9 aspect ratio and a 5120x1440 resolution, which is ideal for multitasking as you can open many windows at once.

It performs well both in bright and dark rooms. With its VA panel, it has a decent contrast ratio, and its local dimming feature improves it a bit, although local dimming isn't very effective at zone transitions because it only has about ten dimming zones. It gets extremely bright, easily enough to combat glare, and it has good reflection handling, so it performs well even in the brightest of rooms. Gamers should enjoy its 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync support, low input lag, and quick response time that remains fast even when playing at 60Hz.

Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, which is expected from a VA panel, so the screen's left and right edges may appear darker. The curved screen helps with that issue, but it isn't perfect. Fortunately, HDR looks great because it has great coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, and it gets bright enough to truly bring out highlights. All in all, this is one of the best curved monitors if you're looking for a super ultrawide.

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.

There aren't many extra features. You can make objects more visible in dark scenes with its Shadow Boost feature and add a virtual crosshair for shooter games. 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.