The 5 Best Ultrawide Monitors - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best ultrawide monitor we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. It's a great overall monitor that's versatile for different uses. It's considered a super ultrawide monitor because it has a 49-inch screen and a 32:9 aspect ratio, which is even bigger than regular 34 or 38-inch ultrawides with a 21:9 aspect ratio. It provides more screen space for multitasking or an immersive gaming experience, and it has an aggressive 1000R curve that helps bring the edges within your field of vision. It delivers great picture quality thanks to its Mini LED backlighting, which helps it display deep blacks in dark rooms while also displaying bright highlights.

It's an excellent gaming monitor because it has a 240Hz refresh rate and variable refresh rate (VRR) support. It also has a quick response time with low input lag for smooth motion handling and a responsive gaming experience. Unfortunately, Samsungs like this have flicker issues with low-frame-rate content, particularly in dark scenes, but that's not a major concern either. If you aren't a gamer, it still offers good office performance thanks to its high peak brightness and sharp text clarity.

While the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is an excellent gaming monitor, if you want something for dedicated PC gaming, there are better options, like the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. It's different from the Samsung because it has a smaller 34-inch screen, meaning there's less space to view more of your game at once, but the smaller screen is also easier to see within your field of vision. The main advantage the Dell has over the Samsung is that it uses a QD-OLED panel that displays perfect black levels for outstanding picture quality, and it also has a near-instantaneous response time for even better motion handling.

It also has native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support to take full advantage of NVIDIA graphics cards. However, if you have an AMD graphics card and prefer something with native FreeSync VRR instead, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is a slightly cheaper alternative with similar performance. Regardless of which one you get, they're both better for PC gaming than general work use because QD-OLEDs are prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, but it isn't as much of a problem for gamers.

If you're concerned about the risk of permanent burn-in and still want a high-end monitor for work and play, an upper mid-range option like the LG 38WN95C-W is a good alternative. It doesn't deliver the same perfect black levels as the Dell Alienware AW3423DW, and you don't get the same outstanding picture quality, but you won't have to worry about burn-in, and it also offers a slightly bigger screen. Another reason this monitor is more versatile is it combines productivity features like Thunderbolt 3 support on its USB-C port with gaming features like a 144Hz refresh rate. It helps provide a smooth gaming experience, and with a quick response time across its entire refresh rate range, you won't see much blur with fast-moving objects.

It has impressive peak brightness, enough to fight glare, and produces life-like colors with impressive accuracy before calibration. It also has a 3840x1600 resolution, which results in good text clarity and sharp images. The LG 40WP95C-W is another option if you prefer an even higher resolution, as it has a 5120x2160 resolution for sharper text. However, it costs more, and the 38WN95C-W is still better overall.

If you want to save money by getting a mid-range option, consider the Dell S3422DWG. It's a good overall ultrawide monitor focusing on gaming, but there are some trade-offs compared to the LG 38WN95C-W. It has a smaller screen and fewer productivity features, as it lacks a USB-C port like on the LG, but it's still good for work use if that's what you need it for. It's also a great gaming monitor as it has the same 144Hz refresh rate as the LG, but its motion handling isn't as good, as there's black smearing with fast-moving objects. However, its input lag remains low for a responsive feel, and it has VRR support to reduce screen tearing.

One of the Dell monitor's advantages is that it gets bright, even in HDR, meaning highlights pop. It also has a good native contrast ratio that makes blacks look good in the dark, and there's minimal blooming around objects. Even if you want to use it in a well-lit room, it gets bright enough to fight glare and has good reflection handling.

If you're looking for an ultrawide monitor on a budget, know they aren't as cheap as other smaller budget monitors. However, you can still find low-cost ultrawide displays, like the Gigabyte M34WQ. It has a 34-inch screen and 3440x1440 resolution like the Dell S3422DWG, but they use different panel types that each have their own pros and cons. The Gigabyte looks worse in dark rooms and doesn't get as bright in HDR as the Dell, so the overall picture quality isn't as good. However, it also has wider viewing angles, so the edges of the screen don't look washed out.

It has a few office-oriented features, including a built-in KVM switch. It allows you to control two devices with the same keyboard and mouse, which is great if you have to connect a desktop and a laptop simultaneously. It also has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, but it's limited to only 15W of power delivery. Lastly, if you want to use it in a bright room, you'll be happy to know it has high peak brightness and great reflection handling.