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The 5 Best Curved Gaming Monitors - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Curved Gaming Monitors

Curved gaming monitors are a great choice if you want a more immersive gaming experience or sit close to the screen and find that the edges on flat monitors often look washed out. A key benefit of having a curved monitor is that the entire screen is closer to your field of vision, so you see a more consistent image across the display. This is particularly important with certain types of displays with worse viewing angles, like VA panels. The radius of a curved display tells you how aggressive the curvature is; a higher number like 2500R is subtle, while a lower number like 1000R is more aggressive. Not all curved gaming monitors are created equal, as they're available in different aspect ratios and sizes, with many of them being ultrawide displays.

When looking for a curved gaming monitor, it's important to consider its gaming performance and features, like its refresh rate, response time, and input lag, if you want the best gaming experience possible. There are downsides to getting a curved gaming monitor, though, as those with aggressive curves may take some time to get used to. While this isn't so much of a problem for gaming, this can be noticeable when browsing the web or going through menus if you aren't used to it.

We've bought and tested more than 300 monitors, and below are our picks for the best curved gaming monitors. For more options, see our recommendations for the best curved monitors, the best 34-49 inch monitors, and the best ultrawide gaming monitors.


  1. Best Curved Gaming Monitor

    The best curved gaming monitor we've tested is the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. It's a premium display that's excellent for gaming as it has a 240Hz refresh rate and a near-instantaneous response time, meaning there's almost no blur trail behind fast-moving objects. It also has native G-SYNC variable refresh rate (VRR) support, which is great if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, though it also works well with AMD cards. You can buy the monitor directly through Dell's website.

    Additionally, it offers fantastic gaming performance and outstanding picture quality. It uses a QD-OLED panel that delivers perfect black levels in dark rooms and offers a wide range of colors thanks to its quantum dot technology, which makes highlights pop and colors look vivid. Its 4k resolution and 1700R curve also help deliver a more detailed and immersive gaming experience, as details are sharper than on 1440p displays. Note that burn-in might occur if you constantly play the same game and fixed, static elements are on the screen. If this concerns you, consider the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. The Samsung is fantastic for gaming and has no burn-in risk. However, the Dell has better color and contrast performance, as well as a faster response time.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Curved Gaming Monitor

    While 4k displays provide the most detailed image, they cost more and require a more powerful graphics card. A 1440p curved monitor can still be fantastic for gaming, and a great option is the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED. It has a 21:9 aspect ratio and 34-inch display, creating a very immersive gaming experience. Like the Dell Alienware AW3225QF, it has a QD-OLED display, which displays deep blacks next to very vivid colors.

    It has fantastic gaming performance, with an outstanding response time at all refresh rates, so fast-moving objects look crisp. Its 175Hz refresh rate is lower than the Dell's, but it still provides very smooth motion. The MSI has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can take full advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles, including downscaling a 4k @ 120Hz signal console signal. However, consoles don't support ultrawide gaming, so you'll see black bars at the sides of the screen. It also has FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility, so it reduces screen tearing with any source.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Curved Gaming Monitor

    If you find the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED too much out of your price range, consider getting a mid-range option like the Gigabyte M32UC. Though it has a more detailed 4k screen, the display performs considerably worse than the MSI for gaming. It's not an OLED display with no local dimming feature, so it performs worse in dark rooms. Another downside is that it has worse motion handling, with more smearing with fast-moving objects. On the plus side, it has a backlight strobing feature that works across a wide refresh rate range and simultaneously with VRR, which isn't something all monitors can do but helps improve the appearance of motion.

    Even though it's a step down in picture quality, it still offers great gaming performance. It has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which makes it fully compatible with modern HDMI 2.1 graphics cards and consoles. Its 160Hz refresh rate is high enough for most PC gamers, especially if your graphics card can't maintain high frame rates with 4k signals. Additionally, its brightness levels are higher than the MSI, making it a better choice for gaming in a bright environment.

    See our review

  4. Best Lower Mid-Range Curved Gaming Monitor

    If you still want to save money without being on a tight budget, a lower mid-range option like the Dell S3422DWG is a good alternative. It's different from the Gigabyte M32UC because it has an ultrawide format with a 34-inch screen and a lower 3440x1440 resolution, so images are less detailed, and it doesn't offer HDMI 2.1 bandwidth either. That said, it still offers great gaming performance, and the 1800R curve helps bring the edges closer to your field of vision.

    Regarding gaming features, it has a native 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. While it has visible smearing with fast-moving objects, the overall response time is still good enough for gaming. It also has a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. Still, unlike the Gigabyte, it doesn't work simultaneously with VRR and is only available in a limited refresh rate range. One advantage of this monitor over the Gigabyte is that it gets brighter in HDR to make some highlights stand out.

    See our review

  5. Best Budget Curved Gaming Monitor

    If you're looking for something on a budget, it's better to look for 16:9 monitors instead of ultrawide monitors, as those tend to cost more, and the Gigabyte GS27QC is a great option as a 16:9 monitor. It has a 1440p resolution like the Dell S3422DWG, but you don't get the same immersive gaming experience as there's less horizontal screen space. Luckily, it has a slightly higher 170Hz max refresh rate and the same FreeSync VRR support with G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing.

    The main advantage of getting this over other budget gaming monitors is its impressive gaming performance with a great response time at its max refresh rate. While the response time is slower at 60Hz as there's more overshoot, it's still good enough for most gamers. There are some downsides to the monitor, though, as it doesn't get very bright, so if you want a budget-friendly option that does, then consider the Dell S2722DGM. The Dell costs more and has worse motion handling, so it doesn't offer the same great value as the Gigabyte.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240: The Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 is a large 45-inch gaming monitor that has the same 240Hz refresh rate as Dell Alienware AW3225QF, and it even has a bendable screen so you can set the curve of it to your liking. However, it doesn't deliver the same vivid colors as the Dell. See our review
  • Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95: The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 has a QD-OLED panel like the Dell Alienware AW3225QF and has the same 240Hz refresh rate for a fantastic gaming experience. However, its large 49-inch screen isn't for everyone, and the monitor costs more. See our review
  • Dell Alienware AW3423DW: The Dell Alienware AW3423DW is similar to the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED. However, it doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and it doesn't support HDR with the Xbox Series X|S. See our review
  • Dell Alienware AW3423DWF: The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is very similar to the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED and can cost less when available. However, it isn't available at as many retailers and can't downscale a 4k @ 120Hz signal. See our review
  • Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75: The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is an alternative to the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED. It performs very differently from the MSI but has no risk of burn-in. It has a 4k resolution and isn't an ultrawide display, which you may prefer depending on your usage. It performs well in dark rooms but has considerably worse viewing and HDR color performance than the MSI. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 28, 2024: Replaced the Dell Alienware AW3423DW with the Dell Alienware AW3225QF as the 'Best Curved Gaming Monitor,' as it has better performance. Replaced the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 with the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED as the 'Best Upper Mid-Range,' as it has better performance. Added the Dell Alienware AW3423DW, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF, and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 as Notable Mentions.

  2. Jan 04, 2024: Replaced the Dell S2722DGM with the Gigabyte GS27QC because it performs better for gaming and is cheaper; added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 to Notable Mentions.

  3. Nov 14, 2023: Removed the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 because it doesn't fit into the scope of the article; added the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 as 'Best Upper Mid-Range Monitor'; added the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NA S49AG95 and HP OMEN 34c to Notable Mentions.

  4. Sep 20, 2023: Verified that the monitors are still available to purchase and updated text for clarity.

  5. Aug 24, 2023: Removed the LG 34GP950G-B and added the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9/G95SC S49CG95 as the 'Best Super Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor' to be consistent with other articles; added the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 and the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED to Notable Mentions.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best curved monitors for gamers currently available. They are 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.