Best Ultrawide Monitor

Have you decided to invest in an extra large screen to see bigger? You are in the right place ! Find our selection of the 5 best Ultrawide screens, a buying guide to guide you and frequently asked questions to answer your questions.

Know before buying an ultrawide screen!

• Extra-large screens are as their name suggests: large. So make sure you have enough space on your desk to install it.
• Due to their large size, some Ultrawide screens are curved which will give you the impression of being totally immersed in what you are doing. Once you have tasted the curved PC screens you will not be able to do without them.
• As you can imagine your budget will have to be more substantial than for a normal screen. However, you will have a more important immersive experience and improve your productivity.

The first thing to do before choosing an ultrawide display is to figure out what is going to be its primary use. Some screens are more suitable for working while others are designed for the purpose of playing. While they don’t have a chasm of differences, there are a few. The choice is yours by following our guide in a guide (yes yes it is possible!).

An extra large screen for playing

More and more gamers are looking for ultrawide screens to have a lot of information at the same time, because who says more information says advantages over his opponents. They, therefore, opt for a curved screen offering several decisive advantages when playing video games.

Refresh rate

In order to get the most out of it and aim for performance, you must choose an extra-large screen with the least possible response time as well as a high refresh rate.
The first determines the latency time between the information transmitted by your components and the display on your screen. In general, the ultrawide offers one within 5 milliseconds which is sufficient.

The second characteristic determines the number of images updated per second on your screen. A minimum of 75Hz is recommended for gaming but you will see a huge difference with a 144Hz PC screen.

Good to know: If you are looking for a 240 Hz widescreen PC screen in Ultrawide, you might be disappointed … The best you can find at the moment is a 27-inch screen with the Samsung Odyssey.

It will also take into account the G-Sync and FreeSync functions from Nvidia or AMD. They allow you to synchronize your refresh rate to your FPS and are therefore necessary to avoid distorted images.

To enjoy a panoramic view!

Another advantage of having an ultrawide screen for gaming is the improvement of the field of view or Field of View (FOV). Of course, to take advantage of it, one condition is essential! It is that your game allows a customizable configuration, fortunately, the majority of modern games have this option. This feature gives FPS players a larger view to the sides, giving them the ability to spot enemies more easily.

On a strategy game or MOBA, you will have a larger area of ​​the field visible at the same time, perfect for effectively coordinating an attack or spotting flanking troops (including attacking one side). This panoramic view will give you advantages over your opponents regardless of your game!

Total immersion!

The third asset is the immersion so much sought after by some gamers to fully immerse themselves in their game. It is obvious that it is easier to feel full on a 10 “screen than a 50″ screen, but to have this last flat screen will not be more immersive than a curved 39 ” screen. Curved models have the particularity of being curved on the sides to allow the viewer to see the entire screen without having to move their eyes. In short, better vision with minimum effort.

Our recommended points in brief for a gaming config:

• Curved screen
• Minimum 75 Hz in refresh rate
• Maximum 5 milliseconds in response time (1 millisecond recommended)
• Integrated G-Sync and / or FreeSync functionality

An ultra-large screen for working

If you want to work with more comfort, widescreen is the solution for you. Here are some reasons that should convince you: more comfort and increased productivity
You will first gain in productivity. In fact, you can more easily manage the multitasking of your applications in order to switch from one to the other more quickly. No need to use ALT + TAB, you will have everything in front of you, at the same time. Some manufacturers even offer predefined settings to place windows in predetermined locations. These settings are great for quickly organizing your workspace. For example, if you are working on the presentation of the next balance sheet of a company you can display the PowerPoint presentation, an Excel workbook, and OneNote to have all the information at the same time. Even two windows open will save you time and be more readable than on a small screen.

Stunning resolution and image quality!

You will get sharper picture resolution. You will be able to enjoy on an ultrawide screen with a very good quality resolution because they have a definition much higher than small screens. While 16: 9 revolve around Full HD (1920 x 1080), ultra-wide screens are mostly compatible with a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels, which offers a much higher definition. This resolution corresponds to the number of pixels that the screen has, the more it has, the more details will be numerous and precise. This feature is very important for people doing graphics or video editing.

Better picture quality. As for the resolution in pixels, the quality of the screen is very important for the image professions. For more information, refer to the following point on “Differences in screen qualities”.

Our recommended points in brief for an ultrawide screen dedicated to working:

• A large screen with little border if possible and a window organization manager
• High image resolution for more detail (think refresh rate)
• High image quality
• An ultrawide screen for entertainment

Ultrawide screens are also great for watching movies or series. If you are looking for this type of screen to enjoy your favorite movies and series on your own, as a couple, or as a family, pay attention to these 3 criteria when choosing.

Picture quality is the most important thing when watching entertainment. So take the image resolution into account in order to display a crisp and detailed image. To orient yourself towards a 4K screen with a quality panel.

Good to know: If you are looking for a screen with unparalleled image quality but smaller in size than an ultra-widescreen, a portable 4K monitor will be a great asset to you! Indispensable if you need a dual-screen for your laptop or to play the console anywhere!

A 21: 9 aspect ratio will make the black bands at the top and bottom disappear when you watch your movies, shot in a similar aspect ratio to be shown in theaters. This black band effect, called Letterbox, appears on smaller aspect ratios such as 16: 9 or 4: 3 in order to respect the original cinematic aspect ratio without distorting or cropping the image.
On the other hand, the series is for the most part shot in 16: 9, you will probably have black bands on the sides with a 21: 9, this is the Pillarbox effect.

Think of the G-Sync and FreeSync functions which will be able to synchronize images correctly and avoid seeing 3 movies in one.

Choose your screen with as little border as possible to get the most out of the screen size.

Our recommended points in brief for a screen dedicated to entertainment:

• A 4K screen
• G-Sync or FreeSync functions
• If possible little border

Differences in screen qualities

There are several acronyms to determine the quality of an ultrawide monitor. Referring to a number of pixels, they are not 100% indicative of the quality of the image because the size of the screen also plays a role. The smaller the screen, the higher the pixel density will be which will result in higher image quality, however, the number of pixels is usually adjusted for better results. A small tour of the different terms.

HD – High Definition

This term refers to a pixel size of 1280 x 720, regardless of the screen size as long as this proportion is respected. The majority of smartphones today use HD screens. This definition is used more on small screens.

FHD – Full High Definition

Full HD corresponds to a definition of 1920 x 1080, this type of definition is present in a large part of 16: 9 screens.

QHD – Quad HD or 2K

Here we go into details since this term refers to a screen having 4 times more pixels than an HD screen. QHD screens have a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels to provide the viewer with a detailed image, and therefore of very good quality.

UHD – Ultra HD and 4K

These screens have an even higher image quality. The former has a resolution of 3860 x 2160 pixels and the latter of 4096 x 2160. Many of the best 4K ultrawide PC monitors have a resolution of 4096 x 2160, in order to provide the sharpest possible image without being able to distinguish the pixels.

8K

This is the final phase of the definition which is 16 times higher than the HD standard. With its 7680 x 4320 pixels , the precision is ultra-realistic and your images will have nothing to hide from you …

The advantages of a curved screen

There are several advantages to using a curved screen. Overview :

The curved screen does not distort the image

The larger an ultrawide screen, the harder it is to see the edges of its screen properly. You therefore lose visibility and details may escape you. The curved screen allows you to overcome this problem. With its curved design, you will be able to more easily distinguish the edges of your screen since the system will automatically adjust the image according to the angle.

But it’s not just the automatic image adjustment that justifies curved screens for better vision: it’s mostly physical. Indeed, the projection of light being in a straight line on a flat screen, that of a curved screen projects the light directly towards the viewer. He, therefore, receives all the images directly in front of him, thus avoiding distortion.

The curved screen is much more immersive

More and more viewers are looking for an immersive experience to experience and feel 100% what they are seeing. This type of experience has started to be offered in movie theaters, larger screens plunged into darkness provide a focused view of what is happening.

With the appearance of the VR headset (or Virtual Reality headset), it is possible to be totally immersed in what we are seeing. It is this immersive experience that curved ultrawide screens try to give, by offering the visitor an extended peripheral vision in order to see only what is happening on the screen.

You will feel more immersed in the movies you watch or the video games you play.

Curved ultrawide screen offers a wider field of view

In addition to this immersive experience, curved screens have a much larger field of view than flat screens. This characteristic arises from the fact that a flat-screen of the same size as a curved screen will have distorted borders. Plus your eyes won’t have to move between sides to see what’s going on, as the optimal field of view covers the entire size of the curved ultrawide screen.

The curved screen is more comfortable for your eyes

With a curved screen, your natural field of vision will be more adapted and fill the entire size of the screen. For this you will have to stand at the distance corresponding to the curvature of your screen. For example, if your ultra-wide curved screen has a 178 ° curve, you will need to position yourself at 17.8 cm from it to optimize your field of vision. It will then take the full width to give you a complete view of your screen.

Good to know: We invite you to see our comparison of curved screens for PC to find out more!

Check G-Sync and FreeSync compatibility

In order to enjoy your ultrawide screen in the best possible way, you will need at least one of the technologies offered by Nvidia or AMD. G-Sync and FreeSync will adapt and vertically synchronize the images broadcast on your screen.

To be able to use these functions, you will need a graphics card from one of the manufacturers, otherwise you will not need this functionality. The first thing to check is therefore to choose your screen according to your graphics card or vice versa. After this disclaimer, let’s take a look at the benefits of these features.

Prevents Tearing

Image Tearing is a problem that occurs when the number of frames per second (the famous FPS or Frame Per Second) calculated by the graphics card is not synchronized or a multiple of the refresh rate (Hz) of your screen. This has the consequence of displaying several images which are not synchronized in time and space.
Taking the example of a football match during a goalkeeper clearance, the upper part of the screen will display the corner stands of the stadium, the part in the middle of the screen the central circle of the field and the part bottom of the screen between the repair area and the central circle. Difficult to follow a match in these conditions… G-Sync and FreeSync preventing these malfunctions in the images by synchronizing the frequency of the monitor on the FPS.

Fits Against Stuttering

This synchronization goes even further since it can be adapted according to the game you are playing. Stuttering corresponds to microsaccades of images that are duplicated in order to continuously display them on the screen. When looking at a screen victim of stuttering, you will have a feeling of jerky images by this display and therefore a feeling of lag. In order to solve this problem the G-Sync and the FreeSync you automatically adapt their refresh rate to that of the GPU.

This process will take place when your game requires too powerful resources from your gaming PC to achieve FPS at the refresh rate of your ultrawide screen. The latter will then lower its frequency to call FPS and thus display the images correctly.

Additional options

A large portion of display manufacturers provide their users with additional features to personalize their experience. These options are specific to the brand or product line. Indeed, a high-end ultra-wide screen will have more functionality than a low-end screen. Here are some types of additional options offered by manufacturers.

Integrated adjustment programs

Programs are installed there to adjust every detail such as colors, brightness, contrasts and even speaker volume. Some even offer configurable profiles that will launch depending on the application used. This option is particularly useful if you have chosen different settings between watching a movie and playing your favorite game.

Ultrawide screens replace dual screens which are generally used to handle multiple tasks at once. For example, write code on one and see the result on the other. Programs offer quick and easy management for this type of display where all you have to do is select a window layout on your screen: 2 windows side by side, 2 windows one on top of the other, 3 windows with a large one at the top and 2 small at the bottom, etc …

Comfort options

To improve the comfort of its users, manufacturers integrate dedicated settings into their screens. This is particularly the case with the Samsung S24F350FHU ultrawide screen incorporating energy-saving technology and a display mode reducing blue lights. The first will automatically adjust the brightness according to the one where your screen is located. It will decrease if darkness is detected so as not to dazzle you and consequently reduce its energy consumption.

According to Samsung, it can be reduced by 10% with this automatic function but can be reduced by 50% with manual setting. The second integrated setting is the Eye Saver mode which reduces the emission of blue light for better comfort and less eye strain.

What are the differences between a 100 Hz, 144 Hz and 240 Hz display?

Hz designates the refresh rate (or frequency) of the image. The higher this rate, the more fluid and comfortable your image will be to watch because the sweep performed by your screen will be more important. It is largely related to frames per second with the difference that it will also sometimes display the same frames again to make them stick to the previous ones.

A frequency of 100 Hz is sufficient to be able to play your favorite games since 75 Hz is the minimum recommended frequency.

A 144Hz screen will already make a huge difference when looking at your screen. Your fluidity will be much more improved than on a 100 Hz screen, and you can play in peace. This frequency is generally chosen by demanding players to enjoy more demanding games.

Finally, a 240 Hz screen will push back all the limits. Intended only for gamers who don’t want to compromise on their gaming experience, screens with this rate are similar to reality in terms of fluidity. If you are moving towards this type of screen, your configuration must be able to hold up.

Why buy an ultrawide screen?

It is sometimes said that size doesn’t matter, but an exception can be made with ultrawide screens. If you want to play with high definition as well as total immersion, ultra wide screens are for you. Likewise, if you are a professional and need high-end equipment, you will gain in productivity with this type of screen.
The 34 ” are the most common and comfortable . With a diagonal of 86 cm, you will have enough room to do what you want. If, however, that does not seem sufficient to you, and if you have room, you can accommodate a 49 ” on your desk, with a gigantic diagonal of 124 cm. Something to impress your visitors, if you always welcome them with such a jewel.

How important is the response rate?

The response rate is very important since it defines the reaction speed of your screen, that is, the speed at which a pixel will change color. Typically, response rates are around 4 to 5 milliseconds but may be reduced to 1 millisecond on some displays. The lower the response rate, the smoother the displayed images will appear to you .

What is HDR?

HDR or High Dynamic Range was once used only in photography. It is a technology that allows you to display greater brightness with better contrasts. Indeed, an HDR screen will be able to process greater brightness but also deeper blacks.

Whatever the exposure of the image, HDR will be able to display particularly bright areas in detail and delimit shadow areas in order to get as close as possible to human sight.

For an optimal minimum experience, we advise you to go for an ultrawide screen with a brightness of at least 1000 nits and less than 0.03 nits for black.