Club Benefits
Once you've found yourself one of the best curved monitors, it's hard to ever go flat. From the deep immersion they give you for gaming to the wide screen space for productivity at work, and even the reduced eye strain due to the distance between your eyes and the screen, curved monitors will complete any PC setup upgrade.
From massive curved OLED displays for true immersion to smaller, budget-friendly screens with softer bends, my team of monitor experts and I have put the latest curved monitors to the test by using professional-grade equipment and spending weeks using them for work and play. That's all to help you find the right curve to upgrade your setup.
I never thought I'd be a fan of curved monitors, especially having stuck with flat screens for years. However, after finally testing a fair share myself, I can see the joys of having that slight wrap-around immersion in everything I do. Mainly, these monitors are primed for gaming, with amazing image quality, vibrant colors and ultrawide aspect ratios to capture all the action.
The best curved monitors you can buy today
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The best curved monitor overall
The MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 stands out as the top pick for those who split time between productivity and creative work during the day and those long gaming sessions at night (or vice versa!). Its 34-inch (3440 x 1440) curved QD-OLED display, 360Hz refresh rate and 1800R curvature deliver immersive multitasking and ultra-smooth gameplay, whether that's cinematic-like single-player titles or high-stakes competitive games.
That 0.03ms response time eliminates ghosting and motion blur, making every game feel sharp and responsive. For professionals, our lab measured an exceptional Delta-E of 0.15 for color accuracy, so color grading and creative work look right out of the box. Plus, it helps that it comes with multiple display modes, from AdobeRGB to FPS, and yes, even Black and White mode.
Connectivity is strong here, too, as the X36 offers a decent selection of ports, from HDMI 2.1 to DisplayPort 2.1a, supporting everything from gaming PCs to work laptops, and yes, even consoles. Even better, it isn't too bulky to move around, and you can adjust it to your liking with flexible tilt, swivel and pivots.
Sure, the premium price ($949) is hard to ignore, and like many OLEDs, we wish it boasted better brightness. Still, if you want an all-in-one curved monitor that excels at both serious gaming and professional tasks, the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is tough to beat. Just don’t expect it to fit a bargain budget.
Read our full MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 review.
The best value curved monitor
It's hardly a surprise that the Alienware AW3425DW quickly became one of our favorite curved monitors on the market, and it isn't just due to its fitting $799 asking price. Thanks to the several key upgrades over Alienware AW3423DWF (how one letter can change a monitor), this QD-OLED display is an overall triumph.
From its softer 1800R curved panel for immersive gaming (and productivity, no less) to its ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio on a 34-inch 3440 x 1440 resolution, the AW3425DW keeps what made its past iteration a popular choice while adding some worthwhile updates.
That includes an incredibly smooth 240Hz refresh rate, instead of the last one's 165Hz, along with a 0.03ms response time and easy-to-navigate user interface. Not to mention its gorgeous, color-accurate visuals. That makes this QD-OLED panel amazing for fast-paced competitive games, cinematic-level games and creative work.
Take note: its HDR brightness is a tad dim, but this isn't a deal breaker. Along with its super-sleek design and updated, smaller stand that won't take up much desk space, you'll get a lot of bang for your buck with the stunning Alienware AW3425DW.
Read our full Alienware AW3425DW QD-OLED review.
The best QD-OLED curved monitor
The Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 is, quite simply, a beautiful display. You'll pay a premium for what you get, but its highly accurate colors, absorbing 800R curvature, fast 240Hz refresh rate and rapid 0.03ms response times to minimize ghosting and motion blur make it all the more worth it.
It's a beast for gaming, and its ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio on its sleek 34-inch (3440 x 1440) OLED display offers rich, detailed visuals no matter the title you play. But it's also amazing for work and productivity, as it arrives with a ton of ports. That includes two HDMI 2.1 ports, eARC for hooking up to sound systems, a USB-C power cable with 140W pass-through, Ethernet and even USB-A charging ports.
Throw all that into a premium-built monitor that doesn't hog all the space on your desk (even if it's heavy to move around, as expected), and the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 truly shines.
While it's a shame that its sRGB and DCI-P3 color volumes aren't as high as other monitors on this list (especially for its $1,199 price) and its brightness is a tad dim, that doesn't take away from the magnificent visuals this OLED curved monitor offers. If you've got pennies to spare, the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 will impress.
Read our full Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 review.
The best dual-resolution curved monitor
Why settle for just one display type when you can have two in one gorgeous curved monitor? That's the question the LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B poses, and to answer it, we say "exactly."
This 45-inch OLED curved monitor offers that immersive feel thanks to its ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, but also different resolutions and refresh rates, including one at 5K (5120 x 2160, 165Hz) and the other at 2K (2560 x 1080, 330Hz). That's great for both work and play, as you can easily switch between incredibly detailed, sharp visuals and fast and smooth performance.
Either way, you're getting an ultra-fast 0.03 response rate and those gorgeous, colorful OLED visuals. It isn't the brightest, as our tests showed that it offers relatively dim HDR, but that doesn't stop it from being a fantastic ultrawide curved monitor that many will enjoy. It's not cheap, as it will set you back around $1,999 at full price, but these days you can find it for $999 during a sale!
With its sharper 800R curvature, it's one of the few curved monitors that deliver a ridiculous amount of immersion. If you've got the space (and the funds), the LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B will impress.
Read our full LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B review.
The best ultrawide curved monitor
Thanks to its sheer size, there’s absolutely no way the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 isn’t going to instantly command your attention. As the world’s first-ever 49-inch OLED gaming monitor, we don’t know if we’ve ever encountered a more immersive display.
Its feature set is borderline ridiculous, too. For an admittedly super pricey $1,800, you get a monitor with 1800R curvature to give you a wrap-around vision experience that makes it oh-so-easy to get lost in your favorite PC games. The panel’s lightning-quick 0.03ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate also make it a great option for hardcore first-person shooter fans with seriously deep pockets.
Those stats are ludicrous, and we love the ambition and craft Samsung has poured into its stunning curved OLED monitor. The Odyssey OLED G9 is capable of producing peerlessly immersive experiences.
This one's been on the market for a while, but it still delivers the highest specs around. That also means you can grab it for far less than its launch price, as we've seen it on sale for $899! If you take the plunge, it won't disappoint, but just be sure to make plenty of room on your desk.
See our full Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 review.
The best smart curved monitor
Curved monitors are fantastic for productivity and gaming, but the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA adds yet another element: binge watching. This massive 45-inch OLED monitor leads a "double life" thanks to its smart TV capabilities, courtesy of webOS. It even comes with a dedicated remote!
It's an all-in-one monitor that will have you switching from spreadsheets to immersive gaming to Netflix, and it could easily become your main screen for everything. What's more, its 3440 x 1440-pixel OLED panel offers some impressive brightness and strong color accuracy, so expect everything you stream, play or work on to offer up gorgeous visuals.
It isn't just about TV, though. Gaming performance is mesmerizing, thanks to a deep 800R curve that maximizes immersion and an OLED panel that delivers inky blacks and vibrant colors. Plus, the screen boasts a blistering 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time, so expect super smooth gameplay.
It's one pricey curved monitor at $1,699, so it's worth grabbing this if you catch it on sale. Also note that its built-in speakers sound tinny without much bass. But if you're saving up for a massive curved display, the LG UltraGear 45GX90SA is a fantastic shout.
Read our full LG UltraGear 45GX90SA review.
Frequently asked questions
What to look for in a curved monitor?
Screen size: A bigger monitor is generally going to make for a superior purchase simply because it means you're getting the most visual real estate for your investment. Larger screens make consuming full-screen media more enjoyable, while also ensuring split-screen multitasking is that much easier.
Resolution: Higher resolutions are also better, since they allow you to see more on-screen details and let you view more information in the same screen size. 1080p (1920 x 1080) is the absolute lowest resolution you want from a modern curved monitor, though, as many of the best models come in aspect ratios that aren't 16:9, the best ultrawide curved monitors usually sport a resolution of (3440 x 1440), while 32:9 super ultrawide displays can reach head-spinning pixel numbers of (5,120 x 1,440).
Refresh rate: Measured in Hertz (Hz), refresh rate is an important number to look out for if you're a hardcore gamer, as it measures how many times per second your monitor is able to draw a new image. Most monitors can achieve refresh rates of 60Hz, and that's plenty for watching videos or getting work done, though desktop navigation is going to feel a little choppy. However, if you want to play games at higher than 60 frames per second (fps), or you're planning on working with video at frame rates above 60 fps, you should buy a curved monitor with a higher refresh rate. 120Hz is good, 240Hz is better, and there are even monitors that offer refresh rates well over 300Hz.
What curvature do I need?
Curvature. It's in the name, after all. The amount of curvature, measured in an "R" value, will indicate the degree of the curve on a monitor. Just remember, the smaller the "R" value, the more curve you'll get.
This can range from 800R, offering a more pronounced curve for more immersive visuals, to 1800R, for a more gentle touch for a wider view. For true wrap-around immersion, pick a curved monitor with below 1000R, but for a wider view experience to feel like there's more screen real estate, go for the higher number.
How to choose the best curved monitor for you
Finding the best curved monitor to suit your needs can be a little daunting if you don't know exactly the type of PC display you want... other than, y'know, it's curved. There are key details to look out for with any panel, regardless of its level of curvature.
We evaluate, score and rank every curved monitor on the same basic criteria, which starts with size and resolution. In most cases, more is always better: the larger the display and the higher the resolution, the more you can see/the sharper the image will be.
Screen brightness is another important element to consider. In 2026, you definitely want a curved monitor that supports HDR (high dynamic range) content, and generally speaking, the more nits a panel produces, the brighter it will be in real-world usage.
How we test curved monitors
When we're on the hunt for the best curved monitors, we thoroughly put every panel through its paces during our reviews with our Klein K 10-A colorimeter, which we then pair with testing software. This high-quality scope allows us to measure a monitor's brightness levels, color accuracy and color gamut range.
Brightness is measured in nits, or candela per square metre (cd/m2). More nits equate to higher brightness levels, and in real-world viewing terms, this leads to more vivid colors and a clearer, more realistic overall image.
For more basic, budget-focused monitors, we still expect a display backlight to produce between 2-300 nits of brightness, though HDR (high dynamic range) screens often exceed that easily with a far higher maximum brightness. Not that brightness levels alone produce great curved monitors. After all, certain screens will wash out colors or offer inconsistent backlight levels that vary in some portions of the display panel (normally in the corners). "Backlight bleed" isn't something to need to worry about with OLED screens, though, as they can turn off every single one of their pixels to produce perfect black levels.
HDR presents its own testing challenges, as new standards allow curved monitors to offer higher peak luminance than our standard tests will register. If you're in any doubt, make sure you read an individual review for a fuller discussion of these issues, and how an individual curved monitor will handle HDR.
Color is the other big concern for displays, whether they’re curved or not. Monitors that produce a greater range of colors have a larger color gamut, as measured under the sRGB or P3 color standards. This is presented as a percentage, with higher percentages indicating more colors.
Color accuracy is the other main aspect when it comes to color reproduction, which lets us measure how closely a monitor can reproduce certain shades. This is presented as a Delta-E rating, which indicates the level of deviation from perfect. Zero is a perfect score, while higher numbers indicate lower accuracy.
We also test a display's response time using a Leo Bodnar input lag tester. This advanced gadget measures how long it takes a signal to travel from a source device to the monitor and show up on the screen. Measured in milliseconds, this number is most useful for gamers or for those users who need immediate onscreen feedback from any input.
Lastly, every monitor we test is also used for web browsing, streaming videos and gaming, as well as the writing of the review itself. Our anecdotal testing often allows us to note the specific quirks of a display that lab testing might sometimes miss, whether it's challenges in scaling content, backlight issues or color reproduction.
