The best curved gaming monitors

If you’d asked us five years ago what we thought about curved monitors, we’d have replied: "It’s a fad, buy a decent flat-panel monitor and be happy". We, like so many, would have been wrong. While the curved tech found on TVs disappeared into obscurity as quickly as it arrived, concave panels have found their place on the desktop.

Though there are many applications for curved monitors (especially ultrawide versions), there’s nowhere they feel more at home than with gaming, whether you’re on a gaming PC, gaming laptop or video game console. Gaming curved monitors can draw you further in the game, improve peripheral vision and reduce eye strain. Not to mention they look incredible and often feature large screens.

In this article, we break down some of the benefits of curved monitors and rank the best curved gaming monitors around. Read on to find out more.

The best curved gaming monitor shortlist:

What is a curved monitor?

A curved monitor is the same as a standard PC monitor, only it has a curved panel rather than a flat panel. This design helps to reduce the eye strain that can be encountered when using widescreen monitors and helps to improve the field of view by better matching the natural curve of the eye.

Why use a curved monitor for gaming?

When you’re playing a video game, you’re often looking at a 3D representation of a world. A curved monitor helps to reinforce the feeling that you’re looking at the 3D space by enhancing your sense of peripheral vision. Thus, your sense of immersion is deepened (this is especially true on larger monitor sizes of 27-inches plus). Add to this the fact that colours tend to look a lot more consistent across a curved screen, and the visual experience of gaming on a curved monitor soon shows its worth. Plus, the curve of the monitor is also easier on your eyes, so eye strain is reduced, which is good news for hardcore marathon gamers.

The best curved gaming monitors in 2022:

Curved gaming monitors: A buyer’s guide

Monitor curvature explained: 1000R, 1500R and 1800R

The curvature of a panel is reported as a radius, measured in millimetres. Common examples of this include 1500R (1500mm) and 1800R (1800mm). This number indicates how far away from the monitor the user should sit, as the user becomes the centre point of this radius. Exceeding and undercutting this distance can result in a compromised experience.

The larger the number, the gentler the curve, the further a user can sit from the screen. Here’s an infographic from ViewSonic that demonstrates further:

Aspect ratio

Aspect ratio sets the width and height of screens display. Obsolete monitors and televisions ran at a ratio of 4:3, which gave the square image which now looks very dated. Most modern widescreen monitors run at an aspect ratio of 16:9, with some ultra-wide models will run up to 32:9. Essentially, the higher the aspect ratio the more content is displayed on the screen.

HDMI and DisplayPorts: explained

Port interfaces have a direct effect on the resolution and refresh rate attainable by a monitor. More recent iterations of the HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces can transfer increased volumes of information, allowing them to achieve higher refresh rates and resolutions.

Linking your gaming PC, PS5 or Xbox Series X to the correct port and with the right cable will ensure that your monitor performs at the peak of its powers. Here’s a quick guide breaking down the maximum refresh rates and resolutions for HDMI and DisplayPort connections:

HDMI 1.4 - 120Hz at 1080p, 75Hz at 1440p, 30Hz at 4K

HDMI 2.0 - 240Hz at 1080p, 144Hz at 1440p, 60Hz at 4K

HDMI 2.1 - 120Hz at 4K, 60Hz at 8K UHD

Note: Some manufactures use software to artificially raise the 120Hz at 1080p of HDMI 1.4 to 144Hz.

DP 1.2 - 240Hz at 1080p, 165Hz at 1440p, 75Hz at 4K

DP 1.3 - 240Hz at 1440p, 120Hz at 4K, 60Hz at 5K, 30Hz at 8K

DP 1.4 - 144Hz at 4K, 120Hz at 5K, 60Hz at 8K

Note: Mini DisplayPorts match the performance of their iteration. For example, Mini DP 1.3 and DP 1.3 offer the same capacities.

Panel type

The panel type used in a monitor will effectively dictate the display’s quality, clarity, and response time, amongst other things. The type of panel used affects the unit cost.

TN – Twisted nematic panels typically have narrow viewing angles and reduced colour depth.

IPS – In-plane switching panels have large colour depths and viewing angles.

VA – Vertical alignment panels have large colours depth and a viewing angle that typically sits between TN and IPS.

William Lobley is a Senior Content Writer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology and outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online

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