Many gamers often wonder if curved monitors are good for gaming. There is a lot of discussion on this topic, but most people will tell you that they feel curved monitors are not better in any way than having a flatscreen tv.
However, some argue that the curve is beneficial when using multiple screens for gaming. If you’re looking for more information on whether or not curved monitors are suitable for gaming, this article will show you everything you need to know!
What are Curved Monitors?
Curved monitors are just like any other monitor you can buy. The only difference is that it has a curve in the screen, which allows for more immersion when playing games and watching videos on your computer or TV.
Curved monitors are great for people who want to be fully immersed in their videos and games. They provide a wider field of view, allowing you to take advantage of peripheral vision when playing certain video game genres like first-person shooters.
The Benefits of Curved Monitors
When it comes down to it, curved monitors do have some benefits for gamers. One of them is providing a more immersive video game experience, especially in first-person shooter games where peripheral vision is essential, and you need the width on your screen.
For people seeking better productivity, curved ultrawide monitors can be fantastic for multitasking or working on a project that needs you to have numerous tabs open at once.
Some research suggests that curved monitors may help decrease eye strain and fatigue during lengthy, competitive gaming sessions.
Another benefit of curved monitors would be their ease of use with multi-monitor setups. If you’re looking for easy access as well as less cable management trouble, then this might be one way to go.
That’s why many people who have multiple screens choose curved monitors over flat or even ultra widescreen displays.
If you intend to play PC games on your new curved display, keep in mind that it will not natively show all games at the correct resolution. That said, while playing games that aren’t supported, curved monitors exhibit black bars on the sides of the screen.
Also, the curved monitor may make it difficult to tell if your lines or crops are straight if you plan on using your PC for creative or video editing. What appears beautiful on an ultrawide screen may seem odd on a regular display or phone screen.
Pros
- The UltraWide display is ideal for opening a lot of tabs side by side.
- It supports high-resolution displays.
- Better picture quality
- Reduces eye strain
- Improved color consistency
Cons
- Wide monitors are generally heavier
- Significantly more demand on the graphics card
- It takes up a lot of desk space
- The curved shape can make it difficult to assess visual work
- Curved monitors are pretty expensive
Curved vs. Flat Monitors – Are Curved Monitors Better?
Color quality
The color and variety of colors that flat-screen and curved monitors can display vary from one monitor to the next.
Because each pixel on a curved monitor’s screen is, ideally, aimed toward you, it may generate more accurate color consistency than does a flat-screen monitor.
Colors might appear slightly different on a flat-screen the further they are from you and the more extreme the angle you’re looking at them.
Size
Because of their curved edges, curved monitors are usually wider than flat-screen monitors. This is intended to enhance immersion by making the screen more prominent than on a flat monitor.
The curved monitor edges make it easier for you to see the whole screen at once while sitting close to your monitor compared to a flat monitor.
Refresh Rates
One drawback of a curved monitor is that it usually has a lower refresh rate than flat-screen monitors. That’s because this video technology only became available with the advent of LED backlighting.
And although these screens may have multiple HDMI or DisplayPort inputs, they aren’t able to perform at quite the same level as you’ll find in some very high-end flat screens.
However, it’s not impossible to get a curved monitor with a high refresh rate. You’ll probably spend more for a curved screen with a higher refresh rate than you would for a flat-screen model.
Higher Graphics Card
As the screen’s width increases, so do the number of pixels on display. To play games at high frame rates on an ultrawide monitor, you’ll need a graphics card that can handle the extra output.
You’ll also need a higher-end graphics card to utilize the high refresh rate on some curved monitors. You might even have to upgrade your computer’s power supply if it doesn’t meet recommended requirements for some models.
That said, many newer cards are capable of hitting 120Hz and 144Hz frequencies with no problem.
Viewing Experience
Imagine yourself standing in front of a flat monitor. The distance between your eyes and the screen’s center differs from the distance between your eyes and the edges of the screen.
Flat screens’ uneven edges cause images and objects at the far ends of the screen to appear distorted.
Both sides of curved monitors are slightly bent inwards, so the viewing distance does not change. Curved monitors replicate human eyesight, ensuring that everything within your line of sight is visible.
Immersion is significantly enhanced by using all of your peripheral vision. During gaming sessions, you may even forget you’re looking at a screen for a moment.
Game Awareness for Fast-Paced Games
When looking at a flat screen, you may miss an enemy lurking on the perimeter of your big display. Because of their size, you frequently have to move your head to see what’s going on at the edge of the screen.
Even if you do so, the lack of color consistency will probably throw you off. Because of this, you miss out on a lot of the action that’s going on in your game.
Curved monitors’ more immersive viewing experience is beneficial for watching films and enhances video game action in fast-paced game genres such as the NBA 2K18 basketball games, GTA5 car chases, nail-biting PUBG battle royale games, League of Legends competitions, and so on.
Best Curved Gaming Monitors
1. Acer Predator X38
Acer displays are excellent. It should come as no surprise that the Acer Predator X38 made the cut. On a 38-inch IPS panel with a native resolution of 3840×1600, the Predator X38 offers outstanding brightness (for a curved monitor) and great colors.
The X38’s stunning design, with its built-in LEDs, speakers, and thin metal legs, cannot be overstated. Whatever you’re playing is enhanced by the under-glow of the monitor’s bottom-facing LEDs.
The 3840×1600 resolution provides a broad field of vision, which is particularly useful in shooters where widening the battlefield can provide a strategic advantage. However, this feature-rich gaming display isn’t cheap.
2. Alienware AW3418DW
The Alienware 34 curved monitor is a beautiful and quick ultrawide display. While the Acer Predator X34’s spectacular LED light show isn’t present, you might think that the Alienware AW3418DW’s attractive design doesn’t need it. It’s a fantastic-looking curved display following their space-ship design reputation.
The fascinating thing about this display is the game-specific display mode, which will increase brightness in FPS mode, oversaturate colors in RTS mode, and provide an RPG mode that shows deeper, richer blacks without causing too much of a fuss. This curved monitor produces a very deep 127.2 color on the sRGB color gamut, one of the highest we’ve seen.
3. Dell S3220DGF
The 32-inch Dell S3220DGF is one of our favorite curved monitors for work and play. For less than $500, you can pick this 165Hz Freesync 2 HDR gaming monitor, making for ultra-smooth gameplay.
For professionals, high contrast and color accuracy are what you need for editing photos and videos. We also love the fact that it has five USB 3.0 ports where you can plug in a ton of devices, making this Dell a wonderfully versatile monitor without costing an arm and a leg, even if it doesn’t have the most excellent viewing angles.
More Questions About Curved Gaming Monitors
What level of curvature should I choose?
The curvature, or radius, of your screen’s surface, is crucial to your viewing experience. The range of curvature for a curved panel varies from 4000R to 1500R. The lower the number, the more curvaceous the panel is.
The distance you sit from your display will play an essential role in determining which curvature is best for you. The sweet spot for desktop gaming is generally in the 1800R range, which is where you’ll find gaming monitors.
A more pronounced curve, viewed at a greater distance, could negatively impact viewing angles and your overall experience.
What do I need to consider when buying a curved gaming monitor?
There are a few things to think about before you decide to switch off your flat screen lifestyle for good. First and foremost, the three Rs: resolution, refresh rate, and response time.
Increasing the resolution of your screen can be helpful to get rid of any pixelation that may occur from lower resolutions.
A greater number of pixels means heavier graphics card usage, but better-detailed pictures are possible. Higher refresh rates provide for more rapid visuals. In addition, response time might improve your in-game reactions.
