With the 240Hz RapidCurve frequency, 1ms response time and G-sync and Freesync Premium Pro compatibility, gameplay will be as smooth as it could possibly ever be.
Monitor base is rather large and cumbersome.
The Samsung Odyssey G7 is a 1000R curvature monitor that fully matches the curvature of the human eye lens, has a high resolution and crystal-clear images, which all gives you the clearest possible image, especially for video playback. Has a unique design with a luminous hemisphere on the back of the case.
32"
2560 x 1440 (16:9)
VA
Refresh Rate: 240 Hz
Brightness: 350 cd/m²
Static Contrast Ratio: 2500 : 1
Response Time: 1 ms
Viewing angle: 178°(H)/178°(V)
16.7 Millions
2 x Display Port, 1 x HDMI, 2 x USB 3.0, 3 x USB Hub, 1 x Headphone jack
No
2 years
This 21: 9 monitor delivers superior image quality to maximise your workspace. The Side-by-Side display allows you to work with reports by placing them next to the summary table, without having to constantly press Alt + Tab.
Low response time.
The LG UltraWide 35WN73A monitor is sure to give you an immersive experience of everything on the screen. The monitor is HDR10-compliant with an sRGB 99% color gamut, allowing you to enjoy content in vivid colors. With support for USB Type-C, the monitor can even charge laptops and other mobile devices, as well as carry out fast data transfers.
35"
3440 x 1440 (21:9)
VA
Refresh Rate: 100 Hz
Brightness: 300 cd/m²
Static Contrast Ratio: 2500 : 1
Response Time: 5 ms
Viewing angle: 178°(H)/178°(V)
16.7 Millions
1 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB Type C, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphone jack
No
1 year
The Flicker Free technology and Eye Saver Mode reduce eye strain so you can work for a long time without any harm. While AMD FreeSync technology contributes to the smoothness of 3D animation output, it also eliminates screen tearing and interruptions during games.
Settings controls aren't easy to use.
The Samsung T55 curved monitor has a sleek and minimalist design with ultra-thin bezels, perfectly copes with a variety of tasks, and reproduces images in FHD format. The model has a wide range of interfaces and built-in 5-watt speakers, giving you a great audio visual experience.
27"
1920 x 1080 (16:9)
VA
Refresh Rate: 75 Hz
Brightness: 250 cd/m²
Static Contrast Ratio: 3000:1
Response Time: 4 ms
Viewing angle: 178°(H)/178°(V)
16.7 Millions
1 x Display Port, 1 x HDMI, 1 x D-Sub, 1 x Headphone jack
5 W speakers
2 years
The OSD Sidekick is an extremely easy way to control the behavior of the monitor using the keyboard and mouse. A convenient carry handle lets you move the monitor quite easily.
Included cables are rather short.
The GIGABYTE G32QC monitor allows you to enjoy high-quality pictures and fast gaming performance at a relatively reasonable cost. The monitor offers an extended color gamut and high contrast, and also has optimal viewing angles.
31.5"
2560 x 1440 (16:9)
VA
Refresh Rate: 165 Hz
Brightness: 350 cd/m²
Static Contrast Ratio: 3000:1
Response Time: 1 ms
Viewing angle: 178°(H)/178°(V)
16.7 Millions
2 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x Display port 1.2, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x Headphone jack
No
3 years
Samsung's energy-saving technology has 3 modes (2 manual and 1 automatic): they allow you to reduce the brightness of the backlight and at the same time reduce power consumption to a minimum. The image quality remains high.
Missing DisplayPort connector.
If you need an inexpensive and functional curved monitor for the home, which can easily be used for viewing multimedia, games and office tasks, we recommend that you opt for this model. It is also ideal as an office monitor.
26.9"
1920 x 1080 (16:9)
VA
Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
Brightness: 250 cd/m²
Static contrast ratio: 3000 : 1
Response time: 4 ms
Viewing angle: 178°(H)/178°(V)
16.7 Millions
1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, 1 x Headphone jack
No
2 years
Perfectly Curved Viewing
The biggest benefit that a curved monitor has over regular flat panel displays is that they can help better match your peripheral vision, giving you a fuller and more immersive experience. However, the curvature of the monitor can definitely affect how well this actually happens. With the Samsung (Odyssey G7) 32" 1440p Curved Gaming Monitor, you can be assured of a perfect viewing experience thanks to the 1000R curvature that fully matches the curvature of the human eye lens. This ensures that the monitor is giving you the optimal display to match your eyes, providing you with one of the most immersive experiences possible.
Of course, just having a great curvature is far from what gives a monitor excellent video quality, and this monitor is loaded with features that help enhance the overall experience. The 2560 x 1440 resolution gives you higher than standard HD image quality, ensuring that all images are clear and sharp without noticeable jaggy edges, and the 240Hz RapidCurve frequency, 1ms response time, and G-sync and Freesync Premium Pro compatibility ensure that your gameplay and video playback will be as smooth as it could possibly ever be. Those who may be concerned about the image quality on this monitor will have nothing to complain about.
Fine-Tune Your Experience
Having all of the features listed above are great, but Samsung has really gone the extra mile to give you the best monitor experience for your work and entertainment needs. The monitor features a settings control panel that lets you fine-tune your experience to your exact preferences, allowing you to match your settings perfectly for a comfortable viewing experience. The controls are quite easy to use, so you won't have to hunt through endless ambiguous settings to find the one thing that you wish to adjust. This is a real boon for those who have wasted tons of time in the past adjusting their monitor settings on older models, and is something that is overlooked by most other monitor manufacturers.
On the physical side, this monitor has plenty to offer as well. This model includes 2 DisplayPort ports as well as an HDMI port, which lets you connect multiple devices for video output. There are also 2 x USB 3.0 ports for connecting various peripherals, letting the monitor act as a USB hub. The actual build of the monitor is rather unusual, but definitely eye-pleasing, and includes lighting on the back that lets you choose through 5 distinct colour models for background lighting for your computer desk. Overall, those who are serious about finding a high-quality curved monitor will find this to be among the best available.
Additional Info
Last updated price | £549.99 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B0866C9XJM |
Multifunction Curved Monitor
Monitors have come a long way from where they were even just a decade ago. While they have traditionally been pretty basic devices meant for nothing more than displaying a video image, nowadays many of the better models have a lot of functionality built-in, much of it aimed towards giving you the best viewing experience possible. The LG UltraWide 35WN73A monitor certainly fits that description, as it was made to include technologies that are sure to give you an immersive viewing experience.
First off, just like every other monitor on this list, this monitor is curved in order to give you a much more natural viewing experience. The monitor has a curvature of 1800R, which is meant to give you the best, most natural look when your vision is aimed straight ahead. The 21:9 aspect ratio allows the monitor to wrap perfectly around your vision, completely filling it with vivid and realistic images, and the borderless design makes it appear as if the image is simply floating in front of you instead of being confined within a box.
The monitor is HDR10-compliant with an sRGB 99% color gamut, allowing you to enjoy content in vivid colors. To fit with its multifunctional capabilities, it also includes support for USB Type-C, meaning that the monitor can even charge laptops and other mobile devices, as well as carry out fast data transfers, acting as a powered USB hub for your computer.
Side-By-Side Viewing
Since this monitor is an ultra-widescreen display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, this helps give it a lot more desktop work area for your computer than most traditional widescreen monitors. One of the unique technologies included that takes advantage of this fact is Side-by-Side viewing, which lets you open multiple documents side-by-side on the screen instead of having to Alt-Tab between them. This gives you an enormous amount of flexibility in how to work with various documents and is sure to bring a huge boost to your productivity. For instance, you can have both a spreadsheet and a standard text document open side-by-side for data entry purposes, letting you view the information in one document and type it into the other with minimal effort.
For entertainment purposes, the monitor gives you a grew game-playing and video-watching experience thanks to its 100 Hz refresh rate and 5 ms response time. Although the response time is a bit slow compared to some other monitors, most gamers really won't notice that much of a difference. The monitor also gives you plenty of connectivity options in addition to the USB Type-C ports, including a DisplayPort and HDMI port for multiple inputs. All told, anyone who needs the increased boost in productivity provided by an ultra-widescreen monitor should give this model a look.
Additional Info
Last updated price | £439.99 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B088LNHMZP |
Minimalist Design
Something that many people will notice about a lot of higher-end monitors is that they tend to be built with a fancy design. This is especially true for those that are dedicated to gaming, as many gamers like to "bling" their computer setups to look as cool as possible. But what about those who need to do serious work? In the case of many fancy-looking gaming monitors, they often tend to distract rather than allow someone to focus on their work. Fortunately, for those who like a distraction-free working experience, this Samsung 27" Curved Monitor provides that in abundance. Thanks to its sleek yet minimalist design with extremely thin bezels and a small footprint, you get a completely distraction-free work environment, both on the monitor and on your desktop.
Just because this monitor has a minimalist appearance doesn't mean that it is lacking in features. In fact, it is loaded with the features that matter the most, which all add up to giving you an extremely pleasant viewing experience. The standard widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9 with a 1920x1080 resolution gives you the perfect fit for HD video content, and reproduces images in high detail. This model also has a wide range of interfaces including DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, and the built-in 5-watt speakers give you a great audiovisual experience, removing the need to connect separate speakers.
No Eye Strain
The features of this monitor aren't just limited to the basic ones listed above. This monitor includes Flicker-Free technology as well as an Eye Saver Mode that both work together to reduce eye strain so you can work for a long time without any discomfort to your eyes. Also included is the AMD FreeSync technology that not only contributes to the smoothness of 3D animation output, but also eliminates screen tearing and interruptions during games. The 75 Hz refresh rate and 4 ms response time give you an extremely smooth image, especially with fast-moving objects on the screen.
So, what else is there to know about this monitor? Plenty, to be certain. Along with the video inputs mentioned above, you also have a D-Sub connector for standard VGA input as well as a headphone jack for times when you want to work or entertain yourself without distracting others around you. All of the connectors are hidden behind a panel that helps give the monitor its minimalist look while also helping with cable management. The one con we can find with this unit is that the settings controls are not very easy to use, but this is a small complaint in the grand scheme of things. Overall, those who want great picture quality with a minimalist design that saves desktop space will certainly love this monitor.
Additional Info
Last updated price | £270.63 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B084P5YGNM |
Great Performance, Reasonable Price
Those who are often picky about a monitor's overall image quality and performance will often find themselves having to pay quite a bit of money for a monitor that meets their specifications. However, wouldn't it be nice if you could get these attributes without having to do so? Then take a look at the Gigabyte 31.5" QHD 1440p Curved Gaming Monitor. This monitor allows you to enjoy high-quality video and fast gaming performance at a relatively reasonable cost, well below that of many other high-performance monitors, especially those geared towards gaming.
Right off the bat, you'll notice that this monitor has an exceptional screen size of 31.5", which is large enough to accommodate both serious gamers and those who require a lot of desktop real estate on their screen. This is helped by the high resolution of 2560 x 1440, giving you higher than HD video resolutions that result in extremely detailed and sharp images. The monitor also offers an extended color gamut and high contrast, and includes optimal viewing angles, even for one with a 1500R curvature. This means that you don't have to sit directly in front of and close to the monitor in order to get the best picture quality, giving you plenty of flexibility in making yourself comfortable.
Exceptional Overall Design
Beyond just the image quality provided by this monitor, you get a great collection of features as well as an exceptional overall design that all add up to a monitor that is an absolute pleasure to use. The exceptionally high 165 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time ensure that even the fastest moving games or videos will look extremely sharp no matter what, without any dropped frames or screen tearing to interfere with the viewing experience. Furthermore, the monitor is fully compatible with both AMD's FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA's G-Sync technology to ensure that your computer's video card is able to take full advantage of the high refresh rates, no matter which video card your system is using.
As for this monitor's physical attributes, the OSD Sidekick is an extremely easy way to control the behavior and settings of the monitor using the keyboard and mouse, which greatly simplifies the process of customising it to your liking. The monitor features multiple video inputs, including 2 HDMI 2.0 ports as well as a DisplayPort 1.2 input, allowing for multiple systems or devices to be connected. A pair of USB 3.0 ports let you connect external devices easily, and it even contains a convenient carry handle that lets you move the monitor quite easily. Despite this monitor's reasonable price, you get just about everything you could hope for from a high-performance gaming monitor.
Additional Info
Last updated price | £300.50 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B089BPGXLR |
Great for All Tasks
Not everyone needs a monitor that is made specifically for gaming. In fact, many of us would just prefer a regular monitor that improves not just games, but all of the tasks that we do on a computer, whether it be web browsing, watching films, playing games, or even office work. If this is what you are looking for, then the Samsung (C27R500) 27-inch FHD Curved Monitor gives you exactly what you need. This 27-inch monitor gives you exceptional picture quality at a standard HD resolution of 1920 x 1080, which gives you a great amount of screen real estate while providing an 1800R curvature for comfortable viewing.
Just because this monitor isn't geared specifically for gaming doesn't mean it won't work well with games. On the contrary, this monitor works exceptionally well for gaming, with the widescreen panel and curvature giving you a broad view that fills out your peripheral vision while letting the graphics immerse you in another world. The 4ms response time gives you plenty fast screen updates that will make any game quite responsive to your actions, without the slight lag often associated with LED displays. The excellent colour reproduction with this monitor makes all tasks, not just games, appear in the best possible image quality, whether it be watching films or even just viewing your family photos.
Energy Saving Model
The excellent image quality doesn't just stop with the features listed above. The 3000:1 high contrast ratio ensures that all colour as completely viewable, giving you perfectly sharp images with vivid colours that will be easy to differentiate while also being quite easy on the eyes. There is even a Game Mode included in the monitor that enhances your display for when you are playing games, giving you the clearest and most responsive picture of the game world possible.
Just because this monitor gives excellent image quality doesn't mean it's heavy on power usage. In fact, quite the opposite is true. This monitor will be great for those who want more energy-efficient electronics, as it includes 3 different energy-saving modes that will adjust various parameters of the display to help conserve energy while still giving you excellent picture quality.
On top of the above-mentioned features, this monitor also includes an HDMI and VGA input for connecting a computer or game console, as well as a headphone jack that lets you quietly listen to audio. About the only thing missing from this monitor is a DisplayPort connector, so those with high-end graphics cards may need to find another model if they want to connect through it. Outside of that, this monitor has everything you need for whatever tasks you want to do.
Additional Info
Last updated price | £259.98 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B07PHSBC4F |
What Is a Curved Monitor?
A monitor is an integral part of any desktop computer because it helps us watch video content, enjoy computer games, as well as work and read. Now you can find many different models and modifications of these devices differing from each other in design and performance. The most popular today are so-called Curved monitors. A curved screen allows you to experience the maximum immersion in the video, to feel the effect of its presence. Thanks to its curved panel, it creates a wider field of view than conventional flat monitors do, which allows our eyes to focus faster from the centre to the edges of the video, reducing stress on our eyes.
Many other features are also included in these monitors, especially ones that help improve gaming experiences such as super-high refresh rates and extremely fast response times, but not all of these features are necessary for getting the best out of your curved display. What you will get from all of these monitors, though, is exceptional image quality at high resolutions that will give you a better viewing experience than ever before.
If for some reason you do not like the curved shape of such monitors, we recommend you to pay attention to conventional computer monitors or touchscreen monitors.
What Features to Compare
Screen Features
First of all, pay attention to the screen features. You need to pick a screen size, i.e. a diagonal. We sit closer to the monitors than we do to TVs, therefore "the bigger the better" rule is not exactly applicable here. Curved monitors usually have diagonals from 27 to 34 inches. Monitors that have a diagonal from 27 to 29 inches are best suited for use at a 50-80 cm distance from your eyes. As for curved monitors over 29 inches, they are ideally suited for professional use, for example, in design or project development. Another parameter necessary to consider is the screen resolution. This feature defines the number of pixels on the monitor screen, vertically and horizontally. Also, it is responsible for a detailed display of objects on the screen. Curved Monitor Resolution can be Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) and Ultra HD (3440x1440 pixels). Choosing a monitor with a maximum resolution, you should take into account the power and performance of a video card (or GPU) since it affects image quality. Also, one of the main features of any screen, which impacts the image format, is the aspect ratio. All monitors have a curved widescreen aspect ratio that varies from 16: 9 to 21: 9 for an ultrawide monitor, which provides a uniform extension and optimal picture quality.
Type of Panel
Once you have decided on all the screen features, pay attention to the type of panel. The curved monitors usually use IPS and MVA / PVA. The advantages of IPS matrices are great viewing angles and a good response time. As for the MVA and PVA, they boast a great depth of black colour and excellent contrast. Then, you should consider a refresh rate that affects image quality during fast action movies and games. The higher this rate is, the more stable and the clearer the picture is. A further important aspect is the response time during which the image changes its brightness. Usually, it ranges from 2 to 5 ms. Too long response time will cause blurring of a dynamic image. The important feature of the panel is a static contrast ratio, which is the ratio of the brightest point of the screen to the darkest. This implies that the contrast is set to the brightness of the image, taking into account the level of black. The standard static contrast ratio is 3000: 1 and higher. An important indicator is also the colour support that is responsible for the colour scheme. This indicator reaches 1,074 billion on the top models of curved monitors. The last but not the least parameter that determines the quality of the panel is a viewing angle. That is the minimum angle you take your eyes off the monitor when the image on the screen starts losing its contrast and the colours get distorted. In other words, the larger the viewing angle, the better. A good monitor should show 178° both vertically and horizontally.
Connectivity Options
Next, you should consider the connectivity options of every curved monitor. It is necessary to consider what video ports are present in the monitor, as well as their number because it affects the quality of the transmitted signal and image sources you can connect to the monitor at the same time. Let's start with the VGA port. Since it is one of the oldest types of analogue connection, its poor side is a poor image transmission. A DVI port is used in almost all models of monitors that provide a good quality of the transmitted video. HDMI port allows you to transfer high-quality video and audio through a single cable. A modern curved monitor must have a DisplayPort, the most progressive of all the ports described above, which provides the most high-quality video and audio transmission. Beyond the usual ports, the monitor might include one or several USB ports. In the most advanced models, you can play media content from external media devices using a USB port. In some models, there is even a USB hub, which is very useful because you do not need to reach directly for the PC unit itself.
Additional Features
And the last thing to look for when choosing a curved monitor is its additional features. Now, apart from displaying video, many curved monitors can also play sounds. Usually, speakers are placed inside the lower part of the monitor. The sound output can reach up to 9W per each speaker, which is not bad at all considering their compact size. An interesting feature of the curved monitor is the availability of so-called Picture-by-Picture function, which allows simultaneously connecting two computers to a single monitor and the screen will be divided into two parts. Also, curved monitors can be equipped with a PIP function which is responsible for multitasking. It enables you to watch your favourite movies and videos while working with spreadsheets and office programs. It can be an added advantage if the monitor includes a flicker-free function. It allows you to work with a text for a long time without serious damage to your eyes. In conclusion, it should be mentioned that some curved ergonomic monitors have VESA mount support, which means they can be attached to a wall. Moreover, they can be equipped with an adjustable stand that allows you to select a comfortable angle and height of the screen.
Did you know?
Getting the Most From Your Gaming Setup
Having top-end hardware is always the goal of any serious gamer, whether it be just a hardcore gamer who likes winning, or a professional gamer who plays games for a living. While having the best computer equipment is a must, it is far from the only thing that can give an advantage to gamers. There are many other ways to get the best out of your gaming setup, especially when it comes to the positioning of your monitor in relation to the computer. Listed here are a few ways to help you get the best out of your gaming station, in a way that will give you the best advantage possible in whatever games you play.
Ergonomics
An often overlooked aspect of gaming is ergonomics. Having a high-end computer with a gaming mouse and keyboard can go a long way towards gaining an advantage, but any advantages they provide can be cancelled out if the ergonomics of your computer are lacking. Most people think of ergonomics as being important for office work, but really, the ergonomics of your setup can give you a much better advantage than you realize. The best ergonomics will prevent you from experiencing fatigue during long gaming sessions, which can often make the difference in your matches.
A few things must be kept in mind while you setup your computer hardware. Your keyboard and mouse should be placed on a completely flat surface that lets them rest evenly while providing little resistance to movements. The desk should be level and about the same height as the bottom of your rib cage. This should allow your forearm to be level while using the keyboard and mouse. Although many gamers prefer not to use them, using a wrist wrest for both the keyboard and mouse will go a long way in preventing arm and hand strain, and will reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Monitor placement should be just below the center of your eyes while sitting straight up. Not having it level will strain your neck and back muscles, which can lead to quick fatigue during marathon gaming sessions. The monitor brightness should also be enough to clearly show detail, yet not too bright as to cause eye strain. Also, having the monitor positioned just the right distance from your eyes can also prevent eye strain, as well as allowing you to maintain a full view of the monitor without needing to turn your head.
Positioning
Maintaining good ergonomics is always the best practice when using the computer for any reason, but for gaming, there are a few other things you can do as well to ensure that you maintain maximum control over the gaming experience. One of the best ways to do this is with the placement and positioning of your keyboard and mouse. Many serious gamers opt for corded mice and keyboards, as they often prove to be more responsive to input than wireless ones. In this case, where to plug in your mouse and keyboard can be very important. Many of the gaming monitors available, along with all of the models listed here, offer USB 3.0 ports, which are perfect for plugging in your input devices. Having close inputs ensures that your mouse and keyboard won't be hampered by the cable being snagged or stretched, ensuring free movement whenever necessary.
Following this advice should give you the ability to perform at your best in any game, especially during marathon gaming sessions. And it will be easiest to do so with a great gaming monitor.
Sources:
1. Why Would You Want a Curved TV or Computer Monitor? How-To Geek.
2. John R. Delaney How to Choose the Right Monitor for Gaming, PCMag. March 2, 2015.
3. Curved screen, Wikipedia. November 13, 2016.
4. Jeremy Laird Why Curved Monitors Aren’t So Crazy, Rock, Raper, Shotgun. June 25, 2015.
5. Tom Why Choose a Curved Monitor? Samsung. April 27, 2016.
6. Casey Johnston The flat-out truth on curved TVs, Ars Technica. January 13, 2014.
7. Scott Kramer Curve Appeal: Why Curved-Screen Monitors Make More Sense Than Curved TV's, Forbes. June 25, 2015.
8. Paul Teich Is an Ultrawide Curved Monitor Right for Your Home Office? medium.com. December 17, 2015.
9. Wes Fenlon Fad check: does anyone actually want a curved monitor? PC Gamer. January 9, 2016.