If you're a frequent gamer, you've probably considered buying one of those cool curved monitors you see in ads while browsing the internet. If so, you're in luck, because we've got a complete guide to what you should consider when buying one, plus a pre-selection of some of the best curved monitors to help you make the right choice.
Curved monitors to play yes or no? What should you take into account? What do all those incomprehensible features that appear when you search for one mean?
Don't worry, we'll answer all your questions about curved monitors in this complete, quick, and easy guide, and we'll also give you several excellent options.
Let's get to it, starting with the most important question.
Are curved monitors worth it for gaming?
In general, if the monitor is of good quality (we'll see what makes it so) and if you mainly use the computer for gaming, then yes , it's worth it, and we'll tell you why. But first, a word of caution.
If the main use of your computer is something else, such as programming, designing or writing, and you only use it to play games in a few spare moments, then choose a flat monitor.
The distortion of the angles and colors produced by the curve will make graphic design impossible for you and writing and programming rare. We do not recommend it in that case.
What are the benefits?
Several, starting with the fact of a more immersive gaming experience , similar to cinema screens with a slight curve.
In addition, your field of vision will be narrower , which is an advantage. This way you'll see that enemy peeking around the corner much better, without your eyes having to scan the entire screen from one side to the other.
This connects to another advantage: eye strain will be less , because you don't have to scan such a large area with your eyes.
And the disadvantages?
If it's for gaming and you don't do other activities, like the ones we've mentioned, then the main disadvantage is the price . Curved monitors are more expensive.
Another disadvantage is that they can try to sneak in features that are inferior to those of a flat monitor at a higher price. But don't worry, because we'll explain how to easily figure out those features and know if you're looking at a good monitor.
How to know if a curved monitor is good for gaming
When you're looking at monitors, the first thing to consider is what's often called " the 3 Rs" : Refresh Rate, Resolution, and Response Time . In addition to that, we'll consider a couple more things.
Let's go see them.
Refresh rate
The higher the better . This number indicates how many times the screen updates the image per second . It's measured in hertz (Hz), and until recently, all monitors had 60 Hz, but that's now history.
This is similar to film. If you have a 60Hz refresh rate, the image updates 60 times per second, resulting in 60 frames per second (FPS). If you have a 120Hz refresh rate, it updates 120 times per second. This means the image will be smoother, with less tearing and stuttering—the bane of gamers.
Here is an illustrative video to see the differences.
Litigation, Arbitration
The more, the better again, but keep in mind one important detail. This number represents the number of pixels your screen can display at once. A Full HD monitor will have 1920 x 1080 pixels, and a 4K monitor will have 3840 x 2160.
And the important detail?
Higher resolution images will require more powerful graphics cards for everything to run smoothly and to truly take advantage of that previous refresh rate.
So take a good look at your specs. If your GPU isn't powerful, high resolution will make everything stutter, and a 12-year-old with a better GTX card will kill you and curse your mother in the process. Sure, you can always lower the resolution in games, but what's the point?
Response time
The lower the better . This is the time it takes for a pixel to change color, and a high response time means ghosting or afterimages. If you're a gamer, you'll know that's very unpleasant to experience.
Today they are usually around 4 ms (milliseconds) of response. More than that is not recommended.
Variable refresh technology
It's used to properly synchronize the monitor's refresh rate with the PC's output. If they're out of sync, the dreaded screen tearing occurs , resulting in images that don't match and a jerky, stuttering effect.
If your gaming monitor has such technology, here's what to look out for:
- if your card is Nvidia, technology G-sync.
- if your card is AMD, technology freesync.
If the curved gaming monitor is even decent, it will support both.
The size
The bigger, the better . Size matters in life, nothing you don't already know. If the monitor is curved, a large screen will prevent you from feeling like you're sitting in the front row of a movie theater, constantly looking around and missing part of the action.
It depends a bit on your preferences and the space you have in the room, but since we're on the subject, although this type of monitor usually starts at 27 inches (anything smaller doesn't make much sense, to be honest, although there are 24-inch ones) aim for 34 inches to enjoy that more immersive experience.
Other things to consider in a curved monitor for gaming
The most important thing is what we have seen, but other things must also be taken into account:
- color fidelity. Someone is going to come and say that I have no idea, but the color fidelity It is not essential if you only play, it is so. No monitor goes so far into this that you see green as blue. This is a must if you do graphic design or video, but you don't need 100% Adobe fidelity if you play games.
- monitor technology. There are several, choose IPS, that's all you need to know, it's not like you're going to see many of another variety.
Curved monitor models: best options
Knowing all this, you can now go to your favorite store, able to translate all those terms and abbreviations. However, we've made it much easier for you with this pre-selection of the best curved monitors for gaming.
Xiaomi Mi Curved Gaming Monitor, all the requirements at an excellent price
If you've retained any of what we've said, you'll see that this monitor practically meets all the ideal requirements. 34 inches (so the curve makes sense and is better utilized) , WQHD resolution (3440 x 1440), a refresh rate of no less than 144 Hz , and AMD Freesync technology.
Don't worry about the latter if you have Nvidia, it also has G-Sync compatibility, even if it is not officially approved.
It's around 460 euros and, at that price, it's an excellent choice that has everything.
See offer on AmazonYeyian Sigurd, the good, beautiful and cheap option
We understand, you're broke and so are we. For those situations, there's this 27-inch Yeyian Sigurd monitor , which is very good for just over 200 euros.
Ideal for getting started with a curved monitor, though you obviously make some sacrifices. Primarily, the resolution is only Full HD (1920 x 1080) . On the plus side, it has a 165Hz refresh rate (though that's more than enough, it's actually 144Hz) and supports both FreeSync and G-Sync.
See offer on AmazonSamsung C27F396FHR brand name curved monitor at low price
We understand, you don't want to take a risk with brands you're unfamiliar with. In that case, choose this 27-inch Samsung , knowing what you're missing out on besides size: the refresh rate and resolution.
It's a traditional 60Hz monitor with a resolution of 1280 x 1024. You can't really ask for more at this price.
See offer on AmazonAsus ROG Strix XG349C, for the gamer without budget problems
If you have all the money to burn, go for the professional option. This Asus ROG is a curved gaming monitor that costs over €1000 , but you get practically everything you need.
34 inches, WQHD resolution (3440 x 1440), all sorts of technologies to gain that microsecond advantage and make everything look sharper than reality and faster than a Tesla. Plus, it also has a 180Hz refresh rate . Pretty impressive, you'll be the envy of everyone.
See offer on AmazonNow you know, we will have given you long teeth, but if you are tempted by a curved monitor to play, you already know everything you need and you will not fail with any of the options that we have given you.