My main monitor is a 1440p beauty, but my secondary one is a measly 1080p. I've been debating upgrading that second one for a little while, and the idea of going ultrawide is looking more and more attractive every day.
Especially when deals like this Gigabyte one are out there. For $250 at Newegg, you get not only a 1440p but an ultrawide curved monitor, and that 120 Hz refresh rate is pretty nice too. This was already in my list of the best gaming monitor deals when it was $40 more, but it's so much better now that it's down a full $80 from MSRP. It's also $10 less than the cheapest I've seen it go for.
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The 1500R curve on this panel isn't too much (though still noticeable), so that should make it a solid beginner's monitor. With curvature, the lower the figure, the higher the curve, so very engrossing monitors tend to be around the 1000-1200R range. 1500 will still feel more immersive than a non-curved monitor, but won't entirely shut out visitors from being able to backseat game, which I'm sure you're incredibly pleased to hear.
1440p is a solid resolution, and my resolution of choice. Though my still rather beefy RTX 4070 Super can get up there to 4K in the right game (especially with some upscaling), right now, 1440p seems to be a decent sweetspot for mid-range rigs. With an RTX 5090, you could push the boat out a little more, but I'm sure you have one of those 4K 3D monitors or something, you wealthy so-and-so. For us normal people, this Gigabyte monitor could be a solid main monitor or a pretty luxurious second panel.
It is worth noting that ultrawide monitors are definitely a bit of a niche, and may take some getting used to. They offer a wider FOV in many first-person shooters, or just allow you to see more of the screen in strategy games. For many, this can up the immersion, which is further helped by the curved screen. However, not all games support ultrawide screens. You can use programs like Flawless Widescreen to get it working, but you will need to play around with settings, especially in older games.
It is worth noting that this monitor only has a max brightness of 300 nits, which isn't very bright. It's a pretty standard brightness for monitors on the more affordable end, and will serve perfectly fine in normally lit rooms, but placed against a window, it may be hard to make out. $250 is still quite a bit of money, but you do get a lot of monitor for the price.
1. Best overall:
MSI MPG 321URX
2. Best 4K:
LG Ultragear 27GR93U
3. Best budget 4K:
Gigabyte M28U
4. Best 1440p:
Xiaomi G Pro 27i
5. Best budget 1440p:
KTC H27T22C-3
6. Best budget 1080p:
AOC Gaming C27G4ZXE
7. Best Ultrawide:
Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM
8. Best 32:9:
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
9. Best budget ultrawide:
ASRock Phantom PG34WQ15R2B
10. Best WOLED:
LG Ultragear 32GS95UE
11. Best 1440p OLED:
MSI MPG 271QRX
12. Best budget OLED ultrawide:
Alienware 34 QD-OLED
13. Best dual-mode:
Alienware AW2725QF
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