This Is the Ultrawide Curved Gaming Monitor I Would Buy If I Were on a Budget

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Credit: Ian Moore

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When it comes to gaming monitors, having an ultra-wide screen takes the experience to the next level, with a more immersive experience than a regular monitor. Unfortunately, that improved experience tends to come at a much higher price. But right now, Amazon is selling the 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 for $279.99 (originally $399.99), which is the second-lowest price this monitor has ever been, according to price-tracking tools.

The Samsung Odyssey G5 is a great ultra-wide monitor for those who haven't used one before, with all the important specs you'd want while keeping the price relatively low. Other high-end ultra-wide monitors go for $700 and higher, like the Odyssey OLED G9. Those are much bigger and offer OLED quality visuals, though.

The Odyssey G5 comes with a 1000R curve, which Samsung claims is optimal to avoid eye strain. Your media will be displayed on a 21:9 aspect ratio and 3440x1440 resolution, which means if you watch videos that are not compatible with that ratio, it'll have some black space on the sides to prevent it from looking stretched. You also get a 165Hz refresh rate and native FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, helping fast games look smoother. The input lag is 1ms, which is very fast for a budget gaming monitor. It's also compatible with HDR10, so movies or shows will look good, but mostly in dark rooms since the HDR peak brightness isn't very high.

The viewing angle is poor, but curved monitors are not really designed for sharing the screen anyway. You can tilt the screen, but that's as much as you'll be able to adjust. If you want to see what the hype of ultrawide curved screens is about without committing to the high-end options, this is a great option to get your feet wet in the technology.