The best ultrawide monitors: Let's get large

These immersive monitors are perfect for productivity and gaming.

- MATTHEW S. SMITH

Do you want a huge amount of usable display space, but also want to stick with a single monitor? If so, an ultrawide monitor is the ticket. These have a wider display panel that's far more impressive, and immersive, than your average widescreen. We've tested a bunch of ultrawide monitors in order to name the best picks in various categories. You can learn more about our evaluation process and what to look for in an ultrawide monitor in our recommendations.

BEST ULTRAWIDE MONITOR: ALIENWARE AW3423DWF

The Alienware AW3423DWF is a legendary monitor. It packs the incredible contrast and realism of OLED in a 34-inch widescreen panel, yet it's priced at just $1,099. That's not inexpensive, but it's better value than other OLED monitors available right now.

Image quality is where it stands out. It delivers a vivid, immersive, rich experience with deep black levels and bright highlights, which are enhanced by the display's glossy finish. Movies and games seem nearly three-dimensional as if you're looking through a window, not staring at a monitor.

What's the catch? The monitor is not bright, especially in SDR, so it's a bad choice for a brightly lit room. We also noticed the OLED panel has trouble rendering small fonts smoothly. These are minor issues, though, and they shouldn't trouble most users.

This monitor targets gamers, so it offers an enhanced refresh rate of up to 165Hz and supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for smooth frame pacing in games. However, its excellent image quality will be impressive in everyday uses as well.

It has good connectivity, with two DisplayPort inputs and one HDMI, as well as a USB-A hub with four ports. There's even a healthy range of calibration options that helps demanding owners dial in the image to their personal specifications.