Sometimes bigger is better, especially when it comes to monitors. Wider spaces translate to better productivity, and more immersive gaming. Though the best ultrawides offer something else besides sheer size, if you want the biggest display you can buy, these monitors have what you need. Whether you like the Samsung CHG90, or the Acer Nitro display, these 49-inch ultrawide monitors are gargantuan and are real head turners at home or in the office.
Whether you’re a gamer, a video editor, or just someone who wants a super-wide display without the annoying bezels and wires, there’s an ultrawide on this list just for you.
The biggest ultrawide monitors
- Samsung CHG90
- Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ
- Acer Nitro EI491CRP
- LG 49WL95C
- Philips Brilliance 499P9H/00
Samsung CHG90
Riley Young/Digital Trends
Samsung’s big pitch is that this ultrawide is based on Quantum dot technology. It’s still an LCD monitor, but it uses light-emitting nanocrystals — Quantum dots — that absorb and convert light. Their size determines the color they produce, as larger particles gravitate to red while smaller particles shift towards green. The result is rich colors, deep blacks, and true white. They’re typically applied in a sheet over the LED backlight.
This Samsung ultrawide supports 1.07 billion colors. It also sports a 1,800R curve while packing a maximum 144Hz refresh rate even at its default 3,840 x 1,080 resolution. There’s even HDR, a 1ms response time, a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 350-nit maximum brightness. For ports, it includes two HDMI, one Mini DisplayPort, one DisplayPort, two USB-A ports, and audio jacks. It supports AMD’s FreeSync 2 technology as well for tear-free framerates.
If you can wait a little longer for a more premium version, the Odyssey G9, should debut in the first half of 2020 packing a narrower 1,000R curve, a 1,000-nit maximum brightness, a 5,120 x 1,400 resolution, a 240Hz max refresh rate, and Nvidia’s G-Sync technology.
Read our full Samsung CHG90 review
Asus ROG Strix XG49VQ
Here’s a good solution for PC gamers on either side of the Radeon-GeForce spectrum. It’s an Adaptive-Sync panel that falls under Nvidia’s “G-Sync Compatible” banner for the GTX 10, GTX 16, and GTX 20 GPUs while also supporting AMD’s FreeSync 2 HDR technology. It’s an HDR 400-class display too, meaning it meets specific criteria to receive VESA’s DisplayHDR certification.
This ultrawide has a native 3,840 x 1,080 resolution at 144Hz and a 1,800R curve. It sports a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, a response time of 4ms, a 450-nit maximum brightness, and supports 1.07 billion colors. For ports, it includes two HDMI, one DisplayPort, an audio jack, two USB-A ports, and one USB-B port that connects directly to your PC.
If you need something smaller, the ROG Strix XG43VQ is a 43-inch version with a 3,840 x 1,200 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync Premium Pro. It’s also listed on Nvidia’s “G-Sync Compatible” list.
Acer Nitro EI491CRP
What’s interesting about Acer’s ultrawide is that it provides three HDMI ports: One supporting v2.0 and two supporting v1.4. The big difference between the two is bandwidth, as the older spec handles 4K video at 30 frames per second (FPS) while the newer spec handles 4K video at 60 fps. We provide a chart listing the differences between the two along with information about the upcoming v2.1 spec launching in 2020. This ultrawide also includes one DisplayPort connector but no audio jack.
The Nitro EI491CRP has a native 3,840 x 1,080 resolution at 120Hz, though you can overclock the refresh rate to 144Hz. It also has a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, a 4ms response time, and a 1800R curvature. It’s an HDR 400-class display, with HDR support and a 400-nit maximum brightness. Unlike the first two on our list, it only handles 16.7 million colors, but it does support AMD’s FreeSync 2 technology for tear-free PC or console gaming.
If you want something smaller, Acer’s Predator X34 packs a 34-inch screen with a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. You can overclock its refresh rate up to 100Hz.
LG 49WL95C
If you need connectivity, this ultrawide has plenty. In addition to the USB-B port that connects to your PC, this panel provides one DisplayPort, two HDMI, and a headphone jack. It also includes four USB-A ports and a single USB-C port, the latter of which allows you to connect another display, charge a laptop, or transfer data to and from your PC. That said, this ultrawide mainly targets professionals, photographers, and digital artists who need an extremely large digital workspace.
LG’s ultrawide provides a 5,120 x 1,440 resolution at a maximum 60Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR 10 but doesn’t fall within VESA’s DisplayHDR certification due to the panel’s 350-nit maximum brightness. Other features include support for 1.07 billion colors, a 5ms response time, and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support adaptive synchronization technologies like Freesync and GSync.
If you want something smaller, read our review of the LG 34WK95U-W. At 34 inches diagonally, it offers a 5,120 x 2,160 resolution, HDR, and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
Philips Brilliance 499P9H
Philips’ ultrawide offers a similar 5,120 x 1,400 resolution but at a slightly higher 70Hz refresh rate. It’s also HDR 400 Certified, meaning it supports both HDR and a 450-nit maximum brightness. It supports Adaptive-Sync too, though it’s currently not listed on Nvidia’s “G-Sync Compatible” list. AMD’s FreeSync branding isn’t attached to this ultrawide either.
In addition to the USB-B port connecting to your PC, this ultrawide provides two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort connector, three USB-A ports (one charges devices), one USB-C port, and a headphone jack. Other hardware features include a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, support for 16.7 million colors, and a 1,800R curve. It even includes a pop-up webcam with facial recognition technology for password-free entry into Windows 10.