We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.
When it comes to gaming monitors, having an ultra-wide curved 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 there are budget monitors that go on sale, making it much more affordable to upgrade your gaming without hurting your wallet too much. Samsung is currently selling its 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 for $279.99 (originally $399.99).
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, bigger ultra-wide monitors go upwards of $700, 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 3440×1440 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 watching movies or shows will look good, but mostly in dark rooms since the HDR peak brightness isn’t very high.
