Six 21:9 and 32:9 ultrawides, from budget 34-inch to the 57-inch Neo G9. Each comes with the field of view it gives you from your seat, so you can compare a 34-inch with a 49-inch by how much of the track you will actually see.
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Quick picks
FOV is the horizontal view from 70 cm, a common seating distance on a rig.
Each FOV table uses the monitor's real size, shape and curve. Open any monitor in the calculator to enter your own distance and get the exact value for your game.
1. Best overall ultrawide
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
One screen that wraps your view like a triple setup, without bezels.
Under $500 you are buying a 34-inch 21:9 VA monitor at 3440 × 1440. They all give the same view (about 62° at 70 cm on a curved 34-inch), so pick on refresh rate, curve and price on the day.
Specs from AOC, Notebookcheck (Alienware launch), PCCaseGear (ASUS) and Guru3D (Samsung), October 2026. All four were listed under $500, mostly around $250 to $350, at US retailers in October 2026.
Best value: AOC CU34G2XP or Alienware AW3425DWM, whichever is cheaper.
Highest refresh: ASUS TUF VG34WQML5A, if your PC can hold well over 180 fps.
Tightest curve: Samsung Odyssey G5 at 1000R pulls the edges closer, for a slightly wider view at the same distance.
VA panels can smear in dark, fast scenes; OLED fixes that but costs more. Our cheapest OLED pick, the MSI MAG 341CQP, sits in the $$ tier.
21:9 or 32:9: what you actually gain
Ultrawides are usually compared by diagonal, which hides the important part: how tall the picture is. Here are the real picture sizes:
Screen
Picture width
Picture height
27" 16:9 (for reference)
60 cm
34 cm
34" 21:9
79 cm
34 cm
49" 32:9
120 cm
34 cm
45" 21:9
105 cm
45 cm
57" 32:9
139 cm
39 cm
A 49-inch 32:9 screen is exactly as tall as a 34-inch ultrawide or a 27-inch monitor. It only adds width. Great for side vision, but you see no more of the dashboard or the sky.
A 45-inch 21:9 screen is the tallest here. It is less wide than a 49-inch, but with its tight 800R curve it covers almost the same horizontal view at 60 cm (about 97° against 99°) and shows much more top to bottom.
The 57-inch 32:9 is both wider and taller than the 49-inch, about as tall as a 32-inch 16:9 monitor.
So choose 32:9 if side vision into corners matters most, and a large 21:9 if you want a taller, more natural window. See the size vs distance chart for every size.
How much curve do you need?
On a wide screen the edges are far from your eyes, and a curve pulls them toward you. That widens your view at the same size and distance. For a 49-inch 32:9 screen at 70 cm:
Curve
Horizontal FOV at 70 cm
Flat
81°
1800R
89°
1000R
94°
800R
97°
A tighter curve also keeps the edges at a more even distance from your eyes, so they look less stretched. The trade-off is that tight curves look odd for desk work and reflect lights from the side.
Ultrawide vs triple screens
Ultrawide: no bezels, one cable, no triple-screen setup in each game, and easier on your graphics card. Total view of roughly 60° to 100° at rig distances.
Triples: the widest view, around 140° to 160°, often for less money than a premium ultrawide. Bezels show, and three screens need a stand and more GPU power.
If you race mostly at night or love OLED blacks, a single OLED ultrawide is simpler than three OLED monitors. For the most side vision per dollar, triples win. Compare them in the full monitor guide, or see the degree-by-degree triples vs ultrawide comparison.
Setting FOV on an ultrawide
Ultrawides make wrong FOV settings more obvious, because the edges stretch when the game shows too wide a view. Use the FOV calculator with 21:9 or 32:9 and your curve selected. For Assetto Corsa, ACC and LMU, the vertical FOV is measured at the centre of the screen, and the calculator handles that for you.
How we chose
We have not lab-tested these monitors. We picked current models that sim racers commonly recommend, checked each spec against the manufacturer's page or an independent review (linked as "Spec source"), and calculated the view each one gives with our published formulas.
FAQ
Is an ultrawide monitor good for sim racing?
Yes. It gives you more side vision than a 16:9 screen, with no bezels and no triple-screen setup. Most PC racing sims support 21:9 and 32:9.
Is a 34-inch or 49-inch ultrawide better for sim racing?
The 49-inch 32:9 is much wider (about 89° at 70 cm against 62° for a curved 34-inch) but exactly as tall. If you have space and a strong graphics card, the 49-inch gives a far wider view. The 34-inch is cheaper and easier to run.
21:9 or 32:9 for sim racing?
32:9 gives the most side vision. A large 21:9, such as a 45-inch, is taller and shows more of the cockpit, while still covering a wide view thanks to a tight curve.
Is an ultrawide better than triple monitors?
Triples give a wider view and cost less per degree. An ultrawide is simpler, has no bezels and is easier on your GPU. Choose by whether side vision or simplicity matters more to you.
What curve is best for a sim racing ultrawide?
Tighter is better for wide screens: 1000R or 800R pulls the edges toward you and widens your view. 1800R is fine on 34-inch screens.
What is the best ultrawide monitor under $500 for sim racing?
A 34-inch 3440 × 1440 VA monitor such as the AOC CU34G2XP or Alienware AW3425DWM (180 Hz, 1500R). The ASUS TUF VG34WQML5A goes to 250 Hz, and the Samsung Odyssey G5 has a tighter 1000R curve.
Do ultrawides work on PS5 or Xbox?
Consoles output 16:9, so you get black bars at the sides. Ultrawides are a PC choice.
Last reviewed October 2026. Check current prices on the retailer's page.