My work increasingly demanded access to one, but the rig I built in 2011 was all but dead.
So, when I saw a pre-built rig at a deep discount, I decided to take the plunge.
Alongside this, I decided to upgrade to a gaming-ready monitor to complement my new PCs capabilities.
There was a catch, however.
To be clear, this purchase was a leap of faith.
Id only ever used an ultrawide monitor in an office setting, and certainly never a curved one.
Suffice to say, I had my concerns with the formats.
Would the screens curvature result in an unnatural, warped image?
Most importantly, how would I even like this form factor compared to the 16:9 displays Im used to?
Most of my fears were quickly assuaged.
The extra screen real estate when actually playing games makes it easy to forgive, though.
Instead, I opted to make comparisons with games Im already familiar with.
Dell Alienware
Given thatEver Crisisis designed for a pocket-sized touch screen, my expectations for the PC port were low.
I was therefore pleasantly shocked to find it filled my entire display.
The widescreen layout repositioned the menu interface so that the games collectible wallpapers could be displayed without obfuscation.
Tim Rattray / How-To Geek
Battles felt grander with more real estate afforded to viewing party members and the landscape.
What I got was anything but; this wasChrono Triggerlike Id never experienced it before.
It made good on the ultrawide promise, presenting what is essentially an oversized field of view.
Tim Rattray / How-To Geek
Nonetheless, it was a memorable woah moment when E1M1 loaded up in widescreen glory.
Interactions with computer terminals felt particularly immersive given the form factor.
As I previously mentioned, Ive yet to experience a game without pillarboxing.
Tim Rattray / How-To Geek
This is especially noteworthy for games that make a run at seamlessly blend their cutscenes and gameplay.
Something I didnt consider when purchasing the monitor was the extra GPU power needed to render games at 21:9.
Its an easy caveat to overlook, though perhaps the most important factor when weighing an ultrawide monitor purchase.
Tim Rattray / How-To Geek
I’ve had to learn to adjust a few options I want a smoother experience.
For some ideas, check outour best ultrawide monitorsandour best curved monitors.
