“Ultrawide” is a term for monitors that’s more about aspect ratio than size — in fact it starts at about 29-inches, which is barely above the norm. But this deal definitely earns the ultra superlative, with a 49-inch-wide panel that pushes more than seven million pixels in your face at once. The Asus ROG Strix XG49WCR is $100 off today, bringing it down to just $699.99.
As a dedicated gaming monitor, the Asus ROG Strix XG49WCR fits the bill, essentially working as two 27-inch 1440p curved panels shoved into one. It’s also fast enough to make even the most powerful gaming PC sweat at its maximum 5120×1440 ultrawide resolution, with a 165Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time. If you want a monitor to show you as much of a game as possible, as fast as possible, this is it.
But the ultrawide monitor isn’t limited to just gaming. It has a rich suite of connectivity options, with DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB-C covering video, plus 90 watts of USB power delivery for gaming laptops. The built-in USB hub can handle external gadgets, including a standard Ethernet port, and the monitor has side-by-side input modes as well as an integrated KVM switch. Oh, and two five-watt speakers as well, but seriously, just use headphones or real speakers instead.
The only real downside to the design is its VA panel, which is speedy, but far less accurate for fine colors than IPS. I wouldn’t count on this monitor for editing work in Photoshop, for example. But that’s a pretty fair trade-off for the retail price, and an absolute steal at this discount.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who's been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.