Bought an ultra-widescreen monitor? Whether you plan to use it for work, gaming, or entertainment, it can completely transform your experience. However, you’ll need the proper setup to fully capitalize on its expansive display. Below, I’ve highlighted some ways to make the most of your investment.

1
Boost Productivity With Screen Splitting

An ultra-widescreen monitor provides extra screen real estate, so you can split your display and keep multiple windows open side by side. This eliminates the need to switch between tabs or apps. You can research on one side while drafting on the other and use one side for video calls and the other for note-taking, which helps you accomplish more in less time.

Windows offers a built-in screen-splitting feature called Snap Layouts. This feature lets you divide your screen into two, three, or four sections and place apps on each. To use it, hover your cursor over the maximize button (the square icon in the top-right corner of a window) in any app and choose a layout. Then, arrange your apps to view them all at once.

2
Switch to a Vertical Screen When Needed

If your monitor supports vertical orientation, you can rotate it to make the most of the available vertical space, just like an ultrawide layout improves multitasking efficiency. This vertical adjustment can be a game-changer for developers who need to view more lines of code and writers who benefit from having more text in their field of view.

Beyond coding and writing, a vertical monitor setup is also helpful for general browsing, working with spreadsheets, or any task where additional vertical space proves helpful. Check whether your monitor stand supports vertical rotation; if not, you can use a monitor arm to reposition your screen.

3
Use Multiple Devices on a Single Screen

You can also utilize your ultrawide monitor to view multiple inputs simultaneously. If your monitor is connected to your PC, you can connect a spare laptop and multitask across multiple devices. When playing games, you can fully dedicate your PC’s hardware to gaming while using the laptop for chatting or streaming.

To use multiple devices on one screen, connect your second device via an additional HDMI or DisplayPort input, access your monitor’s on-screen menu, and enable the PBP (Picture by Picture) or PIP (Picture in Picture) settings. PIP shows one source device in a smaller inset window, while PBP displays both sources side by side.

If you encounter any issues while setting up multiple devices, your manufacturer’s website is a great place to find resources and support.

4
Get a Competitive Edge in Gaming

An ultrawide monitor can give you a competitive edge by expanding your field of view. If your game supports ultra-wide aspect ratios, you’ll be able to spot enemies sooner in first-person shooters, gaining an advantage before they have a chance to react. Moreover, a wider display provides a more immersive experience, especially with a curved ultra-wide monitor.

However, for this to work, the game must support ultra-wide resolutions. Otherwise, it may not scale properly, causing black bars on the sides. Some games even lock the field of view (FOV) to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage. Additionally, because ultra-wide monitors have higher resolutions, older GPUs may struggle to keep up, leading to FPS drops.

If your favorite game does support ultra-wide resolutions, adjust the FOV in the game settings. Also, tweak the graphics settings to balance visual quality and performance.

5
Turn Your Monitor Into an Entertainment Hub

Your ultrawide monitor shouldn’t be limited to work and gaming—it can also double as a high-performance entertainment hub. Its high resolution and ultra-wide display make it perfect for streaming movies and shows. You can connect a streaming device like a Chromecast, Fire Stick, or Apple TV and access your favorite streaming services.

You can also split the screen to watch a sports game while simultaneously chatting in fan forums. However, since most monitors have basic speakers, you may want to invest in an external speaker or soundbar for better audio quality. To get the best experience, you need to position your monitor at the proper distance and angle.

6
Optimize Settings for the Best Experience

To get the most out of your ultra-wide monitor, adjust the settings. Set the resolution to match your monitor’s native resolution and adjust the scaling of text and icons that appear too small. If your monitor supports it, enable HDR for more vibrant colors and deeper contrast and fine-tune the refresh rate and response time, if available.

In addition, you should calibrate the colors, adjust the brightness and contrast, and enable features like FreeSync (AMD) or G-Sync (NVIDIA) to reduce screen tearing.

For text-heavy tasks like reading or writing, you can adjust sharpness to make the visuals clearer. Take the time to experiment with these settings to find the optimal setup for your needs.

That’s how I get the most out of my ultrawide monitor, and you can do the same. Use these tips to increase your productivity, level up your gaming, and enjoy your free time to the fullest.