The LG 34UC79G is an ultra-wide gaming monitor that does not cost an arm and a leg.

Indeed, its $1,099 price tag is a steal compared with $2,099 for the Asus ROG Swift PG348Q, a similar 34-inch curved monitor.

More importantly, the LG achieves this price point without compromising on screen quality and features.

It uses an in-plane switching (IPS) screen that offers excellent viewing angles and good contrast. It is calibrated at the factory, so it looks good the moment you turn it on.

To be fair, the Asus ROG Swift PG348Q has a higher 3,440 x 1,440-pixel resolution than the LG's 2,560 x 1,080 pixels. Its Nvidia G-Sync feature is also more expensive to implement than the royalty-free AMD FreeSync feature on the LG 34UC79G.

I feel that the LG's lower resolution actually makes it more suitable for gamers, especially those who lack a powerful gaming rig.

The monitor's AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate feature works from 50Hz to 144Hz, so your game's frame rates should ideally be within this range to enjoy the feature.

But it does not work if your gaming PC has a Nvidia graphics card. If you are in the Nvidia camp, you would want to wait and see if LG releases a similar model with Nvidia G-Sync.

With a curvature of 3800R (as curved as a circle with a radius of 3,800mm), this LG monitor curves gently in front of me. It does not quite surround me, despite its width. If you want a curved monitor that provides a more immersive experience, the Acer Predator Z35 (2000R) would be my pick.

The LG could be a tad brighter. It is rated at 250 nits brightness, whereas its competitors are typically rated at 300 nits and higher.

Like other ultra-wide displays, black bars are visible at the sides of the LG monitor when you watch standard 16:9 videos. Video games, however, can scale properly to the monitor's 21:9 aspect ratio.

Its extra width is also useful for multi-tasking as you can have multiple windows open side by side. But its screen resolution means that text and icons look less sharp when browsing the Web or editing office documents.

Press the four-way joystick at the underside of the front bezel to access the monitor's on-screen display (OSD) settings.

It is easy to navigate these settings using the joystick. A shortcut is available for the game-centric settings, which include turning on a crosshair to help your aim in shooter games.

There are also three game profiles - two for shooter games and one for strategy titles. Generally, they seem to increase the sharpness of the screen and enhance the details in dark scenes.

• Verdict: Gamers looking for an ultra-wide gaming display will be pleased with the performance and pricing of the 34-inch LG UC79G.