Dell's 49-inch ultra-wide monitor is built for extreme multitasking

Dell is about to make you very happy if you're into heavy-duty multitasking. The company has unveiled the UltraSharp 49 Curved Monitor, billed as the first dual QHD (5,120 x 1,440) ultra-wide curved display at its size. The allure, as you might guess, is the no-compromise productivity -- you can run two typical full-screen apps (or two PCs) side-by-side without a drop in resolution or overall size. It's also using an IPS panel that covers 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut, so it should be helpful if you're a photo or video editor who wants as much space as possible for palettes and timelines.

You won't find a fast refresh rate or ultra-low latency here (it's a 60Hz screen with a 5ms response time in "fast mode"), so you'll want to look to companies like Samsung if you want an ultra-wide screen primarily for gaming. And like most displays in this class, it's not a modest investment -- you'll have to spend $1,700 when it launches in the US on October 26th. That's more than two modestly-sized 4K displays, and suggests it's ideal mainly if you insist on uninterrupted screen space.

There are more screens for people who don't need so much visual real estate. The UltraSharp 32 4K USB-C Monitor touts a simple connection and DisplayHDR 400 output (relatively modest compared to some monitors) for $1,100, while the UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Monitor offers a 3,440 x 1,440 wide view for $1,150. And if you just want a straightforward experience, new UltraSharp 24 and 27 monitors provide super-thin bezels in both conventional and USB-C options starting at $350 for the 24-inch model, and $600 for its 27-inch counterpart (add $50 for USB-C). All of these additional monitors are available now in the US.