Sceptre C505 Super Ultrawide Monitor Review: I May Never Go Back

The Sceptre C505 Curved LED Monitor might not have a flashy name, but it makes up for it with an absurd amount of screen real estate, 1440 vertical resolution, and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. As someone that works from home — and not just because of the pandemic, but consistently for the past 15 years or so — and loves PC gaming, my monitor is probably the single most important part of my PC setup, besides the PC itself. I stare at my monitor(s) all day long, so I tend to be very picky about what brands and form factors I choose. So, when I had the opportunity to test Sceptre’s 49-inch super ultrawide curved monitor as a replacement for not one, not two, but three separate 1440p monitors, I was skeptical, to say the least.

Productivity is a big thing when you work on the internet all day long. I regularly have at least four separate Chrome windows running and dozens of tabs between them. Using multiple monitors was my fix for keeping an eye on work discussions, email, social apps, and of course my writing and editing, all with as little tab switching as possible. The Sceptre C505 (technically it’s the C505B-QSN168, but I’m all about brevity) is the equivalent of two 1440p monitors married together with no gap in between. On paper, I technically lost one full monitor worth of display real estate when I switch from three 1440p monitors to the single super ultrawide, but in practice, it doesn’t feel like it.

The screen is absolutely massive as it sits on a desk. You know that it’s really just two monitors’ worth of display area, but it feels so much bigger than that. The 5120 x 1440 resolution is a big step up from 1080p, even if you have multiple 1080p monitors. The entire image looks crisp and vibrant, with minimal viewing angle distortion, despite its huge size. The curved form factor might seem like a gimmick when you see monitors like this one in photos, but when you’re using it the curve melts away and you quite literally don’t even notice it. All you notice is that no matter where you look on the display, the picture is perfectly suited to viewing it from your position.

Work Hard, Play Hard

During the workday, I can fit up to four Chrome windows side by side without worrying about any nasty cropping. I typically use a single double-sized window in the center and two separate windows flanking on either side. I usually use one for email, one for social, and the primary window for editing (or writing this review, for example). It’s essentially the perfect setup, and even though I’ll be returning this monitor to Sceptre after my review period is over, it’s going to be very, very hard to go back to standard monitor form factors from here on out.

And then there’s gaming. In the evenings, all those pesky Chrome windows and tabs are silenced in favor of full-screen entertainment. I’m a big fan of first-person games, whether they’re action-oriented or shooters, and while I’ve used “regular” ultrawide monitors in the past, I’ve never gamed on a super ultrawide for anything longer than 10 minutes at a trade show like E3. When I booted up Escape From Tarkov for the first time after setting the C505 up I was floored.

Games — well, good games, anyway — are careful not to give ultrawide and super ultrawide monitor users an advantage. This means that the FOV (field of view) options are the same for everyone, and someone with a 1080p display will see essentially the same amount of the environment as someone on a super ultrawide monitor. That said, there’s just no match for the immersion of playing on a display like the C505, and as the scene wraps around you it’s impossible not to feel a bit more connected to your in-game character, at least in first-person experiences. If I had to compare it to something, I’d say the difference between a 16:9 display and a 32:9 display, for gaming, is similar to the difference between playing something like Fortnite on your iPhone and then switching to a standard desktop monitor. It’s that much better.

Sceptre’s C505 makes all of this even more enjoyable thanks to its full AMD FreeSync Premium integration, HDR400 support, and glare-killing screen coating. There are also expected features like display overdrive and blue light shift mode which can help save your eyes during long gaming or, in my case, working and gaming sessions. The I/O is pretty standard, with two HDMI 2.0 ports and a pair of DisplayPort 1.4 inputs. One of the really cool things is the ability to separate those inputs on the screen, effectively allowing you to use the monitor as a display for multiple different devices if that’s your thing.

With an MSRP of $1,699, it doesn’t sound cheap, but when you consider that the C505 takes the place of two monitors — and can even function like two separate monitors when you need it to — the price makes a bit more sense. It’s also worth noting that the monitor can typically be found on Amazon for a lower cost. In fact, you could pick one up for a mere $999 for over a month this past Summer, which is honestly an absolute steal. But whether you pick it up on the cheap or shell out the full asking price, I really can’t imagine a scenario where the C505 will disappoint you. It’s simply a stellar piece of hardware for anyone who spends considerable time at a computer desk.

About The Author

Mike Wehner
(24 Articles Published)

Mike Wehner is Screen Rant’s Lead Tech Editor and oversees the daily operation of the Tech section. He’s a veteran writer and editor, having written about gaming, technology, and science across websites such as Engadget, BGR, The Daily Dot, Joystiq and Yahoo. His work has also appeared on CNN, USA Today, Time, and other national and worldwide publications.

Mike is an avid gamer, automotive enthusiast, and generally likes any machine that beeps or rumbles. You can find him on Twitter (@MikeWehner) or contact him directly at mike.w (at) screenrant.com.

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