IMO, 38" 3840x1600 IPS is the sweet spot for work + gaming. I've been using a discontinued LG monitor for the last 5 years and have been very happy with it.
IMO, do yourself a favor and look at some 38" 3840x1600 resolution IPS monitors. The higher pixel density and standard subpixel layout should make reading text easier on the eyes.
Also, the Odyssey's higher pixel count should require a more powerful GPU to achieve the same frame rate. My understanding is that most competitive FPS players opt for 1080p or 1440p, to max their FPS, which would be even more reason to lean towards a 38" monitor if you really want something that big.
I say this as someone who debated between a 40" 4k monitor and the size and resolution above, and ended up going with the LG 38" monitor in 2020 and having no regrets.
I've primarily used it for work on my MBP and gaming, with open world survival/shooters being my favorite genres.
I think LG has a relatively newer version of 38" in IPS. It's the W model. I've worked on both 34 and 38 ultrawide and the 38 is way better. You really grow to appreciate the extra vertical height that 1600px gives you.
I absolutely love my 38" LG (I have the Freesync version). However, I don't see it for sale anymore. I feel 38" is the perfect size, though I suppose a higher resolution would be good.
Why not consider the 38WR85QC-W.AUS? It's basically the same as the 38GN except cheaper ($1200).
The 40" 5k 2k is also a good option, but I use my UW for both work and gaming so I'd go with the 120hz one.
I have a 38" 3840x1600 with a 2300r curve. It's fantastic. Perfect size. That 39" looks great, but that 800r curve is far too aggressive. I need to be able to use it for non gaming too.
You're not crazy, the way people talk about OLED is very over the top. IPS are certainly useful for productivity. It seems for ***some*** folks OLED can be good for productivity, but it's not universal. Nothing wrong with you, it's just that the tradeoffs are not right for you.
That said, there are two 40" 5k2k IPS ultrawides you might want to look at. Both use the same panel from LG
* LG 40U990A-W (just released)
* Dell U4025QW ([rtings link](https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/u4025qw))
I'm in a similar place where I have a 38" LG ultrawide (looks like same panel as your AW) and I love it. But i'd like to bump up a bit in size and resolution.
However the main caveat with the above two monitors is the response time is somewhat poor. This could cause smearing in games. Mostly seems like it would not be super noticeable unless you are into competitive first person shooters. But it's a downside and it's one thing holding me back a bit. My current monitor has a 1ms gtg (advertised, about 5-8ms real). While the above two monitors have an 8ms gtg (advertised, and 15-25ms real world)
I am holding out hope things will improve over the next few years but as of now I am in the exact same boat. I'd love an upgrade, but it just seems like every upgrade has at least one area where it would be a downgrade. This 38" LG panel was great in all the right places. It may not have silky blacks, but it's very good in all the places that matter to me.
edit: potentially useful video comparison some guy did
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXvANNU8oD8
Top Ultrawide Monitors on Reddit
1
LG
45GX950A-B
70% positive of 908 users
45-inch 800R OLED: immersive gaming, polarizing curve for work.
xxDailyGrindxx
