Nowadays, curved displays are all the rage. Top-of-the-line ultra high definition televisions are almost exclusively curved. I don’t have to tell most of you how quickly technology changes. It wasn’t all that long ago that most of us switched from the huge (and heavy) cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor to a flat screen. Devices the world over understandably become smaller and lighter, but what’s up with this curve technology? If you’re in the market for a new television or desktop monitor, let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s.
Marketing by the major producers of curved televisions and monitors has told us that curved displays offer the largest field of view and the most immersive viewing experience to date. This may be true, but the benefits will only be gained if you have a REALLY large room! Many reviews have reported that a screen size of around 100 inches would be required to experience the full effect of a curved display. You’d also need to sit closer to the screen than you normally would to enjoy the full immersion that the television can offer. One plus to a curved display is it can help to reduce glare on the screen. Also, eye strain is minimized (a bigger deal with computer monitors) because the distance from your eye to the display doesn’t change. If you’re considering a multi-monitor setup for productivity or gaming purposes, having images “wrap” around you could be beneficial.
In my opinion, the biggest “con” to curved televisions or monitors is the price. Curved displays are easily twice that of flat panels. From what I’ve seen of curved displays in action, I don’t feel that the difference in image quality (which is very marginal in my opinion) justifies the price increase. The size of the display needed, plus the distance from the viewer as discussed earlier, is another turn off. If you ask me, at this point in time, I’d stick to a nice LED monitor, and LED flat panel TV for my living room. If you really want to simulate a curved display, get a swivel base or scissor wall mount and turn the television as needed to optimize your viewing experience.