Last Updated on May 24, 2022
There’s a new trend in monitors lately—curved screens. But at the same time, a question arises, Should I Buy A Curved Monitor? Let’s find out.
So, if you’ve ever stepped into an electronics store and noticed the curved monitors, you probably wondered what the point of those was. Curved screens are supposed to be more immersive than flat ones.
While I’m not sure how useful that is on a PC monitor, it might prove true on television. But there are other reasons you should consider buying a curved screen monitor.
Let’s start with the immersion aspect. A curved screen monitor will feel closer to your eye and thus feel more immersive as if it was surrounding you.
Also, you’ll have to see it for yourself to understand this feeling truly. Still, if you like the idea of being surrounded by your screen, then a curved screen monitor might be right up your alley.
But other, more practical reasons exist as well that make a curved screen monitor worth considering, starting with the fact that they don’t cause as much eye strain as flat ones due to their position in relation to your eyes.
However, there are a plethora of reasons why you should consider a curved monitor. So, to find out the real benefit of curved screen monitors, let’s dig into this.
Should I Buy A Curved Monitor? A Comprehensive Curved Monitors Buying Guide:
Bear with us, so you should know why buying the best-curved monitor in 2022 is your best bet.
Enhance Movie And Video Game Experience:
If you’re not planning on doing much gaming or movie-watching, then a curved display probably won’t be worth the extra cost. But if you have the money, and you want to take your viewing experience to the next level, a curved monitor might be just what you need.
Starting off, a curved monitor can help give you a more immersive viewing experience. A curved display offers a wider field of view and more realistic colors than comparable flat-screen monitors. The screen’s curve also helps the monitor sit at a more natural distance from your eyes, letting you maintain focus for hours without neck strain.
More so, curved monitors are also great for gaming. Gaming monitors are expected to have reasonable refresh rates, low response times, and high resolutions—all of which are characteristics that work best with a curved display.
Here, the screen’s curvature also allows for better peripheral vision, which is essential in games where there’s action happening all around you (especially first-person shooter games).
Also, curved monitors allows your eyes to take in more of the screen without moving your head as much. It also provides a better view of the corners of the screen, so you won’t have to strain your eyes to see what’s happening there. You’ll be able to focus on whatever you’re watching or playing more efficiently than with a flat monitor, which will result in an overall better viewing experience. Better viewing angles:
Increased Immersion:
There is a reason why curved TVs are marketed as “immersive.” When you experience content on a curved screen, it’s just like being there—like the image envelops you. You’ll have a vantage point that makes it seem as if you’re sitting in the middle of a movie theater.
Moreover, you’ll be able to see all the action in an uninterrupted flow without shifting your eyes back and forth between corners. Surprisingly, it can make anything from movies to video games more of an experience—and a more satisfying one.
It’s beneficial for gamers because even if the game doesn’t take advantage of the entire field of view afforded by ultra-wide resolution, it will still benefit from feeling less boxed-in by its standard aspect ratio.
But is this enough for a curved monitor? Find out more benefits below.
Better Field Of View
It’s somehow the most obvious reason to buy a curved monitor right off the bat.
Display manufacturers are using curvature to create a more immersive display for users. It’s due to the fact that the field of view (FOV) on a user’s screen is much more comprehensive when compared to monitors without curves. But what does this mean for you?
- For example, let’s say you’re playing Battlefield 1, and you’re in the cockpit of a plane as it flies over the Alps. The visuals are stunning, but with a flat monitor, there’s a limited amount of space that allows you to see all that gorgeous landscape.
- Now imagine that same image on a curved monitor. With that extra FOV, the mountains look more like mountains and less like blobs of gray pixels. Your game just got more realistic!
In fact, having a screen that wraps around your vision is more immersive and makes it easier to keep track of everything going on in the game. It helps gamers, especially in first-person shooters where you need to scan your environment for enemies. If you’re looking for a gaming monitor, then curved monitors are definitely worth considering.
With that said, not all games will benefit from this wider field of view. If you’re playing a game like League of Legends or Starcraft, you’ll mostly be looking at one or two areas on the screen, so that a curved display won’t help you at all.
More Comfortable Workstation
A curved monitor is a great choice for an office setting because it can help to create a more comfortable workstation.
With a curved screen, the monitor’s edges are closer to your eyes, which helps to reduce eye strain and fatigue when you spend long hours in front of your computer. These characteristics make it useful for designers and programmers because it can provide a more comfortable viewing experience for the user.
Similarly, when you’re using a curved monitor, you may also find that there is less glare on your screen from overhead lights or other sources of light in the office.
The monitor’s curve also helps to reduce reflection from windows. It makes it easier to see what’s on your screen even during the daytime hours, when there might normally be glare issues with flat screens.
Convenient Multi-Display Setups:
If you’re a designer, artist, or someone who uses multiple displays to work more efficiently, then a curved monitor may be a good option for you. While there are other benefits to curved monitors, the most useful advantage is that you’ll have a very convenient multi-display setup.
Curved monitors are great for multi-display setups because they eliminate the annoying and distracting gap between your computer screens. These gaps can be very irritating in multi-display setups because it creates two separate “windows” on your desktop instead of one large window.
Obviously, this distraction is annoying during work as well as play. Having that seam can make it more challenging to keep track of your windows and their positions. It also makes it harder to move items from one monitor to the other. In this case, curved monitors solve both of these problems by seamlessly connecting all of your displays into one large display.
In addition to the seamless view offered by curved monitors, they also offer some ergonomic benefits.
Some people find that their eyes feel less strained after switching to a curved monitor because their field of vision is more natural and comfortable. However, you should note that this isn’t true for everyone; some people find that curved monitors cause eye strain because they aren’t used to how much closer it is to the eyes.
Curved Monitors Travel Less Space:
One of the biggest complaints is that there’s just not enough space when it comes to the office. It’s already difficult enough to find a desk for each employee, and then when you add bulky computer monitors. On top of that, things can quickly get out of hand. For those who are looking to save as much space as possible, curved monitors may be a good option.
Curved monitors take up less space than flat ones because they don’t have the same depth as other models. As a result, you’ll be able to fit more onto your desk without taking up too much room or making it hard to reach other items. It’s beneficial for people who utilize multiple monitors, since you’ll have room for all of them!
Curved screens catch less glare from lights or windows than flat ones, which means fewer distractions will be if someone sits in front of you while using their computer screen. If your eyes start hurting after staring at a bright screen all day long, then this might just be the solution!
They Require Less Eye Movement:
Curved monitors allow you to focus in the center of the screen more easily, rather than having your eyes dart back and forth from one side of the display. This is not only a more natural way of viewing an image, but it also reduces eye fatigue for extended use. Rather than looking around at images and windows on your monitor, curved monitors allow you to view everything right.
They Give You A Wider Field Of View. Curved monitors are designed to be viewed from a fixed distance. On average, this usually amounts to sitting about three feet away from the screen, with your eyes approximately six inches from the display surface.
When viewed at that distance, a 27-inch curved monitor gives you about a 178-degree field of view—which means that you can see all sides of the monitor without moving your head too much in any given direction.
They Provide a Better Contrast Ratio. The contrast ratio measures how well a monitor can distinguish between its darkest and brightest colors. While most flat-screen displays have a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 to 5,000:1, many curved monitors have ratios up to 10,000:1 or higher (such as Samsung’s S34E790).
Added Cost:
The main downside to a curved monitor is its cost—they are typically more expensive than flat monitors of comparable quality. But if you spend most of your time working in front of a computer screen, this may be an investment worth making for yourself or your employees!
But, Is A Curved Monitor Right For Me?
If you’re looking to improve your multimedia experience or make a change to your current monitor setup, a curved display could be right for you. If you’re using programs with a lot of details and require precise color accuracy (like Adobe Photoshop), you’ll get an enhanced viewing experience over a flat-screen.
It’s also worth considering if you’re planning to buy two monitors to set up as one extended screen. Curved displays are often advertised as being optimized for this purpose, so the picture won’t look distorted at the edges when they’re placed next to each other.
At the end, if you’re splashing out on more than one monitor, it can be worth the extra cost to get a matching design that enhances your gaming, video streaming, and work productivity with a seamless field of view.
Conclusion:
So, should you buy a curved monitor? While it depends on what you plan to use your monitor for, the answer is most likely no. They are generally not worth the price and will not offer any significant advantage over a flat-screen of the same size.
If you do choose to purchase a curved monitor, there are a few things to consider before buying one. The curve is usually only noticeable if your eyes are in the center of the screen and at an appropriate distance from it.
Otherwise, it can be hard to pick up on the curvature. Some users find that they have to sit closer or farther away from their monitors in order to experience the full effect of the curve, which can be uncomfortable, especially with larger monitors. You also want to make sure that you’re sitting directly in front of your monitor, as this is how the curve should be best experienced.
So while curved monitors might look cool, they don’t really provide any advantages over flat screens. If you’re interested in luxury computer products with real benefits, check out some of our recommendations for the best curved monitors below.
LG 34WN80C-B UltraWide Monitor
