The advent of LCD panels has opened the door to monitor designs that seemed impossible years ago. Curved monitors have become quite popular with demanding PC users, and there are also curved televisions. In this article we explain what are the most important advantages and disadvantages of curved monitors compared to flat ones.
The monitors curved are the new trend in the sector. More and more options are available, and this type of panel has also reached high-end televisions. Its defenders allege that they have a multitude of benefits for all kinds of use situations, from video games to office work, and of course the cinema.
So what are the benefits of curved monitors? and What are the benefits of flat panel monitors? We try to give you the best possible answer to this very common question.
Curved monitors are more immersive
In the audiovisual world, immersion is a gold standard that all large companies want to work towards. If a product is capable of making you forget that you are looking at a screen, it is much more likely that you will enjoy the experience that it is capable of offering you. Imagine being watching a movie or playing your favorite video game and having the feeling of being there, it is something that is priceless.
Monitor makers like Acer strive to design their products to best replicate real-life sensations. For this they rely on the concept of ocular perception .
Our eyes are capable of seeing in three dimensions. The real world is three-dimensional, but screens are only two-dimensional. So it seems impossible to replicate the real-life viewing experience on a monitor.
Curved monitors seek to end this limitation and get closer to three dimensions . In addition, they expand the peripheral vision so that you can better appreciate the details of the entire scene. In short, they seek to try to "trick" the human eye into believing that it is seeing in three dimensions.
Curved monitors eliminate distortion and reduce eye strain
The light projection physics makes curved monitors less of an image distortion problem. The shape of these screens makes all the pixels better point to the user's eyes , creating a much more natural projection of light and similar to that of real life.
This makes them more comfortable to use , the eyes are able to see the entire scene with less effort. That's why the curved monitors create fewer eyestrain problems in long sessions of use. This is very important in office work, since many hours a day are spent in front of the screen.
Curved monitors offer greater field of view
A common problem with large monitors is that it can be difficult to see the entire scene comfortably. Usually you focus on the center and the edge areas go almost unnoticed.
Because curved screens direct light to the eyes better, the field of view they offer is wider . This makes curved monitors feel larger than flat monitors while still being the same size. Of course, it is something totally subjective and a product of the perception of our eyes.
This larger field of view aids immersion, allowing you to better enjoy movies and games. Surely you can better appreciate all kinds of details.
Not everything is better on curved screens
As usual, nothing in this life is 100% good. Curved monitors also have their downsides, although thankfully they are very few compared to the benefits they offer.
Make wall mounting difficult
The curved design makes the monitors more difficult to mount on the wall . You will need to purchase a mounting bracket that is suitable for curved monitors. You shouldn't have a problem finding them, but they are rarer and therefore more expensive than flat-panel monitor mounts. Swivel and arm mounts are usually best suited for curved monitors.
Glare
Curved screens project light at countless angles, compared to a single angle for flat screens. This causes more glare when looking at the screen from a fairly low angle. This means that the optimal viewing angle is smaller on curved screens than on flat ones.
The best advice to avoid this is to put your curved monitor as far away as possible from light sources such as windows and lamps.
Fewer aspect ratio options
The most common aspect ratio for televisions and monitors is 16: 9. In the case of curved monitors, almost all of them have an aspect ratio of 21: 9 . This means that they are much wider in proportion to the height.
A 21: 9 monitor offers approximately 33% more space in the horizontal dimension compared to a standard 16: 9 monitor. Having the extra space on the horizontal screen of a curved monitor further accentuates its benefits.
This is a good thing, but at the same time it limits the options that you will find in the market . If you want a 16: 9 curved monitor, it will be almost impossible to find it, and if you do find it it will be very expensive because it is a "rare" product.
Problems in multi monitor settings
Curved displays are less suited to multi-monitor setups together , their design making them virtually unusable for this use. So if you want to work or play with several monitors together, it is better to opt for flat screens.
So far our article on the advantages and disadvantages of curved monitors compared to flat ones. We hope you liked it and that you find it very useful. You can share it on social networks so that it can help other users.
Image source: BenQ and ViewSonic