Curved vs. Flat Monitors: Which is Better?

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Curved monitors are a recent addition in the monitor’s arena, but they are quickly gaining popularity among users. So why make a move to curved monitors? The USP of a curved monitor is its design which offers considerable benefits hard to find on a flat-screen.

Please keep reading for more details about how a curve monitor differs from a flat-screen, what extra features and benefits it provides to the users and whether it is a good option to make a switch from a flat panel.

For a long time, flat has been the norm in the display world. But a new design has emerged, the curved one, and going by its popularity, we can say that it’s here for a long run.

But are they worth the popularity or just a gimmick? Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

Flat Monitors

Flat has been the standard of the monitors for a long time. Flat monitors still own a large chunk of the display market and come in varied sizes, resolutions, and features. Because of their wider use, you could easily find a flat monitor that best suits your needs, whether you are a gamer, a professional, or just a casual user. You can go with performance-intensive, 240 Hz high refresh rate monitors or visually enhancing 8k resolution Ultra HD monitors. In short, there is something for everyone when it comes to a flat monitor. But lately, the status quo is changing, and flat-screen monitors are getting a tough challenge from curved displays. Stills flat screens have advantages that are hard to discard, so if you are a hardcore fan of flat screens, you don’t have to worry.

Pros
  • Being flat in shape, the monitors are easy to mount on the wall
  • Flat display with their uniform screen produces less glare than the curved ones.
  • Multiple viewers can comfortably enjoy the visuals as there is no specific requirement for an optimum viewing angle.
  • They are less expensive than the curved monitors.
Cons
  • Do not take into account the peripheral vision, so visuals are not very immersive.
  • Put extra strain on the eyes as they have to refocus every time they move from the center to the edges.
  • Wider size and flat panels could produce distortion around the edges.

Curved Monitors

Curved monitors provide a more visually immersive experience thanks to their slightly curved shape. Curved monitors come with a unique feature number/letter combo that looks like 1000R, 1500R, 1800R, 3000R, and so on. This unique feature shows the curvature of the monitor. The value ‘R’ is used to designate the curvature radius and is measured in millimeters. The rule of thumb is the lower the number, the more curved the monitor. The curvature brings the edges to your field of view, creating a wrap-up effect that offers realistic, accurate life-like visuals. A curved display produces a perception of three dimensions by extending the peripheral vision. Besides, a curved monitor also offers a broader field of view than a flat screen allowing you to also experience the visuals on the sides of the screen with more significant detail.

Curved vs Flat Display
Source: Aorus
Pros
  • Support the peripheral vision, so visuals seem more realistic and highly immersive
  • Slight curvature combined with larger size produces a wider field of view
  • Very comfortable to the eyes as you don’t have to refocus while moving from the center to the edges
  • Curvature create depth in the visuals, so images and videos look closer to a real-life 3D environment
Cons
  • Although increasing in popularity, curved monitors are still costly
  • Not ideal for pro gamers.
  • To get a reasonably immersive experience, you need a larger size monitor

Curved vs. Flat Monitors For Gaming

Gaming is a demanding activity both in terms of performance as well as visuals. Despite providing a highly immersive experience, curved monitors come short for high-end gaming. The first thing is the aspect ratio. In contrast, most curved monitors offer a 21:9 aspect ratio; games, on the other hand, are primarily developed for the 16:9 aspect ratio.

The extra aspect ratio on a curved monitor will end up as a black border. If you even put the price aside, which is generally high for curved monitors, you won’t get as favorable values of refresh rate and input lag as with the flat monitors. Both factors have a considerable effect on the gaming experience. Still, If you want to spend more and are looking for an immersive gaming experience, you should go with curved gaming monitors. If you are into high-end competitive gaming, it’s better to go for a flat-screen rather than the curved one. Flat monitors offer low input lag and response time.

Curved vs. Flat Monitors For Productivity

Productivity in terms of a monitor is all about the screen real estate. A larger screen provides ample space for multitasking. While the ultra-wide curved monitors have plenty of screen space, there is no shortage of flat monitors with generous screen real estate. So a choice between curved Vs. flat monitors for productivity is all about preferences.

However, the supportive ergonomic design, which is less strenuous to the eyes and provides an ultra-wide viewing angle, favors curved monitors. Lowering the discomfort and reducing the eye fatigue curved screen helps professionals be more efficient and productive for more extended periods.

On the other side, monitor curvature could also make it difficult to differentiate whether lines and crops are perfectly straight, a downside maybe for designers and video editors. Moreover, if your work requires a multiple monitor setup, flat screens will suit you best.

Curved vs. Flat Monitors For Home Entertainment

The wrap-up effect of a curved monitor makes the visual more immersive and much closer to real life. A curved monitor definitely provides a more immersive experience and a greater viewing angle which could significantly enhance the visual experience. But to experience this immersion, a user has to sit very close to the curve screen. That creates a less than ideal situation for multiple viewers.

Besides, due to the shape, a curved screen poses difficulties for wall mounting. And if you are not directly sitting right in front of the monitor, you have to adjust the viewing angle to be able to enjoy the immersive effect of a curved display.

Moreover, curved monitors are prone to glare due to their very shape. In a flat monitor, light distribution is uniform, while in a curved monitor, light is directed towards a point which could result in a disturbing glare.

Curved vs. Flat Monitors: Which is better?

Both curved and flat monitors are not very different as far as the technology goes. Both offer an excellent resolution, ultra-clear visuals, and similar input ports. The curvature that the curved monitors have makes all the difference. It supports the peripheral vision and creates an illusion of 3D real-life visuals. So the images and videos seem highly immersive and hyper-realistic.

Flat monitors are not really far behind. They are too not short of features. You can easily find a feature-laden flat monitor with great visuals and intensive performance, all within a decent budget. The immersion factors combined with a wide viewing angle and better ergonomics make curved monitors a shade better than flat monitors.

Conclusion

Considering all the factors and positives and negatives of Curved vs. Flat Monitors, whether one option will be better than the other depends upon the personal choice. Although, if you have a knack for highly immersive visuals, a large enough room with proper lighting, and a considerable budget, you should undoubtedly go for a curved monitor. On the other hand, if you are high-end gamers with performance-intensive needs, flat panels still beat the curved display in this regard.

Ankit is a software engineer. A pro lover of Technology and tech gadgets. I am a gamer too. Our team is here to help you find the best monitor products to decide which one is best for you.

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