Back in 2010, the curved TV screens were the next big thing, well, almost. They didn’t stay that long; they emerged on the market and disappeared in a blink of an eye. So, why were curved TVs hyped in the first place? By the way, so that you know, curved TVs aren’t entirely gone; Samsung still has some hanging around its warehouse. But, the market has now concentrated on thinner, flatter, and bigger TV screens.
Curved TVs were hyped as being revolutionary, and they were always sold at a higher price because of this. The argument was that curved TVs offer a more immersive experience as the curved screen has a more natural look to support the peripheral vision of our round eyes. They were also believed to provide a wider field of angle.
Despite their novelty, curved screen computer monitors and TVs never really took off. Are you wondering why this is the case? We have taken our time to discuss some of the differences between curved and flat screens, and merits and demerits of curved screens over flat screens. Take a look!
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Differences Between Curved and Flat Screen TVs
Apart from the screen shape, there are no much differences between curved screens and flat screens. Having said that, there are some noticeable differences when it comes to their design, their choice of models, and when watching them.
How they look when watching
Regarding how they look when watching, curved screens do stand out more than flat screens, for apparent reasons. The curved TV’s shape really draws the eye, so if this is something that interests you, you might want to get a curved screen and not a flat-screen.
Curved screens also tend to be quite flattering, and finding an excellent curved screen tv stand can be challenging. On the other hand, flat screens tend to be thinner and easily mounted on walls. In fact, you can even have a corner stand for your flat screen tv.
Choice of Models
Another significant difference between curved TVs and flat screens is the variety of models available for either of the two. Currently, there are fewer curved screen TV models available on the market than flat screens. They also come in bigger sizes of over 40-inches (101 com), and are generally more expensive compared to their flat screen counterparts.
Curved TVs also come with all the extras of modern TVs. Basically, the main differences between curved and flat-screen TVs are the available model choice, their appearance when they are off, and their price tag. However, you will hardly notice any real difference when watching—of course, all specs being equal.
What are the Advantages of a Curved Screen TV?
The short answer to this question is that it depends. Curved TVs have both advantages and disadvantages, but the ultimate deciding factor when buying comes down to personal choice and price.
The generally accepted benefits of curved screen TVs are as follows:
- Curved screens offer a bit of improvement in terms of immersiveness; though this depends highly on how far away the user is from the screen. Even so, the slightly larger screen and the additional fraction of a degree will automatically increase your viewing immersion.
- Viewing depth is enhanced in curved TVs. The curved screen creates a depth, especially in larger models, which improves viewing depth considerably. Some manufacturers, like Samsung, go even further to include more depth enhancement technology to enhance the 3D effect.
- Curved screens provide a larger field of view. While this feature is not as striking as some may claim, it is considerably improved on curved screens.
- Curved screens have an exceptional contrast; though most reviews of these screens reveal that this has more to do with the different technology in the devices as opposed to the curved-screen itself.
- Curved TVs are aesthetically appealing. While this is purely a matter of taste, these TVs are undoubtedly intriguing to look at, in and of themselves.
Disadvantages of Curved Screen TVs
Curved TVs have their drawbacks too, probably the reason why they didn’t take off so well. Here are some of them.
- Reflections are exaggerated. The curved shape can generate a ‘funhouse’ mirror illusion effect from the reflections on the screen. The truth is curved screens can never replicate theatre-quality immersion, despite all the hype.
- The curve limits the quality of the viewing angle of curved screens considerably, especially for smaller screens less than 165cm (65 inches).
- The best picture quality on curved TVs can only be spotted dead-center. When watching any 4K TV off-center, it tends to start to impair the quality of the picture. In a nutshell, the “sweet spot” for quality viewing is much narrower in curved TVs than in flat TVs.
- Curved screens are hard to mount on a wall. While wall mounts for flat-screen TVs allow for easy mounting of these screens, the curved TVs’ shape makes them inherently harder to mount on a wall.
- You’ll have to buy larger models to get any real value for the curved TVs since most of the benefits of these screens are seen in bigger TVs.
- Curved screen TVs tend to be pricier compared to their flat screen counterparts.
So, Are Curved TVs Better than Flat TVs?
Put merely; curved screen TVs are not that better compared to flat TVs. In fact, most people don’t understand where there is a hefty price tag on them. To enjoy these TVs’ real benefits, you either have to watch from extreme angles or sit relatively close to the screen.
If you like their aesthetics and don’t mind the premium price, then, by all means, go for curved TVs. However, if what you are looking for is a substantial improvement to your general viewing, then the price-to-benefit of curved TVs isn’t really worth it.
Due to their shape, they also come with some new issues not available with the best flat screen TVs.
Can Curved TVs be Mounted on the Wall?
While it is not as easy to mount a curved TV on the wall like it is with a flat-screen, yes, curved TVs can also be mounted on the wall. The two screen types basically use the same kinds of brackets. But, you have to make sure you look for those that are compatible with curved screens.
Fortunately, most TV brackets are similar across brands and are clearly labelled with the correct screen sizes they fit, making getting the right one hassle-free.
If you already have a curved TV, you might want to get a bracket mount with a swing arm. This one will let you rotate the TV to your desired position.
Availability of Curved Screen TVs
Curved TVs are now a thing of the past. The last curved TV model was released in 2017 by Samsung. Other manufacturers, including Sony and LG have completely discontinued them. Samsung curved TVs are usually highly-priced over their flat alternatives that perform the same, making them an unpopular choice for most people.
While it’s true that there is a slight difference in the quality of the picture that you get with a curved TV compared to what you get with a flat TV, it’s not substantial. In fact, you’ll only notice the difference when you watch from up close or at extreme angles.
In a nutshell, curved TVs tend to offer very minimal benefits over their flat screen counterparts. Any real advantages from the technology come from the bigger models, and even then, they are not that impressive. But, if you like the aesthetics that come with a curved TV screen and don’t mind paying a hefty price for it, then, by all means, go ahead and buy one.
We hope our comparison helped you make an informed buying decision between a curved TV and a flat one. If you already have a flat-screen and are looking for the best wall mounts for flat screen tv, check out our list of both dual computer mounts and single monitor arms.
Like this article? Then you would definitely love our other article on the Best Dual Computer Mount also What you should know before buying a TCL 49 4K Smart TV
