Curved vs flat monitors input needed

[Puffnstuff]

I currently have a dell 2709w 1900x1200 va panel monitor and am looking for a replacement in the 32" range. I do not have access to a local store with units on display to compare for myself. I know that sounds ridiculous living in the largest city in the state but ever since tigerdirect closed its doors the in person option has disappeared for me. BB doesn't really have a good selection of anything so I'm forced to try to read reviews online. I've looked at several models of flat and curved panels and most curved are just too expensive for my student budget. I'm looking for the extra real estate to get multiple spreadsheets up on the screen plus I need to have my textbook and lectures up in front of me simultaneously and my 27" screen gets too crowded with all of that at once.

I have no intention of stepping down to a 1080 screen so I'm looking at 2560x1440 or higher resolutions to maintain sharpness of images and text. I'm leaning towards the Samsung S32D850T 32" flat panel but am intrigued by the thought of a curved panel which would bring the edges closer to my aging eyes. What do you guys think? Most affordable curved screens are 1080 which would lower my resolution and aren't even on my radar. Thanks for your input.

 

[Kadarin]

I recently replaced my old (really old) 3007WFP with a U3415W (going from 2560x1600 to 3440x1440). The loss of vertical resolution is noticeable and regrettable, but the ultrawide 21:9 aspect is awesome. The curve is subtle, but does noticeably make the monitor better.

 

[Viper GTS]

I would definitely try to see one of the ultrawides in person before you buy one - They are TINY. The 30+" is deceiving, at a minimum do a mockup of it with cardboard or something.

That said, curved is useful. I went from a triple 27" 16:9 portrait setup to a single 50" panel (whch ends up being slightly smaller, but still roughly similar size) and definitely miss the curve from the monitor mount I was using. My vision is such that even on a 50" 4k necessitates sitting close enough to make the corners an awkward angle.

For a single smaller display it's probably less critical unless you have exceptionally poor vision like me.

Viper GTS

 

[MongGrel]

Curved seems like a gimmick to me atm.

My two cents.

 

[xthetenth]

I have a 34UM95 and a U3415W that I use daily. The curve is very much not a gimmick on monitors, and especially ultrawides. Between the edges being at a decent angle and farther away on the 34UM95, the U3415W is definitely noticeably better because of the curve (and also the stand, but the curve is already enough to make it significantly better).

34" curved is awesome, but it is expensive, and I don't think it's as big a deal on a 27" 2560x1440 screen, it'd be a nice addition rather than a big deal.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I would definitely try to see one of the ultrawides in person before you buy one - They are TINY. The 30+" is deceiving, at a minimum do a mockup of it with cardboard or something.

That said, curved is useful. I went from a triple 27" 16:9 portrait setup to a single 50" panel (whch ends up being slightly smaller, but still roughly similar size) and definitely miss the curve from the monitor mount I was using. My vision is such that even on a 50" 4k necessitates sitting close enough to make the corners an awkward angle.

For a single smaller display it's probably less critical unless you have exceptionally poor vision like me.

Viper GTS

You are right about the vertical height on some of the wide screens being much shorter than what I'm used to. The Dell 29" is 3.5" shorter than what I'm using now and I'm not looking to give up any space. The 32" panels seem to be the right size and I really want one with 1440p or better and the curve. I'm hoping that prices will fall more as we approach x-mas and making them more affordable. Right now the dell 34" curve seems to be the most reasonably priced and dell has a great 3 year warranty which is why I've been buying dell panels exclusively for several years now.

 

[xthetenth]

The dell U3415W is a great monitor, and has been quite well priced for a while now. 34" ultrawides are just wider 27" screens with the same vertical height for reference.

 

[jackstar7]

For your use case (which I feel like a lot of people are ignoring) I would go flat. I use my LG flat for editing and other work-related projects and a curve would create issues for my brain. For productivity, I think flat is the better choice.

You might also just consider two relatively cheap 2560x1440 panels. That should give you enough real estate to manage your work.

 

[xthetenth]

I wasn't ignoring it, I just don't feel the curve would be an issue if you make sure to point the curve directly at yourself. In fact, I find it a bit tricky to keep an eye on vertical lines towards the edge of the screen with my flat.

 

[Fallen Kell]

For a computer monitor, curve isn't entirely a gimmick. The focal point needs to be appropriate for your seating/viewing distance, but otherwise, it actually tends to help with keeping more of the screen at the same focal distance from your eyes, which can help with some of the fatigue with larger displays.

Now for TV's, it is completely a gimmick which simply worsens the viewing angles of the display, which since you are usually trying to optimize for multiple seating positions (not one like with a computer monitor) just makes the overall viewing experience worse.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I've pretty much made my mind up that I'll be getting a curved monitor when I do purchase a replacement. I really hope that prices come down and the resolutions continue to go up while I wait.