I would really like an article by the Techspot staff comparing similar spec'd monitors that are curved against normal flat screens. Each member would use one for a day or so, then switch to the other, then give honest impressions for work, multimedia and gaming.
I would never buy a curved HDTV for the living room, dumbest thing ever, but for a single user/PC monitor, I would like to hear honest opinions.
That... would be a fairly interesting piece.
In my experience you get the most benefits from a curved monitor if you are 1) using an ultrawide or 2) are using a physically large monitor at short distance.
The primary difference between the flat and curved panel is in how the outer edges of the screen behave visually. With a standard display (16:9), there's not a lot to gain from a curve unless you have a very large screen that you are sitting fairly close to. The reason being that under these conditions the display's viewing angle performance comes into play the further you look off-center.
If you have an ultrawide or dual monitor setup, a curved display (21:9) can eliminate the need for a second display while also eliminating the view angle issue you may have with a flat screen. In games that support ultrawide resolutions, this results in much more immersive visuals because the game space occupies more of your visual field without view angle distortions (diminishing color quality and gamma towards the screen edges). The downside is you do have to look around more with your head and eyes because there is more visual real estate to cover.
In games that don't, you get black bars to either side and a slightly distorted effect that makes the barred 16:9 look like it's been "squeezed" a bit in the middle. Nothing game breaking, but it reminds you that you are looking at a curved display.
Productivity-wise... same deal. The one exception being that some curved displays create a "bowtie" effect that can pose a challenge in photo editing. You can adjust to it, but it's definitely there.
For multimedia... curved displays (larger ones) are like having an Imax on your desktop.
My point of reference is the MX34VQ and a dozen or so flat panels I've used over the years. At 16:9, I think it's a waste of money to pay for a curve given some of their inherent quirks. At 21:9, I'd happily buy two if they are models with a vesa mount.
