We have all had that piece of tech that we were extremely excited about. Maybe yours was a new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, a tablet, or a TV. I’ve had a lot myself, including a Nintendo Switch, some new smart home gadgets, and a 2-in-1 laptop. You tend to research when it’s coming out to find out the features that excite you the most and when you can snag it.
You might have seen a video or photo from a show like CES that excited you about what the future of technology is like. Those kinds of showcases are great for the industry, as are the product launches that each manufacturer has. One of the devices that got a lot of hype in the past 15 years was curved TVs. They seemed like they might be the future of home entertainment. Now, you can’t find them anywhere and there are a few reasons why.
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Curved TVs were set to be a big deal
There hadn’t been anything like them before
Back in 2013, curved TVs hit the market after a reveal at CES by Samsung. Samsung and LG were the two companies that made the big push to sell the new and unique technology.
They weren’t the only ones, as TV manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic also wanted to cash in on the idea. The thing that made curved TVs such an appealing prospect was the draw of turning your home into a cinema-like atmosphere. The curve of the TV was supposed to make it feel like you were watching a big screen, providing a more immersive experience.
For anyone who has ever been to an IMAX theater, you know what it’s like to see a curved screen and how much it makes you feel like you’re a part of the movie. Samsung and others wanted to sell that idea to everyday users. If you can’t make it out to an IMAX theater, which are few and far between spread across the U.S., you can just watch something on your curved TV at home.
Curved TVs were early adopters of HDR technology and many highlighted OLED panels for sharper images. Many had infinite contrast to make the experience feel more like a movie theater.
By touting this kind of tech, they were priced higher than regular flat screen TVs, which were just seen as “normal” TVs by everyday standards. But, what manufacturers failed to realize is that not everybody’s home is equipped to take advantage of curved TVs.
The market never materialized for them
People who did buy them didn’t love them
If you have a curved TV, you need to have the proper space to take advantage of it. There needs to be a good amount of room on all sides of the TV for viewers to take advantage of the shape of it.
There isn’t a seat, when you’re using a curved TV, that has the same viewing angle as another. Images won’t look the same, which is crazy to think about that somebody won’t be able to see the same thing you are when they’re watching your TV from the same room that you are. This caused plenty of fights over the best spots in the house.
Because you likely don’t have a big enough room to realistically take advantage of what a curved TV can do, if you’re sitting away from the center of the TV, the image is likely going to look distorted. Shapes look strange and don’t show up in the same way that they would on other TVs.
Buyers of curved TVs found that mounting them was a huge issue. They either didn’t come with a mount, so you had to use a stand. But if they did, they wouldn’t sit flush against a wall, not that you expected them to. But, if you walked past a curved TV and into another room, it protruded away from the wall in an odd way. If you were able to mount it, it needed a specialty mount most of the time, costing you more money.
Also, do you like being in the dark? If so, you might get the most out of your curved TV. Because they were made to bring an IMAX situation to your room, they work best in complete darkness. If you watched TV with the lights on, the viewing angles would shrink and the video could look distorted.
Samsung eventually called it quits on producing curved TVs in 2019, so you can’t really find them anymore. But that doesn’t mean curved screens aren’t a thing anymore.
Curved monitors are much more popular
These are used more than curved TVs ever were
In a smaller setting, users found that curved computer monitors were a much better use for this technology. Because you’re going to be seated closer to a monitor, especially for gaming purposes, the curvature can fill your peripheral vision.
The immersive experience some gamers crave is brought to life by a curved monitor. Your eyes don’t have to strain as much when looking at a curved monitor, because they can scan the entire screen rather than refocus on the center to take in the image.
It’s important to consider how much space you’re going to need on your desktop for your curved monitor.
Everything that people had issues with for the TV version has been a much easier sell when using it on a smaller scale. The screens can be used for multitasking, eliminating the need for multiple monitors as well. Plus, if you’re using one to watch a movie, you’re in for a more immersive experience.
Curved TVs just weren’t meant to be
While the idea was there, the execution wasn’t. Manufacturers could put great tech inside a curved TV with the right pixels and panels for an immersive viewing experience. But, at the end of the day, the shape itself and the logistics just didn’t work out. People rarely had the right home setup to take advantage of the TVs, which made it harder to sell them. That’s why you likely haven’t seen one in years.
- Screen Size
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49-inch
- Display Technology
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QD-OLED
- HDR
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VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400
- Resolution
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5120 x 1440 (Dual QHD)
- Aspect Ratio
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32:9
- Refresh Rate
-
240Hz
The Samsung Odyssey curved gaming monitor is one of the best options on the market. With OLED panels, it boosts visuals across the desk.