I don't like curved displays

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall sentiment

  • Opinions are sharply split: some find curved displays transformative (especially on large or ultrawide panels), others find them distracting, distorted, or pointless.
  • Many argue “it depends” on panel size, aspect ratio, curvature radius, viewing distance, and use case.

Optics, distortion, and “correctness”

  • Several comments challenge the article’s “looks like the original scene” claim, noting that:
    • Perspective is only “correct” from a specific viewing point and distance.
    • Flat vs curved doesn’t fix the fundamental mismatch between camera projection and human vision.
  • Others point out that for ultrawides, flat panels put the edges at much greater distance and steeper angles, which can make sizes, brightness and contrast feel inconsistent; curvature reduces that variance.
  • There’s discussion of rectilinear rendering in games and how neither games nor OSes commonly account for physical screen curvature.

Use cases: gaming vs productivity

  • For gaming and immersive setups (e.g., 34–49" ultrawides, 32:9 “super ultrawide,” giant Odyssey-style panels), many say curvature “just feels right” and improves focus.
  • For photo/video work, some argue flat is better for straight lines and geometry; others note panoramas/anamorphic images can actually benefit from curved projection.
  • For coding and office work, complaints focus more on:
    • Low vertical resolution (1440p) on wide panels.
    • Low pixel density making text look coarse vs 27–32" 4K.
    • Scaling quirks across mixed-DPI UI toolkits.

Ergonomics and perception

  • Some prefer curved ultra-wides over multi-monitor “V” setups to avoid constant neck turning; others think modest head movement is healthier than staring rigidly forward.
  • Multiple people note that the brain rapidly adapts:
    • After using curved for a while, flat screens can look bulged outward, and vice versa.
    • This is compared to adapting to glasses, astigmatism correction, or old curved CRTs.
  • A few mention eye strain from LCD non-uniformity; curve + better tech (IPS/OLED) can help.

Glare, sound, and practical annoyances

  • One camp says curved panels worsen reflections and even “focus” sound back at the user; another says curve dramatically reduced glare compared to flat.
  • Ultrawide/curved monitors complicate screen sharing and remote meetings because recipients see tiny, letterboxed desktops.

Buying, cost, and tech constraints

  • High-res curved ultrawides (e.g., 5120×2160, OLED) are praised but considered very expensive with trade-offs in pixel density and lifespan.
  • Several people emphasize that you really need to live with a display for days/weeks; short store demos or specs alone are poor predictors of comfort.