Do I really need a... Curved monitor?

What does it do?

Curved screens have been appearing at the big electronics shows for the past few years, and are now getting affordable. They’re vertically flat, but the sides curve towards you. Most of us can still remember when cathoderay screens were the opposite: first bulging like a goldfish bowl, then losing the vertical curve so the screen looked like part of a cylinder, and finally getting almost completely flat, only to be replaced by LCD panels. There’s no technical need for LCDS to be curved at all, but manufacturers have now decided it’s a saleable gimmick… sorry, we mean a desirable innovation.

Why would I want it?

That’s a very good question. Not many of us have ever sat looking at a TV and thought “If only it wasn’t so flat”. When you try a large curved screen, though, such as LG’S 34in 34UC88 (£670 from Novatech www.snipca. com/23316, pictured), it undeniably makes films and especially games feel more – to use the jargon – ‘immersive’. Compared to multiple monitor setups, you’re more likely to see the whole scene, rather than focus on the central screen and ignoring the others.

What’s the catch?

Curved TVS are unpopular because they’re harder to see from the sides, and most living rooms accommodate several people. Curved monitors make more sense, but you might find it more comfortable just to use a big screen and push it back a bit, so your eyes can scan across easily. Alternatively, use two monitors with, for example, your photo or video on one and the editing software on the other. Most PCS can cope with at least two screens.

So can I do without it?

Unless you’re a full-time gamer with a craving for curves, yes.