Are These Curved TV's Really That Much Better?
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128827)
Gainesville, Florida
August 2, 2016 7:59am CST
The other day, I was in our local Sam's Club store doing a little food shopping, and when I first walked in the store, they had a bunch of curved TV's displayed right at the front. Although not currently shopping for a new TV, I stopped to take a look, as I was intrigued by the new curved designs. But are they better than flat-screened TV's, or is it just a new marketing ploy designed to get you to buy more TVs?
Sam's Club had a 55-inch curved TV on display next to a flat 55-inch flat TV. As I stood there for a few minutes watching both, I came to the conclusion that the picture quality looked great on both of them. And, if in my opinion, the picture quality seemed to be comparable in both, then why in the world would I spend twice as much for a curved TV?
I did a little research on the TV's last night, and what I found was pretty interesting. Curved TV's are better in a certain situation, which I will reveal shortly. Because the curvature of the TV is similar to that of the human eye, the TV's appear to have more depth. They also have clearer contrast and more vivid colors. If you're sitting at the proper angle, the picture is more crisp. But here's the caveat: curved TV's are only better than flat-screen TV's if they are 65-inches or larger. Yes, that's right...in order to take advantage of the improved features of a curved TV, you have to go big! Like movie theater big! At less than 65-inches in size, curved TV's don't give you a noticeable improvement over a regular flat-screen TV (when all other TV specifications are equal). So, there you have it!
A little further digging on the internet last night also revealed that some TV manufacturers are claiming that their curved TV's are outselling their flat-screened models three to one, so it looks like curved TV's have been accepted by the viewing public, and are probably here to stay for awhile (until the next new TV technology hits the market).
Do any of you own a curved TV? If so, how do you like it?
10 people like this
10 responses
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
2 Aug 16
I'm way out of touch cause I didn't even know a curved tv was an option. I have a flat screen and am perfectly happy with it
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
I'm perfectly happy with my flat screen tv as well! It will be interesting to see how long the curved tv trend lasts. It may go the way of the dinosaur, similar to what happened to 3D tv's.
@egdcltd (12059)
•
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc Back when I bought mine (it's nearly 20 years old, touch wood) it was considered to be pretty big. 26". That's a portable these days. On the plus side, I could buy a new one that's big enough for me for very little money.
There are neighbours whose televisions I can pretty much watch from my house across the street, they are so big.
I can actually see the point in building a movie theatre in your house. If you have money to burn.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@egdcltd Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of money to burn, so no big, extravagant movie theater in my house! I'll stick to what I've got now, and hope it lasts a long time! That way, I can start saving money for my future movie theater! lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
And I thought my 55-inch was too big when I first bought it, and now they have 70-inch TV's and bigger! At this rate, they might as well start building houses with movie theaters in them, because that's about how big these TV screens are getting these days!
By the way, I still have a CRT as well, it's a 19-inch that I bought in 1990 when I was in college. Still works as good as the day I bought it, and is still in use in my youngest child's room! It's 26 years old and still going strong!
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Aug 16
A curved television would only be beneficial if the size was very large because it will allow you to view a wider area. As for any other benefits, all the scientific explanations and sales patter would fail to convince me.
The comment about the curvature of the eye loses value when you consider that reality is not curved.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc My reality is not curved, just warped.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
I'm not convinced curved tv's are the way to go. As you said, reality is not curved (actually Barry, mine and your realities are quite curved!), and besides, the projection on the tv is still two dimensional, whether the image is curved or flat. So to me, there is nothing that convinces me this is a better option. Especially with the price being so high on the curved tv's.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@Asylum So your reality would not make for good tv viewing. These manufacturers haven't perfected 'warped' tv yet!
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
2 Aug 16
No, it's a silly way for manufacturers to get us to buy a new set when the one we have is just fine.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
Exactly! I see it for exactly what it is...a flashy marketing gimmick to convince us we all need to rush out and buy new tv's because our existing ones are obsolete. Doesn't fly with me. I still have an old 19-inch cathode ray tv from 1990 that is still working perfectly fine, and still has a perfectly good image. I remember when they told us we all had to throw away our analog tv's because they wouldn't work with all the new digital technology. I spent about $10 to get a converter, and that old tv from 1990 is still putting out a great viewing image!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Aug 16
@ElizabethWallace I remember the Sony Trinitron! I never owned one, but I always remembered liking them, and hoping that someday I would get one! lol
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
3 Aug 16
@moffittjc I had them for most of my adult life. I was really annoyed that the TV's on the market now do not come close to the picture or sound quality. Again, better technology loses out to huge marketing campaigns. So sad.
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11134)
• United Kingdom
2 Aug 16
We don't own one ... yet! Husband has already informed me that our next telly will be curved. We shall see ... I don't actually know anyone who has one yet.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
Wow, if you get one then, you can be the center of attention in your neighborhood! Invite all the neighbors over, throw wild parties, and be the envy of everyone you know...at least for the short time until everyone else you know rushes out and buys a curved tv!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Aug 16
@Poppylicious I'm not a big fan of 3D tv's, or 3D movies for that matter. I guess because my eyes aren't the best these days that it really makes it hard for me to focus when watching 3D movies or tv.
@Poppylicious (11134)
• United Kingdom
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc I don't think it will happen. The tellybox we have now is all jazzy, HD 3D enabled. How often do we watch anything in 3D? Oh, maybe six times in total in the four or five years we've owned it. If we do get a curved it won't be till everybody else has one so we know it's worth the pennies, I shall make sure of that!
1 person likes this
@miniam (9151)
• Bern, Switzerland
2 Aug 16
Im not a TV person so i think it will take years before i buy a curved TV.Remember how flatscreens were hot when they first came into the market? now all the rage is curved.
Well they have to wait abit longer before they can earn from me
1 person likes this
@miniam (9151)
• Bern, Switzerland
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc
Wise guy!!! people who must have the latest in this or that even if the old one is still in good working order only help make the manufacturers richer
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
@miniam I've changed my whole way of thinking on consumerism in general. When I purchase any product now, I purchase it with the intent to hold on to it until it no longer works. There's no sense in going out and replacing all of my things every time a new fancier model comes out. It's making the companies richer, and me poorer!
1 person likes this
@miniam (9151)
• Bern, Switzerland
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc
Same here, in the past, l was always the one to get the newest everything after a while i thought, is it making me happier? is my old one more or less the same?
then it was time to stop, like you, l buy when l must not because it`s the latest in the stores
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
2 Aug 16
I recently bought my first flat T.V. It is a smart TV and I hope it will be my last. When I bought it, I saw that the curved one was too big and too expensive. And besides, I could not see the difference.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
When I bought my current TV (and LED flat-screen TV), and didn't exactly realize how nice of a TV it was. A friend of mine was over one day watching sports with me, and he noticed that my TV was a smart TV! I had no idea! I didn't even know what a Smart TV was! lol
@silvermist (19701)
• India
2 Aug 16
@moffittjc No,I am not going to buy a curved TV.I like my flat ,LED smart TV.I have a dislike of curved TVs.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19701)
• India
3 Aug 16
@moffittjc That exactly is what I plan on doing too.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
I currently have a flat, LED smart TV, and I love it! I plan to keep it as long as possible, until it no longer works.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (17029)
• United States
2 Aug 16
When we were in Sam's we looked at the curve but weren't that impressed with them. Maybe because there were other televisions around and it was hard to concentrate on just one. One of these days we will have to replace our old dinosaur television set we have and get a flat screen. Mike knows which ones he likes best. I'll be happy with what he chooses. He's smart and does research before we go and purchase. Have a blessed day
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Aug 16
At least he's smart and does research first! Many people just make a purchase on impulse without considering what they are actually getting. No sense paying for features you don't need, or paying extra for whatever happens to be the latest fad! I think you'll do fine when you finally have to get a new TV!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128827)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Aug 16
I was thinking the same thing...my flat screen tv is perfectly fine for my viewing pleasure!
