Summary
Over the past few years, I’ve used two curved monitors. My first was the Samsung Odyssey G5, a 27-inch display with a curved VA panel, which I later replaced with the Alienware AW3423DW ultrawide OLED in late 2022.
While the OLED panel was one of the biggest reasons for upgrading, another major factor was the difference in curvature. The Samsung monitor featured an aggressive 1000R curve on a standard 16:9 display, whereas the AW3423DW uses a much gentler 1800R curve across its wider 34-inch ultrawide panel. Looking back, I realized the Samsung display was simply too aggressively curved for my preferences.
Manufacturers often promote curved displays as a more immersive option for gaming, but I’ve always questioned those claims. After living with two different curved monitors, I found the experience far less transformative than advertised. A subtle curve can certainly improve immersion in some single-player games, but for everyday tasks such as web browsing, working with spreadsheets, or editing photos and videos, the disadvantages become much more noticeable.
Over time, those drawbacks became difficult to overlook, leaving me with some regrets about choosing a curved monitor in the first place.
Edge Distortion Is Hard to Ignore
Straight Lines Never Quite Look Straight
The first thing I noticed after moving from a flat display to a curved monitor was distortion around the edges of the screen.
Content containing straight lines—including websites, user interface elements, and spreadsheets—appeared slightly warped near the edges. At first, I assumed I simply needed time to adjust to the different screen shape. However, even after several months, the aggressive 1000R curve continued to bother me, particularly while editing photos and videos.
In applications like Photoshop, grid lines no longer appeared perfectly straight, making even simple editing tasks feel less precise and more time-consuming.
Gaming wasn’t nearly as problematic, but I wouldn’t describe the experience as especially immersive on a 27-inch display. Even HUD elements positioned in the corners often appeared more distorted than I would have liked.
When I upgraded to the Alienware AW3423DW, the gentler 1800R curve immediately felt much more natural. The wider ultrawide aspect ratio also made the curve feel more appropriate, especially in single-player games. Although edge distortion still existed, it was significantly less noticeable than it had been on the Samsung monitor.
Glare and Reflections Become a Constant Distraction
Curved Screens Reflect Light Differently
Unlike flat monitors, which reflect light in a more predictable way, curved displays tend to redirect reflections from light sources positioned in front of the screen directly toward the viewer.
Even when a light source isn’t directly centered, reflections can still remain within your field of view. This becomes even more noticeable on monitors with aggressive curves, particularly in brightly lit rooms.
Interestingly, this wasn’t a significant issue with my Samsung Odyssey G5, largely because of its matte screen coating.
However, things changed after switching to the AW3423DW. Its glossy OLED panel made reflections much more apparent whenever the display showed darker content.
Since I usually play games at night with the lights off, reflections aren’t much of a concern during gaming sessions. During the day, though, I work with a window positioned directly in front of the monitor.
No matter how I adjusted the monitor arm, ambient light continued reflecting toward my eyes. The glare became distracting enough that I sometimes leave a random video playing simply to reduce the visibility of reflections while working.
Unless your workspace has nearly perfect lighting—with no major light source directly facing the display—a curved glossy monitor may end up being more frustrating than immersive.
Curved Monitors Complicate Multi-Monitor Setups
They Don’t Blend Well With Flat Displays
When I purchased the AW3423DW, I expected it to integrate smoothly with my existing flat monitors.
That never happened.
Matching a curved display with flat panels proved surprisingly difficult. Regardless of how much I adjusted their positions, achieving a consistent viewing experience was nearly impossible because of the difference in viewing angles.
Even simple actions, such as dragging application windows from one display to another, made the difference obvious. Windows often appeared slightly distorted when moving onto the curved screen due to its shape and viewing angle.
The inconsistency becomes even more noticeable during productivity work.
Text and user interface elements can appear larger or slightly skewed on the curved display compared to neighboring flat monitors, especially if different resolutions or scaling settings are being used.
Instead of improving productivity, the ultrawide monitor disrupted the visual consistency that I previously enjoyed with an all-flat monitor setup.
You’ll Either Appreciate Curved Monitors or Prefer to Avoid Them
If you’re considering your first curved monitor, I would strongly recommend choosing an ultrawide model with a gentle curve rather than a smaller display with an aggressive bend.
Based on my experience, the wider aspect ratio takes much better advantage of the curvature. It feels more natural for both gaming and multitasking, while avoiding the exaggerated effect often found on smaller 16:9 monitors.
Overall, my experiences with these two curved displays have been mixed.
Do I regret buying the Alienware AW3423DW? Not at all. The OLED panel offers enough advantages to outweigh its shortcomings.
Do I regret buying the Samsung Odyssey G5? Absolutely.
Its aggressive 1000R curve simply didn’t suit a 27-inch monitor with a standard 16:9 aspect ratio. After using it, I’m confident that I wouldn’t buy another curved 16:9 monitor again.