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The future of monitors is curved. These stylish-looking computer monitors are here to stay, and they’re quickly running their flat counterparts out of the market.
They’re doing this for more than just their aesthetic appeal. Their functionality, in many aspects of quality, is also off the charts.
Make no mistake, plenty of thought went into this design concept. It started in about 2014 with curved TVs hitting the shelves first. While these TVs never really took off in the market, monitors quickly took this design and ran with it. Ever since then, curved monitors continue to push the limits of what’s possible.
Curved monitors have one major benefit. They eliminate edge distortion by equalizing viewing distance from all angles. Your level of immersion increases, making your gaming, designing, streaming, and editing experiences more exciting.
Developers, gamers, creative artists, and content creators are the most popular buyers of curved displays but that doesn’t mean you can’t get one for personal or business use. Get one if you can and enjoy the experience.
But first, in this article, I will help answer some basic questions that many potential buyers ask all the time.
Do curved monitors have webcams?
The simplest answer? It depends.
To be fair, some curved monitors come with in-built webcams. Others do not. It entirely depends on the brand and the features you’re looking for. However, you’ll find that most curved monitors don’t come standard with a webcam. Why is that?
While many designers, gamers, and content creators love curved monitors, a built-in webcam isn’t exactly a design feature they find appealing. Many users would rather buy a webcam separately.
That’s not the end of it though. Some popular brands like HP have produced curved monitors with built-in webcams in the recent past. We will explore them below. But, let’s answer another important question.
Why buy a curved monitor that has a built-in webcam?
There are several reasons for you to buy a curved monitor with a built-in webcam. First, your curved monitor also serves as your webcam.
All you have to do is plug in your computer and you’re ready to go. A built-in webcam is quite convenient, especially if you conduct plenty of online meetings or speak to people online frequently.
Second, you get to save money on buying a separate webcam. This deal is quite exciting if you’re looking to buy a monitor that serves more than one purpose.
Third, as you’ll see below, many curved monitors that come with in-built webcams have impressive camera quality. Whether you are video conferencing for work, attending online classes, or enjoying a conversation with family, you’ll experience clear video quality that meets or exceeds expectations.
Is a curved monitor good for office work?
Curved monitors are great for office work. With increased levels of immersion, you’ll feel more engaged in your work. This also helps increase your general productivity. Curved displays in general draw you into the scene, making your experience feel ‘real’.
They make it easier to perceive what we see in three dimensions, and that makes them better than ordinary flat monitors.
Curved screens, by nature, equalize your viewing distance to the screen from all angles. This means that you’ll experience up to 60% less strain and eye ache than if you were using a flat monitor.
Another added benefit is that you’ll read faster and find things faster on your computer with a curved monitor.
Do gamers use curved monitors?
Absolutely! In fact, as a gamer, you’ll benefit a lot from owning a curved monitor. All the benefits that apply to owning one for office work also come with owning one for gaming.
Many gamers enjoy owning huge screens for a better experience and curved monitors come with that benefit. Curved monitors, by nature, come in large sizes and this means that you can enjoy your favorite game in full panoramic view.
VR games, racing games, and flight simulators work best with curved displays.
What are the Pros and Cons of a curved monitor?
Let’s look at some of the pros of curved monitors:
- Curved screens are beautiful and stylish. They give a pleasing aesthetic feel to your workspace
- They increase your level of immersion, making everything appear realistic.
- Curved screens reduce and, in certain cases, eliminate image blur and distortion.
- Curved design reduces eye stress, allowing you to work for longer.
- A curved screen reduces reflections. This helps increase immersion into work or gaming.
- Screen curvature creates image depth, creating a three-dimensional effect.
- Curved screens use better and more advanced technology than flat screens.
Here are some of the cons:
- Curved monitors are more expensive than their flat counterparts
- Many curved monitors are large. They consume plenty of space, making them inconvenient for small desks and cramped workspaces.
- You can’t exactly mount them on a wall. The curvature makes them look awkward. Blind spots also tend to appear when mounted.
What should you look for when buying a curved monitor?
If you’re looking to buy a curved monitor, there are some things you should look at:
Purpose
What do you want to use the monitor for? Is it gaming, work, or general use? Whatever the case, consider what you want your monitor to do. Gamers benefit from faster refresh rates while professionals prefer better color accuracy.
If you’re a general user, you may need more than just one reason to decide, though most curved monitors are already great options.
Refresh Rates
Gamers benefit the most from faster refresh rates, ranging from 75Hz to over 144Hz. Bigger screens offer better and less choppy images, making them perfect for high-quality gaming experiences. Otherwise, a refresh rate of 60Hz is ideal for standard use.
Resolution
Resolution is a measure of pixels a monitor has in width versus height formula. 1920 X 1080, or full HD makes for the best minimum resolution.
A higher resolution like QHD and 4K means sharper images and better video quality.
Price
In general, most curved monitors are quite expensive. However, other factors like resolution, size, response times, and purpose determine what you’ll pay for an excellent monitor.
Size
Size matters too. For typical viewing distances on desktops, 32 inches is plenty of size. This size is quite easy to find whether it is for gaming or general use.
With these considerations out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the best curved monitors with built-in webcams in the market right now.
4 Best curved monitors with webcam
Philips Brilliance 346P1CRH Curved Monitor
This 34-inch LCD has 3440 X 1440 resolution, 4ms response time, and 100Hz refresh rate, making it one robust monitor. With a curvature of 1500r and a pixel density of 110 pixels per inch (PPI), you can use this monitor for professional and gaming purposes.
It also features one DisplayPort 1.4, one HDMI 2.0b port, a 3.5 mm audio output, four USB 3.2 Type-A connectors, and a 2MP webcam with IR sensors.
It comes with a stand that can tilt for up to 25 degrees and swivel for up to -180 and +180 degrees. It connects to the internet with its 1 GbE port.
HP E24d G4 FHD advanced docking monitor
Another excellent selection is the HP E24d G4 monitor. At 1920 X 1080 this monitor offers full high definition resolution.
It comes with a host of connectivity options, including an RJ-45 ethernet port, one USB-C port, and 4 USB 3.1 ports.
Much like its Phillips counterpart, it comes with a webcam ideal for video conferencing with an integrated microphone. You can also connect it to multiple computers at once using its KVM switch feature.
HP EliteDisplay S340c curved monitor
Nothing is as flashy as this curved monitor, also from HP. It comes with an integrated 720p HD webcam for all your virtual meetings.
It has a resolution of 3440 X 1440 making it a Quad High Definition display, ideal for the high performer.
It also comes with one DisplayPort 1.2 and one HDMI 2.0 port. It can swivel with a range from -5 degrees to +20 degrees.
One of its nifty features is that you can control its webcam with hotkeys. It also comes with dual speakers that have been fine-tuned by Bang & Olufsen.
HP Mini-in-One 24 monitor
This all-purpose monitor serves as an economic option if you’re looking for a deal. It is a full HD monitor with a 1080p integrated HD camera for all your conferencing needs.
This relatively small monitor uses little space on your work desk, making it ideal for office work.
It also contains a host of connectivity ports, including 1 DisplayPort and 6 USB 3.1 ports. It is a seamless plug-and-play monitor that fits right away with your current computer setup.
Final thoughts
Should you get a curved monitor? I think you should. Am I saying that curved monitors are better than flat ones? No, I’m not. I don’t think they’re better; I think they’re different. They’re quite beneficial, especially by reducing eye strain when doing long sessions of creative work.
They’re harder to produce, slightly more expensive, and consume more space than they should but that doesn’t take away from their benefits.
If you want to buy one, keep in mind the purpose you want it for. Go ahead and explore the market and look at all your options.
In case you decided to get a curved monitor without a built-in camera, you may want to check 5 Best Webcams For Curved Monitors (What To Look For)