You may have considered curved screens a gimmick, but let’s admit it, that was sour grapes. Curved screens, especially large ones, offer just enough curvature to let you see objects with less distortion. A normal flat screen can only be distortion-free at its center. While curved screens have been pushed to consumers for entertainment (immersive games would be enhanced), the ability to see parts, assemblies, or buildings should offer a more realistic experience for engineers and architects.
Even if you can be convinced that curved screens are a good thing, there’s still the matter of price. Out of reach, right?
Not so much anymore. The HP Z Display Z34c Ultra Wide Curved Display (that’s “c” for curved) sells for $999. It’s 34 inches (diagonally) of glorious curvature and a maximum resolution of 3440x1440. A 21:9 aspect ratio, known as the Ultra WQHD format, provides a lot of screen space. You don’t have to sit in front of one for long before you accept it as natural. The thick black bezels on your side-by-side flat screens only interrupt your viewing pleasure now. I am told that an ordinary CAD-oriented graphics card can accommodate the wide curved screens without problem.
HP joins Dell, which also offers a 34-inch curved display, the U3415W, and Samsung’s SE790C, both of which seem to be a hundred dollars less online. Neither were at SOLIDWORKS World.
Ditch your two large flat screens and be the envy of your neighboring engineer with a curved screen in an ultra-wide format.
For more information, see the HP product page here .