Do consumers prefer curved monitors? Assessment of preferred curvature and readability performance

Abstract

Computer users have a wide variety of computer display preferences, but a contentious argument has been used in favor of the curved display. In this context, this study investigated the users’ curvature preference for six different content types, and compared the usability of the curved and flat panels in terms of readability performance. A 27-inch bendable display panel was devised for the experiment to enable users to adjust the curvature manually. In the first experiment, the study participants searched for the optimal radii of curvature when the six content types were mounted in sequence on the bendable display, which confirmed the users’ preference for the curved display over the flat display. The following experiment demonstrated that the study participants showed improved readability on the curved display, which supported the study hypothesis. The results of the experiments in this study suggest that the curved display will help improve the work efficiency of consumers.