Do you prefer a flat screen or a curved screen?

[Evilguppy]

Since I got my Note 20 Ultra, I've become a big fan of curved screens. I just love the feel of it when I pull out my side panel. I hear many people hate it but I can't figure out why. Maybe it's because I don't use a screen protector? I find the glass on this phone to be practically bullet proof, even my 85 lbs mastiff routinely steps on it, i don't have a scratch on it.
What says you?

 

[violet_teloiv]

Usability-wise, I prefer a flat screen (something about it speaks to my love of orderliness) but in terms of aesthetics I find a curved screen quite nice.

 

[Morty2264]

Great thread! Thank you for sharing. I too love curved screens, but I find that some screen protectors/phones play nicer than others. My Honor 8 was a curved screen and fitting screen protectors were fine - but that was NOT the case with my S10. Still, I love sliding out my side panel, too, and love the aesthetics of a curved screen. However, I will use flat or curved screens and do not prefer one over the other.

 

[EnthalpiousKitten]

I like them both tbh.

 

[Inders99]

Curved screen were a beta test on consumers and a marketing ploy, it worked. I can't stand them, never owned one never will.

 

[Evilguppy]

Great thread! Thank you for sharing. I too love curved screens, but I find that some screen protectors/phones play nicer than others. My Honor 8 was a curved screen and fitting screen protectors were fine - but that was NOT the case with my S10. Still, I love sliding out my side panel, too, and love the aesthetics of a curved screen. However, I will use flat or curved screens and do not prefer one over the other.

Interestingly enough, my man has a flat screen (S21) and a screen protector which looks terrible, it's full of scratches and bubbles and makes his phone look ancient and beat up.
I chose not to use a screen protector because I really like the glass Samsung used for my Note 20 Ultra, and even after getting repeatedly jumped on by my Mastiff, my screen looks flawless and brand new.
I really hope Samsung will continue using the same glass in future phones.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Since I got my Note 20 Ultra, I've become a big fan of curved screens. I just love the feel of it when I pull out my side panel. I hear many people hate it but I can't figure out why. Maybe it's because I don't use a screen protector? I find the glass on this phone to be practically bullet proof, even my 85 lbs mastiff routinely steps on it, i don't have a scratch on it.
What says you?

I love the curved screen on my S10+ but I admit the flat screen on my 4a 5G is really nice as well. I don't use a screen protector either.

 

[swebb]

Only flat screen for me. I skipped on the Pixel 2xl and most all Samsung phones because of their curved screens.

 

[DIGITALpH]

I prefer a flat screen. Curved screens look nice, but I don't like the feel in my hand.

Now, having said that, my favorite phone ever was the LG G4, which was flat with a slight bend from top to bottom. Much more ergonomical.

 

[Mooncatt]

Flat screen was a beta test on consumers and a marketing ploy, it worked. I can't stand them, never owned one never will.

Not sure how you arrived at that conclusion when screens are flat by default. It's curved screens that require special design and manufacturing, which also increases their cost. If anything, it's curved screens that are the marketing ploy.

Personally, I not only prefer flat screens, but bezels too. I hate bumping up against my case edge, which often makes it hard to interact with elements on the edge of the screen. Curved screens exacerbate the problem by additionally dropping the edge further below the case edge.

 

[Stanley Kubrick]

Ummm, are you sure you said this correctly: "Flat screen was a beta test on consumers and a marketing ploy"? Did you mean to say "curved" screen???

 

[sachouba]

A big reason why I like curved screens (or rather flexible display panels), and one that I have never seen mentioned anywhere, unfortunately, is reflectivity.

Look at the reflection of a light source on my Galaxy Tab S5e (flat display) and my old Galaxy S7 edge (curved display).



On flat OLED panels (with a glass substrate, I presume), reflections are greenish and spread over a large area of the display, whereas on curved OLED panels (with a plastic substrate), reflections are much darker, much more localised, and there's no greenish hue to them.

That's a game changer when you're in direct sunlight or right under a light source.

This is a pattern that's I've seen with every OLED phone that I've handled, but there might be exceptions that I don't know of.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Curved screen is the worst thing to happen to the Note series and resulted in a massive reduction in my S Pen usage. A curved glass surface is anything but ideal for stylus integration.

 

[jojetski]

The curved screen is very attractive and seeing my charge indicator go up the side was cool. HOWEVER it was a usability pain in the butt. I would constantly trigger something that was on the end of my screen. The case I prefer looks like crap with a curved screen. Bottom line the naked phone looks great but usability wise I would always choose a flat screen.

 

[Morty2264]

Interestingly enough, my man has a flat screen (S21) and a screen protector which looks terrible, it's full of scratches and bubbles and makes his phone look ancient and beat up.
I chose not to use a screen protector because I really like the glass Samsung used for my Note 20 Ultra, and even after getting repeatedly jumped on by my Mastiff, my screen looks flawless and brand new.
I really hope Samsung will continue using the same glass in future phones.

It's weird how some protectors *protect*, isn't it? And it's true that Samsung's glass has gotten tougher. I think it also has to do with *how* scratches, bumps, and drops happen in the first place. So many variables! But as you've said, the glass feel and look is priceless!

 

[kbboykin]

Usability-wise, I prefer a flat screen (something about it speaks to my love of orderliness) but in terms of aesthetics I find a curved screen quite nice.

Agree. Flat screen makes it easier for me to place a glass screen protector on, although I have had some luck in the past with cheap curved glass protectors off Amazon. Just prefer the flat ones, though.

 

[cohoman]

Flat screen for my phone, curved screen for my home PC.

 

[1raygin]

Personally I much prefer a curved screen. It would always be my first choice.

 

[Morty2264]

Agree. Flat screen makes it easier for me to place a glass screen protector on, although I have had some luck in the past with cheap curved glass protectors off Amazon. Just prefer the flat ones, though.

I couldn't agree with you more. Granted, I had way more luck on Amazon with curved protectors for my Honor 8 than I had with my S10.

 

[Inders99]

Not sure how you arrived at that conclusion when screens are flat by default. It's curved screens that require special design and manufacturing, which also increases their cost. If anything, it's curved screens that are the marketing ploy.

Personally, I not only prefer flat screens, but bezels too. I hate bumping up against my case edge, which often makes it hard to interact with elements on the edge of the screen. Curved screens exacerbate the problem by additionally dropping the edge further below the case edge.

I'm an *****, can't even write properly, I've edited to reflect my original point.