This year’s Consumer Electronics Show has barely started, and already we’ve seen some pretty amazing new technologies, from cool new drones to new exercises devices to new toothbrushes that connect to your smartphone…because reasons, I guess. CES 2014 is also the place where technology goliaths Samsung and LG both presented their curved HD television screens, both of which are the world’s first of their kind. As both consumers and technology enthusiasts, there seems to be only one question we need to ask about them: which is better?
Let’s find out.
First, let’s take a look at Samsung’s:
Oooh, Aaah
An 85-inch flexible screen that can be adjusted by remote control, Samsung’s version is definitely a stunner. Users can set the screen to exactly the curvature they like, and can change it on a whim based on how far away people are sitting or how many people are in the room. Samsung’s screen can also lie flat against the wall when you’re not using it, which makes setup much easier.
It’s currently in prototype form at the moment, and so far we haven’t heard talk of when it’s actually going to go into production or on sale. This means there’s no expected price, though my guesstimate is that the cost will be somewhere between a lot of and all the dollars.
Now for LG:
Still ooh-ing, still aah-ing
Yep, with a 105-inch curved Ultra HD screen and an extra wide 21:0 aspect ratio, LG’s is pretty too. Unlike Samsung’s curved screen, however, LG’s curvature is fixed—you can’t manipulate the screen with remote control. However, also unlike Samsung, media companies are already lining up behind screens like LGs, with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announcing that his service supports 4k content specially for these screens. House of Cards is one of the series that will be ready for 4k viewing.
Like their rival Samsung, though, LG still hasn’t given us a price point (my guesstimate remains the same).
To summarize, they’re both pretty amazing screens, with pretty amazing technology, and you couldn’t really go wrong with either one—though I would suggest LG, because you could probably connect the screen to your fridge and microwave using the other technology they’re showing off at CES.
Also, despite the innovation and beauty of both companies’ versions, questions are rising about whether or not there’s even a market for the tech. While Samsung and LG both insist that their curved screens will optimize viewer experience, Stuff Magazine editor Will Findlater summarized the thoughts of many about the tech when he confessed that “at this stage it does feel like a bit of a gimmick.”
Source BBC, Techcrunch, Mashable
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