Monitorture49″ 5120×1440: 3800R vs 1800R vs 1000R
Same panel — same 49″ diagonal, same 5120×1440 grid — bent to different radii. A monitor's R number is the radius, in millimetres, of the circle the screen is a slice of: a smaller number is a tighter curve. Here's this panel from above at 3800R vs 1800R vs 1000R, drawn to scale.
| Curve | Curve depth | Screen wrap | Ideal distance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3800R | 47 mm | 18° | 3.80 m | Very gentle — negligible bow; fine for detailed document work |
| 1800R | 99 mm | 38° | 1.80 m | Moderate — immersive, with a slight bow on long straight edges |
| 1000R | 174 mm | 69° | 1.00 m | Aggressive — strong wrap; straight lines visibly bow |
Which curve should you pick?
The radius doubles as the ideal viewing distance: sit about that far away and every point of the screen is the same distance from your eyes, so nothing at the edges needs re-focusing. The 1000R version wants you at ~1.00 m, the 3800R version at ~3.80 m.
The catch is that a curve bends every straight line. For films, games and a wraparound feel a tighter radius wins. For work built on straight edges and exact geometry — documents, spreadsheets, CAD, photo and layout — a bowed horizon is distracting, so a flatter panel (or none) reads truer. Match the curve to whichever you do most, then sit near its ideal distance.