Why are some bezels tinted?

Probably to make the CRT background darker and the graphics pop more. Works well on the older games like donkey kong with simpler, stronger graphic colors.
 
Screen burn wasn't present when the machine was first built. The tint helps to reduce glare from ceiling lighting. Try playing Pac-Man under a can light in your house without the tinted plexi and you'll see how important it can be.
 
Probably to make the CRT background darker and the graphics pop more. Works well on the older games like donkey kong with simpler, stronger graphic colors.
Exactly ! My Pacman had all kinds of stuff like hard water stains built up on the tinted glass so I had put it aside to clean it up. I left it off for a long time and started to think I needed to adjust the monitor. I recently buffed out the glass and put it back on and I couldn't believe how much better it looked! On the flip side I bought a Street Fighter II that had tinted glass and when I pulled it off it looked way better.
 
Screen burn wasn't present when the machine was first built.

No, but it's not like manufacturers didn't know it was going to happen sooner or later. I'm sure hiding screen burn was part of the decision to tint some glass, it helped the product look better for longer.

I think it was mostly just for effect though... to make the graphics look like they were floating in a black void rather than sitting on a TV screen.
 
Mere speculation, but I think the tinted bezels were intended to hide the curvature and physical presence of the monitor behind the bezel and to make the gameplay all you can see against a perfect black background.
 
The original reason for them I think was to darken the area so the action looked vivid. It helps to create the void.

When you look at a Tempest, all you see is the screen and nothing else.

OP's later used them to cover screen burn.
 
The original reason for them I think was to darken the area so the action looked vivid. It helps to create the void.

When you look at a Tempest, all you see is the screen and nothing else.

OP's later used them to cover screen burn.

Yeah, same thing with Nintendo cabs. You get that "floating image" effect.
 
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