monitor
Latest
The best 24-inch monitor
By David Murphy This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. After spending 50 hours researching 19 different monitors and testing six finalists, we recommend the 24-inch Dell UltraSharp U2415 to most people looking for a large computer monitor right now. It has the best picture quality of any 24-inch display we tested, indistinguishable from perfection thanks to its factory-calibrated IPS screen.
ASUS offers yet another curved monitor plus a 4K display
It's CES, so of course ASUS is going to show off a bunch of brand spanking new screens. In addition to the world's first USB Type-C portable monitor, the Taiwanese giant is also launching two stylish Designo MX Series IPS displays. On the left we have the 27-inch MX27UQ, which is basically a 4K refresh of the earlier MX27AQ and shares the same set of features: 100 percent sRGB wide color gamut, TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light emission plus no flicker, and two 3W speakers powered by Bang & Olufsen's ICEpower. Luckily for us, there is one new feature here: You can stream Bluetooth audio to this monitor's speakers, which is a nice little bit of extra versatility. And for those who care, this model comes in an "Icicle Gold" finish as well.
Here's the world's first monitor running on just USB Type-C
Single-cable USB monitors have been around for a while, so it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a USB Type-C update. As it turns out, ASUS is the first to announce such a product. Following the MB168B+ from about two years ago, this new MB169C+ portable display features the same 15.6-inch screen size and 1080p resolution, but the old TN panel has finally been upgraded to IPS for much improved colors and viewing angles. ASUS' iconic spin metal design is here to stay, and likewise with the mere 800-gram weight plus 8.5mm thickness -- just a tad more than its predecessor's 8mm.
Xiaomi's $16 fitness tracker gets a heart-rate monitor
Although it isn't readily available in the west, Xiaomi's Mi Band fitness tracker has helped the company account for a quarter of all wearables sold. Unveiled in July 2014, the low-cost rubberized bracelet monitors your activity levels and analyzes your sleep, but soon be able to track another important piece of biometric data: your heart rate. The Chinese technology company today announced the Mi Band Pulse, a $16 (£10) wearable that uses a light-based PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor to measure your body's blood flow.
These 8K displays may end up on your next tablet
Most of us have barely touched 4K content, but the keen folks in Japan are already showing off some 8K displays, and we're not just talking about those of conventional TV sizes. At CEATEC, NHK brought along three upcoming 8K panels that may end up on future tablets, laptops and monitors. These include JDI's 17.3-inch LCD that was just announced last week, as well as Ortus' insanely sharp 9.6-inch LCD (that's a whopping 915 dpi!) from May, and Sharp/SEL's 13.3-inch OLED display. Even though the OLED panel was unveiled back in June last year, it's still by far the best 8K display out of the three; it's as if you're looking into another world, thanks to the combination of high contrast, strong vibrancy plus insanely sharp resolution. Alas, there's no launch date for any of these just yet, but a spokesperson from NHK hopes to see these come out before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will be broadcast in 8K.
Tencent's kids smartwatch is both cute and connected
While there are already a handful of connected wearables for kids in the market, here's one with a more complete set of features. Courtesy of Chinese tech giant Tencent, this QQ Watch comes with a 1.12-inch 128 x 128 OLED screen, IP65 ruggedness, an SOS call button and its very own 2G radio. More importantly, though, the tracking functionality uses GPS, WiFi and cellular triangulation simultaneously for higher accuracy. There's even a 0.3-megapixel camera on board, and since the watch can be hooked up to WeChat, lost kids can send photos to their parents as an extra clue for locating them. Battery life? It's good for up to five days, apparently, after which you can charge up the watch with its magnetic connector. There's no word on the pricing just yet, but a company rep said it'll be "very affordable," and it'll launch in China in October, followed by global rollout before end of the year.
Samsung's latest monitors wirelessly charge your phone
It's not coated in gold, but Samsung's newest screen -- a monitor this time -- packs wireless charging for mobile phones and other Qi-compatible gadgets. (Yes, functionality you'd actually want in your office monitor... if you have a wirelessly charging phone.) The full-HD 24-inch S24E370DL and 27-inch S27E370DS displays come with AMD's anti-flicker gaming tech as well as 178-degree viewing angles. Samsung's not offered a date or country for release, but we'd expect it to appear (somewhere!) by the end of the year. Expect a steady trickle of new products from the company: it's gearing up for Europe's biggest electronics show, IFA, which kicks off in September. Samsung fridges! Washing machines! Conceptual laptops! And possibly a new Galaxy smartphone. If you're good.
Which monitors are worth buying?
With all the work you do, the games you play and the videos you watch, you spend a lot of time staring at your monitor. So why not do your eyes a favor and make sure you get one that's got exactly what you need, whether it's precise colors, fast response time or just a pleasing design? We've delved into some of the better monitors currently on the market to let you know which ones give you the best view for the money.
Acer rolls out a curved, super-wide display with AMD's gaming tech
You can get desktop PC displays that are curved, super-wide and gaming-friendly, but all three at once? That's tricky. Thankfully, Acer thinks it has an answer. The company has just launched the 34-inch XR341CK in the US, giving you a curvy, 21:9 aspect ratio LCD with AMD's anti-tearing FreeSync tech built-in. So long as you have a fast-enough gaming rig (including newer AMD graphics, if you want FreeSync), you'll get an extra-immersive canvas for your first-person shooters and racing sims.
ASUS' updated 32-inch 4K monitor does the full Adobe color gamut
Following the $2,200 ProArt PA328Q semi-professional 32-inch, 4K 16:9 monitor announced at last year's Computex, ASUS is back with a follow-up model dubbed PA329Q. The most notable improvement here is it now delivers 100 percent Adobe RGB color gamut, as opposed to just sRGB; plus it has a 16-bit internal lookup table instead of just 12-bit. For those who are into video production, you'll also appreciate the added support for the BT2020 / DCI-P3 color space. The new display is otherwise almost identical to its predecessor: You get the same set of ports (1x HDMI 2.0, 2x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.2 and 4x USB 3.0) and the same 10-bit display color. Each unit is also factory pre-calibrated for high consistency, although it also boasts "the highest compatibility with major hardware calibrators," should you wish to do it yourself. We'll come back with more info regarding availability if we hear any.
LG screen software left Windows PCs open to malware
Taking a shortcut to make your software work properly is a bit like walking across a frozen lake: it saves plenty of time until the ice starts to crack. LG's currently suffering from a similar sort of oh shit moment as it learns that one of its display utilities may have exposed countless PCs to malware. In a piece for Developers Couch, Christopher Bachner has alleged that the Screen Split utility that ships with LG's ultra wide monitors breaks your computer's most basic security provisions.
Dell is the latest company to unveil a curved monitor
It's official: Curved monitors are now a thing. So far this week, HP has unveiled one and Samsung said it plans to have nine on sale by the end of the year, and now Dell is coming out with something similar. The UltraSharp 34 (aka the U3415W) was first teased last summer and is going on sale this week, making it not the first, but one of the first curved monitors to hit the market. For the money, it brings 3,440 x 1,440 screen resolution and a wide 21:9 aspect ratio -- pretty standard for curved displays like these, which aim to eliminate the need for a dual- or multi-monitor setup. Around the edges, you'll find HDMI and DisplayPorts, along with dual nine-watt speakers, a spec that appears to be aimed mostly at gamers. Look for it on January 8th, two days from now, for $1,200. That's a lofty price for a display, but then again, flagship monitors with keywords like "curved" and "WQHD" never come cheap.
HP intros a slew of monitors, including curved, 5K and 3D models
HP just announced a boatload of new monitors here at CES and impressively, they seem to combine every big tech buzzword from the past few years. On the one hand, the company is showing off a pair of curved displays, which we already know are going to be huge at this year's show. Meanwhile, the company also unveiled its first 4K monitors, available in two sizes, along with its inaugural 5K model. Finally, HP is showing off a virtual reality display that works with 3D glasses, of all things -- a nice throwback to CES 2010.
Curved LG gaming monitor slides in ahead of CES 2015
LG has a treat designed specifically for gaming fans: a curved, 34-inch UltraWide desktop monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio and AMD's FreeSync tech that prevents screen tearing. This thing looks suave and ridiculous, and we're betting the price tag will be, too, though LG has yet to announce the cost of this bad boy. Players will be able to stack monitors on top of each other, as well. The gaming model is the 34UC97, though LG also announced a more general-purpose UltraWide display, the 34UC87M, which looks to be designed for the stock market ... market. (See more images after the break). LG revealed both displays just ahead of CES 2015, which kicks off on January 6 in Las Vegas. Joystiq's sister site, Engadget, will have all of the hot tech news out of CES 2015, and we'll round up the coolest gaming news right here. CES 2015 runs from January 6 - 9.
LG will show off curved, 21:9 and 4K monitors at CES
As you've probably read by now, LG's keen on tipping its hand ahead of our arrival in Las Vegas for CES. This year is no different, and with today's news the company focuses on monitors. First up, LG has a 21:9 display with AMD's FreeSync tech in order to keep things smooth during intense gaming sessions. In fact, the company says it's the first to do so on an ultra wide option. The added feature "guarantees the smoothest and most seamless gaming experience, generating fluid motion without any loss of frame rate," for those looking to upgrade any current setup. The 34UM67 (pictured above) also has a Black Stabilizer to illuminate dark scenery and a Dynamic Active Sync mode that keeps input lag to a minimum. Of course, you'll need to be sure your favorite title supports 21:9 resolution, but games like Battlefield 4 and World of Warcraft already do. For folks not looking for a gaming-specific display, there will be a couple more 21:9 options shown off in the desert.
Samsung's super-wide curved monitor makes your PC extra trendy
If both ultra-widescreen and curved computer monitors are all the rage these days, then Samsung's new SE790C display is supremely fashionable. The 34-inch, 3,440 x 1,440 LCD has both a super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and a gentle arc, combining two trends (fads?) in one. Supposedly, this all-encompassing design produces a "3D-like" effect that brings you into the action -- that's a little difficult to believe, but the screen will at least look futuristic sitting on your desk. Just don't expect it to make your photos pop. Although the SE790C covers all of the sRGB color range, it's using a middle-of-the-road VA (vertical alignment) panel rather than something particularly vivid, like IPS (in-plane switching). There's also no mention of US availability or pricing, so it's hard to know if this represents a good deal. So long as the price isn't too outlandish, though, it could be a good way to immerse yourself in games and movies.
Flickr Find: A monitor of monstrous measurements
We often laud our smartphones and tablets for being thin, but we often forget that monitor technology has seen perhaps the greatest slim down in recent years. Case in point -- take a look at this vintage 20-inch Apple monitor fired up and photographed by Ken Fager. As much as you may love vintage tech, you have to admit this one is a beast!! So much casing to support what is now considered to be a small screen. Gotta love the fact that the monitor still works after all these years, though. It's got all the three Bs -- big, beautiful and built to last.
Dell's latest 27-inch, 4K monitor has a tempting $700 price tag
If you're a visual artist or photo buff with $600-700 burning a hole in your pocket, life just threw you a new decision to make. Dell has announced that its 24-inch 2415Q and 27-inch 2715Q IPS 4K monitors are now on sale for $600 and $700, respectively. For those sums you'll get 1.07 billion colors, 3,840 x 2,160 at 60Hz resolution, a 178 degree viewing angle, 99 percent sRGB coverage and nearly perfectly color calibration straight out of the box. You can also daisy-chain multiple monitors thanks to DisplayPort 1.2 in/out connectors, along with HDMI (MHL) inputs and 4 USB 3.0 ports (no Thunderbolt port, unfortunately).
4K, gaming and a tale of two monitors
Unlike most gadgets and peripherals, our computer monitors tend to stay with us for a good chunk of time. My current 23-incher has been with me since the days of my Palm Centro. So when it comes to shopping for a new display, it certainly pays to know what you want out of it. Are you heavily into gaming and need a monitor with crazy-high refresh rates? Would you rather have as big a screen as possible for all those windows you have open every day? I recently spent a month with two of AOC's latest models: a 24-incher with NVIDIA G-Sync support for serious gaming, and a 4K 28-inch display that puts a premium on pixels. Could either one convince me to let go of my trusty Viewsonic?
AMD's answer to NVIDIA G-Sync arrives on Samsung monitors in 2015
Looking for a new computer monitor? If you're rocking an AMD-sourced graphics card, you may want to wait a few months. Samsung just announced the UD590 and UE850, the first two monitors with support for FreeSync -- AMD's open-source answer to NVIDIA G-Sync. Both technologies sync GPU output to the monitor's refresh rate, a trick that eliminates visual stutters and tearing. Samsung hasn't announced pricing yet, but says the monitors will be available in 23.6, 27 and 31.5-inch variants.
