An alternative to classic IPS screens - screens based on the so-called IGZO matrix - were first introduced to the general public in 2012. The new monitors were developed by the Japanese company Sharp, so the devices of this brand were primarily equipped with these new products. However, then Chinese manufacturers also drew attention to IGZO displays. For example, a monitor based on an IGZO matrix is \u200b\u200binstalled on a well-known state employee, released by the Chinese company of the same name.
Let's take a look at how IGZO-based monitors differ from traditional IPS-displays, and whether they have any advantages over the latter.
Construction and advantages of IGZO-based displays
The main difference between IGZO-matrices from other options is the material from which they are made. These matrices, like those using IPS technology, operate on the basis of liquid semiconductors. However, if IPS matrices in the overwhelming majority of cases are based on amorphous silicon crystals, then IGZO matrices are based on indium oxide, gallium and zinc oxide. As a matter of fact, a little strange abbreviation of the device name consists of the first letters of the Latin names of the elements listed above.
The IGZO-based matrix turned out to be thinner, and, accordingly, more transparent. As a result, the screens collected by new technologyare brighter. They also outperform silicon displays in terms of economy, as they do not need excessively intense backlighting. And another advantage of IGZO-monitors is the increased sensitivity of the sensor and faster response of the matrix to touch.
Also, the small size of semiconductors made from new materials allows you to place more pixels on the monitor and display a picture with a higher resolution. However, a similar increase in the number of pixels is possible on more popular IPS-based matrices.
16.11.2013 09:05
Surely you wondered - how did Apple manage to make the iPad Air so light, thin and compact? The answer is simple - it was partly possible thanks to the advanced IGZO "display" technology.
IGZO, or Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide, is the future of high-resolution displays. The technology allows you to fit a huge number of pixels into a relatively small area and at the same time reduce the power consumption of these pixels compared to previous technologies.
The promising semiconductor material IGZO, used as a channel for transparent thin-film transistors, has long claimed to be practical implementation in a mass commercial product - it was necessary for some company to take risks and launch IGZO-based displays into mass production. Such a company, as you might have guessed, was Apple, which applied the development in its tablet.
IGZO made it possible not only to produce transparent transistors - the material has a significantly higher (35-40 times) electron mobility than amorphous silicon (a-Si), used for the manufacture of displays of the current generation.
Amorphous silicon itself is opaque, but you can make a transistor out of it in the form of the thinnest translucent film that will transmit light. Due to the high speed of electron movement, IGZO-based transistors can be much smaller, which allows correspondingly higher pixel density and lower power consumption. IGZO-based transistors are much more transparent, which improves picture quality. Also, to display the picture on the display, a lower power backlight is required, which, again, leads to energy savings.
IGZO also has a competing solution - LTPS (Low-temperature polycrystalline silicon) - low-temperature polysilicon technology, another alternative to amorphous silicon. LTPS also allows for high electron speed and allows you to create energy efficient displays with excellent image quality, but LTPS displays are expensive and complex to manufacture.
One of the best practical examples of LTPS is the new Kindle Fire HDX: one of the few devices on the market with a display that is more advanced than the iPad Air. According to DisplayMate's Raymond Soneira, iPad Air displays using IGZO technology use 57% less power than last year's iPad 4 - a huge difference in one generation. Be that as it may, the LTPS panel used in the new Fire is even more energy efficient - it uses 30% less power than the iPad Air display!
In many respects, LTPS is superior to IGZO, but IGZO has every chance of winning due to its low price and low production complexity. LTPS technology will most likely be useful in expensive top-end devices and flagships, while IGZO will be installed in all other smartphones, tablets, laptops, monitors and TVs.
For the first time, commercial products based on IGZO were presented by Sharp, but opening the iPad Air revealed that the LCD panel of the tablet was manufactured by LG. There is very little publicly available information on LG's IGZO semiconductor manufacturing facility, but it is clear that the company has already acquired all the necessary patents or has somehow partnered with Sharp to launch huge batches of 9.7 '' displays for Apple made by according to new technology.
It's also obvious that in a year or two we'll see a large assortment of IGZO displays for laptops and desktop computer monitors (would you like to get, say, a 24-inch 4K monitor for the price of an average modern monitor?).
Monitors of the so-called 4K standard broke into our lives not so long ago. They started talking about three years ago, the first available models at the beginning of 2015 will be about two years old, and the time when they will become available to the mass buyer is still ahead. All the prerequisites for cost reduction are there, but so far the manufacturing companies are hone their skills on expensive and mostly advanced models, filling their "cash desks" thanks to the interest of ardent technologists and simply fans of all the most modern and new. It is thanks to them that in the next 2-3 years people who are not ready to pay more than 30 thousand rubles for a new monitor can afford to put in front of themselves a display with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels (and even more) with a high-quality IPS / PLS / AHVA / IGZO / * VA matrix. And TN + Film solutions already available now will become 2-3 times cheaper.
From this article, you will learn about the features of 4K models, their differences between themselves, what happened before, what to expect in the future, take it now or later, and about possible alternatives that will last for the next 3 years. And yes, among other things, we will touch on monitors of 3.5K and 5K standards, which also already exist on the market. Why not? There should always be a choice.
A little about everything:
4K standard and what it is "eaten with"
To begin with, let's figure out what the 4K standard is and why this term is used in everyday life. There are two theories. The first is that the number of pixels in a 3840x2160 panel is exactly four times higher than in the most popular FullHD (1920x1080) monitors at the moment. The second - when they just started talking about such models, it was assumed that they would have at least 4000 pixels along the long side, which in abbreviated form can be represented exactly as 4K. In this case, giving such a name to the most common models with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels is no more than a marketing ploy. On the other hand, it doesn't really matter. Is it all the same what to call?
So what are the new computer monitors like? These are panels with a diagonal of 23.6 to 34 inches with a noticeably smaller pixel size and, accordingly, a higher density of dots per inch. This affects the clarity of the picture, working behind the display at short - medium distances (from 20 cm terrifying for the eyes and head to approximately 100-110 cm from the working surface of the screen matrix). And the load on the main PC components, of course, increases greatly, since you have to process 3-4 times more graphic information. Although everything is not so simple here - the difference that you see and can feel when comparing with your old monitor depends on your vision.
Here, as an example, we can cite the screens of modern smartphones and tablets. Do you want to see the sharpness of the picture in front of you, like on Apple devices with their concept of “Retina” (a stupid term in fact)? Will not work. The pixel density of 4K monitors starts at 135 pixels per inch and ends at just over 200 ppi for the now-discontinued 22.2-inch models. Basically, we have to talk about numbers in the 165-185. At the same time, even the very first iPhone had numbers of about 163, starting with the iPhone 4 - 326 pixels per inch, while the iPhone 6 Plus had 401. I'm not talking about the flagships of Korean companies with screens with a density of 550-600 pixels. At this point, some readers may notice that the diagonals of the screens are completely different and the distance when working at the monitor and the phone is very different. Yes that's right. But when we talk about the clarity of the picture, then two main parameters are important - the pixel density and the distance of your eyes from the screen. Not all have deep tables, it is not always possible to move the monitor close to the wall (display stands are very large) and sit at a great distance due to the keyboard and mouse on the table. Because of this, the distance to the screen often does not exceed 60-70 cm. Being in a room without a crowd of people, I, and, I am sure, many other smartphone users, calmly work with their gadgets at a slightly bent arm distance, which is about 50-60 cm from eyes to screen surface. At least I got exactly those values. The difference is not great, but the pixel density in the case of a modern wearable device (flagships of the second quarter of 2013 - early 2014) is twice as large. Thus, even the best 4K monitor instantly and unconditionally loses the war for image clarity.
But don't be disappointed right away. Most often, the comparison takes place in the same plane - with other desktop monitors, and in this case, for 4K models, everything is more rosy. It immediately comes to mind that not everyone can distinguish the difference between 300 and 500-600 pixels per inch on the screens of modern smartphones, but the transition from 150 to 300 gives a positive charge and a feeling of a completely different picture quality before your eyes. The way it is. That is why if you are planning to switch from a 27-inch Full HD display (81 pixels per inch - ppi) to a 27-inch 4K display with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels (163 ppi), then the difference will be enormous. It will be the same if you replace the 24-inch WUXGA monitor (1920x1200 pixels) with something larger than the 4K standard. Do you want even more experience? This opportunity will be provided by 23.8-inch models with a resolution of 3840x2160 (185 ppi) pixels and 27-inch 5120x2880 (218 ppi) with a corresponding price tag.
With regard to the transition from 27-inch versions of the WQHD standard (2560x1440 pixels) to diagonally comparable 4K models, the following can be noted - the difference will be noticeable, but for some it will not be fundamental. If we consider an even larger diagonal in comparison with 27-inch WQHD, then the visible difference will decrease. It should be noted that in January 2015 intermediate options will be available in retail for those who are not ready to spend their money on 4K and are already tired of Full HD on diagonals from 23.8 to 25 inches. Variants with both diagonals will be released for the first time with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, which in terms of density will be 123 and 117 ppi, respectively. Good performance that will suit not the most picky buyer.
Moving on to the second point - manufacturers of 4K matrices decided to go back 5-7 years ago, making them at least 8-bit, and in some cases immediately 10-bit (in particular for models with extended color gamut), while over 90% of all displays currently produced are pseudo 8-bit (6-bit + dither). This fact affects the quality of the reproduction of gradients and the accuracy of the reproduction of color shades and halftones. Will everyone see the difference? No. Oddly enough - a minority. And even then, they will all be close to such topics as: photography, printing, design, professional processing of video content. Some of them will still be perfectionists. But a good matrix can still be “killed” by a bad electronic filling and an ugly factory setting, which even calibration will not help to restore the quality of gradients. Not everything is as simple as we would like.
Now about the cost, which is now quite problematic to talk about due to the instability of the ruble and all markets in general. Initially, the first 4K displays really available for retail, translated into our "wooden" ones, cost from 140-150 thousand rubles, and they were based on a 31.5-inch IGZO (aka ASV, aka * VA based on IGZO). Later, their cost dropped to 120 and even 85 thousand. At the time of this writing, they again cost from 110 to 150 thousand. The second (from top to bottom) in terms of availability can be recognized as 31.5-inch models with a PLS matrix from Samsung at a price of 80,000-90000 rubles. This is an option for those who do not want to overpay for the advantages of IGZO that are not so essential for permanent work. This is followed by the latest 27-inch solutions on IPS and AHVA for ~ 45,000-50,000 rubles, somewhere around them 23.8-inch IPS with an extended color gamut took shelter. After them, 23.8-inch solutions with conventional W-LED backlighting for 38,000-42,000 rubles, and almost all 28-inch TN + Film models with a price tag from 25 to 35 thousand rubles close the list.
A separate list can include 27-inch models of the 5K standard with a price tag of over 100 thousand rubles and an IPS matrix. Professional models from EIZO and NEC, which are based on 31-inch IPS with a resolution of 4096x2160 pixels and a completely unusual aspect ratio of 17: 9 (!) And the familiar 31.5-inch IGZO (possibly in one of its versions with an extended color gamut and GB-r-LED backlit). Under-4K or so-called 3.5K options are available only on IPS and * VA matrices with the most cinematic aspect ratio of 21: 9, 34-inch diagonal, and their cost ranges from 35 to 45 thousand rubles. There are models, both with a conventional flat panel surface, and curved ones, which allow to reduce the possible strain on the eyes and improve the perception of information from the screen.
Types / varieties of matrices and technical capabilities
At the moment, matrices of standards 3.5K, 4K and 5K are presented in sizes from 23.6 to 34 inches, with different aspect ratios - from the usual 16: 9 and 16:10 to not quite usual for many 17: 9 and 21: 9.
All major market players are involved in production. This is LG Display with their AH-IPS matrices, Samsung and AUO with their answers in the person of PLS \u200b\u200band AHVA, an ambitious Sharp with expensive IGZO (ASV * VA). A rare guest of ChiMei Innolux (hereinafter simply Innolux) with incomprehensible AAS, S-MVA and IPS-shaped panels and, of course, their TN + Film matrices, which are installed in every available 28-inch 4K display. Also, according to the table above, you can see the presence on the market of an IPS-Pro panel from Panasonic, which we are unlikely to ever see in live products (as well as ~ one third of other panels) and a curved * VA from Samsung in the monitor already presented to the public S34E790C. The latter's competitors are a pair of AH-IPS models with exactly the same aspect ratio and a curved matrix - DellU3415W and LG 34UC97. Those who want to do with the usual flat surfaces can be offered the AOC u3477Pqu and LG 34UM95.
Color professionals will find options for themselves, too, among the still limited variety of latest-standard products on store shelves. If you are looking for a wider color gamut, consider the 23.8-inch models from Dell, NEC, 31-32-inches from BenQ, EIZO, LG and Samsung. It is impossible to meet at the moment an IGZO panel with an extended central center in monitors sold in retail, although such matrices exist in nature (according to Sharp itself). All other models use standard W-LED backlighting and have a color gamut close to sRGB, which is the norm and is not at all a shame, even when you pay more than 100,000 rubles for a monitor. Indeed, more often from the extended AC there is much more "headache" than real benefit.
Now let's briefly analyze the pros and cons basic types of matricesused for 3.5-5K displays:
TN + Film - the most affordable and cheapest panels to manufacture; They are distinguished by poor viewing angles, low color accuracy, strong color shift, a sufficiently high matrix speed (for a class of 4K devices). Despite the last fact, it is impossible to call the models based on these 60 Hz matrices gaming. For this you should turn to 120-144 Hz with Lightboost, ULMB and other technologies with completely different resolutions. Meanwhile, 4K TN + Film monitors are the most affordable entry into the world of modern displays. It is worth choosing among such models only by design and price. You should not expect much from them (except for the clarity of the picture), in fact, as well as from all other TN + Film of various standards and years of release.
IGZO - a beautiful name for ASV panels manufactured by Sharp, based on the * VA technology (type of orientation of liquid crystals) using transistors based on indium, gallium and zinc oxide (English Indium gallium zinc oxide, abbreviated IGZO). Now these are the most expensive matrixes for 4K-5K displays. They feature unrivaled viewing angles, high image stability and color accuracy. The so-called Glow effect on color images is reduced to almost nothing. It is poorly represented in dark shades. The response speed is average, the backlight uniformity is decent, but flaws with surface irregularities are possible. There is a kind of BlackCrush, like the usual MVA, PVA, AMVA matrices. Variants with conventional W-LED backlighting do not have a wide coverage of the sRGB standard, showing only a satisfactory result. It is possible that in the latest revisions of IGZO and in professional monitors such as NEC this problem has already been solved. As for the versions with the initially extended color gamut, they have not yet found their application in the manufactured monitors. This situation is likely to change soon.
AH-IPS - or simply IPS - LG Display's answer to expensive IGZOs, which had to wait about a year since the release of the first 4K displays. The range includes panels in the most important standard sizes for the industry and with various types of backlighting (W-LED, GB-LED) to cover all the needs of users of different profiles. Among the advantages - a lower price than IGZO, high prevalence in monitors, good viewing angles and response speed (the level of image artifacts depends on the specific display model), picture stability, accurate color reproduction (especially after calibration), decent coverage of the main color space sRGB, no Black Crush (noticeable color shift in dark shades). Among the minuses and features - the uniformity of the backlighting on black is worse than that of IGZO, there is a familiar Glow effect (its strength depends on the model of the installed AH-IPS panel), both in color images and in extreme dark half tones (including black).
Pls - almost a copy of AH-IPS, but in the version from Samsung. Since the name PLS is still a wonder for many, many monitor manufacturers indicate in technical characteristics IPS or IPS-type, so as not to frighten buyers and end consumers. As of the end of 2014, this type of 4K matrix is \u200b\u200bpresented only in a size of 31.5 inches in a version with GB-LED backlighting and a native wide color gamut. Merits overlap with AH-IPS, plus slightly less Glow effect and slightly better backlight uniformity. The working surface is closer to matt than to semi-matt. Among the familiar shortcomings are problems with artifacts from overclocking the matrix, which, perhaps very soon, Samsung engineers will solve and at the same time release versions with a smaller diagonal and with a conventional W-LED backlight.
AHVA - another competitor and actually an analogue of IPS / PLS panels, but from AUO (AUOptronics). Hiding this meaningless name for many buyers, monitor manufacturers prescribe IPS or IPS-type in the technical characteristics. These matrices are produced in two sizes, but with one aspect ratio 16: 9 - 27 and 32 inches. There are versions, both with conventional W-LED backlighting and a color gamut close to sRGB, and GB-LED with extended CO. By the beginning of 2015, it will be possible to find monitors on all four AHVA type panels on sale. The advantages are similar to IPS and PLS. No problems with artifacts have been noticed yet. The work surface is semi-matte, which, it seems, AUO is not going to give up, from which buyers only benefit. In terms of availability and prices, monitors based on AHVA are likely to be the most attractive in the very near future.
* VA - another type of matrix from Samsung, but this time different from IPS. The main advantages, like any other * VA (AMVA, PVA, MVA) - deep black level, good uniformity of backlighting on most of the shades, no Glow effect, semi-matte panel surface. The matrix is \u200b\u200bmost optimal for long-term work with text due to a different pixel structure (at least, that's how it is considered). The color gamut is close to sRGB, the backlighting is usual - W-LED. The viewing angles are worse than those of IPS / PLS / AHVA and, naturally, do not reach the level of Sharp's IGZO. However, it is much better than any TN + Film matrix. Of the panel's features - not the highest response speed (perhaps at or below that of IGZO), the Black Crush effect (aka a noticeable color shift in dark shades). So far, only one option has been presented - the curved * VA panel installed in the Samsung S24E790C model. In the future, there should be more similar monitors. It is possible that AUO will release an alternative with its AMVA in various versions.
What do we get in the end? If you are satisfied with only a clear picture, and you don’t give a damn about all the other operating parameters of the monitor, you want something new and the most modern, and money is running out or just “strangled by a toad” - choose any of the 28-inch TN + Film, focusing on the design you like and the price tag adequate for you.
Is it supposed to work with text, long-term surfing on the Internet, programming, watching movies (especially at late hours of the day, without additional lighting) and even CAD modeling? Then it is worth considering the models on * VA from Samsung, and in the future, very likely, AMVA from AUO.
If you are interested in working with graphics, photography, editing video content, not rarely playing games, watching movies without special requirements for the uniformity of the matrix backlight, and just for a little bit of everything - any monitor based on AH-IPS, Pls or AHVA will become the most optimal choice and investment of funds among 4K-5K solutions. For those who require additional working area, it is advisable to take a closer look at 3.5To solutions based on AH-IPS with an aspect ratio of 21: 9 - these are really very interesting monitors with a diagonal of 34 inches, which for some will become more attractive from all points of view than 4K format 16: 9!
Do you have enough money to afford one of the best monitors on the market that still has its drawbacks? Then it is worth considering options based on IGZO and nothing else.
All others - rare representatives of 4K should not be taken seriously. Any AAS, S-MVA, IPS-Type, IPS-Pro from Innolux and Panasonic can only exist on paper and will never appear in real products of popular brands among monitor manufacturers.
On existing problems and factors holding back the spread
The first and obvious problem for the widespread use of 3.5K, 4K, 5K monitors is the high price for high-quality models and the relatively low quality of cheap models. You can also add manufacturers' obsession with creating monitors large in size from the point of view of a simple PC user. The 31.5-inch IGZO and PLS or the 34-inch AH-IPS are not acceptable for everyone. Why no one wants to offer 16: 9 displays in 24-25 inches and 21: 9 displays in at least 27-29 inches while maintaining the original resolution remains a mystery. After all, this will ultimately lead to an increase in the clarity of the picture - what everyone expects from the latest monitors.
True, progress in this direction is slowly being traced. Very soon we will be able to become the owners of 23.8 and 27-inch AH-IPS / AHVA monitors with conventional W-LED backlighting and a more attractive price - 35,000-45,000 rubles. Of course, it's not cheap, but the quality is incomparably higher (and the feeling of work) than that of the currently sold 28-inch TN + Film for 25,000-35,000 rubles. The latter, in the course of the evolution of the development of 4K displays, will become significantly cheaper, and after the interest in them decreases, they will drop in price even more. They can't get away from this. So it was before with Full HD models, so it will be with all subsequent standards. It remains to wait for the announcement of diagonally small IGZO, * VA and PLS matrices and it will be very good.
Meanwhile, one should not forget about another limiting factor - high requirements for workstation performance. It's no secret that quadrupling the resolution to Full HD (1080p) significantly increases the load on PC components - it can't be otherwise. If, with ordinary web surfing, working with documents, databases and similar tasks, you can get by with an inexpensive PC (25,000-35,000 rubles for all filling the case) with a video card that supports a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels and has a Display Port version 1.2 output, then for comfortable work with 3D graphics, photo and video content processing, a sufficient number of frames per second in the latest gaming industry in the native display resolution - you will have to go broke much more. Here, the amounts can range from 70-80 to 200-300 thousand rubles for a new PC, depending on your requirements for the speed of work / data processing. And yes - even having spent very large sums on the graphics subsystem, no one will give you guarantees that the most recent games (not to mention future ones) will produce a high level of fps at high graphics settings. Unfortunately, the pace of GPU development for last years slowed down a lot and it is not clear what will happen next.
So you should weigh the pros and cons before buying a new 4K display, not after. If you do decide, then first upgrade your computer or buy a new one, and then buy a monitor. To do the opposite is at least stupid (especially when working with low resolution or native, but at 30 Hz), and simply impractical. As long as you save up for fast parts, more modern, better quality and more affordable 4K displays are likely to come out by then. And you will sit at your old and not the best 4K.
OS / software support and usage details
The most important thing that all potential buyers of 3.5K, 4K, 5K monitors should know about is that you need to use Windows 8.1 (in any edition) or OS X Yosemite 10.10. No earlier versions, forget about them. All currently available developments of Microsoft and Apple in the field of content scaling are available only in these operating systems. How things are with support for HiDPI displays in various Lunix-base distributions, I am not aware - I will not hide.
There is no need to talk about the high quality of scaling everywhere and at the end of 2014. Some applications (including those related to professional products), program installation windows, individual graphic elements will either not be scaled (even after setting the appropriate parameters in the OS) or look blurry. This situation was observed a year ago on Windows 8 and beta versions 8.1, but now everything has become a little better, but far from ideal. Not everything is perfect with OSX, despite the fact that Retina displays in their laptops have appeared already two years ago. However, it is still possible to work comfortably, especially if you do not use very ancient programs and utilities.
As for professional software, based on official data for November 2014 provided by the Japanese company EIZO, major problems with scaling support on monitors with high resolution (3.5-5K) are observed in: Photoshop CS6, Canon Digital Professional, Nikon ViewNX2, Capture NX- D, Premiere Pro CC (2014), EDIUS Pro 7, Illustrator CS6, 3ds Max 2015. PhotoshopCC (2014) and AdobeReaderXI have partial problems. The software, which is used by almost every PC user (browsers, office suites), has no problems with HiDPI. The remaining problems, in all likelihood, will be corrected and disappeared within 1-2 years, no less.
For those who have already managed to purchase a monitor of the most modern standard or are going to buy it very soon, I can give some tips on what to do first:
- Use only high quality Display Port cable;
- Select the Display Port 1.2 version in the OSDMenu monitor;
- In the NVIDIA (or AMD / ATI) control panel, set the native monitor resolution (for 4K it is 3840x2160 or 4096x2160 - depending on the model) in the PC tab and set the refresh rate to 60 Hz;
- Through the tab “Screen resolution” go to “Changing the size of text and other elements”. There, set the zoom to Medium - 125% or Large - 150% - this will be more than enough. For those who sit behind the monitor very far away and do not have perfect vision, the Huge mode is suitable - 200%. Optionally, you can increase the font size of certain system elements - only Windows 8.1 has this functionality;
- Do not forget to periodically install all proposed and possible updates to the OS and all software installed directly by you. This way you will quickly get rid of all the problems with scaling graphic elements.
Available alternatives for the near future
No desire and opportunity to spend big money? I don’t want to think and face scaling problems, be a kind of tester (beta tester) of the latest matrices, switch to Windows 8.1 or OS X Yosemite (there are very few options here - purchase latest versions laptops / monoblocks from Apple or installing "Hackintosh" on a stationary PC with suitable hardware), and you just want to work without unnecessary thoughts? There are more than enough options.
The minimum to start with in this case is the long-selling 27-inch WQHD monitors (2560x1440 pixels). From them you will get a density of 109 pixels per inch (ppi), which is not so bad, plus the complete (!) Absence of any problems in operation. There are models with both conventional W-LED backlighting and GB-LED for professional use, including among the NEC PA series monitors stuffed with high-precision electronics. The following representatives of the class can be referred to more affordable, but of the same quality: AOC q2770Pqu, ASUS PB278QR, EIZO EV2736WFS, Viewsonic VP2770-LED. And one could say - 109 pixels per inch is nonsense. But, excuse me - for 4-5 years of existence of this standard, a huge number of users are still afraid of such a "small" pixel of 0.233 mm and prefer models with a large pixel. What can we say about 4K-5K displays?
But if 109 ppi is not comme il faut (and exactly the same amount, by the way, in 34-inch 3.5K models with a resolution of 3440x1440 pixels), then it is worth considering as a future purchase only the 23.8 and 25-inch WQHD (2560x1440 pixels ) models on AH-IPS matrices. A kind of transitional option from Full HD to 4K without losing large amounts of money and no problems in work already at this stage. After all, such permission operating systems has been known for a long time, and users will definitely not give up on high pixel density. Here it is 123 and 117 ppi, respectively. Among the suitable models so far we can mention ASUS VX24AH, BenQBL2420PT and DellU2515H. Are you no longer interested in such small diagonals? Well then - then you are waiting for the newest 4K in larger size and with higher pixel density and, of course, even sharper pictures.
Conclusion or what awaits us in the near future
In fact, everything is obvious - the release of 4K, 5K monitors marked the next stage in the evolution of desktop displays. Unfortunately, there is no talk of revolution yet. It will be the transition to 8K, and even then, only when compared with the well-known Full HD (1080p) models.
New displays with high resolution (HiDPI in the understanding of the OS) brought only greater image clarity, coupled with a significantly increased load on PC components. Neither new technologies, improved viewing angles, color gamut, picture stability, reduced response time. Depending on the used matrix production technology, such effects as Glow, Black Crush, Color-Shift have not disappeared anywhere. On half of the models, you can find a well-defined crystalline effect, slightly blurring the pleasant impression of the clarity of the image on the screen. But in general, the desired effect from the point of view of manufacturers and marketers has been achieved - the visual perception is very different and clearly for the better.
High prices, small selection and significantly less availability on the shelves of real (offline) stores seriously hinder the sale of 4K-5K displays. Their buyers are rich people and just desperate technologists, who decided at all costs to become the owners of new products of the modern standard of "monitor building". It is thanks to them that many of us in the coming years will become the next buyers of similar models, but at different - more affordable prices. In the meantime, there is time to think, accumulate the required amount of money, wait until more and more software developers come up in order to remove all the problems and features during work, and, of course, observe and think about buying more affordable new products that will appear very soon. You will see! Good luck!
Gryzhin Alexander aka \u003d DEAD \u003d
We will get acquainted with the features of monitors created using the new technology. Rather, with the use of new elements: indium oxide, gallium and zinc oxide (abbreviated as IGZO), together they form a material that provides higher conductivity and lower leakage current in display transistors. This, in turn, allows the use of economical small transistors and a lower refresh rate, in other words, a high pixel density combined with low power consumption.
In order not to bother you, I will briefly describe the advantages of IGZO displays:
- Higher pixel density
- Less power consumption
- High precision touch control
IGZO - clarity meets economy
The new LCD material is superior to all other screen technologies. It is ideal for Ultra HD monitors and mobile devices. IGZO screens are showing advantages in areas where conventional LCD monitors have reached their zenith. We are talking about the level of pixel density and support for Ultra HD resolution. New displays are already used in various devices, ranging from smartphones (Sharp SH-06E - 1920 × 1080 pixels / 460 ppi), tablets (for example, BungBungame - 2560 × 1600 pixels) and ending with laptops (Fujitsu Lifebook UH 90 - 3200 × 1800 pixels ). IGZO solutions are also found in monitors and TVs that support 4K resolution (ASUS PQ321QE). I completely forgot to say that the credit for creating this technology belongs to Sharp.
To see the difference, just show a comparison of the latest tablet PCs. If you open the same page on the Internet in iPad mini (1024 × 768 pixels) and iPad 4 (2048 × 1536 pixels), the font in iPad mini will appear blurry, when the image is reduced, the letters merge with each other, while the picture iPad 4 is unusually sharp. It is worth noting that the iPad does not use IGZO technology, but a competitor - LTPS (Low Temperature Poly-Silizium, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon). Both designs are well suited for high resolutions, but IGZO uses less power.
When using polycrystalline silicon to obtain a high pixel density (over 400 ppi), it becomes necessary to reduce transistors. The smaller they are, the greater the leakage current, which means that electrons move through the transistor even when it is turned off. In addition, refreshing of the image is required at regular intervals, as the leakage current can cause accidental switching. The IGZO transistor has virtually no off-state leakage current, which not only saves energy by eliminating the need for frequent updates, but also eliminates the barriers to smaller thin-film transistors.
IGZO displays are capable of keeping the screen contents for a certain time even with the TFT transistors turned off. According to Sharp, there is now the option of "painless" frequency reduction from 60 to 25 Hz. In addition, IGZO screens process touch commands more accurately, as image refreshing interferes with touch input signals. Regardless, it remains unclear when IGZO will hit the mass market. So far, Sharp displays are used in niche products. Other manufacturers rely on expensive LTPS technology. I think the mass adoption of IGZO is not far off.
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