HP’s ZR Series IPS Professional Display, The Affordable IPS Battle Heats up with new HP Sauce

LCD Monitors are the work-horse of every computer setup, weather laptop or desktop your monitor has to represent the entire computer world, before your very eyes. The quality of that picture and the clarity of your window into the computer world comes down to the technology in the panel. IPS Panels are the professionals of the LCD world, for video editing these monitors are essential, photographers and graphic designers swear by them. HP’s newly released ZR-series Performance Displays use the latest IPS technology to provide a powerful salvo in the Über Monitor battle. There are four new members of the ZR series, with prices ranging from $729 USD to the unbelievably low $189 USD for the little brother of the family, the ZR2040w 20″ LCD. Read the full article »»»»

Yes Please Samsung, S-PLS for the Masses

The current King of Über computer monitor technology, the IPS panel has a new challenger. This new young upstart from Samsung is taking the fight to the King.

Samsung has announced the latest additions to its SyncMaster family of monitors, featuring new S-PLS – Plane to Line Switching – technology. Similar to other types of IPS – In-Plane Switching – displays the Samsung variant offers much better viewing angles and brightness. Three models have been announced, the S24A350T, S24A650 and S27A850. More than just the introduction of three new models Samsung has standardized next generation monitor technology, opening the way for Samsungs new S-PLS technology to become standard for affordable computer monitors.

The new SyncMaster monitors are based on Samsungs version of IPS, S-PLS. Previously only used in Samsungs killer little table the Galaxy 10.1 Tab, this is next the generation of LCD. Samsung has also tried to optimize S-PLS for mass produced monitors, at 15% cheaper to produce than other IPS panels Samsung’s hard work is paying off. Read the full article »»»»

Dell UltraSharp U2412M, Über Monitor for the Masses

We’ve been following IPS panels for a we while now, and with much anticipation of them becoming a bog standard item, a standard consumable . . .

Dell this week released a new affordable IPS LCD Monitor, a monitor with more pop than a lady gaga track and a price tag we can actually afford, the monitor is already on sale for $399 USD. The panel is based on IPS technology - In-Plane Switching – that gives the display a more vivid and brighter picture than the current generation LCD monitors. The iPad 2, iPhone 4, Asus Transformer tablet, Samsung Galaxy tablet all use IPS displays to give the tiny displays that little extra pop, critical when the whole computer is just a display. Are IPS monitors about to hit mainstream?

The style of the monitor is semi professional with Dell’s standard black and silver in use, not that you will notice once the display lights up. Functionally Dell have managed to fit a lot into the budget. The stand can tilt back, swivel and rotate, coming off completely for wall mounting. Rotating the monitor into landscape or portrait orientation for different workloads. Technical specifications include 1920 x 1200 resolution, 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 8ms response time and 178º wide viewing angles. Some compromises have been made to keep the price down, multi-media options such as HDMI or speakers have been abandoned. Connectivity hasn’t been abandoned completely though; DVI-D, DisplayPort, D-Sub VGA along with a USB hub are included, all of the important options are there.

With all of us viewing more and more of the world through an LCD window IPS panels are more important than ever. Even just a few hours plodding around the web involves hi-resolution pictures, hi-def video, animation all mixed into one medium. Activities that involve images moving or still will show of an IPS panels talents. The real difference comes in the ability to display more colours than a standard LCD monitor. Most people don’t notice it but typically TFT  LCD monitors don’t come close to being able to display 16 million colours. the standard number of colours supported by every other piece of computer hardware in the world. Video cards for example have 24bit colour, which is another way of saying 16million colours, 24bits can hold a number up 16million. Camera’s all work in 24bit colour along with scanners. The same applies to all software for image or video editing, 24bit colour is the standard. . After the hard work taking photo’s or video footage aren’t being shown at their best.  That’s where IPS panels come in with true 24bit colour,the picture you took is exactly what you see.

Traditionally IPS panels have been used by graphics professionals that demand accurate colour reproduction and were willing to pay top dollar for it. Now though as IPS panels become cheaper we are all able to at least consider the option. Apple has also recently released a series of IPS panels under the Thunderbolt branding. While not as affordable as the Dell option with prices starting at $999 USD the Thunderbolt displays are professional grade and very impressive IPS Panels in their own right.

Dell’s new affordable high-end monitor is available immediately online for $399 USD. An IPS Panel for the masses. The only conceivable down side is this monitor will ruin you, you won’t look at ordinary monitors the same again.

More information at Dell’s Online Store

DISPLAY SPECS
Diagonal Viewable Size: 24″ (60.96 cm) viewable area
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:10)
Panel Type, Surface: IPS (In-Plane Switching), anti glare with hard coat 3H
Optimal Resolution: 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz
Contrast Ratio: 1000 : 1 (typical) 2,000,000:1 (dynamic)
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 2 million:1 (Max)
Brightness: 300 cd/m2 (typical)
Response Time: 8ms (gray to gray) Typical
Max Viewing Angle (vertical/horizontal): 178º / 178º
Color Support: 16.7 million colors
Color Gamut 82% (CIE 1976)
Pixel Pitch: 0.27 mm
Device Type Widescreen Flat Panel Display

SIZE AND WEIGHT
Dimensions with stand (H x W x D): 20.22 inches (513.5 mm) x 21.89 inches (556.0 mm) x 7.10 inches (180.3 mm)
Dimension without stand: (H x W x D) 14.24 inches (361.6 mm) x 21.89 inches (556.0 mm ) x 2.56 inches (64.9 mm)
Preset Display Area (H x V) 20.3 inches (518.4 mm) x 12.7 inches (324.0 mm)
Weight (panel only – for VESA mount) 3.97 kg (8.73 lbs)
Weight (with packaging) 7.49kg (16.48 lbs)

IPS Monitors: The Kings of Colour

There is a little known category of LCD Monitor, the lonely King of Monitors. He gets little attention but rules the top end of the monitor market. The IPS – In-Plane Switching - LCD Panel. In-plane switching was developed by Hitachi Ltd. in 1996 to improve on the poor viewing angle and the poor color reproduction of TNpanels. IPS  panels are the Bentley Continental of the monitor world. Just as with a Bentley you will pay for them, $2500 for a high end IPS monitor. Thankfully  IPS panels are starting to appear in the lower segments of the monitor market, along with in televisions, so expect prices to continue to drop.High end IPS monitors are aimed at professional users, photographers, animators, video production. Traditionally these users have required more from a monitor than the average user. IPS monitors fulfill this by producing a much greater colour range – 1 billion colours versus less than 16million colours – , have a higher resolution – 2560X1600 versus 1920X1080 – and are made using premium quality parts. While the technology was invented by Hitachi in 1996 for the professional monitor market many other LCD panel makers use this technology in their monitors. Read the full article »»»»