display

DisplayMate Shootout Compares Samsung Galaxy S4 to S III and iPhone 5

Paul Lilly — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:46:41 +0000

Samsung's Galaxy S4 brings a 5-inch Full HD PenTile OLED panel to a display fight.

DisplayMate Technologies president Dr. Raymond M. Soneira managed to sweet talk Samsung into giving him an early production unit of its upcoming Galaxy S4 smartphone to test and analyze for its Display Technology Shoot-Out article, the results of which are now live. In it, Dr. Soneira compares the Galaxy S4's upgraded 5-inch Full HD 1080p PenTile OLED display with that of that of its predecessor, the Galaxy S III, and Apple's iPhone 5. How did it fare?

"Impressively" to the point of being able to challenge the best LCD displays, according to Dr. Soneira. What he found most interesting, however, is the inclusion of a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display in a 5.5-inch or smaller screen (in this case, it's 5 inches), noting that it's the same resolution found on most large screen HDTVs.

"The Galaxy S4 continues the rapid and impressive improvement in OLED displays and technology. The first notable OLED smartphone, the Google Nexus One, came in decidedly last place in our 2010 Smartphone Display Shoot-Out. In a span of just three years OLED display technology is now challenging the performance of the best LCDs," Dr. Soneira said.

In addition to picture quality, which consistently fared well during Dr. Soneira's testing, he also noted a 20 percent improvement in power efficacy between the Galaxy S4 and S III despite a 25 percent increase in brightness. This is something that bodes well for the future of OLED displays.

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Asus Unveils Factory Calibrated PA249Q ProArt Monitor

Paul Lilly — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:54:28 +0000

There's no need to fuss with the PA249Q's calibration controls, Asus claims.

Most monitors can benefit from a burn-in period and custom calibration, some needing more than others. This is especially true if you require pinpoint color accuracy for photography chores or other professional work, so it's always nice when a company can deliver a panel that's ready to go right out of the box. Such is the claim Asus makes with its new PA249Q ProArt Series display, a professional 24-inch monitor that comes pre-calibrated from the factory "for uncompromised color precision."

The PA249Q features a native 1920x1200 resolution with 16:10 aspect ratio, 178-degress viewing angles, and independent six-axis color control. According to Asus, the panel boasts 99 percent Adobe Wide Gamut RGB, 100 percent sRGB, and 120 percent NTSC.

Other features include support for 10-bit deep color, 350 cd/m2 brightness, 80,000,000:1 Smart Contrast Ratio, QuickFit Virtual Scale (displays on-screen guidelines for an actual size preview of images prior to printing), Asus Splendid Video Intelligence technology (automatically adjusts display settings for best visual quality), picture-in-picture support, and several connectivity options: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D, D-Sub, and a four-port USB 3.0 hub.

No word yet on price or availability.

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Acer Announces Slimmed Down B6 and V6 Series Displays

Paul Lilly — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:26:08 +0000

The new B6 and V6 monitors come in a wide variety of sizes.

Acer is attempting to offer a little something for everyone in announcing its new B6 and V6 Series of LED-backlit monitors. These displays range in size from just 17-inches all the way up to 27 inches, all of which sport a slimmer chassis than the prior generation of monitors, Acers says. They also come in a variety of panel types, including in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA) and twisted nematic (TN).

Don't get too caught up on the size of the screen, at least on the higher end. That's because Acer tops out the resolution at 1920x1080, so you don't necessarily gain any more screen real-estate by going with a 27-inch over a smaller panel; it just depends on the model.

In terms of feature differences, the V6 Series offers tilt capability, which can be adjusted from -5 to 25 degrees. The V6, meanwhile, ups the ante with a multifunction ErgoStand that supports tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments. These displays can be pivoted 90 degrees clockwise for both landscape and portrait viewing, titled from -5 to 35 degrees in the high position and -5 to 25 degrees in the low position, and offer 120-degree swivel.

Pricing starts at $95 for the V6 and $155 for the B6.

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NEC's 29-inch EA294WMI Monitor Carries an Ultra Wide Load

Paul Lilly — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:16:18 +0000

NEC's newest panel features a 21:9 aspect ratio.

Ever wonder what would happen if you took a typical widescreen monitor and stretched out the sides until you're left with a 21:9 aspect ratio? To find the answer, just take a peek at NEC's new 29-inch EA294WMi. It's an ultra-wide display with LED backlighting and an elongated IPS panel with a slim profile, full ergonomics, and plenty of connectivity options. With split-screen Picture by Picture/Side by Side (PBP) functionality, NEC is pitching this as an alternative to dual monitors.

Compared to two 19-inch displays with similar LCD panel technology, NEC says its 29-inch beast offers a 29 percent power savings and is TCO certified. It also features a 2560x1080 resolution, 6ms response time, 25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 100 percent sRGB support, 300cd/m2 brightness, built-in speakers, touch-sensitive OSD controls, and pivot/tilt/swivel capabilities.

In terms of connectivity, users have half a dozen options, including HDMI/MHL, DisplayPort, two DVI-D ports, and two VGA ports, plus a 4-port USB hub.

The EA294WMi is available now for $799 MSRP.

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Acer Unveils a 720p 3D Projector for $549

Paul Lilly — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:07:05 +0000

Projector pricing has fallen sharply in the past 12 months.

For some people, investing in a projector is a no-brainer, now that prices are comparable to LED televisions. For example, Acer's new H5370BD runs $549, beams images up to 300 inches, supports 720p HD, and is 3D ready, to name a few of the features. If you have a mancave (or womancave) that's suitable for a projector, it might make more sense than plunking down the same amount of cash for a 42-inch LED TV, which is about what you can get on that budget (sales notwithstanding).

Affordability is what Acer's pitching.

"Our newest home entertainment projector is a great choice for consumers wanting an affordable way to enjoy the excitement of both HD and 3D movies and games at home," said Chris White, senior director of product marketing, Acer America. "Two HDMI ports enable two devices including PCs and gaming consoles to be connected at once, and offer flexible connectivity and instant switching. Plus eco-friendly functionality saves power and extends lamp life, which lowers the total cost of ownership over the long-term."

The H5370BD features 2500 ANSI lumens brightness and 13,000:1 contrast ratio with "Dynamic Black" technology. It supports popular 3D technologies such as Blu-ray 3D, DLP 3D, and Nvidia 3DTV Play, and is also able to convert 2D content to 3D in real-time with no extra software required.

Acer's newest projector is available now and backed by a 1-year warranty.

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Asus ET2300 All-in-One PC Review

Michael Brown — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:04:06 +0000

Mostly evolutionary

The concept of the desktop PC that folds flat like a tabletop is catching on. HP was first, with its Z1 workstation, but Lenovo brought the technology to consumer all-in-ones with its very sexy IdeaCentre A720. Now Asus has adopted the idea for its new ET2300 series (we reviewed the model ET2300INTI-B022K).

Asus’s ET2300 isn’t as sleek as Lenovo’s A720, but it delivers plenty of features

Like the A720, the E2300 tucks all its components inside the base of its display; but for whatever reason, Asus needed more room than Lenovo. The E2300’s base is thin enough at the front, but it slopes up to about 1.5 inches high in the back. Lenovo’s A720 is less than an inch thick all around.

Asus makes very big claims for the ET2300’s audio performance, as in “the best audio experience ever in an AiO.” Uh, no. Asus did go farther on this score than most manufacturers have—the ET2300 has a four-speaker array augmented by an internal subwoofer, and you can buy an optional (and proprietary) outboard subwoofer—but this all-in-one sounds only slightly better than the nails-on-a-chalkboard A720. Plan on using headphones for a personal audio experience, or external powered speakers to fill a room.

This model ET2300 costs $400 less than Lenovo’s A720, but its 23-inch IPS panel is much smaller than the 27-inch VA panel that Lenovo delivers (both models deliver the typical resolution of 1920x1080, and both provide 10 touch points to support Windows 8.) Although the Asus has a lesser CPU (the ET2300 ships with a 3GHz Intel Core i5-3330 desktop processor that doesn’t support Hyper-Threading, compared to the A720’s 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM mobile that does), the two machines traded benchmark wins. The Asus proved slightly faster on the gaming-oriented tests (3DMark 11 and Metro 2033), despite the fact that both machines are equipped with 8GB of DDR3/1600 memory and discrete graphics in the form of Nvidia’s GeForce GT 630M. We surmise it’s because the Asus’s base clock is far higher. The Lenovo, on the other hand, delivered better performances with our Adobe Premiere and MainConcept benchmarks, thanks to its Hyper-Threading.

Aside from the size of its display and with the exception of its optical drive (Lenovo packs a slot-feed Blu-ray player/DVD burner in the A720, where Asus provides only a slot-feed DVD burner), the balance of the Asus’s spec sheet is far superior. Both machines come with 1TB of storage, but the drive in the ET6300 spins its platters at 7,200rpm compared to the 5,400rpm model in the A720. And where the A720 is outfitted with two USB 2.0 ports and two USB 3.0 ports, the ET2300 ships with four USB 3.0 ports plus an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port and two Thunderbolt ports.

Thunderbolt technology delivers bidirectional data transfer speeds up to 10Gb/s, and you can daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt devices, including a DisplayPort monitor. While there are just a handful of storage devices currently on the market, we expect to see them proliferate over time. Ditto for Thunderbolt displays.

Like any all-in-one worthy of the name, the ET2300 has an HDMI input (to support a gaming console or set-top box); but in addition to providing HDMI out (to support a second display or a video projector), the ET2300 also supports WiDi, so that it can wirelessly mirror its audio/video output to a TV or a streaming box (such as Netgear’s new NeoTV Max) that supports that Intel technology.

The ET2300 certainly isn’t a barn burner, but it is a solid all-around family PC. While we expected to see a Blu-ray drive at this price point, the presence of Thunderbolt and WiDi are welcome features.

$1,300, www.asus.com

Acer Launches 3D Projector for Movie Buffs and Gamers

Paul Lilly — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:27:24 +0000

The Acer H6510BD projector offers instant 2D to 3D conversion in HD with no extra software required.

Acer on Thursday announced that it's H6510BD projector for displaying 3D movies and games is now available in the United States. The H6510BD features Full HD 1080p support and converts 2D content passed through the HDMI port to 3D on-the-fly without any extra software. It also supports all the popular 3D technologies, including Blu-ray 3D, DLP 3D, and Nvidia 3DTV Play.

"The Acer H6510BD projector is ideal for movie buffs and gamers who want to enjoy immersive 3D on a big screen from home," said Chris White, senior director of product marketing for Acer America. "In addition, its high brightness, low total cost of ownership and quick packing capability make it perfect for professionals wanting a projector for giving high-quality presentations and that's lightweight enough for taking to meetings off-site."

Acer says the projector offers 300 lumens brightness. Using the ExtremeEco mode, owners will see power savings of up to 70 percent and extend lamp life up to 7,000 hours, Acer claims.

On the connectivity side, the H6510BD has D-Sub, RCA, S-Video (mini DIN), component (three RCA), 2 x HDMI, and PC audio (stereo mini jack) ports.

The H6510BD is available now for $799.

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Google Accepting Applications for Google Glass Testers

Paul Lilly — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:55:30 +0000

A new video shows off the Google Glass UI.

Google on Tuesday provided a glimpse of how the world looks and feels through the eyes of someone wearing its Glass eyegear. The Google Glass project, if you're not already familiar, is an augmented reality head-mounted display (HMD) that displays information about the world around you. It lets you interact with the environment using voice commands, similar to using a smartphone.

In a new video showing off the technology, Google demonstrates some ways you can interact with the UI. You can tell Glass to "Record a video" or "Take a picture," among many other commands. Have a look for yourself:

The downside to all this is that if Glass eventually goes mainstream, people are going to be walking around yelling out voice commands all the time, though that fear proved largely unfounded when Siri and Google Now debuted.

Intrigued? If so, you can apply to be a Google Glass tester. If chosen, you'll need to cough up $1,500 to pre-order a Glass Explorer Edition.

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Acer's H6 Series Monitors Tout Zero Frame Construction

Paul Lilly — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:29:16 +0000

Acer's new monitors are available in 21.5-inch and 23-inch models.

Acer on Tuesday announced that it is now offering its H6 Series LED-backlit displays to consumers in the U.S. The big feature Acer is pimping is "zero frame construction," which the company says adds to the aesthetics, especially when using multiple monitors simultaneously, including video walls. Acer's new monitors also feature IPS panels and Full HD 1080p resolution support.

"Our new Acer H Series displays are the ideal all-around monitors due to their flexibility, Full HD resolution and excellent viewing angles," said Chris White, senior director of product marketing for Acer America. "They offer users the ability to display content with viewing angles as wide as 178 degrees, which makes them ideal for collaborating with others. Plus, the near zero frame construction is perfect for use in multi-monitor setups and video walls."

As part of the zero frame construction, the displays sport a thin 0.08-inch frame versus thicker ones typically seen on other panels. They also feature brushed hairline finishes and magnetic surfaces for users to post notes and paper clips directly to the stand.

Both the H226HQL (21.5-inch) and H236HL (23-inch) monitors offer viewing angles up to 178 degrees, tilt from -5 to 15 degrees, 5ms response times, 100,000,000:1 contrast ratios, and HDMI, DVI, and VGA connectivity.

The H226HQL and H236HL are available now for $150 and $170 MSRP, respectively.

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Dell Adds Ultra Wide Monitor to Refreshed UltraSharp Line

Paul Lilly — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:59:51 +0000

Dell says it's new UltraSharp monitors offer true-to-life color without the need for extensive calibration.

While Michael Dell and his investment partners try to complete a $24.4 billion takeover bid for the company he created, it's business as usual for Dell, which today announced the availability of three refreshed UltraSharp monitors. The new 30-inch U3014, 27-inch U2713H, and 24-inch U2413 all feature 12-bit panels and PremierColor technology, which is supposed to offer color accuracy, precision, and performance straight out of the box.

We were really impressed with Dell's 30-inch U3011, a Maximum PC "Best of the Best" pick, and the new U3014 is supposedly even better. Unfortunately, Dell didn't go into detail about specific differences between the two, saying only that the new model is suitable for the fine level of detail required for color critical work such as CAD/CAM, graphic design, desktop publishing, gaming, or media creation. Like the U3011, the new model sports a 2560x1600 (16:10) resolution.

New to the UltraSharp series is the U2913WM, a 29-inch ultra-wide monitor with a unique 21:9 aspect ratio. This is intended for multi-taskers and provides the same benefits as a dual-monitor setup, but without the annoying bezel running down the middle.

The Dell UltraSharp U2713H and U2413 are available now starting at $999 and $599, respectively, while the U3014 is "coming soon" and will run $1,499. No word on how much the U2913WM will cost or when it's coming out.

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H.265 Video Codec Gets The ITU Seal of Approval

Justin Kerr — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 01:38:42 +0000

Twice the pixels, or half the bandwidth. Sounds like a good deal to us.

H.265 has been on our radar since early 2012, but as of today it has passed an important milestone. The ITU has given the new codec its official approval, paving the way for devices and software to start implementing the standard as they see fit. H.265 (also known as High Efficiency Video Coding) will cut the bandwidth requirements for streaming video in half, or for the Maximum PC crowd, double the amount data you can fit in the same sized container.

H.265 has been a long time in the making, but its debut couldn’t be more aptly timed. Mobile devices have been adopting 4G connections at an impressive clip, but countless new Android phones are also being shipped with 1080p displays. H.265 will allow these devices to stream HD content over saturated cellular networks, or delivery comparably sized video streams to the next generation of 4K Ultra HD TV’s.

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CES 2013: Hands On Preview of the 4K Support in Gigabyte's Thunderbolt Boards [Video]

Paul Lilly — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:51:45 +0000

Feast your eyes on a quad-display setup running 4K Ultra HD.

Gigabyte earlier this week announced that it's dual-Thunderbolt boards are the first to implement the Intel Collage display technology. With a BIOS update and special driver, Intel Collage allows compatible boards to drive a 4K Ultra HD picture across four standard 1080p monitors. Maximum PC Deputy Editor Gordon Mah Ung stopped by Gigabyte's booth to see this technology first hand, and now you can too.

What's pretty remarkable about this is that it runs off of Intel's integrated graphics in Core i3, i5, and i7 processors; a discrete graphics card isn't required. The board Gigabyte used to demonstrate the technology is its GA-Z77X-UP5 TH, a motherboard that's been available to purchase for quite some time now.

Why would you want to do this? The main benefit is being able to save a ton of cash by using four relatively inexpensive 1080p monitors, rather than spending a fortune on a 4K monitor. Gigabyte also sees this technology being utilized in commercial markets that include digital signage, surveillance, medical, and more.

Here it is, and be sure to check back often throughout the week for more CES coverage and videos. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel at MaximumPCMag.

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CES 2013: Targus Demos Touch Capabilities Without the Touchscreen [Video]

Paul Lilly — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:35:00 +0000

A Touch Pen accessory from Targus allows for touch input on non-touch panels.

Microsoft can squawk all it wants about Windows 8 being equally well suited for non-touch desktops as it is for touch-capable notebooks and tablets, but we know better. The user interface is clearly intended for users to poke and swipe, and that's great if you own a Windows 8 tablet or a fancy new touch-capable laptop PC, but it's not so groovy for existing systems. Should you scrap your system and buy a new laptop? Well, that's certainly an option, though it's not a very cost effective one. Targus demonstrated for us another solution using its Touch Pen device, which transforms ordinary laptops into touch-sensitive devices.

The Touch Pen works its mojo by communicating with a magnetic receiver that attaches to the side of a laptop. It needs to be calibrated, a simple process that requires touching the four corners of the display so that the receiver learns the laptop's boundaries, and then you're ready to rock Windows 8 like a touch ninja.

Speaking of touch ninjas, Online Editor Jimmy Thang saw a demonstration of how it works in Lenovo's suite at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which you can view below. What's promising about this device is that you don't need to learn new gestures like you do on some touchpads and mice. Just tap, swipe, and use the Pen as an extension of your finger.

See for yourself, and be sure to check back often throughout the week for more CES coverage and videos. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel at MaximumPCMag.

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CES 2013: ViewSonic Makes Us Lust for a 4K Monitor [Video]

Paul Lilly — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:27:42 +0000

ViewSonic unveils its line of touch displays for Windows 8.

By design, Windows 8 has an interface that's best suited for touch, and even though enthusiasts are hesitant to jump on the bandwagon, hardware manufacturers are ready to punch your ticket. ViewSonic is taking advantage of this new era in computing by launching a new line of Windows 8-certified touch monitors, and we stopped by the company's booth at CES to take a look.

The first monitor ViewSonic showed us was the TD2740, a 27-inch panel with a 1920x1080 resolution. It has 10-point multi-touch support, a 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, and lots of connectivity options (DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, and full USB HID compliance).

In what's fast becoming a theme, the TD2740 can lay flat. The marketing pitch we're seeing for such flexibility is towards families getting together to play board games, but on a touch panel. It may be a little idealistic, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Would-be movie star and Online Editor Jimmy Thang also spent some time viewing ViewSonic's 4K Ultra HD monitor and Smart Display. The former isn't about to launch any time soon, and the latter is notable because it packs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

There's some neat stuff here. Have a look for yourself, and be sure to check back often throughout the week for more CES coverage and videos. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel at MaximumPCMag.

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CES 2013: Dolby Demonstrates 4K Glassless 3D TV [Video]

Paul Lilly — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:12:17 +0000

Might 2013 be the year of glassless 3D TVs? It's looking that way.

Television makers and the entertainment industry as a whole has been trying to cram 3D viewing down our collective throats (or eye sockets, as it were -- apologies for the unpleasant visuals), but having to don a pair of sometimes goofy looking goggles hasn't proven popular. The other problem with 3D TVs is that they're often limited to strict viewing angles. Sit just a little bit off axis and the 3D effect goes out the window. It doesn't have to be that way, as Dolby demonstrated at its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Yep, THAT Dolby, the one that's known for sound.

Reporter extraordinaire and Online Editor Jimmy Thang had a chance to demo Dolby's 4K glassless 3D TV, and sure enough, the 3D effect was preserved when viewing the screen from an angle.

For the technology to truly shine, Dolby said it was best if the content was 3D to begin with, rather than trying to upconvert 2D footage into 3D. The ability to upconvert is there, it just won't be as good as native 3D content.

If you're thinking this is the same technology used in Nintendo's 3DS handheld console and similar devices, think again. Those devices are single-viewer gadgets that, as mentioned above, requires a direct line of sight with the display. Dolby's technology is called Multi View Glasses Free 3D, which is exactly what it sounds like. An algorithm runs in real-time and converts the stereoscopic 3D input signal into a Multi View signal, Dolby explains.

What's equally interesting here is that Dolby is primarily known for audio, not video. Dolby feels it's mastered the audio space, and the next logical step was to dive into video. The company has already developed some professional products in the video space, such as digital video cinema servers, a professional reference video monitor, and more, and is now ready to focus on the consumer end.

Dolby says it plans to license its 4K glasses free 3D TV technology to third-parties rather than sell its own products.

Find out more below, and be sure to check back often for more CES coverage. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel (MaximumPCMag).

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