So we have all this excitement about 4K monitors being on the way. Manufacturing aside, the price of such monitors is going to be very high, especially at first, but even for some years after being available. Some seem to think we'll be seeing such monitors show up next year. I highly doubt this. We've had prototypes and CES demos, yes, but what manufacturers say on the demo floor vs. what actually ships (or doesn't) is another story. I don't expect we'll be seeing any 4K panels introduced to the 21.5"-24" range for at least 5 years, most likely more. Seeing 27" and 30" panels at 4K will most likely happen within 5 years.
Why? The first reason is that, despite manufacturing tech existing to create 4K and high PPI panels, the market for such monitors is just not there in the 21.5"-24" range. It all has to do with consumer type, and this size range of monitors are typically used by non-professionals, businesses, and gamers. All three types generally look to get the best price to performance ratio, which is usually cheaper priced monitors (and with specs and performance that are appropriate for the price). This is opposed to a premium price to performance ratio, sought after by professionals, and which the 27" and 30" monitor market caters to.
If we are to look at 1080p/1200p as an example and the duration to which this resolution has reigned in the 21.5"-24" category, it's going to be a good long while before said monitors receive the 4K treatment. Furthermore, manufacturers like LG and Samsung need to earn back their R&D and plant development costs, which means they need first adopters (i.e. people whose pockets are well-lined). They are certainly not going to introduce 4K panels to the 21.5"-24" market, despite it's much larger size relative to the 27"-30" market, because the cost recuperation and profits are not there. As such, we can expect the premium size panels of 27" and 30" to be first in line to receive a 4K makeover, despite its smaller market relative to the 21.5"-24" market.
But surely, 4K and high PPI are all the rave nowadays. I think soon enough, 1080p/1200p will have outstayed its welcome, and it's coming. Average consumers, despite not being able to afford monitors with 4K panels, are going to start demanding higher PPI on their desktop monitors. And who could blame them? Relatively speaking, having a 23" or 24" monitor with ~95ppi seems lacking these days.
Caveat: 21.5" panels have 102ppi, which is the 2nd highest PPI available among 21.5"-30" panels. For the sake of this post, I will treat 21.5" as the same as 23" and 24" panels, as 21.5" monitors are largely marketed to the same consumer type as 23" and 24" monitors are, as opposed to 27" and 30" monitors.
Of course, the 'retina' of a screen is all relative to the distance a person is positioned from their panel. Mobile and tablet devices necessarily require 300+ppi due to the eyes being very close to the screen. For laptops, 200+ppi seems to be an adequate amount (as judged by Apple, we'll see). As a screen is positioned further and further away, the need for high PPI becomes less and less due to the way our eyes resolve images. A 55" 4K TV would have just 80ppi, but it will sure look incredible, right? That's because you're sitting 10ft or 3m away. An 85" 4K TV will have merely 50ppi, but again distance will compensate for that.
This brings us back to 21.5"-24" monitors and a simple question, "Is ~95ppi acceptable at this range?". I think the answer is becoming more and more, no it is not. However, at 4K, one must ask themselves if they'd really need 205ppi at 21.5", 192ppi at 23", or 188ppi at 24". Considering most people position themselves anywhere from 2ft to 2.5ft (~.75m) from their monitor, it seems like overkill. So what would be the solution?
Personally, I believe that we will see a phasing out of 1080p/1200p in the 21.5"-24" monitor market within the next 5 years, and an introduction of 1440p/1600p to this size range within 2-3 years. It's a nice trade off to having 4K, which will most assuredly be available on 27" and 30" monitors first (for reference, a 4K 27" panel will have 163ppi; a 4K 30" panel will have 151ppi). With 1440p/1600p at the smaller sizes, 21.5" will sport 137ppi, 23" will have 127ppi, and 24" will come in at 125ppi. Even at the lower end, it's a nice sizable ~30ppi bump for common-use monitors, especially when professionals currently enjoy a maximum of 108ppi, and that's on 27" monitors.
So what say you all? Do you think we'll see the implementation of 1440p/1600p to the 21.5"-24" range before 4K? Or will the manufacturers just jump right into 4K? I'm interested to hear what you think.
Notes: All PPI calculations rounded to nearest pixel. 29" panels not considered because the market for them is extremely niche. The high end 24" market was also not considered because the market is also very small.
Why? The first reason is that, despite manufacturing tech existing to create 4K and high PPI panels, the market for such monitors is just not there in the 21.5"-24" range. It all has to do with consumer type, and this size range of monitors are typically used by non-professionals, businesses, and gamers. All three types generally look to get the best price to performance ratio, which is usually cheaper priced monitors (and with specs and performance that are appropriate for the price). This is opposed to a premium price to performance ratio, sought after by professionals, and which the 27" and 30" monitor market caters to.
If we are to look at 1080p/1200p as an example and the duration to which this resolution has reigned in the 21.5"-24" category, it's going to be a good long while before said monitors receive the 4K treatment. Furthermore, manufacturers like LG and Samsung need to earn back their R&D and plant development costs, which means they need first adopters (i.e. people whose pockets are well-lined). They are certainly not going to introduce 4K panels to the 21.5"-24" market, despite it's much larger size relative to the 27"-30" market, because the cost recuperation and profits are not there. As such, we can expect the premium size panels of 27" and 30" to be first in line to receive a 4K makeover, despite its smaller market relative to the 21.5"-24" market.
But surely, 4K and high PPI are all the rave nowadays. I think soon enough, 1080p/1200p will have outstayed its welcome, and it's coming. Average consumers, despite not being able to afford monitors with 4K panels, are going to start demanding higher PPI on their desktop monitors. And who could blame them? Relatively speaking, having a 23" or 24" monitor with ~95ppi seems lacking these days.
Caveat: 21.5" panels have 102ppi, which is the 2nd highest PPI available among 21.5"-30" panels. For the sake of this post, I will treat 21.5" as the same as 23" and 24" panels, as 21.5" monitors are largely marketed to the same consumer type as 23" and 24" monitors are, as opposed to 27" and 30" monitors.
Of course, the 'retina' of a screen is all relative to the distance a person is positioned from their panel. Mobile and tablet devices necessarily require 300+ppi due to the eyes being very close to the screen. For laptops, 200+ppi seems to be an adequate amount (as judged by Apple, we'll see). As a screen is positioned further and further away, the need for high PPI becomes less and less due to the way our eyes resolve images. A 55" 4K TV would have just 80ppi, but it will sure look incredible, right? That's because you're sitting 10ft or 3m away. An 85" 4K TV will have merely 50ppi, but again distance will compensate for that.
This brings us back to 21.5"-24" monitors and a simple question, "Is ~95ppi acceptable at this range?". I think the answer is becoming more and more, no it is not. However, at 4K, one must ask themselves if they'd really need 205ppi at 21.5", 192ppi at 23", or 188ppi at 24". Considering most people position themselves anywhere from 2ft to 2.5ft (~.75m) from their monitor, it seems like overkill. So what would be the solution?
Personally, I believe that we will see a phasing out of 1080p/1200p in the 21.5"-24" monitor market within the next 5 years, and an introduction of 1440p/1600p to this size range within 2-3 years. It's a nice trade off to having 4K, which will most assuredly be available on 27" and 30" monitors first (for reference, a 4K 27" panel will have 163ppi; a 4K 30" panel will have 151ppi). With 1440p/1600p at the smaller sizes, 21.5" will sport 137ppi, 23" will have 127ppi, and 24" will come in at 125ppi. Even at the lower end, it's a nice sizable ~30ppi bump for common-use monitors, especially when professionals currently enjoy a maximum of 108ppi, and that's on 27" monitors.
So what say you all? Do you think we'll see the implementation of 1440p/1600p to the 21.5"-24" range before 4K? Or will the manufacturers just jump right into 4K? I'm interested to hear what you think.
Notes: All PPI calculations rounded to nearest pixel. 29" panels not considered because the market for them is extremely niche. The high end 24" market was also not considered because the market is also very small.