We've seen some super-resolution displays that put Full HD to shame (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), but most of them were large TVs instead of reasonably compact monitors. ViewSonic has finally showcased a 4K display which, instead of playing TV broadcasts or high-quality films, is meant to help in the making and broadcasting of such things.
That is to say, rather than a consumer product it is more of a professional/business-oriented panel.
Nevertheless, we are fairly certain that the
ViewSonic VP3280-LED, as it is called, will appeal to consumers as well.
Sure, it will cost several thousand dollars, but that's to be expected when the native resolution is of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels.
The density is 150 ppi (pixels per inch), which makes 8.8 million pixels in total. That's not a small count, by any means, especially for a panel with a diagonal of
35.5 31.5 inches. Also, LED backlighting makes sure colors are bright and power consumption is low.
To put things in perspective, an Eyefinity, triple-monitor setup using three Full HD displays (1,080 pixels each) has a total resolution of 6 million pixels (6 megapixels).
Furthermore, ViewSonic made it so that the display can produce 10-bit 1.07 billion colors, hence the suitability for photo and video editing.
Finally, in order for a 4K image to be displayed, the monitor needs a video feed from two dual-link DVI cables.
Retail availability is expected to ramp up later this year, but the panel on show at Computex, in Taipei, Taiwan, is just a prototype. We suppose ViewSonic will eventually demo an 8K panel as well, since the ITU has already met to discuss
4K and 8K UHDTV.
Don't hold your breath though. The ViewSonic VP3280-LED won't be out for a few months, meaning that 8K panels, if any, will make an appearance in 2013 at the earliest.
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