Leak reveals Samsung’s two flagship ultrawide monitors coming later this year

By Brad Jones Published January 29, 2016

For years, PC gamers have been combining more than one display to provide a wider viewing angle, but recently we’ve seen manufacturers offer a more elegant solution: ultrawide monitors. Now, leaked information suggests that Samsung will release two such monitors in 2016 that push the limits of the tech.

It’s expected that the company will release 30-inch and 35-inch variants of its upcoming ultrawide monitor, according to a report from TechSpot. These displays boast an impressive 3,440 x 1,440 resolution that’s backed up by a 144 Hz refresh rate and the use of high-spec VA panel technology.

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Three types of panels are commonly used in PC monitors — TN (Twisted Nematic), VA (Vertical Alignment) and IPS (In-Plane Switching). TN is the most prevalent, but VA offers some major advantages, particularly with regard to contrast and viewing angles. IPS is widely considered to be the best of the bunch — although all three types of panel have certain advantages, depending on their usage — but it’s not currently compatible with this resolution and refresh rate.

Given the refresh rate, it seems likely these monitors will be marketed towards gamers, who enjoy the added responsiveness of a quick refresh rate.

Notably, the monitors will be among the first to utilize DisplayPort 1.3. Previously, Samsung has only supported DisplayPort 1.2, but the impressive resolution and refresh rate offered up by these ultrawide monitors requires the latest version.

Many graphics cards currently don’t support DisplayPort 1.3, but that’s expected to change imminently. Upcoming releases from both AMD and Nvidia are confirmed to be compatible with the technology, and those cards are anticipated to ship around the same time as Samsung’s ultrawide monitors.

While information is scarce, it’s expected that Samsung’s 35-inch ultrawide monitor will be available in Q2 of 2016, with the 30-inch model following in Q3. No pricing information has been made available as of the time of writing, but given the capabilities of these premium displays, it seems likely that they’ll command a high price point.

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Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

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