Stand-alone monitors don’t always attract the amount of fanfare that they deserve. New CPUs from Intel and fast GPUs from Nvidia are always exciting, but monitors are the devices we end up staring at for hours on end throughout the day.
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Whether you’re a professional gamer who demands low latency, a master multitasker who wants to go ultrawide, or a multimedia binger who wants the biggest display they can find, CES 2019 has provided an array of both impressive and attractive picks for your next desktop monitor.
Razer Raptor 27
The name of Razer’s first gaming monitor is enough to catch your attention, but the impressive attention to detail is what keeps your gaze locked. On the outside, the Raptor 27 is a beautifully crafted 27-inch HDR 144 Hz monitor surrounded by crafted aluminum. Gamers will take instantly to its built-in Razer Chroma RGB lighting for a bit of immersion during gameplay, while cable management geeks will take joy in the monitor’s rear crevices that allow you to thread cables down the back of the monitor to maintain a clean desk. The only thing missing from this monitor as of now is a VESA mount. As of now, the monitor is an early production design and is subject to change, but will be starting at $700 later this year.
Lenovo ThinkVision P44w
If you’re wondering how a business monitor can make it this list, then you likely aren’t alone, but Lenovo managed to pull it off with this 44-inch ultrawide. The ThinkVision P44w is only one of a few impressive displays that Lenovo has shown off here at CES 2019, including the Legion Y44FW, which offers identical specs. But then why single out the ThinkVision P44w as the top monitor? Coming in with the same specs as its Legion gaming counterpart — 3,840 x 1,200 resolution with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time — the P44w offers a $100 lower price point and a dropdown front-facing USB hub. For those wondering, this business monitor does indeed include a VESA mount in its design.
Samsung Space Monitor
This monitor from Samsung won’t be taking you to space, but its design certainly reached for the stars and landed on planet minimalism. Available in two variations, either a 27-inch QHD display or a 32-inch 4K UHD display, the Space Monitor’s thin, black-framed design sits flush against the back of your desk, but can easily be pulled forward thanks to its hinge design. Of course, you can’t have a monitor aimed at minimalism without stringent cable management, so the unit allows excess wiring to be threaded through the monitor’s supporting arm. With the larger of the two options coming in at $500, the Space Monitor is ideal for minimalist PC or Mac enthusiasts.
LG 49-inch Ultrawide
If you don’t have a super-wide desk, you will need to pick one up before grabbing LG’s 49-inch ultrawide monitor. Featuring an absolutely massive display, the LG UltraWide comes in at a 32:9 aspect ratio and sports a curved screen to boot. A 5,120 x 2,160 will make gaming an exciting challenge if your PC can handle the pixels; additionally, the 99 percent sRGB color space and 98 percent DCI-P3 color gamut will be welcomed by designers and editors alike. LG includes its Dual Controller software with the monitor so users can easily control a handful of different devices connected at once. Pricing and availability are not yet available, but we don’t expect this beauty to fall into the budget category anytime soon.
HP Omen X Emperium
When does a computer monitor cease to be for the desktop and is instead transformed into a full-fledged television for the living room? HP might be attempting to blur the line with its latest release, the HP Omen X Emperium. An incredibly massive 65-inch gaming display, the X Emperium packs a 4K resolution with HDR support and an impressive 4ms that supports 144 Hz refresh rates. The package also includes a built-in soundbar for immersive audio out of the box. Features such as Nvidia G-Sync support and integrated RGB lighting are also onboard. If you’re looking to pick up the HP Omen X Emperium after CES, be sure to save up, as it will cost $5,000 at release.
Alienware 55-inch OLED
Dell’s gaming brand, Alienware, also chose to preview a monitor at CES; another monster sized display coming in at 55-inches, aimed squarely at gamers with deep pockets, and an appreciation for subtle RGB lighting. Most impressive, beyond the sheer size of the display, is that it brings an OLED panel to the party, making Dell the first company to release an OLED gaming monitor. Monitors with OLED technology can control the power of individual pixels, typically resulting in much brighter images with improved contrast levels. The design is pure Alienware and follows the company’s current Legend industrial design language. Availability, additional tech details, and pricing are still to come.
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