IGZO: new LCD panels and their advantages. To make it clearer. K-device from NEC
About sad things for classics personal computers– desktops and laptops – we spoke about the forecast for this year made by IDC analysts in the ““ column. Let us briefly recall that, according to International Data Corporation, supplies of traditional computer technology in 2013 will fall by 9.7%. The reasons are a cocktail of the global economic situation (IDC made a forecast long before the shutdown imposed by the US executive and legislative authorities) and the lack of fundamentally new opportunities offered to the consumer. Moreover, the possibilities are visual, visible to the naked eye to the end user.
An UltraHD TV is, of course, closer in price to a minicar, but older parents buy it as a quality window to the world...
Back in the summer, we assumed that the next round of consumer demand in information technology will be associated with the introduction of the 4K standard in consumer electronics And consumer devices(““). Everything is fine with the consumer market - even in provincial cities. In a couple of nearby electronics stores, people are looking at UltraHD TVs, and siblings (in the barbaric pseudoscientific dialect of the Anglo-Saxons, this sociological term means sisters and brothers) are chipping in on such a unit for their parents for their golden wedding (it costs about the same in dollars as in in the late 90s, a plasma panel with a smaller diagonal and incomparably lower resolution). And they show a video shot in 4K with a grandson frolicking on the beach Indian Ocean(which required the habit of carrying and using a tripod). For now, this is not a cheap pleasure, but Moore’s law has not been canceled, and UltraHD panels will soon become as widely available as conventional LEDs...
And now good news come from Dell Inc. - or whatever it should be called now after the events associated with its upcoming buyout (or redemption former owner Michael Dell, or reprivatization). This is the third (behind HP and Lenovo) of the largest computer hardware vendors in the world. 51st place in the planetary list largest companies Fortune-500. More than one hundred thousand employees. And now a really decent laptop has been announced. This is the Dell XPS 15 with a 15.6-inch display. And its resolution is already closer to the 4K standard than to the current FullHD, which owners of devices of this diagonal who do not want to “think differently” have to be content with... It is 3200x1800 pixels (called the quad HD+ standard, quadruple HD+, that is, 1600x900 pixels ).
In consumer terms, such a display is superior to the notorious Retina Display with a resolution of 2880x1800 pixels, which both manufacturers and owners of laptops were proud of - and deservedly so. MacBook Pro, and is approaching the quality of the Nexus 7 from 2013. Well, the picture is exactly what the consumer sees and what he is willing to pay money for... No, no, screen resolution does not have that much of an impact on the quality of written texts and the profitability of an organized business. Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich wrote with a quill pen, in the trembling light of candles, and where are those who can compare with him in the vastness of the Runet, having even the most ergonomic keyboard and the clearest monitor... But here’s the thing: having gotten used to working with a high-quality screen, then you can use it something worse is psychologically impossible... A drop in characteristics makes you angry, even if it gives you a gain in time battery life(it’s not for nothing that they loved laid paper in the old days). So the sales departments have something to offer the consumer, but the consumer just has to choose the time when he can buy the desired quality at a price that seems reasonable to him...
But these possibilities are offered by technology. Dell presented a device that uses truly new technology. She's called IGZO. This is an abbreviation for new semiconductor material. Indium, gallium and zinc oxide (In-Ga-Zn-O). The material is really new. Just ten years ago, Tokyo Institute of Technology professor Hideo Hosono created the first transparent transistor from crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide. A year later, the first flexible transparent transistor made from an amorphous oxide of the same material was announced. Indium gallium zinc oxide films (IGZO-TFT) and their application are patented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. In 2011, Samsung acquired the license, and in 2012, Sharp. In the summer of 2013 at international exhibition SIGGRAPH 2013 Dell Inc. introduced the 32-inch UltraSharp 32 monitor. Dell UltraSharp 32 is a monitor on an IGZO matrix with Ultra HD resolution: speaking in pixels - 3840x2160, there are 140 pixels per inch, chromatic gamut - 1.07 billion colors... So there is a full-scale tendency to switch to new technology.
What's good about the new material? To begin with, let us remember that screens with films made of amorphous silicon, which it replaces, first appeared on subcompact class laptops. (Silicon had to be converted into an amorphous state from a crystalline state because the glass on which it was to live and work was not even an honest solid material, but a vile supercooled liquid...) There were such devices that preceded and were approximately the same in size as netbooks, but incomparably more expensive , from two thousand dollars. Their nine- to ten-inch screens at that time were striking in clarity, making you reach for your wallet. And indium, gallium and zinc oxide have one property in which it is superior to amorphous silicon. It's called electron mobility. And in the IGZO environment it is 40–50 times greater than in amorphous silicon. One of the parameters by which even best matrices IPS are hopelessly inferior to SuperAMOLED, the switching time of thin-film transistors is. With the help of technological tricks, hydration of amorphous silicon (no, no, it is not soaked, but simply saturated with hydrogen), the situation is corrected, but not much... And then - a breakthrough. Screens will respond faster and pixels can be made smaller. The image will become more natural... Therefore, the mechanisms of electron transfer when creating IGZO technology were studied very carefully: the essence of the matter is in them...
So, in the near future, a whole range of products with completely different – and, most importantly, clearly completely different – consumer properties will come to the market. From 32" monitors to 7" tablets. How will this affect the IT industry as a whole? We would venture to assume that this will actually be the reason for the withdrawal of demand for new level. Well, simplest case tablet with high resolution display. We need high-quality content, and it is voluminous (not only in proportion to the increase in the number of pixels, but also taking into account the best dynamic range). Therefore, more memory will be needed. This means that more of it will need to be built in...
The built-in one is not enough: it will be useful to buy external storage with Wi-Fi. (By the way, it’s very convenient to configure Windows 8 to backup, save data by simply placing the laptop next to such a drive...) The pixel switches quickly: you will need more new processor and a new, higher-quality codec, capable of ensuring full use of the new capabilities - so as not to cause irritation with their slowness... The content will have to be taken somewhere: more will be required fast channels transmission of information, regardless of whether the consumer cares about the income of the copyright holders or raises the Jolly Roger... By the way, in the latter case, the requirements for the thickness of the channels will increase: you may have to use all sorts of “onion browsers” and other anonymous networks that eat up some of the bandwidth for your support. So, the IGZO technology, which emerged from the puzzling solid state physics, has a good chance of providing solid support to the IT market in the near future.
The modern IT market is characterized by constant improvement of production technologies various types devices. One of the most dynamically developing segments is the production of computer monitors. As soon as Full HD displays managed to form a trend, they are being replaced by latest monitors, operating within the 4K or Ultra HD standard. Devices that match its technological parameters are produced by the world's leading brands. What are the specifics of 4K monitors? What parameters can be considered key when choosing a device from the range of offers on the market?
What is a 4K monitor?
A 4K monitor is a device with a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. There are other common designations for such devices. For example, it could be Ultra HD, UHD or 2160p. That is, 4K and Ultra HD monitors are synonymous. The specified proportion assumes a screen aspect ratio of 16:9. But a 4K monitor can be made in other standards, for example, 21:9 or 4:3. There is also a 1:1 screen ratio, which means that the height and width of the display are the same. Another common name for the technology in question is “ultra high definition format.”
The Ultra HD standard, surprisingly, is not the most revolutionary. An interesting fact is that the first monitors, which were close to 4K displays in terms of resolution, appeared in the early 2000s. One of the world's leading IT developers in the video device segment, the Japanese corporation NHK, showed the public a prototype of a UHD TV in 2003. In 2012, the corresponding ultra-high definition television standard was approved. Soon, computer monitor manufacturers began to adapt to it.
It should be noted that the previous UHD standard - Full HD, corresponding to a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, cannot be considered obsolete. Until now, many producers of modern multimedia content focus on it. This resolution corresponds to a full-length film of several tens of gigabytes - technical capabilities Many modern users are sometimes not allowed to view even this type of content. However, 4K displays, which allow for broadcasting multimedia in even larger volumes, are gradually gaining popularity. What is the practical need for the latest displays? Why might a user need to overpay (in most cases significantly) for an Ultra HD monitor if he already has a perfectly working Full HD monitor?
It is difficult to answer this question objectively. User who uses a PC to solve daily tasks, may not really have the need for the latest display. The real need for similar devices may occur in people who are professionally involved in multimedia processing, creation computer games. But, once you try to sit in front of an Ultra HD monitor, the user will almost immediately feel how much clearer and more realistic the picture looks on it compared to what is displayed on previous generations of displays. And in this sense, it will not be easy for him to return to working on a PC with a less advanced monitor.
It can be noted that the technological capabilities of many modern video cameras make it possible to shoot videos, the full reproduction of which requires not even 4K, but 8K monitors operating at a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels. It is quite possible that such devices will eventually begin to displace the increasingly popular 4K displays.
Monitors in 4K format are presented in the global IT market in a fairly wide range of varieties. Let's look at some popular devices. We do not set out to review the best 4K monitors, but our selection will include truly high-quality and market-demanded devices from the world’s most famous manufacturers.
Monitor from Dell
Dell is one of the leading brands in the IT market. As for the 4K display market, the American corporation has developed a device with the P2815Q index. Let's study its main characteristics.
The type of screen panel installed in the display is TN. The device has W-LED backlighting. Diagonal P2815Q - 28 inches. The device reproduces images in 16:9 format. The brightness of the device is 300 cd/sq. m. Communication slots include an audio input, as well as several USB 3.0 ports. What's so great about this Dell monitor? The 4K standard implemented in it is accompanied by high quality color rendition. According to a number of IT experts, this device is among best solutions according to such a criterion as uniformity of illumination.
Another significant advantage of the device is its affordable price ($500). Many competitive devices are more expensive. However, among the technological characteristics, not the most modern standard TN type matrices. In many respects it is considered obsolete. Many of the leading developers are trying to equip devices with displays with IPS matrix or even IGZO. However, the TN standard can be considered quite functional and in demand even in such an innovative market segment as the production of 4K monitors. Dell is also not the only manufacturer of displays of the corresponding type that equips devices with a TN matrix. Considering the solutions further, we will be convinced of this.
4K device from NEC
Another well-known IT brand, NEC, has also released an excellent 4K monitor. Its diagonal is 23.8 inches, smaller than the device from Dell. Characterized by excellent color accuracy. The pixel density on the device from NEC is 185 ppi. EA244UHD - a monitor produced under this index is equipped with modern GB-R backlighting, which is capable of providing a sufficiently wide color gamut. Also, this type of backlight is superior to its LED counterparts in terms of color control accuracy. The 4K monitor produced by NEC has a decent brightness rating of 350 cd/sq. m. The device is also equipped with an automatic light sensor that adjusts the brightness.
Among the main technological features of the display are: modern matrix type AH-IPS. That is, NEC decided to equip its device with a more modern component than the one present in the monitor from Dell. The AH-IPS matrix operates at 30 bits and is capable of displaying more than 1 billion color shades. The screen produced by NEC is characterized by minimum time response (6 ms) and excellent contrast performance (1000:1). The device costs significantly more than a monitor from Dell - $1,350.
Does Apple release 4K displays?
An interesting fact is that one of the world's largest IT brands, Apple company, has not yet introduced the general public to a 4K monitor own production. However, technologically, an American company can most likely produce such devices. This conclusion can be made by the fact that some of Apple's all-in-one computers have a display whose resolution completely exceeds that of 4K monitors. The level of technology used by the American company probably allows it to produce devices that can even in some ways surpass competitive solutions in the market segment under consideration. But so far there are no 4K monitors from Apple on sale.
Another noteworthy fact: in official online store brand sells a 4K monitor from Sharp. How can American and Japanese brands be affiliated in this market segment? Everything is logical: Sharp is one of the leading contractors for the production of displays for Apple. To produce screens as part of the cooperation between the two brands, a separate plant was even built in Japan.
Apple does not produce its own 4K monitor, but if we talk about models that can be direct competitors to solutions from the brands discussed in the article, then we see that the Americans are at least helping to promote Sharp products on the market. And therefore it will be useful to consider the main advantages of displays produced by the Japanese corporation.
The Sharp PN-K321 monitor, classified as a 4K type, has a diagonal of 32 inches. Its cost is much higher than solutions from Dell and NEC - about 3.5 thousand dollars. The displays implement modern IGZO technology, which involves the use of transistors containing indium oxide, as well as gallium and zinc. We will look at the advantages of this technology in more detail a little later. Monitors from Sharp are characterized by low power consumption, high image quality at all viewing angles, excellent color rendering. The Sharp display has fairly powerful 2-watt speakers, as well as a slot for connecting additional audio devices. The device has communication interfaces such as DisplayPort and HDMI. The brightness indicator for the monitor from Sharp is 350 cd/sq. m.
It can be noted that the monitor is optimal for Mac computers Pro, produced by Apple.
Display from LG
LG is also keeping pace with other major global brands in the production of modern 4K monitors. Thus, the Koreans brought to the market a model with the index 31MU97. The 4K monitor released by LG has a diagonal of 31 inches. The display is designed based on a matrix IPS type.
One of the features of the LG monitor is that its screen area can be divided into two parts that function independently. For each of them you can define color settings. Communication interfaces that the display is equipped with: HDMI, DisplayPort (including Mini version), three USB port 3.0, as well as a slot for connecting audio devices. The price is quite average on the market - $1,400.
4K display from Samsung
Another Korean brand, Samsung, has also launched its own product in the 4K display segment. Let's consider its features. Just as in the case of the device from Dell, the 4K monitor Samsung U28D590D is equipped with a TN matrix, which largely determines the efficiency of the device. Its price is comparable to the American device.
Even from the Korean brand it is the same as on the monitor from Dell - 28 inches. The aspect ratio is made in a similar format - 16:9. The brightness indicator of the Samsung 4K monitor is 370 cd/sq. m. The contrast is quite high - 1000:1. The interfaces that the display is equipped with are HDMI and DisplayPort. It is possible to connect external audio devices through the corresponding slot. The Samsung 4K monitor is not equipped with built-in speakers.
Monitor from Asus
The Asus brand also pleases enthusiasts of modern technological displays. The company has released a device with the index PQ321QE, which belongs to the category of 4K monitors. The diagonal of the Asus 4K monitor is 31.5 inches. The screen matrix is made using modern IGZO technology, as in displays from Sharp.
The monitor from Asus has a PPI of 139.8. The device is equipped with modern W-LED lighting. Index maximum brightness monitor - 350 cd/sq. m. Contrast - 800:1. The screen can display 1.07 billion colors. The monitor has built-in speakers.
It may be noted that Asus company according to information from a number of sources, it was the first in the world to release computer monitors in the 4K standard to the consumer market. And therefore it will be useful to pay attention to some remarkable specifications devices in more detail - in many ways they have become benchmarks for competing brands.
4K Display Brightness: Optimal
The brightness of the monitor screen from Asus is 350 cd/sq. m. For many other devices we noted above, it is comparable or similar. Is this brightness enough from the point of view of the needs of modern users? Among IT experts it is a common assessment that this indicator still relatively modest. But it is enough to perform everyday tasks typical for a typical PC owner, which involve working with text editors, simple graphics programs, watching movies and photos.
Optimal contrast
The display from Asus has a contrast ratio of 800:1. How does it compare with the corresponding characteristics of competing models? Many brands that produce 4K (Ultra HD) monitors provide a significantly higher ratio on their devices, for example, 1000:1. But the figures announced by Asus suggest that the monitor will be able to provide sufficiently high-quality images. And therefore we note that a contrast ratio of 800:1, as on a monitor from a Taiwanese brand, is quite optimal.
Response
The display from Asus has a response rate of 8 ms. Can it be considered typical? The question is ambiguous. The fact is that many displays from competing manufacturers provide 5 ms. However, in practice, the difference will be almost invisible to the average user. Therefore, while noting the fact that the corresponding characteristics of the monitor from Asus are more modest than those found on some competing devices, we note that this indicator is quite optimal.
IGZO technology
Many UHD 4K monitors, including the example from Asus, are equipped with a screen matrix that is based on IGZO technology. Does this give the devices a clear advantage over their competitors? To answer this question, let’s consider the specifics of this technology in more detail.
IGZO is an abbreviation for Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide. That is, we are talking about metal oxide: indium, as well as zinc and gallium. This type The material belongs to the semiconductor category. It is intended to become an alternative to amorphous silicon in the production of liquid crystal displays. Among its main features is the ability to form transistors with smaller sizes. As a result, the elements that make up the image can also be reduced in size. The overall speed of the device increases, the pixel density becomes higher, and the level of power consumption decreases.
We noted above that Sharp also uses IGZO technology in the production of displays - in fact, it developed it. It turns out that the corresponding development is quite in demand in the IT market. Possibly produced on the basis IPS technology 4K monitors will gradually be supplemented with devices based on the latest concepts of the type in question.
How to choose a monitor?
What conclusions can we draw by looking at some of the characteristics of the monitor from Asus, one of the first solutions in the 4K computer display market, and comparing them with the performance of competitive solutions? Is it possible to define criteria that will allow us to select best monitor 4K based on what we've discovered?
The question is ambiguous. If only because the pace of development of the modern IT market is such that some technologies are sometimes very quickly replaced by others. The same IPS technology used in the production of displays seems to be considered one of the most advanced, but, as we were able to discover, it has a competitor in the form of IGZO, which the world's leading brands are actively paying attention to.
Let's try to limit ourselves to theses that involve highlighting the typical characteristics that modern 4K monitors have. We are conducting the review not at all to identify the objectively best devices, but rather to highlight the main criteria that may be useful for a potential display buyer.
There is little point in taking into account the diagonal of the display - this is a subjective factor in most cases. Some people will find it more comfortable to work on a 28-inch monitor, while another user will find 32 inches insufficient. All other things being equal, it is not at all necessary that a person will prefer to choose a display with a slightly larger diagonal.
Regarding such characteristics as contrast, we can say that 800:1 is quite sufficient, as on a monitor from Asus. However, other things being equal, we have the right to give preference to a display with higher numbers. This will almost certainly be important if the monitor is intended to be used by professional designers, when editing films, or when creating computer games.
Display brightness is 350 cd/sq. m is quite a sufficient indicator. If it's higher, that's good, but you probably shouldn't overpay for a device that claims numbers that exceed the value we noted.
As for the response, it all depends on the purpose of using the monitor. For professional designers It will probably be advisable to have the device with the lowest response rate at your disposal. But if the user performs ordinary tasks on a PC, it is quite possible to get by with a device whose response is about 8 ns.
For lovers of the most modern trends It will probably be significant for the IT industry that their display is equipped with an advanced matrix based on IGZO technology. But it should be noted that the IPS standard is not at all outdated. Moreover, the Dell 4K monitor is equipped with a TN-based matrix, which is inferior to IPS in a number of characteristics. But the image quality remains quite adequate to the needs modern user. Many buyers choose from Dell, rightly believing that there is no point in overpaying for a more technologically advanced display matrix.
So, having analyzed some of the aspects that characterize 4K displays, let’s try to compile a selection of criteria that can help select a device optimized for certain user tasks. If the PC owner performs typical tasks: works with texts, watches videos and pictures, then he is quite a monitor will do with relatively modest characteristics: contrast ratio of about 800:1, brightness around 350 cd/sq. m, a response of 8 ns, an IPS or even TN matrix, which can determine significant savings.
If a person is a professional in the field of design, he is engaged in computer graphics, creates games, edits films and videos, then it probably makes sense for him to pay attention to displays with more advanced characteristics: a contrast ratio of 1000:1, a brightness above 350 cd/sq. m, a response of about 5 nm, as well as an IGZO type matrix. In this case, the price of the device will most likely be much higher, but the investment is expected to pay for itself.
Concerning communication standards, most brands try to ensure that their devices comply with the standards actually accepted in the IT industry. That is, monitors will almost always be equipped with HDMI connectors, DisplayPort interfaces so that they can be reliably connected to the PC. Selecting a display based on such criteria as the availability of interfaces is rarely advisable.
Recently, the matrix has been increasingly visible in the characteristics of smartphones. Sharp IGZO. This technology replaces the classic IPS screens and TN+film, not only for expensive top-end products, but also for cheap Chinese devices.
For example, the Sharp IGZO matrix has the recently released “cheapest flagship” from the Chinese startup Vernee, which costs about $200, or last year’s even more affordable MEIZU price M2 Note.
Therefore, we decided to figure out what is better in the end for a smartphone: IGZO or IPS, or maybe the company’s beloved Samsung technology Super AMOLED? In general, what advantages and disadvantages does this relatively new technology from Sharp have compared to time-tested solutions?
IGZO display: what is it?
Sharp technology IGZO is based, like IPS, on liquid crystals. The name itself stands for “Indium gallium zinc oxide,” which translated means “oxide of indium, gallium and zinc.” This semiconductor material is a good replacement for amorphous silicon, which is used for classic LCD screens.
The main advantage new technology is the ability to create inexpensive high-definition screens up to 4K UltraHD. Back in 2014, Sharp presented at the IFA exhibition in Berlin an IGZO display with a pixel density of 736 ppi: 2560×1600 pixels (WQXGA) with a diagonal of 4.1 inches.
And in April last year, a 5.5-inch screen made using this technology was shown, with a resolution of 2160x3840 pixels (density 806 ppi). True, Sony, creating the first smartphone with a 4K UltraHD screen (Xperia Z5 Premium) in the same year, gave preference to the good old IPS matrix.
IGZO vs IPS: which is better?
If we compare IGZO matrices and more “traditional” IPS, the use of alternative semiconductor material allows us to create more touch-sensitive and generally accurate touch screens.
Also, Sharp technology allows you to reduce the response time of the matrix and reduce the pixel size. True, the latter is not currently a limitation for IPS and even TN+film.
In terms of color rendition, IGZO screens do not have any special advantages, although a number of experts note that the images on them look more “colorful”, approaching AMOLED matrices, but the naturalness of color rendition is not lost.
Also, the Sharp IGZO matrix is thinner and has greater transparency. This factor makes it possible to do more bright screens and at the same time reduce battery consumption, since lower brightness of the display backlight is required.
Another advantage of IGZO matrices is the relative simplicity and low cost of technology, which is why they are increasingly becoming available among Chinese smartphones. True, we are most often talking about matrices with a fairly low pixel density (FullHD 1920x1080 with a diagonal of 5.5 inches).
A little history
IGZO technology owes its appearance to the developments of Japanese professor Hideo Hosono, who worked at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In the mid-90s, he synthesized transistors from a combined semiconductor material, which was precisely the oxide of indium, gallium and zinc.
The debut of the new screen production technology took place in the fall of 2012 in Berlin at the IFA exhibition, where Sharp showed the first matrices and prototypes of devices based on them. True, back then we were talking about screens for TVs, monitors, laptops and tablets.
Later, matrices for smartphones were shown, and every year the diagonal of IGZO displays decreased and the pixel density increased. The first smartphone with such a screen was presented at the end of 2012, we are talking about a model from Sharp itself called Aquos SH930W.
It is worth noting that the Sharp Aquos SH930W was the first smartphone with a FullHD screen that was officially presented in Russia. The device had flagship characteristics and was also very expensive for those times: 21,900 rubles.
An alternative to classic screens with an IPS matrix - screens based on the so-called IGZO matrix - were first presented to the general public in 2012. The new monitors were developed within the depths of the Japanese company Sharp, so initially these new products were mainly equipped with devices of this brand. However, recently, more and more often, smartphones with IGZO displays, released Chinese manufacturers. From famous models smartphones that are on everyone's lips, a monitor based on an IGZO matrix can be found on the newest budget smartphone released by the Chinese company of the same name.
Let us see how monitors based on the IGZO matrix differ from traditional IPS displays, and whether they have any advantages over the latter.
Design and advantages of IGZO-based displays
The main difference between IGZO matrices and other options is the material from which they are made. These matrices, like matrices using IPS technology, operate on the basis of liquid semiconductors. However, if IPS matrices in the vast majority of cases are built on the basis of amorphous silicon crystals, then IGZO matrices are based on indium, gallium and zinc oxide. As a matter of fact, the slightly strange abbreviation of the device’s name consists precisely of the first letters of the Latin names of the elements listed above.
The matrix based on IGZO turned out to be thinner and, accordingly, more transparent. As a result, screens assembled using new technology are brighter. They are also superior to silicon displays in terms of efficiency, as they do not require excessively intense backlighting. And another advantage of IGZO monitors is increased sensor sensitivity and faster response of the matrix to touch.
Also, the small size of semiconductors made from new materials allows you to place more pixels on the monitor and produce a clearer image. However, an increase in the number of pixels is potentially possible in IPS-based matrices, and even in less advanced TN matrices.
Technology Sharp IGZO has been featured on the pages of i for a long time Phones.ru. It was she who was supposed to lie down and, in fact, is the most promising development in the field of residential complexes due to excellent quality images with minimal matrix thickness and high energy efficiency. In addition, judging by analysts, Apple has invested a lot of money in it (from 500 million to 1 billion). But, as you know, the Japanese manufacturer did not have time to organize mass production of LCD panels for tablets and . However, it is still too early to bury this promising development, as evidenced by the very impressive demonstration of its new capabilities at the exhibition Society for Information Display in Boston, USA.
In particular, Sharp demonstrated that the work towards creating a Retina display for Apple was not in vain. Actually, sooner or later in the production of components for, and, perhaps, its developments in the future will form the basis for other Apple products. For example, a MacBook with even more impressive performance than expected. After all, the 13.5-inch panel has a resolution 3840x2160 pixels(326 ppi) - that is, QFHD (Quad Full High Definition) or quadruple FullHD resolution (1920x1080 pixels). Moreover, instead of liquid crystals in in this case white organic LEDs with color RGB filters are used. LG uses similar technology in its 55-inch OLED TV.
13.5-inch prototype OLED display with QFHD resolution
But these are not all the interesting Sharp developments demonstrated in Boston. For example, using the same technology, she created Flexible 3.4" OLED display with a resolution of 540×960 pixels (326 ppi). Also showed 4.9-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels (302 ppi) and 6.1-inch with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels (498 ppi). Let me remind you that before there was a screen of this level. Once two companies can create small displays with so much high resolution, then there should be no problems with the release with a Retina screen. By the way, LG is also actively working. All this says only one thing - in the next couple of years, ultra-high resolution will settle down everywhere, from phones to laptops, as well as large computer monitors. The technology is becoming widespread, and therefore cheap. [Engadget]
