German site Prad.de reports that sources close to monitor panel manufacturers told them that the production cost of a 27" 4K 3840x2160 panel is lower or at least equal to that of a 27" 2560x1440 QHD panel. This drives monitor manufacturers to use 4K panels in monitors that are specified as QHD - when panel supply is low, or monitor demand is high.

The sources did not mention any specific monitor manufacturer or model, but it's highly probable that some 1440p monitors in the hands of customers today use a 4K panel. Obviously you're not gonna get 4K resolution when paying for a QHD monitor. Rather the panel firmware is configured to report its maximum capability as 1440p, and internally scale the input signal accordingly, which may result in reduced image quality.

MMD, the leading technology company and brand license partner for Philips monitors, is announcing a new 34" UltraWide QHD curved display and a new 27" QHD monitor, both equipped with the practical USB-C docking solution.

The emerging importance of USB-C
Welcomed by early adopters at the time of its introduction as a true revolution in the making, USB-C is now rapidly becoming a standard requirement for business and power users alike. As a real enabling technology, it provides a whole lot more than its practical reversible connector or its support for higher data transfer speeds, also allowing users to charge, transfer audio and video signal with different protocols, and connect to the Internet with just one single cable. USB-C thus transforms displays into the critical hubs around which the modern digital workplace thrives.

Philips today launched their newest QHD (2560 x 1440) monitor, the 272B8QJEB. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill affair, with an IPS panel, and support for low blue light and flicker-free technologies. When it comes to gaming, this monitor won't offer much: its 5 ms grey-to-grey response time, lack of any variable refresh rate technology make sure of that. Even in the luminance department this monitor fails to impress: the rated 250 nits don't set world on fire. Where this monitor might come in handy, though, is for professional environments, as it sports a true 10-bit panel with 12-bit source support.

This might be a good alternative for work environments, as it's expected it will go on sale for a relatively competitive pricing, as is the usual Philips way of doing things. There's support for 90 degree pivot, height, and tilt adjustments, and connectivity options are set at 1x VGA, 1x DVI (Dual-Link); 1x DisplayPort 1.2; and 1x HDMI 1.4. There's also a USB hub with 2x USB 3.0 ports (one of which supports Quick-charge functionality) and 2x USB 2.0 ports, with some audio inputs and outputs also thrown in for good measure.

AOC has been making waves with the overall quality and value proposition of each new line of monitors they launch - from the premium to the more budget-conscious offerings. Now, they're introducing a whole new line of monitors that leaves their gaming roots behind in favor of more professional-centric features.

The series will cover the 21.5"-27" range, and panel types will vary between TN and IPS panels according to diagonal and pricing. Starting in the 21.5", the AOC 22P1D is equipped with a 21.5 "TN panel with 1080 screen resolution. The 24P1 is a 23.8" monitor which upgrades the panel to an IPS solution, features a 16:9 screen ratio with 1080p resolution, and a three-frameless bezel. There will be another 24" monitor in the form of the X24P1, which keeps all the features and specs of the 24P1, but brings the screen ratio to 16:10. Rounding out the lineup, we've got the 27" 27P1 (which sports an IPS panel with 1080p resolution) and the flagship 27", Q27P1 (which also sports an IPS panel but increases the resolution to QHD (2560 x 1440).

MMD, the leading technology company and brand license partner for Philips monitors, is rolling out a new Philips Brilliance QHD docking USB-C monitor with High Dynamic Range (HDR). The 32-inch 328P6AUBREB delivers great image quality and one-cable docking for enhanced productivity and effortless convenience.

Connectivity made simple
The 328P6AUBREB is equipped with the extremely versatile connectivity of the latest-generation USB 3.1 Type C technology. Featuring a slim, reversible connector, USB-C enables users to charge, transfer audio and video signal, and connect to the Internet - all with one single cable. Hence, the monitor instantly becomes a hub and serves as a docking station, just without using that extra space on the desk. It also enables easy linking of multiple monitors, which is useful for graphic designers for example. Consequently, USB-C extends the limited connectivity of notebooks and allows users to transfer data securely at ultra-fast speeds. USB 3.1 is 20 times faster than USB 2.0, making data transfer a breeze. And, for those whose devices seem to always be running low on battery, USB-C with power delivery can even charge notebooks.

Eurocom launches trio of Coffee Lake high performance CPU- and GPU-upgradeable laptops powered by Intel newest 6 Cores/12 Treads 8700K CPUs and NVIDIA GTX 10 series of MXM3 GPUs. The Sky X9C is Coffee Lake based SLI Ready and VR Ready super high performance supercomputer laptop. Packing a 6 cores/12 treads Coffee Lake CPU and dual GTX 1080 desktop GPU cooled with liquid metal paste, and supported by an unlocked system BIOS.

AOC, a worldwide leader in monitor display technology, today announces the newest member of the Agon monitor collection, the premium line of AOC gaming monitors. The AG322QCX is a curved 32-inch, QHD gaming monitor with a refresh rate of 144Hz, 4ms response time and AMD FreeSync technology. This monitor is made for enthusiast and competitive esports gamers, like AOC partner, Team Liquid, allowing them to race through games without stutter, screen tearing and motion blur. The AG322QCX will be available at Microcenter for $429.99 MSRP.

The 32-inch monitor features a 2560x1440 QHD screen with a 1800R curve. The curved VA panel offers vibrant colors for a more exciting and immersive visual experience to be enjoyed while gaming. The AG322QCX's curve conforms to the way the eye sees and helps reduce eye fatigue. Team Liquid, winners of The International Dota 2 Tournament, use AOC monitors to prepare for competitions, as they compete at the highest level of esports.

Philips is preparing to launch another two monitors to its lineup. These are more geared towards the professional market due to their feature-set and absence of adaptive sync technologies (cue NVIDIA's G-Sync and AMD's FreeSync), but offer pretty interesting capabilities other than that. The 328P6AU offers a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution on its 31.5" IPS-ADS panel. It can hit 400 nits of brightness (which AMD says is enough for FreeSync 2 HDR-ready panels and other manufacturers are touting as HDR capable as well). It can reproduce 98% of the AdobeRGB color gamut (thus, it can likely cover 100% of the sRGB color space). Refresh rate should be at 60 Hz.

Philips has announced a new 27", QHD (2560 x 1440) monitor to their lineup, the 276E8FJAB, which boasts of a 60 Hz, 4 ms IPS panel with the company's Ultra-Wide Color feature which should improve the available color spectrum (Philips are quoting 114% NTSC and 132% sRGB color coverage) for eye-popping colors and graphics. The usual 178º viewing angles of an IPS panel make their appearance here, as do some ultra thin bezels which should improve user experience.

The display comes with other Philips technologies including Flicker-free technology, SmartContrast and SmartImage Lite. Flicker-free is pretty self explanatory, regulating brightness differences between scenes and reducing flicker to relieve eye fatigue and provide more comfortable viewing. SmartContrast detects the content on the display and automatically adjusts colors and backlight intensity to dynamically enhance contrast, while SmartImage Lite "analyzes the content of the screen and dynamically enhances the contrast, color saturation and sharpness for improved display performance". These technologies are a bit hit or miss, though; usually they do little to enhance image quality, and sometimes even hold back the image reproduction quality while introducing increased lag. Connectivity-wise, the Philips 276E8FJAB features 1x VGA, 1xDisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x Audio in and 1x Audio out. The Philips 276E8FJAB is now available for $349.99 (MSRP).