Friday, August 9th 2013
ASUS Introduces PB298Q Ultrawide 21:9 Panoramic Monitor
ASUS announced the PB298Q, a 29-inch widescreen monitor with an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and 2560 x 1080 resolution. The PB298Q features an AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching) display for rich, vibrant color and wide 178-degree viewing angles. It has a narrow 0.8mm bezel design which helps create the illusion of a frameless, edge-to-edge display. It also has rich connectivity options, ASUS-exclusive technologies, and an ergonomic stand with tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments allow for enhanced productivity.
Increasing productivity with a panoramic 21:9 display
The 2560 x 1080 resolution of the ASUS PB298Q is 33% wider than standard Full HD display and, together with its 29-inch diagonal, is equivalent to two non-widescreen, 5:4 aspect ratio, 17-inch monitors placed side by side. The 21:9 aspect ratio gives more room for multiple windows, removing the need for a secondary desktop monitor. The ultra-wide resolution also means users can view more columns in a spreadsheet, with up to 13 more standard-sized columns than a conventional Full HD monitor.
The LED-backlit AH-IPS display gives extremely accurate color reproduction, making the PB298Q ideally suited to both professional and home use. 178-degree wide viewing angles also mean that images don't wash out when seen from either side, or above and below. Paired with a narrow 0.8mm bezel design, it helps create the illusion of a frameless monitor that delivers edge-to-edge visuals.
Extensive connectivity and exclusive technologies
The PB298Q display has an array of connectivity options for wide compatibility with a range of multimedia devices. Video inputs include DisplayPort, HDMI, and Dual-link DVI ports, while audio can be played through built-in 3W stereo speakers.
With an 80,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio and a 300cd/m² brightness rating, the ASUS PB298Q display delivers life-like visuals by adjusting backlight luminance to achieve the darkest black and the brightest white shades. The exclusive ASUS MultiFrame software lets users organize multiple desktop windows, arranging them in an orderly fashion where they don't overlap.
ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology also ensures vivid colors in every situation, with its six modes easily activated using a designated hotkey. The PB298Q also comes with QuickFit Virtual Scale with on-screen guidelines for an actual-size preview of images prior to printing. The PB298Q also features a sturdy stand with adjustable tilt, swivel, and height (up to 150mm), while a pivot joint allows the display to be rotated through 90 degrees for portrait use.
The 2560 x 1080 resolution of the ASUS PB298Q is 33% wider than standard Full HD display and, together with its 29-inch diagonal, is equivalent to two non-widescreen, 5:4 aspect ratio, 17-inch monitors placed side by side. The 21:9 aspect ratio gives more room for multiple windows, removing the need for a secondary desktop monitor. The ultra-wide resolution also means users can view more columns in a spreadsheet, with up to 13 more standard-sized columns than a conventional Full HD monitor.
The LED-backlit AH-IPS display gives extremely accurate color reproduction, making the PB298Q ideally suited to both professional and home use. 178-degree wide viewing angles also mean that images don't wash out when seen from either side, or above and below. Paired with a narrow 0.8mm bezel design, it helps create the illusion of a frameless monitor that delivers edge-to-edge visuals.
Extensive connectivity and exclusive technologies
The PB298Q display has an array of connectivity options for wide compatibility with a range of multimedia devices. Video inputs include DisplayPort, HDMI, and Dual-link DVI ports, while audio can be played through built-in 3W stereo speakers.
With an 80,000,000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio and a 300cd/m² brightness rating, the ASUS PB298Q display delivers life-like visuals by adjusting backlight luminance to achieve the darkest black and the brightest white shades. The exclusive ASUS MultiFrame software lets users organize multiple desktop windows, arranging them in an orderly fashion where they don't overlap.
ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology also ensures vivid colors in every situation, with its six modes easily activated using a designated hotkey. The PB298Q also comes with QuickFit Virtual Scale with on-screen guidelines for an actual-size preview of images prior to printing. The PB298Q also features a sturdy stand with adjustable tilt, swivel, and height (up to 150mm), while a pivot joint allows the display to be rotated through 90 degrees for portrait use.
68 Comments on ASUS Introduces PB298Q Ultrawide 21:9 Panoramic Monitor
Why are most monitors xx:9 nowadays? I hate 16:9 and any :9 screen.
I want one!
Hell, I want three!!!
32:9 gogo -.-
Would love a 4:3 monitor though, like 2560x1920.
16:9 1920x1080
21:9 2560x1080
All that extra inherent FOV is an amazing benefit. Also, due to how the forum scales the images, it gives a rather false impression that the 21:9 shot is shorter vertically. It is not, they need to be viewed with the vertical height held constant to get the jist of the difference in aspect ratio.
Would I prefer a 21:9 with even more resolution, say a 3418x1440? Yes, absolutely. But since that is not an option, I'll take a 21:9 aspect ratio over any resolution 16:9.
Also. Not all games hare hor+, about half is ver- and then 21:9 is horrible.
Pricing on monitors is all screwed up.
16:10 1920x1200
16:10 2560x1600
16:9 1920x1080
16:9 2560x1440
21:9 2560x1080
As for games being hor+ or vert-, the vast majority are hor+, only a very rare few are vert- any more.Don't think of a 2560x1080 as a shortened 2560x1440, think of it as a widened 1920x1080. The reason to buy it is for the 21:9 aspect ratio and the inherent FOV boost, not the vertical resolution.
Comparing name brand to off brand is apples to oranges although if there is a market we are likely to see Korean imports of 21:9 2560x1080 monitors as well some time in the future.
Why someone would want a 21:9 monitor is clearly up to the individual and it does seem a bit of a niche market but I doubt its something that could be explained to someone who doesn't want one. People have a tendency to see only what they want to see.
I'm not trying to convince anyone to buy one either, I'm just demonstrating an aspect (oh the puns) that the manufacturers really fail at since they don't seem to even be considering the gaming market, which is where these displays really shine. For business desktop work, 2560x1600 all the way. For games, the wider the better.
Also, were these displays either 3418x1440 or 3840x1620 I don't think the 2560x1440/1600 crowd would be quite as flummoxed.The :9 is inherently meaningless. A 16:10 could just as easily be called a 14.4:9. I'd prefer if everyone went divisor free.
1.25 = 5:4
1.33 = 4:3
1.60 = 16:10
1.77 = 16:9
2.37 = 21:9
Thats besides the point though. I wouldn't just lump them all together because its convenient or helps make the point of an argument.
Just because the panel is the same or quasi doesn't mean all monitors are the same anymore then any SSD using the same controller or any DIMM using the same memory chips will be exactly the same. There is just more that goes into these products.
Also, as much as I like my Auria EQ276W 27" IPS 2560x1440 monitors I probably wouldn't have bothered with them if HP, Dell, Asus and others had comparable prices. This is probably true for most people so the off brand monitors of this type are also filling a niche. A niche that could close if the prices of these things ever go down significantly.
The Auria EQ276W has some minor quirks but I know how to work with them and rarely see them. I don't believe that companies like Dell, HP, Asus and so on would have let such minor issues stand though. I think the same is true for a lot of these off brand monitors. I think you often get a better quality product when you pay more.
As I have said before those typically interested in such a monitor ratio probably wouldn't benefit much from an increase in resolution. However, lets say they made these 3418x1440 or 3840x1620 monitors. The price would likely be in the same range as 4K monitors at 3840x2160 just like 2560x1080 monitors are similarly priced to some 2560x1440 monitors.
So the question then is would those who want that 3418x1440 or 3840x1620 resolution pay ~$3500 for it in a ~30" or so package,....???
Money talks, BS walks,.....
My point is that if there's no cost incentive to buy this size panel, I will happily make do with the extra pixels.
www.eizo.com/global/products/atc/sq2804/index.html
aydindisplays.com/files/Air%20Traffic%20Control/Documents/30281ATC_datasheet.pdf
www.barco.com/en/products-solutions/displays-monitors-workstations/air-traffic-control-displays/high-resolution-displays/28-lcd-main-display-with-led-backlights.aspx
2k:2k in 20" or 27" format. Perfect. :pimp:
I am screaming to every 21:9 monitor article to make them at least 36-38" in diagonal size, or the same vertical size as a 27 incher, and with a resolution of 2800x1200.
Those 29" are just to damn small. Seriously!