LG’s wild new DualUp monitor is like two 21-inch screens in one
The LG DualUp monitor has an unheard-of 16:18 aspect ratio
Having more screen space for multitasking is a fairly common wish at a time when homeworking is more of a norm. And while many of us will have invested in a second screen or an ultra-wide monitor for the new era, LG has something more unconventional to show you.
The LG DualUp measures 27.6-inches across the diagonal but, thanks to its unconventional 16:18 aspect ratio, it won’t take up much desk space horizontally, instead presenting a taller and thinner profile. According to the company it offers “the same screen real estate as two 21.5-inch displays and has a vertical split view function that lets users see more in one glance.”
That means it has the unusual resolution of 2560x2880 (good luck finding that option in the settings for Call of Duty: Vanguard), and the rest of the specifications all sound promising enough, with coverage of 98% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, up to 300 nits of brightness and a contrast ratio of 1,000:1.
You also get two HDMI ports, and three USB-C ports (one upstream and two downstream). They’re not Thunderbolt, but they can charge external devices at up to 96 watts.
Obviously it’s intended for multitaskers juggling Slack/Teams notifications and whatever other tasks are at hand, but why would you pick out the LG DualUp ahead of an ultra-wide screen, or several screens?
Well, it will certainly appeal to those with limited desk space, especially as it includes an Ergo stand designed to clamp to “most” desks, but LG is also talking up its health benefits. A taller display not only means that it’s naturally closer to eye level, encouraging better posture, but the portrait orientation should also help “reduce side-to-side head movements, the main cause of neck pain.”
There’s no word of pricing yet, but the screen will feature as part of LG’s virtual CES 2022 show on Jan. 4, alongside a more conventional 32-inch 4K UltraFine screen that LG claims will offer "realistic and nuanced black tones" via its "Nano IPS Black panel."
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At CES 2022, we have already seen some compelling monitor offerings. The most impressive has been the Alienware 43 QD-OLED, which looks absolutely stunning. And Samsung announced the Odyssey Neo G8, the world's first 4K 240Hz monitor.
Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.