The World’s Widest Computer Monitor: Expensive Gimmick or Architect’s Dream?

Samsung’s outrageously wide CHG90 monitor will make the hearts of tech-loving architects’ beat that much faster.

Paul Keskeys Paul Keskeys

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Architects love nothing more than a top quality computer display, and for good reason: It is vital that their desktop setup maximizes both functionality and visual clarity for conceptual design all the way through to construction documentation. This is why companies are constantly vying for a place in architects’ hearts with cutting-edge displays, from Microsoft’s huge, touchscreen Surface Studio to Apple’s unbelievably high-resolution Retina Display.

In response, Samsung has entered the game with what might be the most attention-grabbing piece of hardware to date: The Korean tech company’s outrageously wide CHG90 monitor will make the hearts of tech-loving designers beat that much faster.

Via Tech Addicts UK

Samsung has dubbed this 49-inch-wide screen a “super ultrawide” monitor, differentiating from the humble “ultrawide” displays that have been the widest available until now. An “ultrawide” monitor possesses a 21:9 ratio, while the CHG90 boasts an incredible ratio of 32:9. It is curved like an IMAX theater screen so that the far edges of the monitor can be viewed in your peripheral vision. It has a 178-degree viewing angle.

Photo by Antonio Villas-Boas; via Business Insider

The extraordinary images of this panoramic screen provoke memories of Razer’s Project Valerie, an outlandish triple-screen laptop that was covered by Architizer following its unveiling at CES 2017. Unlike Razer’s offering, though, Samsung’s display is just that — a monitor to which you can connect any computer you own. This means there is no need to debate processing power or portability — it’s all about display resolution and sheer size.

Photo by Antonio Villas-Boas; via Business Insider

While the monitor has clearly been targeted at gamers, it could also prove valuable to professionals who regularly use CAD and rendering software, particularly for applications that require a number of windows to be viewed simultaneously. With Samsung’s monitor, you could view your BIM model from every angle with plenty of screen “real estate” to spare. The CHG90 essentially is two full-size, full HD (1080p) monitors in one, making it great for multitasking.

Photo by Antonio Villas-Boas; via Business Insider

Business Insider’s Tech Reporter Antonio Villas-Boas summarized the screen’s eye-opening specifications as follows:

1. The CHG90 uses a VA LCD panel, which is an ultrafast panel with a response time of only one millisecond.

2. It has a refresh rate of 144 hertz, which means each pixel can refresh 144 times per second, and makes for high-frame-rate gaming — if your graphics card can handle high frame rates.

3. It uses quantum-dot technology from Samsung’s HDTV lineup for better brightness and color accuracy than regular LCD monitors.

4. It also features HDR10 for even better colors and contrast.

5. It’s the first monitor to feature AMD’s FreeSync 2 technology, which helps your PC’s graphics card communicate with the monitor for smoother motion without screen-tearing or -stuttering.

Of course, a jaw-dropping display like this comes at a price — the CHG90 is available for preorder for a hefty $1,500. Would you consider purchasing this monster of a display for your architecture studio? Let us know over on Facebook.

Architizer is building tech tools to help power your practice: Click here to sign up now. Are you a manufacturer looking to connect with architects? Click here.

Paul Keskeys Author: Paul Keskeys
Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. An architect-trained editor, writer and content creator, Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN—UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.
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