Working all day on a laptop with a backlit display can be very tiring for the eyes, but what if you have more than one screen in front of you? E Ink monitors can help, and the latest from Dasung boasts a fast refresh rate and enhanced color.
We’ve known that “the world’s first 13.3-inch 37-Hz color E Ink monitor” was coming for a while now, after a preview campaign was launched on Indiegogo. Bigme recently threatened to get a 30-Hz color E Ink monitor of the same size to market before Dasung, but the Paperlike 13K has skipped crowdfunding altogether and gone straight to sale.
Until relatively recently, E Ink screens have suffered from pretty poor refresh rates – meaning that watching videos would be a nightmare even if you weren’t viewing a horror movie. The ghost of previous images would also haunt the current view post-refresh, prompting the user to intervene manually for clarity.
Dasung
At 37 Hz, Dasung notes that the “God Level” refresh technology of its 13K monitor comes in faster than the frame rates of most movies, and inches ever closer to the capabilities of LCD/LED displays. This adds up to smoother transitions and the potential for video playback without stutter.
The exact flavor of E Ink here hasn’t been revealed, but Dasung has thrown in a color enhancement algorithm for “true-to-life color reproduction” at a claimed 300 pixels-per-inch density and 3,200 x 2,400 resolution. There’s also an auto-clear function to take care of that nasty ghosting problem. An adjustable front light caters for extended use when daylight begins to fade.
Dasung
Touch interaction is possible, plus there are physical control buttons to the side for menu and function access. The monitor can connect to a source device over USB-C or mini-HDMI, and can duplicate or extend the display of Windows and Linux/Android devices – macOS and iOS systems have proven problematic thus far, so Dasung advises against using the 13K for Apple products. The monitor also sports a DC power port, 3.5-mm headphone jack and mono speaker.
The Paperlike 13K is up for pre-order now at US$749, including cables, a magnetic cover and a portable “stick” stand. Shipping is expected to start from mid-May. A non-touch, grayscale E Ink version without front lighting is also available for $679. And if 37 Hz is just not fast enough, Dasung also sells a 10.3-inch portable monitor that refreshes at 60 Hz. The video below has more.
DASUNG Paperlike 13K : The World’s First 13.3-inch 37Hz Color E-ink Monitor
Product page: Dasung Paperlike 13K