LG’s IPS7 Series Monitor Pleases the Eyes

How many hours per day do you spend with your computer screen? My work with Advanced Technology and Design Korea keeps me in front of a computer screen pretty much all week except when I’m eating, sleeping or doing field research.

It’s not just work that keeps people tethered to their computers. One study* showed that last year the percentage of Americans turning to the internet for entertainment rose to 34%, closing in the 45% who tune into television. And the number opting for TV is dropping.

As people spend more time in front of computer screens for both business and pleasure, the quality of computer monitor is becoming ever more important. Looking at an old, low-quality monitor is like seeing the world through dirty glasses.

I’ve begun searching for a new monitor to give me an HD view of the world and am now absolutely in love with the new IPS7 series from LG Electronics, which is far better at making displays than most people realize.

Visually, this monitor is stunning, and I’m not talking about the image on screen. The bezel around the display is credit card slim at just 1.2 mm on the top and sides. Below the display the bezel is slightly thicker to add structural support, allow room for capacitive touch buttons and, of course, the requisite LG smiley face logo. LG eschews the near-ubiquitous piano black finish that adorned most of its monitors and TVs until recently, opting instead for a polished metal look.

IPS monitors used to be popular only among graphic designers because of their price, but in recent years costs have come down and people have begun seeing the value of a higher quality monitor. The IPS7 uses the In-Plane Switching that it has developed and perfected over the past decade. These monitors don’t have the color and brightness shifts of their cheaper TN competitors, which for me translates to my eyes being less tired at the end of the day. It also means that when I’m editing photos for a website, I can trust the colors I’m seeing on screen.

Other specs are as expected. The monitor is available in a Full HD 1080p 23-inch and 27-inch versions. Brightness is 250 nits, which should be plenty for indoor use. I was a bit disappointed that the 27-inch model didn’t have higher resolution but, while prices haven’t been announced yet, I assume this will be a lot of high-quality screen space for a relatively cheap price compared to 2560 x 1440 pixel competitors.

One very cool feature of this monitor Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), which claims to make smartphone connectivity easier. It’s hard to see the exact quality of photos you take with your mobile phone on a 3.5- or 4-inch screen. MHL puts those photos on the large monitor while charging the phone at the same time.

This is a very high quality monitor for home or office use, as long as you’re not a professional graphic designer. When it is released it will likely represent an step-up from ordinary monitors in terms of quality without soaring into the stratosphere in terms of pricing.

* According to Edelman’s 2012 “Value and Engagement in the Era of Social Entertainment and Second Screens” study. Advanced Technology and Design Korea is operated by Edelman Korea.