While the PC gaming world is busy trying to grasp 4K gaming, Sharp has gone ahead and built a prototype 8K 120Hz monitor.
The device was showcased at the CEATEC technology show in Japan, where PC Watch captured some images of the monitor.
This resolution is currently far beyond the average PC gamer’s reach, but it does show that resolution is no longer a limiting factor on gaming graphics quality, as the 8K panel features four times as many pixels as a 4K panel.
The monitor makes use of a new transistor material to deliver both unprecedented resolution and contrast range.
Check out the specifications and details below:
Specifications
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Display | 27-inch IPS |
| Resolution | 7,680 x 4,320 |
| Refesh Rate | 120Hz |
| Pixel Density | 326 ppi |
| Brightness | 1,000 nits |
Technology
While the 8K resolution is certainly impressive, it is not the most important feature of the prototype monitor.
Above a resolution of 4K, increasing resolution and subsequently pixel density starts to have diminishing returns, and more visual improvement can be found in other areas.
The Sharp prototype monitor accounts for this by meeting the contrast and colour range standards for HDR.
At resolutions this high, the wider range and contrast that HDR delivers will make a far more noticeable difference than simply increasing pixel count.
Currently, there are no HDR gaming monitors widely available for purchase, and while they may begin appearing on the market soon, they will only be accessible to high-end gamers with 4K-capable hardware.
The monitor uses a new semiconductor material called IGZO, which boasts electron mobility up to 50 times higher than that of silicon.
Sharp’s prototype monitor is certainly impressive, and its ability to deliver 8K HDR visuals at a refresh rate of 120Hz gives us an idea of what to expect from gaming monitors in the next few years.
