Computers & Laptops | May 16, 2023
In the world of monitors, advancements are usually associated with gaming, but Philips has just surprised us with the Philips 24B1D56000, a unique monitor that has an electronic ink screen attached to its right side.
The idea is fantastic because it allows combining the best of both worlds, and offers a way to use the advantages of electronic ink screens without limiting options when working with other types of content on the “normal” monitor.
As TechSpot indicates, the Philips 24B1D56000 is a 23.8-inch monitor with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels – outstanding for a diagonal like this – a refresh rate of up to 75 Hz, and a brightness of 250 nits.
What’s really striking is the 13.3-inch electronic ink screen attached to the right side of the monitor. It has a resolution of 1,200 x 1,600 pixels (150 ppi), a 4:3 aspect ratio, support for 4-bit grayscale, and its own backlighting, including color temperature adjustment to minimize exposure to blue light.
The screen is also attached with a hinge that allows it to be rotated up to 45 degrees, making it easier to read text on the electronic ink screen while at your workstation.
Both the monitor and the e-ink screen need to be separately connected to the PC that will use them. In fact, it’s possible to use just the monitor or just the e-ink screen separately when needed.
On its back, we find the power connector, a DisplayPort port, another USB-C port, an Ethernet port, an audio output, and four USB-A 3.0 ports, one of which is an input to turn the monitor into a hub. The monitor can even be used to charge devices like phones or tablets and offers a charging power of 15W.
While the conventional monitor part can be used for all types of tasks, the e-ink reader is designed to work with static text and thus improve productivity. Philips integrates an application called SmartRemote to improve the quality of text documents, and at the bottom of the screen, they include buttons to increase or decrease the scale and navigate through the document.
The Philips 24B1D5600 is currently available in China for a price of 5,999 yuan (791 euros), and while it is not known if it will be sold outside of this country, it is possible to import one for $1,700, or around 1,550 euros.
