sharp 32-inch 4k igzo lcd monitors brands

Sharp’s professional-use PN-K321 LCD monitor heralds an entirely new generation of displays that incorporate Sharp’s cutting-edge IGZO* technology. This technology offers two major advantages: extraordinarily high resolution and energy efficiency. At 3,840 x 2,160 pixels (4K Ultra-HD), the PN-K321 boasts four times the resolution of 1080p full HD. Users can now view the content of four full HD screens on a single, seamless display. This super-high resolution makes the monitor ideally suited to a wide range of professional applications in settings where detailed information needs to be displayed with tremendous precision. IGZO technology supports increased pixel transparency and reduced current leakage, resulting in lower power consumption.

The PN-K321 owes its stylish and slender design to IGZO technology and edge-lit LED backlighting. Measuring only about 35 mm at its thickest point, this sleek and lightweight monitor blends in effortlessly in almost any location. The PN-K321 comes with a stand and offers a choice of landscape or portrait installation*, allowing users to select the mode that best suits their display content and application.

Sharp Corporation will introduce into the Japanese market a new 32-inch-class LCD monitor, the PN-K322B. This professional-use monitor features an originally developed high-sensitivity, high-precision touchscreen and delivers 4K resolution (3,840 × 2,160 pixels)-a level of resolution four times that of full HD.

The PN-K322B is Sharp"s latest ultra-high-definition display. Its high-precision touchscreen allows accurate onscreen handwriting of fine text and lines, with writing performed via a dedicated touch pen with a pen-tip width of just 2 mm. The display also supports multi-touch operation.

Thanks to IGZO technology and an edge-lit LED backlight, the PN-K322B boasts a slender profile with a thickness of just 36 mm*2-the thinnest in its class. An included stand allows the monitor to slide easily between two angles depending on the application: vertical for viewing the monitor or low-angle for onscreen writing and touchscreen operation.

The PN-K322B features a palm cancellation function that prioritizes pen input even when the user"s hand is resting on the touchscreen. Input connectors on the PN-K322B are compatible with the latest DisplayPort™ and HDMI™ interface specifications, enabling the monitor to display*3 4K ultra-HD content delivered from a PC via a single-cable connection.

Demand for ultra-high-definition 4K displays is growing for numerous business and professional applications such as graphic and video content creation and editing. To further grow demand for 4K displays, Sharp will propose usage applications in other fields too, such as in customer service applications at retailers and showrooms or in exhibition displays at museums and art galleries.

*1 IGZO monitors were developed jointly for mass production by Sharp and Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. IGZO and the IGZO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sharp Corporation.

Las Vegas, January 7, 2013 – Brace yourself for a look into the future…today. This year, Sharp comes to CES with breakthrough technologies and exciting products that show the future isn’t that far off – Sharp is making amazing things happen now.

“Whether in your home or in your hand, display technology is everywhere,” said Toshi Osawa, CEO and Chairman of Sharp Electronics Corporation. “From game changing IGZO, to stunning Ultra HD products, and large screen televisions, the introductions we are making at CES 2013 will advance people’s lives at home, work and everywhere in between.”

For the first time in North America, the company will showcase the amazing possibilities of IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) and introduce the first new products that use it. Today and tomorrow, IGZO will engender a whole generation of display products that are dramatically more energy efficient, produce high-resolution images and are ultra-responsive to touch.

Sharp will take the lead in Ultra HD, the next generation of high-definition 4K display technology for the home, showcasing two lines of large screen Ultra HD TVs that will be introduced this year.

At CES, Sharp is also primed to continue its leadership in large screen LED TV’s by introducing its 2013 AQUOS LED TV lineup, featuring the largest commercially available LED TV in the world, more large screen models featuring Quattron technology and striking new designs.

Sharp is the first to successfully mass produce IGZO, an innovative compound that replaces the industry standard amorphous silicon material used for the active layer in thin-film transistors (TFTs).

· Super high-resolution and clarity: IGZO’s transistors are much smaller than traditional LCDs and have significantly higher electron mobility. Therefore, more data can be shown in a single display, creating a stunningly detailed image – up to four times that of conventional full-HD or 1080p LCDs.

· Ultra-low power consumption: IGZO can maintain the onscreen data for a certain period of time without refreshing the data, even when the current is off. This helps cut back the power consumption to achieve longer battery life for mobile displays.

· High performance touch response: Compared to conventional LCDs, IGZO displays have drastically minimized the noise caused by touch input. This allows for quick, easy, more natural-feeling writing and smooth lines.

While the possibilities for this technology are far reaching, Sharp is already implementing IGZO technology in its displays, tablet PCs, monitors and smartphones available today.

At CES, Sharp is revealing its state of the art 32”-class professional LCD monitors, the PN-K321 and a touchscreen monitor prototype, which feature IGZO technology with ultra-high-definition 4K × 2K resolution (3,840 × 2,160 pixels), four times the pixel resolution of full high definition. These models also boast the industry’s thinnest design at just 35mm. The touchscreen monitor prototype is capable of 10-point multi-touch option, allowing users to perform multiple gestures at once simply by touching the screen, which is especially useful for portraying and interfacing with images, graphics, complex visual elements or architectural designs. The PN-K321 is planned to launch in February.

Sharp is taking the lead in the development of the next generation of screen resolution: Ultra HD. Previously known as 4K, this significant leap in viewing is four times the pixel resolution of 1080p. At CES 2013, Sharp will demonstrate two large screen Ultra HD technologies that it will bring to market in 2013:

ICC Purios: Developed jointly with I-cubed Research Center Inc., ICC Purios combines Ultra HD resolution and the ICC (integrated cognitive creation) image processor, which reproduces the “cognitive” process by which the human brain interprets light stimuli. Employing this unique process provides a similar sense of depth, texture and perspective to what people experience when looking directly at an object for a stunningly lifelike viewing experience where everything is in sharper focus. The picture is so stunningly real, ICC Purios is the world’s first Ultra HD TV to receive THX® certification, confirming that the display not only meets industry 4K performance guidelines, but that it maintains content accuracy true to the original HD image. This model is scheduled to make its North American debut in summer 2013.

AQUOS Ultra HD: At CES 2013, Sharp will also showcase a prototype of the AQUOS Ultra HD TV, a new large screen product under the AQUOS brand. In addition to boasting Ultra HD resolution, this product features a new screen technology, introduced as Moth Eye that virtually eliminates glare while preserving color vibrancy.

Brace yourself for an all out visual thrill ride. Sharp is showcasing its full line of 2013 AQUOS LED TVs, with striking new designs and large-screen sizes such as 60” (diagonal), 70” (69 ½” diagonal), 80” (diagonal) and 90” (diagonal), the world’s largest commercially available LED TV. This year, Sharp Canada, the leader in large-screen LED TVs, will once again introduce the most choice in the industry for screen sizes of 60” size or larger.

Sharp is demonstrating two exciting audio products at CES 2013. The HT-SB60 is the only soundbar system on the market designed from the ground up to be used exclusively for 60” and larger TVs. The system provides clear and powerful sound via a 2.1 channel arrangement with 310 total watts of power and a wireless subwoofer. Its flexible design offers options for horizontal and wall mounted use. Exposed drivers and a rich black-brushed aluminum finish offer a striking visual element.

Sharp is also demonstrating the next generation of Quattron technology at CES 2013. Using a specialized sub-pixel signal processing for Sharp’s red-green-blue-yellow Quattron pixel panel, the next genesis of Quattron will allow the control and use of these colours individually, enabling the reproduction of double resolution in one singular pixel. As a result of this breakthrough feature, the next-generation of Quattron can increase the effective resolution of a 1080p panel to Ultra-HD-like for video and still image content as well as web-based text. The next generation of Quattron technology also includes specialized signal processing for scaling up from 1080p to 4K images. Sharp expects to introduce products with the next generation of Quattron technology in 2014.

The company is showing a glimpse of the high definition future with a demonstration of 8K resolution on an 85” (diagonal) screen size class TV. Sharp was the first brand to showcase this groundbreaking technology at CES 2012. 8K is an astounding 7680 x 4320 resolution, the equivalent of 16 times the pixel resolution of HDTV and presents an unprecedented level of incredibly detailed, high-quality images.

Today, Sharp unveiled the professional-use PN-K321 monitor, which boasts a 4K resolution of 3840×2160 and measures 32 inches diagonally. It"s also powered by Sharp"s ultra-thin IGZO technology to make for a ridiculously high-resolution but thin and sleek display. However, the new display comes with a hefty price tag of $5,500.

The 32-inch display with the 3840×2160 resolution works out to 137ppi, which doesn"t quite match the Retina MacBook Pro"s 220ppi, but the display should look pretty stunning once it becomes available. It"s expected to released in February 2013 in Japan for a price of 450,000 yen, but no word on release dates for the US and other countries — we should hear more on that front at CES in January.

The display has both HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, and Sharp claims that it"s the industry"s thinnest 4K monitor at just 35mm thick. That"s thanks to the company"s IGZO display technology, which is named after the indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor on which the technology is based. The company plans to implement the new tech in a wide range of devices in the future, including smartphones and tablets.

IGZO is also a great technology because it uses less power than current LCD displays and it can prolong battery life in mobile devices. 4K displays are still in their infancy, and they most likely won"t hit mainstream for another couple of years, and with the prices the way they are for 4K screens, you can expect to wait a few years before you could really afford one in your living room or on your desk.

Sharp announced two new 4K LCD monitors, which will display images at close to four times the overall resolution of traditional 1080p high-definition monitors available Monday.

The new 32-inch LCD monitor series will display images at a 3840 by 2160-pixel resolution, Sharp announced at the International CES show in Las Vegas. The monitors will be available in touch and non-touch models, and pricing was not immediately available.

Sharp refers to the new class of ultra-high resolution displays as UltraHD, which is the standard name being adopted for the next generation of high-definition TVs and displays. Sharp also said it is will show off a prototype UltraHD TV set at CES.

UltraHD TVs are also referred to as 4K TVs and made a splash at last year’s IFA trade show in Berlin with companies such as Sony and LG announcing TV sets with ultra-high resolutions. More UltraHD announcements are expected at CES with companies like Toshiba, LG and Samsung set to announce new TVs.

Sharp’s new monitors will have two HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) and one DisplayPort port. The monitors will use IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology, which improve the responsiveness and brightness of displays, according to the company. The 4K monitors will be particularly useful for specific applications requiring high-definition graphics, such as video editing and computer-aided design.

As part of its new 2013 TV lineup, Sharp also announced close to 20 Aquos high-definition TVs, with a standard feature being the ability to browse the Web and watch movies from Internet streaming services like Netflix. The 6-, 7-, 8-Series Aquos TVs will have Wi-Fi, and support Flash and HTML5 web content.

It seems like all the giant companies are now working with the 4Kcompatible monitors as a lot of computer users are now looking forward to 4K resolution monitors for higher-quality images and more information on the screen at one time. And following that trend, lately Sharp has unveiled a 32-inch 4K IGZO touchscreen monitor which is also compatible with Apple’s OS X operating system.

The 32-inch 4K touchscreen monitor was originally introduced back in January during CES 2013. But the display was also shown during CEATEC 2013 in Japan last week, which was running off a MacBook Pro. However, the Sharp’s 4K Monitor features a resolution of 3840×2160 and utilizes an IGZO LCD panel with a touch interface and pen support. The touch interface uses capacitive technology and supports pen input. The Japanese news portal Macotakara claims, Sharp’s 32-inch LCD LED monitor has already been shipped, but won’t be able to run OS X until the company releases a free download of that software.

Currently this Sharp 32-inch 4K2K touch Monitor is available in Amazon.co.jp for ¥ 317,887(Japanese Yen) or $3266(USD). So for now only, the Japanese people can buy this monitor. Unfortunately, there is no information available for its global release! Check out the both demo videos at CES 2013 and CEATEC 2013 for more.

Sharp has announced two new 4K LCD monitors, which will display images at close to four times the overall resolution of traditional 1080p high-definition monitors available today.

The new 32-inch LCD monitor series will display images at a 3840 by 2160-pixel resolution, Sharp announced at the International CES show in Las Vegas on Monday. The monitors will be available in touch and non-touch models, and pricing was not immediately available.

Sharp refers to the new class of ultra-high resolution displays as UltraHD, which is the standard name being adopted for the next generation of high-definition TVs and displays. Sharp also said it is will show off a prototype UltraHD TV set at CES.

UltraHD TVs are also referred to as 4K TVs and made a splash at last year"s IFA trade show in Berlin with companies such as Sony and LG announcing TV sets with ultra-high resolutions. More UltraHD announcements are expected at CES with companies like Toshiba, LG and Samsung set to announce new TVs.

Sharp"s new monitors will have two HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) and one DisplayPort port. The monitors will use IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology, which improve the responsiveness and brightness of displays, according to the company. The 4K monitors will be particularly useful for specific applications requiring high-definition graphics, such as video editing and computer-aided design.

As part of its new 2013 TV lineup, Sharp also announced close to 20 Aquos high-definition TVs, with a standard feature being the ability to browse the Web and watch movies from Internet streaming services like Netflix. The 6-, 7-, 8-Series Aquos TVs will have Wi-Fi, and support Flash and HTML5 web content.

The majority of the world is still patiently waiting for 4K technology to become more widely adopted, and companies are certainly doing all they can to assist in speeding up tha…

Sharp announced its 32-inch PN-K321, a 4K, 3840 x 2160 resolution professional monitor, today. Besides being among the first 4K monitors to land, the whisper-thin wonder has the thinnest frame of any monitor on the market — a mere 35 mm thick. That"s 1.37 inches for the metrically challenged among you, or about the thickness of the stack of bills you"ll need to buy this thing.

The display is developed using a newer semiconductor technology called IGZO, which stands for indium gallium zinc oxide. IGZO allows devices, or just displays, to be super thin since it doesn"t require dual-bar LED backlighting like other LCDs. The third-generation iPad was widely rumored to utilize this type of display.

Such a display, or at least its underlying technology, could be just the ticket for future iMacs, Thunderbolt displays, or maybe even an Apple television set. And this wafer of a monitor is no doubt the first of many we"ll see, because 4K monitors, TVs and other gadgets will be all the rage at CES this January.

Sharp, the struggling Japanese consumer electronics maker, is finally taking its low-power IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) panels off the ground, announcing Wednesday a 32-inch monitor built around this proprietary display tech. And with 4K resolution of 3,840-by-2,160 pixels, it’s a marvel of cutting-edge display engineering.

Sharp’s proprietary IGZO technology incorporates a thin-film transistor that allows for thinner devices while reducing power consumption and increasing image quality.

“Because 4K2K displays enable clear, crisp display of large amounts of information ranging from small text to detailed images on one screen, they boost operational efficiency by sparing users the need to scroll frequently”, explains Sharp.

Pricing and availability info was unknown at press time, but Wikipedia thinks the monitor will cost a cool $5,500. Sharp underscored the PN-K321 will first launch in Japan on February 15, 2013, with initial production limited to just 1,500 monthly units.

Another major upside to IGZO is that unlike LCDs which need a constant power stream, Sharp’s tech uses extra power only briefly, when the user presses the screen.

The Japanese company last month hinted IGZO devices will surge as it announced own Aquos Pad SHT 21 tablet rocking a seven-inch IGZO display, a tell-tale sign Sharp solved problems that had been limiting its ability to manufacture IGZO panels in volume.

We know Apple wanted to use IGZO panels for new iPads and iPhones, but couldn’t due to yield issues. Now that Sharp is incorporating IGZO panels into various form factors ranging from tablets to big monitors, perhaps Apple will take another look at implementing IGZO tech into the next wave of iOS devices, where Sharp’s technology could triple battery life while offering higher touch sensitivity.

Apple, as Ed told you, may have bailed out Sharp to the tune of $2 billion. And with ongoing rumors asserting Apple is mulling a strategic investment in Sharp’s high-tech IGZO plant in Osaka, Japan and talk of an Apple-branded HD TV set among analysts, fans and Hollywood moguls, the possibility of Apple’s next big thing grows with each day.

Apple has made clear its intent to support ultra high-resolution displays with the latest Mac and OS X products, but without a 4K display of its own (yet) the company sells only one UHD monitor as a go-along with its flagship Mac Pro: Sharp"s PN-K321.

Still largely the domain of professionals and well-heeled prosumers, 4K displays are expensive and often considered overkill for the everyday consumer. In fact, with the current OS X 10.9.2, browsing the Web and checking email on a 3,840-by-2,160 pixel monitor is a less than ideal experience.

From resolution to color gamut, these ultra high-definition monitors — specifically the 32-inch Sharp PN-K321 — offer specs far surpassing those of mass produced displays, and for that you pay a premium. They are tools, not consumption devices.

Being a monitor targeted at professionals, the Sharp puts function over form. This is not to say the display is ugly, but its unassuming exterior design and no-frills construction may make it less appealing to the average user accustomed to flashing lights and glossy screens.

Where a Dell or Samsung product would have bright front-facing LEDs or a polished bezel, the PN-K321 makes do with matte finishes and a muted color palette. The bezel is neither ultra-slim, nor is it unduly thick, but just the right width to adequately provide support for the 4K panel below.

For those users who prefer portrait orientation, the Sharp can be mounted upright by removing four hex screws on the back of the unit. The setup is more permanent than other products as there is no way to easily switch between landscape and portrait, though we don"t imagine many users will need to do so with such a large screen.

An official number for panel life expectancy is not published, but because it is a professional product, Sharp tells us lifetime is one step below tolerance for a 24/7 duty cycle. Basically, it is more likely that a new resolution standard will be adopted before the monitor needs replacing.

For anyone who hasn"t seen a 4K monitor in action, the Sharp is quite the spectacle. Even for pros accustomed to working with super high resolutions, this display is special and what we would consider best in class.

Sharp was the first manufacturer to successfully roll out efficient indium, gallium, zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor technology, which lets more light generated from the LED backlight to pass through the LCD and onto the user. Combined with bright, even edge-lit backlighting and a matte LCD panel, the IGZO PN-K321 offers startling results.

We can"t help but imagine what a full-array backlight with local-dimming would do for color consistency and brightness, though adding such components would no doubt increase thickness, thermal levels and power requirements. As it stands, the IGZO panel, manufactured by Sharp"s Seibi factory in China, grossly outperforms the competition.

Product specifications claim an output of 350 candelas per square meter (cd/m2) and a contrast ratio of 800:1. Compared to other high-density screens we"ve seen (and even some 1080p monitors) the Sharp is noticeably brighter and can easily be viewed even in sunlit rooms.

Perhaps more important than sheer brightness, Sharp did a great job in enhancing backlight transmission without degrading color accuracy, something that has been troublesome for other brands. Without the correct color saturation — and a wide color gamut — a bright display is not even worth looking at for most professional applications.

We ran the usual battery of tests when trying out the Sharp, connected to the all-new redesigned Mac Pro and late-2013 MacBook Pro with Retina display.

In addition, the upcoming maintenance update adds new "pixel-doubling" scaling that solves a lot of the issues we saw in graphical and native app assets. After testing out the new features, we can say 10.9.3 will be a drastic improvement over Mavericks" current 4K support.

As for apps themselves, Final Cut Pro X and Photoshop are joys to use at high resolution. As expected, working with native 4K footage on the Sharp is significantly better than lower resolution displays. Intricate details and flaws are easy to spot, while the huge pixel count offers a large easel on which to work.

We found positive results for Photoshop and Illustrator as well. Once again, the 4K resolution is a boon for detail-minded professionals looking to squeeze perfection out of every pixel of their work. In most cases, we found ourselves manipulating images without the need for in-app magnification as the smallest details were readily apparent.

As for basic apps like Web browsers and Mail clients, the software has not yet caught up to 4K. We saw undersized formatting, font issues and aberrations not befitting UHD displays. OS X 10.9.3 makes things much more usable, however.

Put simply, if you"re in the market for a 4K monitor, Sharp"s PN-K321 is the one to get. Even Apple chose the display to showcase the new Mac Pro"s abilities in its retail locations and is the only 4K display option to "add to cart" when purchasing the new pro-level desktop from the Online Apple Store.

While we did not experiment with older Macs, the PN-K321 takes a powerful graphics card to drive. As noted by Apple, only the new Mac Pro and late-2013 Retina MacBook Pro can officially handle 4K output. As with many cutting-edge products, the display is not built to be an all-around general purpose device and is unlikely to work perfectly with older software and hardware. If you do have the right equipment and suite of professional software, however, Sharp"s monitor is highly recommended.

Overall, after spending some quality time with the PN-K321, we came away with the impression that Sharp"s pro A/V team poured a majority its R&D money into panel tech rather than creature comforts; in bleeding edge display technology, not modern design. Whereas other brands cobble together parts from various manufacturers, Sharp tells us the technology in the PN-K321 — from the IGZO chip to the LCD array — was developed entirely in-house. And we are more than OK with the results.

As a side note, Sharp has just announced a touch-enabled version of the PN-K321, dubbed the PN-K322B, that we are told is shipping out to distribution channels. With an edge-to-edge glass design and funcitonal rocker/slider stand, the multitouch version looks to have a lot of potential. Pricing is set at $4,675.

Sharp"s PN-K321 has a manufacturer"s suggested retail price of $3595 and it"s currently available at only a handful of select online electronics stores. As of press time, the lowest prices we could find were $2,990 from B&H Photo (tax-free outside of NY) and $3,088 from Amazon.com (tax-free outside AZ, CA, KS, KY, MA, NC, NJ, NY, ND, PA, TX, and WA.). It"s also available at MacMall for $3,079.99 (tax-free outside of CA, NY, IL, WI, MN, CO, TN, NC and GA).

This is high resolution UHD 4K LCD of frame type. Its connector does not match standard WXGA++ LCD. Any attempt to upgrade resolution to 4K UHD will unfortunately fail, which may result in blurry image, or image being out of scale. Other times laptop may not take any input, and LCD may remain white. You"re strongly discouraged to upgrade from lower resolution LCDs. Make sure your existing resolution is 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD 4k before making the purchase. Dream Color Display.

If you have been itching for a 4K Thunderbolt Display from Apple, you may be waiting a little while longer. Sharp is prepared to scratch that itch, though, and intends to add full pen and touch compatibility with OS X later this year. The announcement comes from Mac Otakara (Japanese link) and comes after July"s announcement of the PN-K322B 32-inch professional display, which was already touch compatible with Microsoft"s Windows 8 and other Windows variants.The scarcity of touch options in OS X displays is of little concern to most users, but visual artists and other professional users may benefit from an integrated display and touch solution.

Sharp"s IGZO display technology drives these high resolutions without sacrificing power efficiency, and the company just announced a 15.6-inch model. The road to ultra high-definition (UHD) displays on every desk is a long one, though; this beauty is expected to cost upwards of $5,000 when it hits stateside. By then, visual professionals should expect to be able to whip their stylus across an array of 8 million pixels.

There"s more display news from Sharp, too. At CEATEC Japan 2013 today, Sharp was the recipient of an award for its MEMS-IGZO exhibition that showcased a combination color e-paper MEMS and IGZO LCD display. The prototype display features always-on capability, similar to E Ink, and the color richness and pixel density that IGZO can bring while sipping less power than current technology. It will still be a while before we see the combo displays in handsets and tablets, but they may be worth the wait.

After reviewing the Sharp PN-K321 Ultra HD monitor, the CRN Test Center liked its 3,840-x-2,160 resolution for medical imaging, CAD/CAM, video production and other intended applications at a list price of $7,395. But at its new price of $5,250, we like it a whole lot more. With the new list price announced Friday, Sharp expects the PN-K321 to be selling on the street for around $4,000. That"s $1,000 for each of the full HD windows it can display on its single 32-inch IGZO panel.

That"s IGZO, folks, another acronym to start hearing about. IGZO stands for indium gallium zinc oxide, and it was developed by Sharp as a thinner, more translucent and responsive alternative to the amorphous silicon used in most of today"s LCD panels. A thinner active layer means more light can pass through more pixels, which means greater-resolution displays with faster refresh rates that use less energy to run, and require less cabinet space to keep cool.

That"s according to Steve Brauner, senior product line manager for professional displays at Sharp. During a phone briefing with the CRN Test Center, Brauner explained that without a new technology, today"s thin-film transistor (TFT) displays had hit a wall. "To increase the number of pixels, you have to increase the light that goes through," or darken the viewing environment, Brauner said. "That"s why viewing high-resolution X-rays requires a dark room." Each pixel has a transistor behind it, so displays packed with pixels also are packed with light-blocking transistors. "The IGZO TFT dramatically reduces the size of the transistor, allowing more light to pass through," he said.

Side effects of the new technology actually have useful benefits, said Brauner. Aside from reducing the required light intensity, Brauner said that IGZO enables more light to be distributed more evenly to the edges of the screen. The panel also has persistence characteristics that enable it to maintain unchanged portions of the display without the use of the graphics processor. While this characteristic isn"t in play on the desktop, it"s expected to greatly benefit battery-operated devices. Apple is reportedly considering IGZO in its next-gen iPhones.

To test Sharp"s new monitor, the CRN Test Center fired up our latest Haswell-based test fixture, an Intel DZ87KL-75K Extreme Series desktop board wielding an Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz dual-core processor running 64-bit Windows 7 Pro on 4 GB of high-performance RAM. Intel"s latest processor and chipset support the new Thunderbolt spec as well as DisplayPort 1.2. Ultra HD can be driven by anything with DisplayPort 1.2, and Sharp"s monitor also can function through one or both of its HDMI inputs.

The Intel board"s single HDMI port drove Sharp"s new monitor at 30Hz with full resolution. Performance using Intel"s on-board GPU was adequate for displaying graphics and manipulating digital images. The 3,840-x-2,160 images on the Sharp Ultra HD monitor displayed side by side with a very good 1,920-x-1,080 monitor were most striking; the bright colors, sharp contrasts and photo-realism were impressive. But, Intel"s HD Graphics 4600 GPU couldn"t quite keep up with high-resolution video streaming and media playback we were flinging through its HDMI port. Even when playing hi-res media in a single window, we got choppy video and gravelly audio.

Fortunately, Sharp also included an AMD FirePro W600 workstation graphics card for testing. This put the PN-K321 in a whole new light. We opened four windows and put one in each corner. In two of the windows we ran high-resolution videos using the VideoLAN"s VLC 2.0.8 media player. In another, we launched a Blu-ray quality video using Microsoft"s Media Player, and in the fourth, we streamed videos from YouTube. All content ran smoothly, although the cacophony of sounds had us reaching for the mute button.

Next we brought up the CRN Test Center"s standard test images, and after a few adjustments to brightness and contrast, we found Sharp"s Ultra HD to be well within acceptable limits. Gradients of color and black-to-white exhibited no banding, black level and white saturation were visible throughout the spectrum, and sharpness tests were the best we"ve seen.

With HD screens becoming as common as high-end cell phones, we see 4K or Ultra HD as the next logical step in digital-display evolution. And with IGZO technology, Sharp has made major strides, and the CRN Test Center recommends the Sharp PN-K321 at its new price of $5,250. It includes a tilt-swivel stand and three-year warranty. In the channel since March, it"s sold through major tech and pro-video distributors. In addition, the company this week announced the PN-K322B, a 10-point multitouch version with lay-flat stand to be available in the fall; pricing was not disclosed.