Cut Down on Screen Strain with the Compact, Multicolor E-Ink Monitor From Dasung

Dasung has boldly planted its flag in the world of full-color E Ink computer monitors. The company is now launching a portable E-Ink monitor, the Paperlike Color, which promises to relieve eyestrain and reduce power consumption when working on the go.

Color E-Ink has ballooned in popularity over the past few years. This is primarily due to falling prices, though it’s also the result of technological improvements . Early color eReaders looked unimpressive and sold at prices of $1,000 or more, but you can now find some very compelling color eReaders for as little as $150 .

The potential benefits of an E-Ink computer monitor were noted as far back as the 1990s . E-Ink panels are said to greatly reduce eyestrain and fatigue, as they do not emit light and tend to boast a higher resolution than similarly-priced LCDs—the Dasung clocks in at 150 PPI in color mode and 300 PPI in black and white mode. For professionals who deal with static documents or text, a product like the Dasung Paperlike Color could make work more enjoyable or less headache-inducing.

That said, E-Ink is still a relatively poor choice for a consumer computer monitor. E-Ink panels refresh at a chugging pace and look bad when scrolling through web pages, watching videos, or performing other actions that require a lot of on-screen movement. They’re also far less colorful than LCD or OLED screens, which greatly limits their utility in creative settings.

And while E-Ink tablets are now quite cheap, E-Ink monitors are undeniably expensive. The new Dasung Paperlike Color costs $849—roughly five times the price of an LCD portable monitor. The high price is likely a consequence of the monitor’s Kaleido 3 panel, which offers touchscreen functionality, a “Turbo Refresh” mode for semi-acceptable video playback, and a relatively large 12-inch viewing area.

Interestingly, Dasung chose to omit something that would further drive up the monitor’s price—a built-in battery. I would normally cite this as a downside, but E-Ink draws so little power that it doesn’t matter. If you plug the Dasung Paperlike Color into a laptop, it should have an almost negligible impact on the laptop’s battery life.

Those in need of a Color E Ink monitor for professional work should look into the Dasung Paperlike Color , as it’s clearly a capable option. It’s just hard to justify the $849 price tag. While this portable monitor is cheaper than Dasung’s E Ink desktop monitors , it’s more expensive than an iPad Pro (which can serve as an external monitor ). And if you just want a cheap portable monitor, LCD models regularly go on sale for less than $100.

Source: Dasung via The Verge