Tag Archives: Computer peripherals

Top 5 best OLED ultrawide monitors you can buy in 2023

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Thanks to the wide horizontal span of ultrawide monitors – they look like regular monitors, just stretched to higher aspect ratios like 21:9 and 32:9 – you can fit anywhere from two 4:3-sized windows to two or more 16:9 windows side-by-side on the same display. This makes quick work of any traditional dual-monitor setup, which needs multiple connections and can be annoying to configure. Not to mention, the bezels of each spanned monitor would normally jar you out of the experience; a problem that is not at all present when you plop a single 21:9 ultrawide or 32:9 super ultrawide monitor onto your desk.

Ultrawide monitors are finally garnering mainstream appeal for gaming, entertainment, and productivity. Coincidentally, 2023 has been the year in which top-tier ultrawide PC monitors with OLED displays have come down in price across the board. Yes, they’re still relatively expensive, especially in comparison to their non-ultrawide and non-OLED counterparts. The benefits of upgrading to an ultrawide monitor (not even an OLED, mind you!) can greatly outweigh the cons, however, and this is especially true if you – like me – use your computer for most tasks.

But now I’m kicking myself for having bought into the ultrawide market in 2021, when it was still undercooked. What I spent on my non-OLED 34″ LG UltraGear ultrawide gaming display would now get me a much cleaner-looking 45″ OLED screen with even faster 240Hz refresh rates, broader VRR support, and even better response times. And that’s not even the best possible option, especially given how quickly new OLED ultrawide displays keep popping into existence. If I were looking for a new ultrawide monitor today, these are the top 5 monitors that I would consider, though be warned that you can’t really go wrong here – competition between them is extremely tight, and it all comes down to your budget and how much desk space you have available:

1. Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED Gaming Monitor

Alienware’s 34″ curved QD-OLED ultrawide gaming monitor, also known as the AW3423DWF (don’t try to say that three times out loud) is widely known by PC gaming enthusiasts as one of the best ultrawide monitors on the market, bar none. RTINGS gave it a rave review, scoring it highly for its cost-effectiveness mixed with its exceptional feature set for gamers and media consumers who especially want to indulge in HDR content. This 34″ 3440x1440p 21:9 monitor is not the biggest ultrawide out there, but it does seem like a balanced and affordable all-rounder with two DisplayPort connections plus a single HDMI 2.0 port, 0.1 ms response times, AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-Sync support, 1800R curvature, True Black HDR 400 for crisp colors without any need for local dimming, and a baseline max refresh rate of 165Hz. The design itself is clean, with a small amount of integrated RGB thanks to Alienware’s alien-shaped logo and a big LED-lit “34” on the backplate.

2. LG UltraGear OLED WQHD Curved Gaming Monitor

LG is one of the top contenders in every vertical it touches. This is equally true in the OLED ultrawide PC monitor arena, and you can’t go wrong with the LG UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE. Competing directly against the CORSAIR Xeneon Flex and Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 in terms of screen real estate – all of them are 45″ displays – the packed-in gaming features, like 240Hz standard refresh rates, make this a fantastic high-end monitor for any PC gamer who wants the absolute best 21:9 WQHD (3440x1440p) experience rather than dipping toes into the Odyssey G9’s far wider 32:9 DQHD (5120x1440p) resolution …or spending a whopping $1999.99 on the CORSAIR Xeneon Flex’s unique and adaptable yet technologically comparable design.

It’s worth highlighting the UltraGear MSRP is $1699.99, a whole $300 less than the aforementioned Xeneon Flex and $100 less than the Odyssey OLED G9 (which goes at an MSRP of $1799.99). The new UltraGear display is a bit taller than the latter as well, thanks to its tighter aspect ratio. My only complaint aside from the price? The integrated RGB LED array on the new UltraGear OLED monitor’s backplate is less impressive than the one on LG’s older model, which I’ve been using for years.

3. Samsung Odyssey OLED G9

The current king of super ultrawide 32:9 displays is the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9. We had great things to say about it back in June, and it even made an appearance on my list of top 10 gaming accessories for any cool gaming room. It comes packed in with almost all the bells and whistles you could possibly want: gorgeous True Black HDR 400 support, 240Hz refresh rates, 0.03 ms response times, VRR support, and – yes – Samsung’s Neo Quantum-enhanced OLED screen, which is supposed to look incredible in action. It’s also the widest of the bunch, sporting a 5120x1440p resolution made comfortable by its 1800R curvature which pulls the edges of the screen into closer view.

Thanks to Samsung’s onboard Tizen software, there are plenty of apps built right into the display, meaning you can play games on it without ever hooking up a PC or console. Though, without testing the software for myself, I’d vie in favor of hooking up a proper rig. But hey, that futuristic-looking chromatic design with the minimalistic stand and circular RGB LED backplate array are absolutely mouthwatering. The only shame is its price tag: a whopping $1799.99 – though you can opt to finance it monthly when purchasing it through Samsung’s website.

4. CORSAIR Xeneon Flex OLED

The $1999.99 CORSAIR Xeneon Flex immediately reminds me of the LG UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE I mentioned earlier. That could be due to it coming about as a result of a collaborative effort between CORSAIR and LG, and it’s likely the two companies don’t want to eat one another’s market share. Thus, the primary differences don’t appear to be in its feature set, but rather in its outward appearance, which takes the form of a thin, bendable screen held in place by a large black steel bracket and two wide metal arms connected to the monitor’s base. The Xeneon Flex is advertised to be able to switch between a flat panel appearance, or you can bend it to a curvature of 800R for a curved experience. This is a unique style of OLED ultrawide monitor that could be useful if you want to experience content from different sitting or standing positions; for instance, making it curved when you’re sitting closer to it while doing work, then turning it back into a flat panel when sitting further away and playing video games.

5. Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 QD-OLED

In terms of cost-effectiveness, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 sits comfortably between the Alienware AW3423DWF and the LG UltraGear OLED 45GR95QE mentioned earlier. Despite being only 34″, it’s also possibly one of the best OLED ultrawide monitors you can buy. Not only does it use a QD-OLED display for incredible color contrast, it also brings over the Odyssey G9’s Tizen software and gorgeous aesthetic style to a more compact and affordable product – costing $1499.99, which is a reasonable price for a brand-new QD-OLED gaming display. It features 175Hz refresh rates and 0.03 ms response times, and the onboard software even connects to Samsung SmartThings, letting you use it as an IoT hub like any Samsung TV.

The post Top 5 best OLED ultrawide monitors you can buy in 2023 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Book-like foldable device concept replaces five computer and mobile accessories

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Although our computing devices are getting more powerful and sophisticated, it is almost ironic that they are also causing us to buy more accessories and peripherals to use them more conveniently. Power banks and stands are almost standard companions for smartphones these days, while even those that use a laptop may bring along a mouse or a portable trackpad with them. If you’re the type that travels open, you can have as many as four or five such gadgets in your bag all the time. It would definitely be nice if you could just have one or even two to cover all the bases. That’s the kind of future that this unconventional accessory tries to offer, combining your peripherals into a single foldable gadget.

Designer: Anupria Singh

Office work has changed drastically in the past three or so years. Work From Home or WFH, as well as Hybrid Work, have been added to our vocabulary, and that meant being ready to do work almost anywhere. Such a person’s bag would probably include accessories such as a mouse, a power bank, or device stands, at the very least. Some bolder people might even bring a portable keyboard for their phones, allowing them to even leave the laptop at home or in the office for a short break outdoors. All these mean your bag will be filled with accessories that you might forget or lose, significantly affecting your productivity and mental state.

Move is a rather intriguing idea that combines not just two or three functions but five or even six into a single device that admittedly doesn’t look like it can do any of those at all. When unfolded, it looks almost like a miniature book with a tube for a spine, definitely not something you’d associate with those computer and phone accessories. The secret, however, is that each part and surface of this device hides a specific function that, again, isn’t immediately obvious from their form.

In its unfolded state, for example, the side panels become touch-sensitive areas for use as a trackpad, with the groove in the middle serving as the scroll wheel. The detachable tube in the spine works as a Bluetooth remote control for phones, but it has another rather unusual feature as well. There is a laser projector that can display a keyboard on a flat surface, turning it into a fancy but arguably unreliable Bluetooth keyboard.

When folded, the device can magnetically attach to the back of a phone and act as a stand for both horizontal and vertical positions. It can even be a power bank, though it’s not clear how much battery would be able to fit inside its rather slim body. When partially folded like a tent, it can also be used as a mouse, though it’s not exactly clear how well it will move on a surface. At the very least, you can decide how high or how low that mouse will be for your personal comfort.

While intriguing, the concept design leaves a few questions unanswered, like how usable it would be as a mouse. It’s also difficult to imagine how all the electronics plus batteries will be able to fit inside. Move does provoke the mind into thinking about the possibility of reducing one’s baggage into a single device, especially one that can look as curious and attractive as this.

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NinDoio is a fun-looking device for leveling up your productivity game

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Every year, more people have to sit in front of computers for work or sometimes even for leisure. While some jobs might be simple enough to get by with the basics of word processing or spreadsheets, a lot require more complex processes and multiple steps, not to mention the use of a variety of software to get the job. That’s even more true for those involved in digital content creation, whether they be designers, programmers, writers, or even streamers. The number of actions they need to take can be overwhelming, especially when you have to navigate around the computer screen to get to those. It would definitely be a great deal if you could press just one or a few keys to get things done, which is what this device tries to do in a way that almost makes it feel like you’re playing a game.

Designer: Megalodon

There are about a hundred keys on a computer keyboard, more or less depending on the layout and the device. That gives you a variety of ways and nearly endless possible combinations to trigger actions like launching an application, undoing an edit, or rendering an animation. That flexibility, however, also comes at the cost of complexity, especially when it comes to remembering which key combinations do which actions on which applications. There are a variety of tools today that try to simplify that task, but Megalodon’s NinDoio adds an element of fun to what is really serious business.

What makes the NinDoio different from many “macro pads,” as they are called, is that it looks more like a toy rather than a productivity tool. In fact, it looks very much like a Nintendo Game Boy Advance, which is definitely the inspiration for its design as well as its moniker. Regardless of the name and shape, it still delivers the same power as any macro pad does, which is to map a single button or key to an action. For example, you won’t have to memorize the combination for “undo” when you can just press a single button that you’ve committed to muscle memory.

Unlike a simple grid of keys, the NinDoio adds a few controls you’d associate with gaming devices and controllers. Four of the buttons, for example, are arranged in a cross like a D-pad, while two are labeled Start and Select, even if they can be assigned to unrelated actions. The two knobs on the right can be mapped to actions like scrolling a page or changing the size of a brush. They can also be pushed like regular buttons, though, which adds another layer of functionality to them.

The very appearance of the macro pad is playful, with a translucent acrylic base that lets you take a peek at the electronics inside. Different color options for the aluminum top are available to add a bit of life to an already quirky device. Overall, the NinDoio’s appearance makes it a bit more approachable and a little less clinical, even if it performs the same functions as any of Megalodon’s other macro pads, which might just be what the doctor prescribed to make tedious work feel a bit more enjoyable like a game.

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This wireless mouse gets configurable mechanical buttons, packs fully adjustable ergonomics

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If you are like me who spends over eight hours a day working on the laptop, you must have – for the comfort of the wrist – been over a considerable number of mouse designs. Of course, the market is flooded with products and it’s easy to find an ergonomic, comfortable, and feature-packed mouse for your need. However, as phones become modular and our laptops are able to be customized to user requirements, it is only fitting for a mouse with an adjustable form factor to make the cut, and give us a reason to be more thoughtful of the peripheral we are using.

Aptly called the My Mouse, this raw-looking peripheral here is designed to let the user adjust its comfort, click, scrolling wheel, and the palm rest at will. A godsent idea for someone like me who is pretty picky with my choice of accessories; the modular approach and practical design allows it to contribute to a more comfortable user experience. It will give you a reason to think beyond your favorite mouse, which if you consider, is still made for a large number of users with similar requirements as yours. My Mouse however is configurable to how you want it to be – overly personalized!

Designer: Andrey Avgust

A comfortable mouse, adjustable to your requirement can have a lasting effect on your work efficiency – as your wrist and fingers will tire less – and it will help avoid repetitive stress injuries like carpel tunnel syndrome. As a wholesome package catering to comfort, adjustability, and performance; the wireless mouse features adjustable mechanical switches and packs fully modifiable ergonomics. All the buttons and the scrolling wheel are mounted on mechanical PCB switches that according to the designer can last for a lifetime (50M cycles each). Like the Fairphone or the Framework laptops, the switches on the mouse are replaceable and can be upgraded if need be. The easy-to-repair mouse has a small LCD display on one side to show the battery status or some user-programmable message.

To make it comforting for the user, My Mouse features a soft silicone pad on the top which acts as a palm rest. Along with the height and angle adjustable buttons, and scrolling wheel the palm rest is also adjustable to the user’s comfort and work requirements. If the design and the idea of My Mouse seem appealing to you, you can get it now. This is not a concept; the design is for sale and can be delivered to the customer directly by contacting the designer.

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This UV sterilization enabled mouse is a pandemic-influenced peripheral for finicky professionals

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Smartphones are the most germ-infested gadgets, but the good old mouse isn’t behind in the rat race either. For people who spend a good chunk of their day on a PC or laptop, the mouse gets the most exposure to bare hands. In fact, as compared to a desktop monitor, the desk itself, or accessories like headsets or keyboards; the computer mouse has around 4,000,000 CFU/10 square inches. Apparently, CFU is the colony-forming unit representing the number of bacteria or fungal cells in a given sample.

As gross as it might sound, we never ever bother to disinfect the computer peripheral, especially when we’ve seen the perils of the coronavirus pandemic already. So, when your earbuds (LG Tone Free FP9) or phone (with third-party UV sanitizer) can have UV sterilization treatment, why not the mouse?

Designer: Hyeonseok Kang

After the pandemic, we’ve become ever more conscious about the importance of sterilization and keeping everything around us sanitized. This has brought to light the importance of keeping office supplies clear of any harmful pathogens. Hence, the computer mouse being the most prone to bacterial infestation needs sterilization around the click buttons and wheel.

Thus, comes into the picture this cool mouse which replaces the wheel with a sizeable trackpad area, and a UV sterilizer on the inside. The unique design has a removable upper section that can be flipped back and forth. Since both sides are the same, they can be used alternatively. The one on the inside at any given point in time gets the UV light treatment to eliminate germs on all the contact surfaces. As soon as the mouse is connected via the cable, the UV sanitization kicks in. In the wireless mode though, this function is not available, else it will eat a chunk of battery power.

Along with the niche functionality, the Zero mouse boasts a sleek form factor that’ll be well suited for ergonomic comfort with long-duration usage. From the sheer usability and design perspective, this mouse is already growing on me. Would I want it in my kitty? Of course, who won’t want this practical accessory after all?

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CEA names Logitech Keyboards and G Mice for 2015 CES Innovation Awards

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Logitech has alloy to boast about as its Keyboard and G Mice have been recognized as stand out products for 12th year running. Logitech revealed today that 4 of its products have been named in the...

Logitech Black Friday 2014 Sale is Live on Amazon saving up to 55%

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Black Friday 2014 Sales events are underway since Friday with the Amazon Black Friday 2014 Deals Week and the Walmart Black Friday Pre Sale.Amazon has just launched a big Black Friday sale on...