One Monitor to Rule Them All
I've been a big fan of the Dell UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U4025QW) – what a name. The key features are the 21:9 aspect ratio, and the 5k2k resolution. If you're a programmer, it doesn't get any better than this.
As I've ranted / complained / dreamt about previously, the real solution is something like this:
Curtis Jones
However, back in reality, this Dell monitor has been the pinnacle. Until now.
Dell introduced the Dell UltraSharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U5226KW). It appears to be functionally and aesthetically identical to its 40in sibling, just bigger. A foot bigger, to be precise. A FOOT BIGGER. And it features a resolution of 6144x2560.
My previous monitor was a 34in 5k2k that was completely flat (no curve). I found myself leaning a bit to make use of the extreme edges of the display. When I upgraded to the 40in curved display, despite being significantly larger, I found the extreme edges far more accessible (no more leaning).
I'm in no hurry to drop $3k on a monitor, but I have to wonder about the usability of this beast. It features less of a curve than its 40in sibling (2500R vs 4200R), which seems like a bad move. But, I suppose the depth of the monitor would be pretty ridiculous if it maintained that curve. However, in its favor, the 52in display features just a 129dpi vs the 40in display's 140dpi, which means the pixels are larger: the display has grown proportionally more in size than it has in resolution which'll make viewing those extreme edges easier at a greater distance.
Will one of these beasts ever sit on my desk? Is my desk strong enough to support this monitor? Would my wife notice any change in my office if I got this? "No, that's the same monitor I've always had, hun." Will someone finally make a slick, wired, wearable alternative to high resolution monitors? Who knows. I wonder if there's a way to demo this monitor.