Mid Year Update: Monitors
Energy Usage Down, Prices Down, Functionality Up
An example: LG 22MP400-B is a 22” Monitor with a typical power usage of 18W. In January of 2022, this was listed at $159.99. Six months later, the price has dropped to $119.99.
We were pleasantly surprised when we revisited the monitor study we completed at the beginning of 2022. The monitors that are compatible with the Respond! battery-power systems are better and lower cost.
You now have choices that consume less energy. Some enable you to have dual screen set-ups and consume less than 40W combined. Or said another way, you can operate a laptop and two monitors, and likely only need a single battery swap each day.
We also found additional monitors with a 21:9 aspect ratio that are excellent choices. We like the 21:9 aspect ratio because it gives you considerable workspace without the top of the monitor being too high.
If you work with a large 16:9 aspect ratio monitor, you may need to tilt your head back to view the top of the monitor. This is an ergonomic no-no.
Since your eyes are designed to look down but not up, you pivot in your neck area. You may be unknowingly creating cumulative stress on your neck and upper back.
Dual Monitor Suggestions
Another example: LG 24ML600M-B. is a 24” monitor that uses 17.5W. In January of 2022, this was priced at $169.99. Six months later the price has dropped to $149.99.
The LG 22MP400-B shown above performs well regarding energy consumption (18W) and is priced attractively. For about $240 ($119.99 each), you can have a dual monitor arrangement. This is a Full HD monitor (1920 x 1080).
In a dual arrangement, you would have almost 415 square inches of screen space. The height of the monitor screens would be an ergonomically-friendly 10.8”.
The monitor on the right, an LG 24ML600M-B, is another attractive choice. This is in the 24” monitor class. Its typical power usage is 17.5W. This too is a Full HD design.
The 24” monitor provides 18.5% more screen space than the 22” monitor and may be worth the extra cost.
Another example: LG 27MP60G-B. is a 27” monitor that uses 20W. In January of 2022, this was priced at $179.99. Six months later the price has dropped to $169.99.
Another great value is the LG 27MP60G-B shown on the right. This is a 27” class monitor; screen space is almost 50% greater than a comparable 22” monitor.
While the screen space is larger, the typical power consumption is still relatively low, 20W. If you use this in a dual monitor setup, you can operate most days with a single battery swap.
With a total cost of just under $350 for two monitors, you can have over 620 square inches of screen space.
This monitor also has a high refresh rate making it a good choice for gaming or similar applications.
21:9 Aspect Ratio Suggestions
LG 29WP60G-B is shown. We like the combination of size, low energy usage, Full HD resolution, and ergonomic benefits of this item.
We appreciate the ergonomic value of the 21:9 Aspect Ratio monitors. The lower profile enables more screen space without raising the top of the monitor to a position that causes you to tilt your head upwards. In our recent research, we found two monitors in this category that we didn’t find at the beginning of 2022.
The first, shown on the right, is an LG 29WP60G-B. It is a 29” class monitor with a typical power usage of 30W, which is comparatively low. The total area of the screen is just over 300 square inches. This is a Full HD design.
The height of the screen is 11.2”.
This compares to a 16:9 Aspect Ratio 27” monitor that is 13.3” H with just over 310 square inches of screen space.
Another comparable is a 16:9 Aspect Ratio 34” Monitor. This 34” has almost 500 square inches of screen space but the height of the monitor is 16.7” or almost 50% higher.
The model described above is priced at $399.99. LG also offers the following:
While we are partial to the low-energy version of these, any deserve your consideration.
Curved Monitor Suggestion
Samsung C27F390. This is a 27” class Curved Monitor that uses 25W.
Samsung has introduced a 27” Curved Monitor that uses an energy-friendly 25W. The C27F390 is a 16:9 aspect ratio monitor. Curved monitors reduce eyestrain especially when screen sizes are larger.
This is priced at $209.99.
The comparatively low energy usage suggests this might also be a candidate for a dual monitor setup. In a dual setup, you could surround yourself with over 600 square inches of curved screen space for about $420. The height of the screens would be 13.2”.
