But wouldn’t we be better off with a nice, big, square screen?
LG’s new DualUp monitorslook like two monitors stacked on top of each other.
Meanwhile, some media professionals prefer a vertical screen, although that’s certainly a minority case.
LG
Landscape
Were used to watching TV and movies in a wide format.
Perhaps we prefer a horizontal aspect because our eyes are side-by-side, not on top of each other?
It is almost a societal conditioning that tells us that a wide screen is modern and fresh.
LG
Its a bit of a chicken and egg situation.
Movies are horizontal, so the cameras that shoot them are also horizontal.
Vertical monitorseither purpose-made or just regular screens turned on their endsare great for all kinds of uses.
LG
Programmers like them because they can see more lines of code at a time.
Ditto for anyone who reads a lot on their screen.
Vertical monitors are great.
But because they’re often just regular wide-screen monitors twisted 90-degrees, they often seem too tall.
Square Deal
Usually when we expand our monitor setups, we go wide.
Gamers can buy ultra-wide, curved monitors that look like two or three screens placed side-by-side.
The rest of us can just take two screens and arrange them next to each other.
Rarely, though, do you see two screens stacked up.
The only common exception is leaving a laptop open below an external monitor, and using both screens together.
But take a look at LGs product shots, and youll see that a square screen is indeed compelling.
Movie editors can put the video up top, with the timeline and other controls below.
Case Closed
Obviously square screens arent the answer to everything.
For gamers, theyd be pointless as the games themselves are all in widescreen.
But for everyday, general computing, square looks like a great format.
It can be wide or tall, but it can also be both at the same time.
Imagine a video call up top, with your usual windows below.
Or a YouTube piano tutorial paired with a double-page spread of music notation.
The specs of LGs DualUp are pedestrianits 2,560 x 2,880 and not 4K equivalentbut thats an implementation detail.
Square is a great way to go, so lets hope more manufacturers take up this idea.
