Viewsonic releases the first 120 Hz LCD monitor, the VX2265wm

ViewSonic and NVIDIA have already delayed the announcement several times, but it's finally arrived: the first 120 Hz monitor will be the VX2265wm, measuring 22 inches and with a 3ms TN panel.  Gamers everywhere will certainly want to upgrade.
It heralds the beginning of a small revolution.  Why just a small one?  Because we could very well be on the brink of a major shift in our relationship with our computers and their screens.  Doubling the frequency with which the screen is refreshed will allow two different approaches:

• Instead of showing 120 images per second in the usual way, the screen will be able to alternate 120 time a second, showing 60 images for the left eye, and 60 images for the right eye, with a pair of specially designed glasses separating the two.  It’ll be up to your brain to take the final step and produce the impression of 3D images.  The peripheral you’ll need is a pair of NVIDIQ glasses connected directly to the graphics card.  For the time being, we haven’t seen the price or the glasses themselves.

• Alternatively, the press release also suggests that the 120 Hz could be used continuously, showing 120 frames per second.  This will ‘eliminate afterglow and all trace effects in movies,’ according to the press release;  We’ve already tested televisions which ran at 100 or  even 120 Hz, a task at a which some them performed very well.  On the very best, the amount of afterglow is effectively halved by comparison with a 60 Hz monitor with a similar response rate.  We should find that these 120 Hz monitors are as good for playing games as the best CRT screens.

The ViewSonic VX2265wm will be brought to market before the end of the year, although their price has not yet been announced.  According to our sources, Gateway and Samsung could also be on the verge of announcing similar screens.  The same source also warns that when they first appear, these screens could be very expensive and destined only for the most dedicated of gamers.

PS: the Viewsonic roadmap suggests that a VX2268wm will follow, although it has not yet been unveiled.



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