LG’s oddball 16:18 display bucks the ultrawide monitor trend

We’ve come full circle, or should I say full square. If you, for some reason, have some fond memories of those chunky square CRT displays from back in the day, LG has revealed its latest monitor that features a unique 16:18 aspect ratio.

It’s a big step in the other direction in a market that has been pushing the ultrawide trend to its limits for a while. I mean, at what point do we say that this is probably too wide for anything practical. Do we really need a 49-inch super ultrawide screen to play Minecraft? Some games don’t even support the ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio.

So LG has decided to go for a monitor that’s actually taller than it is wide. LG’s DualUp 28MQ780 monitor looks like it’s trying to strike a balance between the traditional wide-screen setup and the portrait orientation that is sometimes used for a second display. According to LG, the monitor was designed for content creators and coders to better accommodate multitasking. The vertical nature of the monitor is also meant to reduce side-to-side head movements which usually causes neck pain.

It’s certainly a sea change in the monitor market but it’s hard to say if there’s really a market for these types of monitors. Eizo, the Japanese display manufacturer, has had its 26.5-inch completely square monitor on the market for a while now, which is reminiscent of the monitors that offices order in bulk. In contrast, the design of LG’s DualUp 28MQ780 monitor is aimed more towards the modern home-office worker.

Squarish specs — So how square is it exactly? The DualUp 28MQ780’s screen measures 27.6 inches with a resolution of 2,560 x 2,880 for an aspect ratio of 16:18. LG said this display format is completely new in the monitor market and is comparable to a dual-monitor setup with two 21.5-inch displays. LG even designed the DualUp 28MQ780 with a vertical split view function to somewhat mimic a two-monitor setup.

The monitor also has two HDMI ports, one display port, two downstream and one upstream USB-C ports. The DualUp 28MQ780 is attached to LG’s adjustable Ergo stand that can clamp onto desks or tables and can be swiveled around to the perfect spot.

January debut — Alongside the DualUp monitor, LG is also releasing a more traditional wide-screen monitor that’s geared towards the artistic community, live streamers, and photo and video editors. LG’s 32-inch 4K UHD 32UQ85R is part of its UltraFine lineup of displays, offering a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution that lines up with the more tame 16:9 aspect ratio. The 32UQ85R also comes with a detachable auto self-calibration sensor.

LG hasn’t revealed any pricing details for either monitor but is planning to debut them both at its virtual press conference for CES 2022 on January 4.