[JoshTriplett]

>> Resolution isn't the only consideration when buying a new monitor.

> Sure it is!

So you'd be fine with a 3840x2160 monitor that has a 5Hz refresh rate? Or one with a 500ms lag time? Or one that only displayed in grayscale, or in 8-bit color?

Resolution is perhaps the most important consideration, but by no means the only one.

[derefr]

Yes. Actually, I'd be excited about a UHD e-ink display (which is basically what you're describing.) It'd be perfect as a second monitor to throw documents up on to read at my desk, while I kept the primary for more interactive stuff.

[crististm]

So it needs to be UHD _and_ e_ink. There goes the "UHD is everything I need" argument

[mxfh]

This would be a valid concern if it still would be 1999. FYI the T220 (3840×2400!) already had 41hz back in 2001. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_T220/T221_LCD_monitors

[chx]

I have a T221 (not too expensive if you buy it on Yahoo Japan auctions via a suitable proxy). I was only able to get it up to 25Hz due to having only two DVI ports on my laptop docking station. I tried every thing known to mankind to get four DVI or two dual DVI and convert those to the special ports of the T221. No dice.

As it runs at 1920x2400@25 Hz you can't really watch a movie on the screen because in the middle of the screen where the two halves meet you have a weird effect of any movie due to, I guess, low frame rate and not completely sync'd outputs. I guess you could confine it to one half of the monitor but gosh, are you going to watch your movies in 11" ?

If the monitor will allow for 3840x2400@30Hz on DisplayPort 1.1 (which most people have -- 1.2 is rare, Intel got it in Haswell, and I think nVidia got to 1.2 maybe late 2011) that may be enough for coding and watching movies. Forget games. Time will tell. I will try when the monitor has a three figures price tag.

Also, 4K displays achieving 60Hz over DisplayPort 1.2 are http://www.hardwareluxx.com/index.php/reviews/hardware/vgaca... using the same tiling dual display (at least currently), with each tile being 1920x2160@60Hz and producing weird effects as thearticle shows.

Also, it will be fun and games when, unlike with DVI where figuring out whether you had SL or DL was relatively easy you will now need to figure out whether you have DisplayLink 1.1 or 2.0 with zero difference on the connector.

[cpks]

I can safely say I won't tolerate less than 20Hz, 50ms. Anything below that, even if the color 8-bit and a little wonky, and the viewing angle poor, and it is a bit dim, I'm taking it. I guess the other considerations are price and compatibility.