Demand for a variety of growing use cases across verticals is one of the key driving forces in the PC displays market. Innovations including larger screen, curved monitors etc and also a need for replacements of older models in use are responding to meet this demand. The top brands in the segment have all consolidated portfolios they offer to meet user expectations.
In response to the query whether the demand is being driven by user requirements in verticals or if it is being driven by replacement, Vineeth Sebastian, Regional Sales Director-MEA at AOC & MMD says, “The market is ripe for both the scenarios as we witness the demand generation from both the replacement market as well as new projects from different industry verticals.”
The demand for larger screen sizes has been one of the key shifts in the displays market and in addition, the demand from key verticals has been the key growth driver for the segment. Leading manufacturers responded in kind with features and functionalities that are tailored to meet different use case scenarios.
Sujit Menon, Display & Client Peripherals Lead CEE & META at Dell says, “The entry level 18.5“ to 21.5“ screen size segment is contracting and is more preferred on entry level desktops / notebooks. Being the Globally No. 1 Monitor brand (MEKO data Q3 CY16) Dell has the advantage to offer a wide range of monitor sizes right from 17“ to 86“ with a wide range of resolution, connectivity and ergonomic offerings. The request for ergonomic features is affluent in office buyers who want to have height adjustments, swivel and pivot features.
He adds, “We are witnessing a shift from VGA or DVI-D to HDMI or DP/mDP on the connectivity front. We also experiencing higher volumes on the bigger screen sizes where 24“ is the fastest growing screen size. In order to have a larger viewable area, more and more customers today ask for ultra-thin bezel or thin bezel as compared to the standard bezel. “
Dell has consoliated its portfolio with an exhaustive range to suit different verticals and user audience, from Interactive monitors for Education, Ergonomic monitors for regular office use, Ultrasharp monitors with Premier color for photography and AutoCAD requirements to Medical grade monitors and the fastest response time on the Gaming monitors. All Dell Monitors are LCD monitors with LED backlight.
And of course demand is being driven by leading verticals that have adopted Technology as a differentiator in enabling their infrastructure and service.
Vineeth says, “Education is a key vertical we see lot of traction for new projects. In addition, Banking and Finance sector is one of the significant contributors and also we see other corporate sectors generating market demand as they migrate to higher size monitors.”
The gaming segment, is a significant focus for different manufacturers. One of the key differentiators in the segment is response time.
Sujit says, “Gaming segment is a major focus for Dell monitors and currently we have two models, one in 24“ and another in 27“ which has a response time of 1MS which is the best in the Gaming industry. This is definitely a market of huge opportunity in the region as gaming continues to be a popular and almost competitive activity among the youth in the region.”
Vineeth adds, “In comparison to some of the established markets, this region is still growing in gaming market. Last year we decided to consolidate gaming under AOC brand and we coined a brand new series of gaming monitor under AGON brand name. As of today, we have more than 6 models in our gaming portfolio ranging from flat to curved gaming monitors.”
There are PC monitors covering all price points, from entry level, mid-level and premium and the products at different price points differ in terms of parameters including screen sizes, connectivity, response times and more.
Vineeth says,” Between Philips and AOC brand, we have the largest portfolio of monitors in the world addressing all the segments of the economy. Our range starts from entry level monitor of 15.6” and goes all upto 43” equipped with comprehensive range of technologies and innovations.”
Dell offers Monitors that cover most of the market from entry products through mainstream up to the high-end premium models in commercial and consumer categories.
Sujit claims, “The differentiation between the categories is visible from the product design, ergonomics, connectivity, screen sizes and resolution portfolio width within each category as well as other important features that include panel types, brightness, contrast, colour reproduction etc. We are recognized globally as the Number 1 monitor brand offering Industry-leading, innovative and Award winning products, with the widest range of high resolution monitors. Dell’s broad portfolio caters to all needs and budgets, offering unmatched reliability and color reproduction.”
Driven by innovations
Innovation has been a key attribute that continues to keep the segment vibrant and meet user expectations.
Sujit says, “Two years ago, Dell launched the first 5K monitor UP2715K. Since then there have many new innovations, for instance, last year, Dell was first to launch the 4 sided ultra-thin bezel monitors (InfinityEdge), as well as the first Wireless Connect montiors (able to connect to two devices at the same time). “
Earlier this year Dell announced the world’s first 32-inch UltraSharp 32 Ultra HD 8K monitor and the Dell 27 Ultrathin.
The UltraSharp 32 Ultra HD 8K monitor 8K monitor has a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels, which is about four times that of 4K. It will feature 33.2 million pixels and more than 1 billion colors. It has a video refresh rate of 60Hz and a viewing angle of 178 degrees.
In addition, the Dell 27 Ultrathin features an impressively slim 6.9mm edge. Dell 27 Ultrathin offers up 400 nits of brightness, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and 6ms response time. It also covers 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut, and offers a 178-degree wide viewing angle. Overall resolution is QHD (2,560 x 1,440), so while it’s not a 4K display it does go beyond 1080p. The Dell 27 also supports high dynamic range (HDR)
As for AOC’s recent product innovations, it has recently unveiled the AGON X-Series exclusively for the professional gamers. The series includes models enriched with FreeSync and Flicker-free Technology. It supports Adaptive-Sync technology to eliminate tearing, stuttering and input lag. Apart from AGON X-Series, AOC also introduced a new innovation with its 27-inch sleek monitor (Model P2779VC) that provides wireless charging capability for your smartphone. The monitor also features wide-viewing angles with PLS panel and high-definition connections.
Steadfast to the channel
The channel remains key to manufacturers targeting the market segments from consumer to commercial.
Vineeth says, “AOC has been positioned as a stylish, consumer product while with Philips range we cover the B2B markets. Our go to market involves mainly the reseller channel with specific products to address the SMB and corporate segments. At the same time we have a comprehensive range to cover the B2B markets.”
Similarly, Dell too has dedicated distributors for Consumer and the Commercial segments who cater to the channel (SMB) and the retail markets in the region.
While, overall the global picture forecasts year on year decline in the PC displays market, the continuing product innovations from the top few manufacturers suggest that the battle is far from over. This continues to be a segment that could turn the corner and see a resurgence.