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LCD monitors are becoming increasingly cheap, and the latest examples from China show how low prices can go. Lenovo is selling Legion models there with IPS panels, 1080p resolution and a 280 Hz refresh rate for the equivalent of about US$100. Even cheaper is the 24-inch Hisense N3G Pro, which costs about US$67 and offers a 180 Hz refresh rate. Although these are basic designs, they still use IPS technology previously associated mainly with more expensive monitors. This trend is driven mainly by the shift of almost all LCD panel production to China.
IPS monitors for next to nothing are no longer a novelty
Just a few years ago, monitors with IPS panels were primarily associated with professional-grade models for working with graphics. Their prices often topped a thousand dollars. Today the situation is completely different, because IPS tech has also made its way into very cheap consumer monitors. Good examples are the new Lenovo Legion 24-1r and Legion 27-1r models. The first has a 24-inch screen, 1080p resolution and a 280 Hz refresh rate. The second offers a 27-inch panel with the same resolution and refresh rate. Both also come with adjustable stands. The biggest surprise, however, is their pricing in China. The Legion 24-1r costs 669 yuan, roughly $99. The larger Legion 27-1r is priced at 789 yuan, about $117. Those are very low prices for IPS monitors offering a 280 Hz refresh rate. Hisense went even further with its 24-inch N3G Pro. The monitor uses an IPS panel at 1080p and a 180 Hz refresh rate. Its price is just 449 yuan, around $67. Despite the low price, the manufacturer claims 99% sRGB coverage and 90% DCI-P3. That, of course, does not mean a cheap monitor will match professional models in every respect, but it shows how much LCD technology accessibility has changed.
Such cheap monitors are now available outside China, too
New models from Lenovo and Hisense are currently available in China, but haven't reached most overseas markets yet. Similar low-cost monitors can, however, already be found in Europe and the United States. For example, a 24-inch MSI monitor with 1080p resolution, an IPS panel and a 144 Hz refresh rate can be found for around $80. A 24-inch curved monitor from Sceptre is available at a similar price. For roughly $95 you can find a 27-inch 1080p monitor offering a 100 Hz refresh rate. That means very low prices are no longer solely the domain of the Chinese market. Basic IPS monitors can be found in similar price ranges in other regions as well. The main reason is a change in the global LCD panel market structure. Over the past five to ten years, production has been almost completely moved to China. The enormous scale of production allows Chinese manufacturers to make LCD panels at very low cost. According to a report quoted by FlatpanelsHD, huge government subsidies supporting the Chinese industry also matter. At the same time, manufacturers from South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have basically withdrawn from LCD production. Companies such as LG Display and Samsung Display have instead focused on OLED technology. The same situation also helps explain why larger, cheaper LCD TVs are appearing on the market.
The LCD monitor market has undergone a huge shift and today a basic IPS panel can be bought for less than $100. Lenovo is offering 24- and 27-inch models in China with a 280 Hz refresh rate for about $99 and $117. Hisense went even further, pricing a 24-inch 180 Hz IPS monitor at roughly $67. The falling prices are mainly due to the massive scale of LCD panel production in China and the withdrawal of many Asian manufacturers from this segment in favour of OLED.
source: flatpanelshd
