On the front of monitors, 2021 has seen plenty of exciting new releases. Some brilliant HDMI 2.1 monitors have seen the light of day, and we've had the added power of AOC's new Argon Pro monitors, and HP's Omen 27c that looked incredible.
The monitor world is one that's consistently advancing, and new innovations such as HDMI 2.1, Mini LED panels and even thinner bezels are becoming the mark of the best gaming monitors available.
There could be another new exciting innovation on the horizon though if TCL has got anything to do with it.
What Is The TCL UD 240 Hz R800?
At their Global Display Tech-Ecosystem Conference (DTC 2021), TCL unveiled some exciting prototype innovations including a 75-inch 8K 265Hz MLED (Micro-LED) TV.
More integrally for us though, TCL CSOT, the display-manufacturing portion of the brand, unveiled a prototype for a 4K, 32-inch, curved gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time, which has been named the TCL UD 240 Hz R800 at the moment.
Having a 4K monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate isn't something that looks to have been done before, making this TCL prototype a world's first for the gaming monitor world.
TCL UD 240Hz R800 Release Date
Given that this was a prototype monitor, it is therefore understandable that no real information on its release date has been given out.
However, it has been suggested by NotebookCheck that TCL could launch the monitor on its own accord in the next few months, and that it could also be supplied to other OEMs for rebranding.
An IT Home report also touted the idea that the availability for this prototype TCL monitor will depend on the wider release of DisplayPort 2.0 to allow for 4K output at 240Hz, which is slated to be within the coming months, following some earlier delays.
Opinion - A New Challenger Enters The Arena
It's fair to say that TCL isn't a manufacturer best known for its gaming pedigree, but this prototype 32 inch 4K 240Hz monitor may just tip the scales in their favour if it gets a full release.
Having the combined power of a 4K resolution at a 240Hz refresh rate is unheard of at the moment, and it could open doors for a new standard of gaming monitors.
The arguable current kings are HDMI 2.1 monitors with their ability to display 4K content at 120Hz, but if TCL's monitor does come to market, it may even blow them out of the water.
click to enlargeOf course, as IT Home has suggested, this does depend on the wider availability and release of the DisplayPort 2.0 connection standard. This was slated to be in the late months of 2021, or around this time of year, but so far, VESA has remained quiet in providing a concrete date for when the standard could launch.
Once it does come to fruition though, it could be a watershed moment in the time of gaming monitors due to one big advancement. What DP 2.0 should allow for is the support for higher refresh rates at higher resolutions, hence why the TCL prototype looks to have been made possible.
On another point, for DP 2.0 to become widely available, we'll be waiting for graphics cards that support its output, which may come with Nvidia's RTX 4000 graphics cards, and AMD's RDNA 3 architecture, alongside the hope of a new batch of monitors that also support the standard.
DTC 2021 also saw some other interesting innovations besides this behemoth of a monitor. These included the previously mentioned 75-inch 8K 265Hz MLED (Micro-LED) TV, and also a flexible 7.1 inch MLED display. If such tech does look to come to fruition in the coming years, we could be in for some very exciting developments.
If TCL does manage to pull this off with a wider launch of their 4K 240Hz monitor in the coming years, then it could be a game-changer, but given this is an early prototype, it may be a way off yet, but all we can do is hope.
Read More: Best 240Hz Monitor 2021: Our Top Picks For November