Forget RGB, this E-Ink monitor focuses on 16 eye-pleasing shades of gray

If the wonders of modern high-tech monitors aren’t doing it for you, with their incredible resolution, amazing fidelity, and gee-whiz refresh rates, maybe it’s time to take a step back. The latest design out of China features a stunning sixteen shades of gray, which you can count on your fingers and toes with a few piggies left over. The Dasung Paperlike 253 uses a Kindle-style E-ink display to show off the grayscale content of your choice without the accompanying eye strain.

Dasung says that the screen has zero flickering and does not emit blue light, instead using a more old-fashioned front light to illuminate its surface (again, very much like some e-reader designs). While the refresh rate isn’t specified, the display can operate in text, graphic, or video modes, with the company boasting a “turbo” system for high-speed refresh and low latency. Presumably no matter how fast the E-ink panel is going, it’s somewhat less than the standard 60 hertz, but it’ll make reading PCWorld reviews amazingly comfortable.

Dasung

Outside of the screen panel tech, the rest of the Paperlike 253 is surprisingly modern. It’s a 25.3-inch panel with a generous 3200×1800 resolution, and the VESA-compatible housing and adjustable stand look like something that might come out of Lenovo’s ThinkVision division. Around back you’ve got all the best I/O options: HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C video, plus three USB-A ports and a headphone jack for the usual accessorizing.

Dasung

In fact the only really shocking part of the spec list is the price tag. It’s going for 9150 yuan directly from the manufacturer in China, about $1435 USD. According to Tom’s Hardware the screen is also being exported to Japan for a pricey ¥298,000 (almost $2500 USD). That’s a lot to pay for a monitor that probably can’t keep up with a standard TikTok post, but if your Gunnar glasses aren’t cutting it, maybe it’s worth tracking one down.