The way we work and the environments we work in are changing rapidly in the UK. The factors driving these changes are as wide as they are powerful: changing employee expectations, globally distributed teams, modern technologies and increasingly complex tasks. On a practical level, employees might be in one office space on one day and another the next. They may even visit multiple locations during a single day. For them to be efficient, it's essential that they always find a working environment they're accustomed to.
It's all in the display
Nowadays, monitors can do a lot more than just display images sent to them from a computer – and this makes them an even more valuable asset on your desk. As mobile computers, including laptops and tablets, become more and more flexible, manufacturers omit dedicated ports for video (HDMI, DVI or VGA). Instead, they rely on external dongles or, better, employ multi-use ports such as USB-C or Thunderbolt 3, which natively support and can transfer DisplayPort signals.
A number of Philips displays feature an integrated USB docking station with DisplayPort over USB-C and USB-A with DisplayLink technologies – some with both – to transfer the video signal with a single cable.
These Philips monitors offer all the benefits of a regular USB hub, increasing the available USB ports for connecting and charging various devices. They also support one of the latest USB generations (3.2 Gen 1), offering an extremely high bandwidth via USB (up to 10Gbits/sec or 1.25GB/sec).
Then there are the other benefits. Users can instantly connect their notebook using a USB-C cable, power and charge directly from their monitor with up to 90W, quickly transfer data, watch extremely high-definition videos on the network without stuttering and much more. As the monitors can be connected to an existing network via the integrated RJ45 socket, USB-C also provides secure and reliable network access.
All peripherals available
As all the Philips USB-C docking monitors are equipped with a USB hub, peripherals such as a mouse and keyboard can be plugged into the display and are available to the user as soon as they have connected their laptop to the monitor's USB-C port.
What's more, the monitors will work just as well with laptops (including Apple MacBooks) that use the Thunderbolt 3 standard rather than USB-C.
Expand your view
USB-C docking is an extremely valuable feature for businesses, especially if the employees use laptops as their main computer, taking it to the office and out in the field. The dock eliminates the need for notebook-charging adapters, display cables or an Ethernet cable, and replaces them with a single USB-C cable. From cost and reliability aspects up to the increased comfort by reducing cable clutter, the benefits are endless.
Philips displays offer a variety of USB-C docking monitors. Some include common widescreen (16:9) display sizes such as 24in and 27in, but also some with ultrawide (21:9) displays in 34in – or even superwide (32:9 and 32:10) in 43in or 49in sizes.
In particular, the Philips 439P9H (32:10 aspect ratio) and the Philips 499P9H (32:9 aspect ratio) are the pinnacle of business productivity: a single display that fully replaces two regular-sized monitors, a latest-gen USB-C hub with Power Delivery, DisplayPort Alt mode and RJ45 connectivity features. What's more, both screens offer MultiView capability for connecting and displaying two sources simultaneously, a Windows Hello-enabled pop-up webcam for instant login and a KVM switch to control two separate PCs with a single set of input devices. In essence, both monitors replace a handful of devices and bring a clean, smart and highly elegant solution to users' desks.
Great design, great choice of screen sizes
The Philips 499P9H is simply an extraordinary monitor with an elegant design to match its abilities. Proud owner of a coveted "Red Dot Design Award", the 499P9H is a 49in curved monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio, essentially combining two 16:9 1440p (QHD) displays in one sleek form factor.
The 499P9H's 5,120 x 1,440 resolution is enormous, and even supports 70Hz refresh rates for smoother cursor movement and more. With a native contrast ratio of 3,000:1, DisplayHDR 400 support, 121% sRGB and 91% Adobe RGB coverage, and a high brightness figure of 450cd/m², the 499P9H reproduces extremely vivid, popping images that are colour accurate (with a Delta E under two) even in brightly lit conditions.
The 43in Philips 439P9H is a similar-sized monitor but with a 32:10 aspect ratio, combining two 16:10 1,920 x 1,200 (WUXGA) displays in one seamless curved panel. The 1,920 x 1,200 resolution is already a business favourite due to the extra vertical space compared to 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD monitors, where users can see more of a spreadsheet or more of a document or a web page at once.
The 439P9H is even smoother than its sibling, with a 100Hz refresh rate in its native 3,840 x 1,200 resolution. It inherits the contrast, brightness, webcam, KVM switch and HDR capabilities of the 499P9H, and offers 123% sRGB and 91% Adobe RGB coverage, as well as a Delta E under two.
Despite their large sizes, both models are equipped with an ergonomic stand that can easily be adjusted in height, tilt and swivel, while Low Blue mode and Flicker-free tech minimise eye fatigue. All these features can help increase employee comfort and productivity. With a typical usage of 41W (439P9H) or 45W (499P9H), these giant monitors are energy efficient and adhere to the latest regulations.
Case study: Dennis Publishing
The company: Dennis is an international media group. It operates in the UK and the US, with a portfolio of over 30 brands, ranging from Auto Express to The Week, Viz to PC Pro.
The challenge: Dennis recently moved offices and was looking to upgrade its workstations to an agile workspace by installing monitors with built-in USB-C hubs.
To allow for flexible working, Dennis got rid of most desktop computers and opted for MacBooks and Chromebooks with built-in USB-C support. "If it took an extra five minutes each day to plug in the workstations, it can add up to thousands of hours in a year" said Paul Lomax, chief technology officer of Dennis. As a result, Dennis knew it wanted a monitor with an USB-C input, USB hub and an Ethernet port. The monitor in question should also have a decent size and great image quality. This led Dennis to the Philips 258B6QUEB.
The solution At the time that Dennis was considering updating the monitors, there were three or four other USB-C monitors available on the market. When it tried the 258B6QUEB, however, it instantly decided that it had the right size – not too big and not too small – with all the USB-C and legacy USB ports. While the company considered dedicated USB-C docking stations for their laptops, it realised that it would have cost the same as the 258B6QUEB monitor, which made the decision much easier.
The benefits While USB connectivity had been its main focus, Dennis soon discovered that the optimum size, high contrast and high brightness of the Philips monitors was ideal for its new, bright offices.
Dennis also had a very satisfying post-sales experience. For instance, it discovered that the Ethernet port was not recognised on its MacBooks without a specific driver that initially was not available on the internet. With the help provided by Philips customer support, this situation was quickly resolved.
Staff at Dennis are benefitting from a more agile workspace, including cleaner desks and a more user friendly experience with good connectivity for their latest laptops.
The CTO concludes by praising the Philips 258B6QUEB: "It has made our life a lot easier."
Visit www.business-monitors.co.uk for more information
