While e-paper displays are now used for a few niche tablets and writing devices, they still primarily serve as a screen for ebook readers. However, they’ve gotten good enough over the years that it’s probably time to start experimenting with ways they can be integrated into other devices like this e-ink monitor or this dual-panel Philips display. Taking things a step further is the Bigme B251, an all-in-one computer that uses e-ink as its integrated monitor.
That’s right, it’s an all-in-one PC that uses an electronic paper display in place of traditional LCDs, allowing you to use your favorite desktop apps on a monitor that’s a whole lot easier on the eyes. No more fussing about blue light, viewing angles, or glare – this thing lets you see those spreadsheets, emails, and whatever else you deal with throughout the day on a crystal-clear paper-like display.
The Bigme B251 is an all-in-one computer sporting a 25.3-inch E-Ink Kaleido 3 display, making it, quite possibly, the biggest E-Ink panel currently found on any device, all while being large enough for use as a proper desktop monitor. It has 3K resolution (3,200 x 1,800 pixels), so this should be sharp enough for most computing tasks, although it only has 4,096 colors, which is a far cry from the millions of colors you can get with a modern LCD panel. That’s right, you won’t be using this for graphics-intensive work any time soon, but it should handle most general productivity tasks, from word processing and web browsing to spreadsheets and more.
Aside from its limited colors, the slower refresh rate is also one of the reasons why e-paper screens have been restricted to niche devices. To solve that, the outfit is implementing what they’re calling the “xRapid Refresh” technology, which claims to eliminate the ghosting and lag that’s all too common with e-paper displays. Do note, they don’t actually list the refresh rate here, so while it will probably be good enough for static content, you still wouldn’t want to play action games or watch videos on this thing. Like many modern ebook readers, it comes with adjustable front lighting for those times you want to use the PC in low-light conditions.
The Bigme B251 houses a full-fledged computer inside, of course, allowing you to use it as a standalone desktop machine. It’s equipped with a 12th-gen Intel i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, along with a wide set of connections, including two USB-C, three USB-A, DisplayPort, HDMI, and more. There are also dual speakers onboard, in case you want to play music while you’re working, as well as a rotating mount on the stand that allows you to easily orient it in landscape or portrait. It also supports simply voice commands that allow you power on, power off, adjust volume, and adjust brightness hands-free.
Aside from the all-in-one, the outfit is also selling the device as a desktop monitor. That way, you can simply hook it up to your PC or laptop for use as a standard display, in case you don’t need the extra computing power.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Bigme B251. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $1,299 for the monitor and $1,899 for the all-in-one.