In the world of displays, no size or shape fits everyone. In recent years, we’ve seen more laptop screens play with aspect ratios that offer more vertical height than more traditional 16:9 displays. But when it comes to perpetual news feeds, endless social media feeds, and those captivatingly lengthy articles, something like the 5:16 Thanko TL Portrait Display really ranks high.
Released today and spotted by Tom’s Hardware via Japanese site PC Watch, the monitor from Thanko, a gadget brand owned by Sanko, is a 0.7lb (334g) wearable screen. The 7.9-inch screen has a resolution of 400×1280, for a high pixel density of 169.75 pixels per inch.
Still, it’s unclear what kind of image quality you can expect from this ultra-tall screen. The product page does not provide information on things like panel type, contrast ratio or brightness.
Thanko does emphasize that the TL is focused on Twitter timelines. It also suggests using it for Zoom, stacking video participants in a vertical line, or keeping an eye on your computer’s CPU and GPU usage.
If you prefer an ultra-wide option, the TL also works horizontally.
There’s even a stand that supports the monitor in both portrait and landscape modes, but it’s sold separately.
In terms of connectivity, the monitor uses HDMI (version unspecified) and a micro USB to USB-A cable for power, while many modern portable monitors use USB-C, sometimes for power and data.
The ultra-tall portable monitor is listed with a price tag of 11,200 yen, which is about $97. By comparison, the even more extreme Elsonic EK-MD088, a 7:32 ultra-high monitor with a 420×1920 resolution, is currently listed for 14,800 yen, or about $128.
However, Apple users will have to find another way to keep an eye on their Twitter feed, as the monitor doesn’t officially support Macs.
But there may be more options for screens that are taller than wide. While these small ultra-tall displays may seem like a fun, niche category, tall monitors could become more common if LG’s DualUp Monitor (28MQ780) becomes a success. The 16:18, 27.6-inch desktop monitor should be released sometime this year.