Asus introduced at the CES 2018 an ingenious solution that will meld three monitors into one widescreen display, creating an illusion of seamless viewing experience.
Asus dubbed the product as the ROG Bezel-Free Kit, which consists of two lenses that when installed will make monitor bezels disappear. Truth be told, there is no magic involved but only pure engineering that when in play hides the seams where monitor screens meet.
"We're demonstrating a new concept that hides bezels behind optical camouflage to create a more seamless picture," Asus announced in time for the Las Vegas CES this week.
The Bezel-Free Kit, Asus said, will highlight users' sense of immersion when staring at three interconnected monitors, which by the way have to be any of the Asus ROG Swift PG258Q or Strix XG258Q.
How Asus Did It
Asus said the science behind the Bezel-Free Kit is mainly "to visually eliminate the gaps where their displays connect, creating the appearance of one extra-large, wraparound monitor for a totally immersive gaming experience."
"An optical device that requires no software or power to operate, Bezel-Free Kit uses light refraction to make the monitor edges disappear to the viewer. It provides an innovative, simple and effective method of increasing field of view and dramatically enhancing gameplay," the company said in a statement.
When installed, Asus made clear that proper fit and alignment must be observed in order for the Bezel-Free Kit to deliver "optical obfuscation," in a convincing manner.
It is likewise important to ensure that the monitors in use are oriented at a 130-degree angle at the intersection. The specified angle, according to Asus, will "provide the best viewing experience," as proven by the company's extensive testing.
The Bezel-Free Kit makes use of the principle of refraction by employing polymethylmethacrylate lenses that Asus said have been proven more durable than a regular glass. PMMA was mainly responsible for the connecting kit to shine through 90 percent of the monitor light, thus visually eliminating the in-between screen bezels.
Perfect Solution
Will the ROG Bezel-Free Kit make widescreen curved monitors obsolete soon? Far from it, and to be fair Asus was clear that its solution merely creates the impression of continuous viewing experience and not a replacement for the actual hardware. In the end, two things will determine if the Bezel-Free Kit will become a hit.
One is consumers' reaction or more appropriately preference. Will they opt for this solution or just go for the widescreen curved monitors already in the market. More importantly, the pricing for the ROG Bezel-Free Kit, which Asus has yet to announce, will prove the determining factor. If the tag price is attractive enough, then the choice is easy for many consumers.
