It's safe to say that 3D visuals havetaken a backseat to developments in VR and augmented reality projects. When was the last time you bought a DVD that came with glasses in the case? (Or purchased a DVD for that matter). Even with the latest big-screen blockbusters, watching 3D movies remains a novelty form of entertainment, at least to me.
But that might change with a raft ofnew 3D products being launched by Lenovo, Acer, and Asus, all of whom are making headway in glasses-free lenticular displays. You read that right: Glasses-free! For those of us who had to suffer wearing clip-on 3D specs at the cinema, this is the redemption we've been waiting for.
My prediction:3D laptops and monitors are going to take over the industry in the next few years, and might even revolutionise the way we game. And I say this as someone who previewed the latest SpatialLabs Edition Predator Helios 3D 15 gaming laptop last month at an Acer press event.
The cutting-edge stereoscopic 3D laptop display was truly phenomenal, and it felt like playing on a Nintendo 3DS, but 10 times better and with much clearer visuals. I believe this could be the future of gaming, especially when applied to action-packed RPG games, like Horizon or God of War.
(Image credit: ASUS)
Why would anyone need a 3D laptop?
While we don't necessarily need 3D laptops or monitors to go about our daily lives,why not? For artists and creatives, 3D displays could reform the way we work and edit. Imagine using your monitor or drawing tablet to design a logo, and have it peering out of the screen.
These displays won't appeal to everybody, but I look at this as only the first step into what could be the next wave of technology. If you're a creative who prefers to work in a more two-dimensional field, then this world-first colour E-ink monitor from Dasung might be more suitable.
Key selling points of these new 3D products include eye-tracking which limits any disorientation, plus AI machine-learning models that make fully automatic conversion of 2D into 3D in real-time possible, even during video calls or when looking at your own media and photos.
The only curveball around these new laptops is the high price. It'll cost you a cool $3,999/£3,500 for the new Acer Predator Helios 3D laptop.
(Image credit: Lenovo)
Where to buy a 3D display
Asus was one of the first manufacturers on the scene to use glasses-free 3D technology, unveiling at CES 2023 that it planned to incorporate the concept into its OLED laptop screens using spatial Vision 3D tech. This resulted in the launch of the Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED as well as the ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X 3D OLED laptops.
Lenovo announced the ThinkVision 27-inch 4K monitorat IFA 2023, that brings the glasses-free 3D experience to a larger screen. The lenticular technology works by projecting two different images so that each eye sees the subject from a different angle. It's expected to cost $3,000 when it ships in January 2024.
Acer also has a roster of 3D products with the previously mentioned Helios 3D 15 gaming laptop, as well as the SpatialLabs View Series Displays including the View Pro monitor for $1,499.99.
Take a look at our clever deals widgets below to track the best prices on a range of these 3D products and where to buy them in your region.
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Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer and has the fun job of finding you the very best prices and deals on creative tech. Beth kicked off her journalistic career writing for Digital Camera World, and has since earned bylines on TechRadar too. With a Masters degree in Photography, Beth loves getting to tinker with new cameras, especially camera phones, as the resident Samsung fan on the team. Her background working as a tester for CeX let her play around with all kinds of weird and wonderful products, including robots, and she’s recently gotten into 3D printing too. Outside of CB, you’ll find her gaming on her PS5, photographing local shows under the alias Bethshootsbands, and making TikToks of her dog, Tilly.
