LG's new monitor seems to be inspired by Instagram

Although it already shed off that limitation a few years back, Instagram is probably still associated with enforcing a square aspect ratio for images posted on the social network. That, in turn, may have been inspired by the "Polaroid" photos of old (that have also made a comeback in recent years), and that proportional design seems to be inspiring other products, as well. Although not completely square, LG has a new monitor that's short and narrow enough to almost look like the perfect screen for Instagram. Unlike the social network, however, this monitor is claimed to double your productivity without doubling your screens.

There is still some debate over whether multiple or even just two monitors actually increase productivity, plus there's always a cost when it comes to having more than one computer screen. There is, of course, the actual cost of buying a second screen, and there's also the space that a second monitor will take up on your desk. LG's new DualUp Monitor tries to fix at least one of those by having two screens in one.

You don't actually have two monitors, but the LG DualUp Monitor (model 28MQ780) has an aspect ratio of 16:18, which is like two 16:9 screens stacked together. The 27.6-inch screen has a resolution of 2560x2880, just good enough for 2K content. Despite the square-ish shape, the screen is designed with multi-tasking in mind, such as having two windows on top of each other. It's also perfect for video editing apps, with the preview on top and all the controls at the bottom.

For those who want a more traditional single monitor, the company is also announcing the new LG UltraFine Display (model 32UQ85R). The 32-inch 4K UHD screen comes with all the bells and whistles of high-end monitors, including a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and 98% DCI-P3 color gamut. As an added bonus, the UltraFine screen ships with a detachable auto self-calibration sensor for keeping the colors accurate all the time.

Both the LG DualUp and new UltraFine displays have two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, one USB-C input, and two USB-C outputs. Only the 32-inch 4K UltraFine, however, seems to be designed with gaming in mind with built-in AMD FreeSync support. LG hasn't revealed any availability details but will show off both monitors at its virtual CES 2022 conference on January 4.