JapanNext may not be as well-known as its competitors in the productivity monitor space, but the brand’s offerings have received generally positive reviews from critics. Its latest 31.5-inch 6K display aims to deliver a pixel-dense experience to high-end customers, and packs a respectable set of features.
Japan Next may not be a familiar name in the western world, but they certainly have a good product range with exciting options. The brand has now announced a completely new entrant to its lineup, called the JN-IPS 326K HSBC9. Complicated nomenclature aside, the 6K IPS display seems to have very good specs.
Brand new 6K screen with attractive design
At 31.5 inches, the screen is large enough for the vast majority of use cases. The panel has a very high pixel density, thanks to its 6016 x 3384 (6K) resolution which allows for an impressive density of just under 220 pixels per inch. Japan Next claims a peak brightness of 500 nits, and a contrast ratio of 1500:1, both of which should be perfectly possible for an IPS panel.
Of course, the black levels and contrast of OLED displays simply cannot be achieved on an IPS panel that doesn’t boast a wide range of dimming zones. Japannext claims 96 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is less than the 98 percent achieved by the Asus ProArt 6K monitor, currently available for $1,290 on Amazon. Input and output options are good, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, and a USB-C 3.1 port with a 90W power delivery for single-cable enthusiasts.
All of the above interfaces can manage full 6K resolution at 60Hz, which is to be expected. There’s no option for higher refresh rates, which makes sense for a 6K panel. In other words, the monitor is less likely to please gamers and is more suitable for productivity and office tasks.
More details, prices and availability
Other features include a 2-watt speaker, picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes, KVM switching, a low blue light setting, VESA mount support, 90-degree rotation for programmers, plus height, tilt and swivel adjustments. At €1,399, or about $1,650, the Japan NEXT 6K display comes at an unsurprisingly hefty price tag. There is no news on its US launch at the time of writing.
