If you like themed products and interesting designs, this new retro-style monitor from Japannext (JN-V236G180F-RETRO) has everything you could want. Spotted by Tom’s Hardware, it aims to blend nostalgia with modern technology to make a fun product complete with the perfect gimmick — you can watch or play anything you want in monochrome.
In terms of specs, it hardly qualifies as of the best gaming monitors, but that isn’t really a deal breaker since the price is just 20,000 yen (around $200). It’s a 23.6-inch panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1080p resolution, and 180Hz refresh rate. It has a 1ms response time, an sRGB gamut of 90%, and a DCI-P3 coverage of 80%, along with 300 nits of brightness.
Again, the specs are nothing impressive, but have you seen how it looks? The display is set into a retro-style casing with a thick off-white bezel complete with speakers and dials on the right-hand side. You can use the dials to adjust the brightness and the volume, just like an old mid-20th century television.
Plus, you can toggle on the monochrome mode whenever you want — if playing a new PlayStation 5 game in black-and-white is something you’ve always wanted to do. It sounds silly in some ways, but sometimes products should just exist to be fun, and you can always count on the Japanese market to deliver in this area.
You connect the monitor to a range of devices, including your PC or your PS5 and it’s also compatible with VESA stands and arm mounts. There are a few other features too, like a blue light filter, flicker-free technology, and AMD FreeSync.
For retro gamers, this monitor could look great next to actual CRTs, letting people play modern titles without ruining the aesthetic of their retro setup. If you’re in America, however, you’re unlikely to see this product on the market. JapanNext does sometimes sell its wares in European countries, however.