Transparent displays aren't perhaps as groundbreaking as they once used to be. We've seen plenty of see-through OLED TVs, laptops, and even DIY projects as of late. However, getting a transparent screen to make sense practically has always been a real challenge, especially when that screen will be your primary medium of choice for work. Visual Instruments is here to change that with its "Phantom" monitor designed to replace the conventional display on your desk.
It claims to be the world's first "transparent computer monitor" but goes quite light on the details. In the FAQ section, the company mentions the monitor is powered by technology similar to HUDs in aircraft or vehicles, which is the most polished way of achieving a see-through look. The panel itself isn't transparent, but rather a screen is reflected onto glass using mirrors — teleprompter style — as opposed to transparent OLEDs or projection.
However, Visual Instruments says that the Phantom has dynamic opacity, meaning you can adjust how transparent it is, seemingly driving it all the way up to be completely opaque like a regular screen. The company says the transparency is adjustable, and you can switch between at least three different presets, which would make it quite versatile if executed well.
Beyond that, the Phantom is heavily leaning into the health aspect, touting better eye care as looking "through" the display will reduce eye strain. Many professionals already recommend turning away from screens at looking at different objects can help with fatigue. Though, effectively looking inside your monitor versus just directly glancing at a window might not be so different.
Especially when you consider that our eyes work just as hard to focus on any object, so consuming content on a see-through display that shows the background would have the same effect on your eyes as looking at a regular screen, but we're not medical experts here.
As for the specs, we're looking at a 24-inch panel with a native 4K resolution on a 16:9 aspect ratio. Visual Instruments says the Phantom has "Ultra HDR" as it can boost up to 5,000 nits of peak brightness, which, if true, is extremely impressive. The monitor has 100% coverage of the sRGB color space, while you get USB-C and HDMI for connectivity. The marketing material specifies the Phantom works with all consoles, computers, and phones that support these video outs.
Right now, the monitor is in sort of at early access stage, with only 10 units being manufactured — three of which are already booked. There is no official pricing, since apparently each unit is "configured to your preference," which should be in the range of an Apple Studio Display i.e., $1,600. You get a one-year warranty to back up your purchase.
The monitor is made in the U.S. and will ship in Q4 2025; you can reserve a peek into the future by signing up using your email address. There's no Kickstarter campaign, but without any real reviews (or even videos, for that matter), it's hard to gauge the legitimacy of the Phantom.
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