LAS VEGAS—Dell surprised the crowd gathered here for CES with the Canvas, a huge horizontal touch display for drawing and creation.
The 27-inch panel is akin to the Surface Studio in function, but unlike Microsoft's desktop, this is no PC. Rather, it's a display that connects to any PC and runs off its hardware, serving as a roomy extension of your existing computer. It will be available alongside the Windows 10 Creators Update this year for $1,799.
Unlike a touch-screen desktop, the Canvas is meant to be laid out in front of, and connected to, a large standard monitor instead of replacing your screen. This gives you a new area to work on for input, while the main monitor is your visual space, ideal for artists and other creatives. With audio or photo programs, for example, put the scrub bar and files on the bottom Canvas screen, and display the work in progress and other aspects of the software on the main display.
The display is QHD (2,560-by-1,440 resolution), which isn't the crazy high resolution we see on some displays or drawing surfaces, but it's a sweet spot that's better than full HD but not nearly as demanding as 4K. Since the Canvas can hook up to anything from a workstation to an ultraportable, Dell wants to minimize any strain on the computer's processing power. In our demo, the screen looked pretty good up close, even if it wasn't as sharp as the attached monitor.
The Canvas is meant for horizontal use, but it can tilt upwards slightly via a stand on the back to give the natural incline some artists or designers may be looking for. The bezels on all sides are quite thick, so the footprint is even larger than the 27-inch display size.
Comparisons to the Surface Studio are inevitable despite the differences (the sleeker, pricier Studio can also stand vertically and serve as a desktop alone), particularly because Dell introduced an accompanying tool for Canvas, the Totem, that looks much like Microsoft's Surface Dial. When touching the display in compatible software, a digital radial menu pops up around the Totem. You can turn it to change colors as you draw, push to select editing options, and more.
Like the Dial, the Totem keeps you from reaching for a mouse or across the screen for the touch menu just to make small changes. But unlike the Dial, the Totem only works when on the display—it can't be used from the side on the desk. Clearly, the Canvas and Studio as well as the Totem and Dial have influenced one another while in development. But Dell has been working on this technology for several years; it's not a direct response to the Studio.
Dell also provides some enhancements to the Windows desktop experience on the Canvas, for when you're not actively working in a program. When you minimize to desktop on the Canvas, programs are sectioned off into boxes for quick access and greater touch control, making launching software and multitasking easier.
During my demo, zipping between software and assigning certain parts of each program to either the Canvas or main display on the fly was a breeze. In these and other ways that help Windows work with large touch displays, Dell and Microsoft both benefit, even if they technically have competing systems.