Dell Ultrasharp U2724D review: A 120Hz monitor for your home office

At a look

Skilled’s Score

Execs

• Good distinction ratio for the worth
• Sturdy shade efficiency
• 120Hz refresh fee
• Useful, ergonomic design

Cons

• Restricted video connectivity
• USB-C upstream port doesn’t embrace Energy Supply

Our Verdict

Dell’s Ultrasharp U2724D is a wonderful total monitor with robust picture high quality, nice ergonomics, and options that permit for versatile use instances—workplace productiveness, content material creation, and even gaming. It’s a mid-range monitor that simply handles any process you throw at it.

Value When Reviewed

$384.99

Finest Costs Right now: Dell Ultrasharp U2724D

$359.99

Dell’s Ultrasharp displays have lengthy ranked amongst my go-to suggestions (and I’ve purchased a pair myself over the previous decade), however excessive pricing and a slim give attention to productiveness can restrict their enchantment. Dell’s U2724D resolves these points with an IPS Black panel that boasts a refresh fee of 120Hz. It’s responsive, fluid, engaging, and fairly priced.

Additional studying: See our roundup of one of the best dwelling workplace displays to study competing merchandise.

What are the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s specs and options?

The Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s primary specs are typical for a mid-range 27-inch monitor. It has a local decision of 2560×1440 and a most refresh fee of 120Hz. The one distinction—and it’s a key distinction—is its use of an IPS Black panel, which supplies Dell an edge in picture high quality over its competitors.

• Show dimension: 27-inch widescreen
• Native decision: 2560×1440
• Panel kind: In-Aircraft Switching (IPS) Black
• Refresh fee: 120Hz
• Adaptive sync: VRR
• HDR: None
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1 with VRR, 1x DisplayPort 1.4-in, 1x DisplayPort 1.4-out, 1x USB-C upstream (information solely), 1x USB-C downstream, 2x USB-A downstream
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Audio system: None
• Value: $384.99 MSRP

Dell sells another model of this monitor, the U2724DE, which helps a a lot wider vary of connectivity together with Thunderbolt 4 and a pair of.5G Ethernet. That sadly means the inexpensive U2724D lacks some connectivity I would anticipate, like a USB-C port with DisplayPort and USB Energy Supply, although it does retain DisplayPort-out. Sacrificing connectivity lowers the MSRP from $649.99 (for the U2724DE) to $384.99 (for the U2724D).

How is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s design?

Matt Smith

The Dell Ultrasharp U2724D adheres to the model’s aesthetic with a slim design and slim bezels on all sides of the show. They’re so skinny, in reality, that there’s no room for the Dell emblem on the chin, which ends up in a generic (however super-sleek) look.

View it from the rear and also you’ll discover a swath of vibrant silver plastic that successfully imitates a brushed aluminum end. Plastic is the fabric of alternative for the monitor’s exterior, however you’d be hard-pressed to note with out touching the monitor. The monitor feels sturdy when dealt with, too. Panels permit little flex and don’t emit disconcerting creaks or groans.

Dell’s compact, flat stand comes customary, and it’s nonetheless among the many finest accessible. Its design minimizes the monitor’s footprint in your desk and, as a result of the stand is flat, you may nonetheless use many of the house it occupies to stack books, devices, or different gadgets. Cable routing is constructed into the stand and offers sufficient house to handle the ability wire, show cords, and a number of other USB cords.

The stand additionally offers ergonomic adjustment together with 150mm of top adjustment, 90 levels of swivel (45 levels to the left or proper), 26 levels of tilt, and 90 levels of rotation (which suggests it could actually rotate into portrait orientation). Many dwelling workplace displays present an analogous vary of adjustment, however it’s good to see Dell nail the basics. A normal 100mm VESA mount is included, as properly, for attaching a third-party monitor stand or arm.

How is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s connectivity and menu?

Matt Smith

Connectivity is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s sole disappointment. The monitor has one HDMI port, one DisplayPort-in, one DisplayPort-out, and an upstream USB-C information port. Nevertheless, the USB-C port lacks DisplayPort or USB Energy Supply assist. An audio line-out rounds out the choices (the monitor doesn’t embrace audio system).

That leaves the U2724D with simply two video inputs, which is uncommon for a show in its worth vary. Most equally priced displays present not less than three, generally 4, video inputs.

However the U2724D does embrace DisplayPort-out, which makes it doable to daisy-chain a video connection (that means a second monitor might be related on to the U2724). It’s handy for increasing the video connectivity of a tool with restricted ports or lowering cable litter behind a desk.

Whereas the USB-C port doesn’t assist video or energy, it does join to 3 USB downstream ports. Two of those are situated on the monitor’s chin, enhancing accessibility. The U2724D is a helpful, although restricted, USB hub

Whether or not all this issues depends upon the way you’ll use the monitor. Desktop customers are unlikely to seek out a lot fault, since desktops hardly ever use USB-C for video and don’t profit from Energy Supply. For those who plan to dock a laptop computer, nonetheless, you would possibly choose the U2724DE, which has Thunderbolt, USB Energy Supply, Ethernet, and extra USB-C connectivity.

Matt Smith

The U2724D’s ports are managed by way of an easy-to-use on-screen menu accessible with a joystick situated close to the lower-right bezel. Whereas the menu is user-friendly, the vary of picture high quality settings is simply okay. Dell features a customized shade mode, enabling changes to RGB colours, and it offers varied shade temperature selections, that are listed in exact increments (like 6500K) somewhat than imprecise generalizations (like “Heat”). The monitor lacks gamma adjustment, although, which appears like a minor oversight.

How is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s SDR picture high quality?

Dell’s Ultrasharp U2724D is marketed primarily as a house workplace and productiveness monitor, however its 27-inch show panel, versatile 1440p decision, 120Hz refresh fee, and mid-range worth make it a doable match for almost anybody seeking to purchase a monitor. That additionally locations it towards stiff competitors, as there’s no scarcity of reasonably priced 27-inch, 1440p, 120-to-165Hz displays. However the U2724D has one thing most displays don’t: an IPS Black show panel.

Matt Smith

The U2724D’s brightness peaks at 328 nits, which is a tad behind the brightness sometimes seen in current displays, however the U2724D’s brightness precisely matches the U2724DE. That is smart, given their many similarities, however I used to be nonetheless shocked by simply how intently they mirrored each other. It suggests good high quality management from Dell.

Although a bit dim in comparison with different fashionable IPS displays, the U2724D’s brightness is okay for almost all conditions. It additionally has an efficient anti-glare coating which minimizes glare, particularly when the monitor faces a light-weight supply.

Matt Smith

The Dell U2724D presents a robust distinction ratio of 2370:1. That’s barely higher than the U2724D, and one of the best distinction ratio results of any IPS Black monitor I’ve reviewed to date. Don’t learn an excessive amount of into that, although. I didn’t discover this slight distinction noticeable in real-world viewing.

But the U2724D’s efficiency is notable for one key cause: the worth. It carries an MSRP of simply $384.99 (and, if Dell’s historical past is any information, can be discounted under that earlier than lengthy), which makes it probably the most reasonably priced IPS Black monitor but.

Earlier IPS Black Screens had been priced excessive sufficient that funds Mini-LED and OLED displays is likely to be thought of another. That’s not the case with the extra reasonably priced U2724D, and it makes the monitor’s distinction efficiency much more interesting. Screens with a VA panel, just like the Gigabyte GS32QC, can ship superior distinction at an equal (and sometimes decrease) worth—however most such displays goal gaming and lack quality-of-life options discovered within the U2724D.

Matt Smith

The U2724D’s shade gamut covers 96 % of DCI-P3 and 87 % of AdobeRGB, outcomes that precisely match the costlier U2724DE. That’s not the widest shade gamut accessible, however it’s stable for the worth and delivers a broad vary of shade that’s helpful for content material creators and provides some visible spice to video games.

There are a couple of alternate options, just like the Asus’ ProArt displays just like the PA279CRV, which outperform the U2724D’s shade. These are typically costlier, although, and lack the IPS Black panel. Most individuals gained’t discover the advance in shade gamut well worth the discount in distinction.

Matt Smith

The U2724D’s shade accuracy isn’t distinctive, however it’s greater than enough for a house workplace and productiveness monitor. It presents a vivid, reasonable picture that doesn’t fall out of line when displaying any explicit shade. The identical is true of most rivals, nonetheless.

I measured a default shade temperature of 6500K, which is strictly consistent with my choice. The picture didn’t seem overly heat or cool out-of-the-box—and as talked about, the menu offers shade temperature adjustment that helps you tune the monitor to the choice.

Gamma was a bit off, nonetheless, with a gamma curve of two.0. That meant content material usually appeared overly brilliant and luminous, which may over-boost element in darkish and shadowy scenes and result in a hazy look. The monitor lacks a gamma adjustment, so the issue isn’t as straightforward to right because it could possibly be, although it may be mounted by way of different picture high quality presets or software program calibration.

The U2724D has a local decision of 2560×1440 which, relying in your perspective, may appear disappointing. Dell presents extra reasonably priced 4K displays, just like the S2721QS—however these lack the U2724D’s most refresh fee of 120Hz. Pixel density is available in at 109 pixels per inch, which seems fairly sharp on a 27-inch show, although some pixelation is noticeable when viewing very small fonts. Alternatively, 1440p is a perfect decision for gaming on a 27-inch show, because it offers robust sharpness with out the extreme GPU necessities of 4K.

General, the U2724D has a vivid, lush, and engaging picture with nice shade efficiency and good distinction. Its efficiency is particularly glorious for a monitor with a sub-$400 MSRP. Most different displays will fall brief in both distinction or shade efficiency, and generally in each, which places the U2724D in an enviable place.

How is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s HDR picture high quality?

The Dell Ultrasharp U2724D doesn’t provide HDR however, given the monitor’s worth vary, it’s not a shock. Screens beneath $500 sometimes wrestle to deal with HDR, as they lack the brightness and distinction essential to ship good element in extraordinarily brilliant, or darkish, scenes. These looking for robust HDR efficiency should spend money on costlier displays just like the Innocn 27M2V or Alienware AW3423DWF.

How is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D’s movement efficiency?

Matt Smith

I’ve incessantly complained in regards to the Dell Ultrasharp line-up’s restrained strategy to refresh fee. Most displays lack a refresh fee meaningfully enhanced over 60Hz (sorry, Dell, however 75Hz doesn’t rely). Luckily, Dell has made the leap to 120Hz with a number of displays together with the U2724D (the U2724DE, U2424H, and U2424HE additionally hit 120Hz). It’s a key enchancment. Doubling the refresh fee from 60Hz to 120Hz improves movement smoothness and readability not solely in video games, but additionally on the Home windows desktop.

Players ought to hold expectations in test. The monitor quotes pixel response instances of 5 to eight milliseconds, which is slower than a typical gaming monitor (most quote a response time of 1 to three milliseconds). Due to this, the U2724D’s movement just isn’t as crisp as some price-competitive displays with an analogous refresh fee. Even the KTC H24T09P, a $150 gaming monitor I not too long ago reviewed, was a tad extra crisp in movement.

But it surely’s vital to not miss the forest for the timber. The U2724D can’t stand as much as the movement readability of a gaming monitor, however it’s not too far behind, and it simply defeats a monitor caught at 60Hz. Bear in mind, additionally, {that a} recreation should render at a body fee equal to a monitor’s most refresh fee to essentially see the complete good thing about that enhanced refresh fee. That’s price thought when shopping for a mid-range monitor, as I’d guess most buyers trying on the U2724D don’t plan to pair it with an costly high-performance GPU.

The Dell U2724D helps adaptive sync for easy, tear-free gameplay, however the particulars are complicated. The monitor doesn’t have official AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync assist however does assist “VRR as per laid out in HDMI 2.1.” Regardless of that, my AMD Radeon 7800 XT video card acknowledged the Dell U2724D as an Adaptive Sync Appropriate show over each HDMI and DisplayPort, and adaptive sync was practical in my testing. I anticipate adaptive sync will work with most AMD and Nvidia graphics options—however, given the dearth of official assist, it’s not assured.

Is the Dell Ultrasharp U2724D price it?

The Dell Ultrasharp U2724D is a wonderful monitor that strikes the appropriate stability of options, picture high quality, and ergonomics. This makes the monitor a sensible choice for almost any shopper. It’s particularly glorious for individuals who want a show that’s equally robust in workplace productiveness, content material creation, and gaming. The monitor’s solely weak point is its connectivity, which forces buyers searching for Thunderbolt 4/USB-C with DisplayPort to improve to the costlier U2724DE. Not everybody wants that characteristic, nonetheless, and the monitor has acceptable downstream USB connectivity. It’s a flexible, engaging show that delivers good worth for cash.