Dell Ultrasharp U2719DC
C the difference
A sleek design that offers accurate colours and good connections – but it’s pricey
This 27in monitor has a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, also known as 1440p – better than 1080p Full HD, but nowhere near as sharp as 4K. Considering that, it looked very expensive when it was introduced at £390, and even at current online discounts it’s pricey. A number of features claim to justify that, however, including premium design, high colour accuracy, and a USB-C connection that makes it easier to use with recent laptops.
It’s undeniably a sleek unit, with very narrow bezels and a slim side profile for a full-size desktop screen. The back panel is finished in silver and black plastic, lacking the heft and durability of something like an aluminium imac, but the stand is impressively flexible, with tilt and height adjustment as well as the ability to pivot to portrait mode. Despite this, the base is about half the size of a sheet of A4, so it won’t waste desk space.
It connects straight to the mains, with no external power adapter, and a single USB-C cable will then charge a compatible laptop while displaying its output. You can even add a second monitor to the U2719DC’S own Displayport socket, and there are four USB 3.0 ports as well, especially handy if your laptop lacks them.
Our colour meter confirmed that the whole SRGB colour space was covered, with an extremely low Delta E of 0.43 representing effectively perfect accuracy. Be aware, though, that Dell only promises a Delta-e under 2, so other units might not be as spot-on; a calibration report in the box will confirm. On the minus side, contrast is relatively low, and this isn’t a wide-colour monitor: Dell claims 85 per cent of the DCI-P3 video production colour space, but we only managed 78 per cent even with some fiddling. Gamers
SPECIFICATIONS
27in IPS LCD • 2160x1440-pixel resolution • HDMI, Displayport and USB-C inputs • Displayport output • 4-port USB-A 3 hub • 390x612x180mm (HXWXD) • Three-year warranty www.snipca.com/33055 won’t be satisfied with the 60Hz refresh rate, and no speakers are built in, just a jack for your headphones. With very good 4K SRGB screens available in this price bracket, the U2719DC is most likely to appeal if USB-C is a priority.
VERDICT A very good 27in screen for those with USB-C PCS who want high SRGB colour accuracy, but pricey ★★★★ ★
ALTERNATIVE Iiyama Prolite XUB2792UHSU-B1
£390 No USB-C, but near-perfect SRGB at
4K, with speakers and a USB 3.0 hub