Dell U4021QW
Pricey, but gorgeous.
The Dell U4021QW is undeniably sleek, though it’s still a Dell product, so its much more about functionality than flash. The monitor’s construction is entirely plastic - other than its hardware – but it’s solid and doesn’t feel flimsy like other plastic builds typically do.
All the monitor’s ports are found on the underside of the back panel, facing down, making it fairly easy to connect DisplayPort, HDMI, Ethernet, and USB connectors without too much trouble. The monitor’s tilt helps you access these, though they’re just high enough up on the back panel that you will probably need to pull the monitor out toward the edge of the surface so you can see the port you’re looking for.
The entire monitor, including stand, weighs in at 13.8 kilos and the base and stand are hefty to securely anchor the ultrawide display to the desk. The base is conveniently flat so you can still use that bit of surface for various office worker accoutrements.
They’re not kidding about the ultrawide part, though, with the monitor’s display stretching 94.66 centimeters, so you’ll want to make sure you have the space for it. The height is adjustable between between 45.77 and 57.73 centimeters, respectively. The base is 24.79 centimeters, so this monitor is best suited for open top desk surfaces, since very few enclosed desktops are going to have enough room to accommodate its dimensions.
We’re not going to lie, the Dell U4021QW was way more monitor than we knew what to do with. From the Easy Arrange application tiling to the two-computers-onedisplay capability, this isn’t your typical plug-and-play monitor.
The colour quality is excellent, with a depth of 1.07 billion colors, including 100% sRGB and Rec. 709 color coverage and 98% coverage of DCI-P3. The 5120x2160p resolution is incredibly sharp and after regular use, it was tough going back to a standard 1080p display.
The built-in speakers are useful if you don’t have any handy, but it’s not going to win any audio awards. If you have any dedicated audio hardware – either a speaker setup, sound bar, or headset – you probably won’t get much use out of the monitor’s speakers but it’s a nice feature to have in a pinch.
There are plenty of onboard options for colour, contrast, display modes, and more and plenty of options for input and connectivity. The PIP and PBP settings let you control how you want two different PC inputs to be displayed on screen with different ratios and arrangements options, so if you have a more complicated workstation setup, the Dell U4021QW will work nicely.
The Dell U4021QW is a curved ultrawide UHD display that brings a premium look and visual performance to any home or office space. Several ports offer plenty of input channels and multiple applications can be easily tiled, making multitasking a snap.
John Loeffler