6 ms·

Dell sells good monitors.

by muro 6y ago

pembrook 6y ago
Dell used to have good offerings, but all they seem to push now is the same 27” not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 panels everybody else does. Now even the 22" inch LG ultrafine that used to be 4069 x 2304 is bigger at 24" and a worse 3,840 x 2,160. The only good option for mac is the 27 ultrafine 5k. 27 4k a bad size & resolution for the current computer market. Windows scaling looks like crap, and MacOS has to do more resource intensive 1.5 scaling (as opposed to native or pixel doubling mode) to look okay on these. M1 might make this a mute point going forward, but the fact is at 27 inches, 5k is the only monitor that will look as good as the screen on your laptop while actually giving you more real estate.
- TulliusCicero 6y ago
  > not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 But...that is 4K. It's what 4K is defined as, exactly 2x 1080p resolution in each dimension. > Windows scaling looks like crap I don't understand. 2x each dimension (so 1 pixel in the old resolution is 4 in the new) is, like, the easiest possible scenario when it comes to scaling in software.
  - another_kel 6y ago
    4k on 27inch requires you to do 175%. 200% is too big.
    - alexvoda 6y ago
      To explain further: 200% (2 times each direction) scaling on 4K is the equivalent of 1080p. A 1080p 27 inch monitor has huuuge pixels for the normal viewing distance of a desktop monitor. 1080p is common on 23-24 inch displays. Therefore you are forced to use fractional scaling which is less then perfect.
  - mdre 6y ago
    That's UHD. 4K is defined as 4096px wide. But I guess the mass adoption of the term 4K in consumer electronics changed the definition.
    - FireBeyond 6y ago
      That's DCI 4K. Two groups have competing definitions. One isn't inherently correct. I say this as someone who was "that guy" when it came to HD Radio: "It's not High Definition, it's Hybrid Digital!" even though that's exactly the confusion they were trying to encourage. Arguing that this is misleading is a fool's errand, and only plays into things if you assume that the primary purpose of a "4K" screen somehow is inherently "to play back cinematic content", which... it's not.
  - atdrummond 6y ago
    While DCI 4K is a standard with 4,096 pixels of width, you’re correct that the HD standard (and therefore what is relevant to the discussion here) has always been UHD 4K and 3840 pixels wide. DCI is relevant for movie industry professionals only, as these are the dimensions used for projection devices and (potentially) their content.
  - coldtea 6y ago
    >But...that is 4K. It's what 4K is defined as, exactly 2x 1080p resolution in each dimension. That's irrelevant though, except if we're talking about consuming movies fullscreen. For a monitor I don't want 4K, I want insivible pixels at viewing distances, so hi-dpi. I would also prefer no scaling for assets that are bitmap in nature. This ideally means pixel doubling (less cpu/gpu demanding and less fuzzy than fractional scaling). This, for 27" and more, means higher resolution that 4K. I don't want to restrict myself to pixel-doubled 1920x1080 on my 27" or 32" monitor. You do get nice DPI, but needlessly large buttons and other assets (compared to something closer to 5K).
    - gambiting 6y ago
      I just completely don't understand your point. There's no misleading advertising here - the resolution is exactly as promised ,at the size promised....what's the problem? If the resolution isn't high enough for you....then buy one where it is? There are 5K monitors out there, maybe even 8K? Or just get a 4K one but in a smaller size? I'm so confused by your comment.
      - coldtea 6y ago
        >I just completely don't understand your point. There's no misleading advertising here - the resolution is exactly as promised ,at the size promised....what's the problem? That would be relevant is my problem was false promises or misleading advertising. But my problem is not (a) "Monitors say they are 4K and they are not" but: (b) "Most monitors out there are BS-4K, but for the best quality/viewing comfort at their 27" and above diagonal they should rather be 5K, but most manufactures like Dell aren't bothered to produce at such a resolution and the few that do have prices to the skies". >There are 5K monitors out there, maybe even 8K? Or just get a 4K one but in a smaller size? Perhaps you've skiped through the thread? My comment responds to (and agrees with) the sub-thread started by a parent commenter writing: "Dell used to have good offerings, but all they seem to push now is the same 27” not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 panels everybody else does.".
        pavlus 6y ago
- another_kel 6y ago
  >Windows scaling looks like crap Huh? I'm using LG's 27 inch 4k and scaling looks good. It can bug and force you to relaunch app but that's not something you encounter often.
  - thaumasiotes 6y ago
    I'm using a Dell P2715Q (also 27 inch 4k); it looks fine. But... scaling? The point of having a gigantic 27 inch monitor is that you don't need to scale it. The only problem I do have with the monitor is that it makes me disable scaling on my 15" laptop screen, since there are annoying interactions when you have one screen with scaling active and one without.
    - herbstein 6y ago
      > The point of having a gigantic 27 inch monitor is that you don't need to scale it The point of using a High-DPI display is that you can use scaling without losing the screen real-estate. With 5K @ 27" you can get what looks like 1440p in physical UI element size, but with an increase in clarity, readability, and quality.
    - bhauer 6y ago
      27 inch is a small monitor. But I agree, usable real estate comes first, then clarity (by way of scaling). So you want a genuinely large monitor (at least 40 inches) at 8K+.
- fsh 6y ago
  In my experience, the High-DPI support of Windows 10 is excellent. I am using a 27" 3840x2160 screen set to 150% next to an old 24" 1920x1200 screen at 100%. Pretty much all modern applications seamlessly adapt to the pixel density of the screen they are currently running on without any interpolation.
Aldipower 6y ago
I fell into this trap. Now I own a very bad Dell monitor. :(
- adrian_b 6y ago
  Dell sells some good monitors. Unfortunately, you must select carefully any monitor that you purchase, and the cheapest models are unlikely to be good choices. I am using 2 good Dell 4k monitors. One is 1-year old (U2720Q), but the other (UP2414Q) is more than 5-year old and it works as well as in the first day.
  - jerf 6y ago
    I don't buy a lot of computers, so this can change at any time without me noticing, but: I think there's basically two Dells. There's the Dell that sells the cheapest equipment you can buy. This Dell sucks as much as anyone else. Don't expect miracles. Then there's the Dell that sells upscale gear. This is usually pretty good, or at least has the ability to be pretty good. I have appreciated the ready access to service manuals and such, too. I say this because it's unwise to hear that Dell has pretty good gear, then go to their site and buy the cheap stuff. It isn't necessarily any worse cheap stuff than anybody else, but it's not what people mean when they say Dell can have pretty good gear.
  - msilb 6y ago
    Purchased U2720Q after reading through a number of rave reviews and can definitely vouch for it. Excellent 4K image quality and works well with MacBook. It's only the monitor though, so no webcam or audio speakers.
    - Marsymars 6y ago
      I wish my Dell monitor didn't have speakers. macOS doesn't provide any way to hide or disable connected speakers.
- Veen 6y ago
  Me too but with Samsung. I bought a cheapish 34-inch curved monitor that had great reviews, but it has almost as much light coming through gaps in the rear housing as the screen. Text looks like crap on its "not quite retina" resolution, especially when it's next to a retina macbook pro, although videos look very nice. I really do wish Apple would make a monitor more reasonably priced than the Pro Display XDR.
iamacyborg 6y ago
Sadly the implementation of USB-C on models like the U3419W isn’t to standard and causes known issues when used with Apple laptops.
- mattgreenrocks 6y ago
  I’m guessing this is why the cursor seems to visibly ghost when hooked up to my MBP.
  - iamacyborg 6y ago
    I've not seen that, the bug I'm referring to is to do with putting the mac to sleep when it's connected to the screen.
    - mattgreenrocks 6y ago
      Oh, I think I’ve had that: it’s a total crapshoot as to whether it wakes? I thought it was a USB power problem for the longest time.
  - arafsheikh 6y ago
    Sounds like for some reason the monitor is running at 30Hz. You can confirm that using an app like EasyRes.
    - bartvk 6y ago
      System Preferences can also show this, check my other comment in this thread.
  - bartvk 6y ago
    You can check the refresh rate as follows. Open System Preferences, then click on Displays. There's a radio button, titled "Scaled". Option-click that radio button, and you'll see a pull-down menu, titled "Refresh Rate". It should be 60 Hz or higher.
gambiting 6y ago
Yeah, no. I have a 25" UltraSharp from them and it has a "fun" bug where it advertises to the system that it refreshes at 59.95hz but in fact refreshes at exactly 60hz, which leads to the monitor(!!!) Freezing for a frame every 20 seconds or so, it's absolutely infuriating in games and movies, and I only found out how to fix it by modifying windows drivers and forcing it to refresh at solid 60hz despite what the monitor advertises. But of course you can't do that with something like a PS4 connected to it. Would never buy another dell, thanks.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
formerly_proven 6y ago
I was surprised to find out the Ultrasharp series includes monitors with 6-bit IPS panels. Rather noticeable, even in desktop use. Previous to that I often told people to "just buy an Ultrasharp of a size you like".
garaetjjte 6y ago
Dell has very nice adjustable stands, but panels are mixed bag. eg. P2416D (1440p) is fine, but P2415Q (4K) has quite bad ghosting. So annoying I had to disable browser smooth scrolling.
- chupasaurus 6y ago
  Owner of P2415Q, can't say that ghosting on mine is extraordinary. You have to choose between ghosting or proper colours, higher refresh rate IPS panels are better in this metric but still suck compared to TNs.

Dell sells good monitors.

by muro 6y ago

Dell sells good monitors.

Dell used to have good offerings, but all they seem to push now is the same 27” not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 panels everybody else does. Now even the 22" inch LG ultrafine that used to be 4069 x 2304 is bigger at 24" and a worse 3,840 x 2,160. The only good option for mac is the 27 ultrafine 5k. 27 4k a bad size & resolution for the current computer market. Windows scaling looks like crap, and MacOS has to do more resource intensive 1.5 scaling (as opposed to native or pixel doubling mode) to look okay on these. M1 might make this a mute point going forward, but the fact is at 27 inches, 5k is the only monitor that will look as good as the screen on your laptop while actually giving you more real estate.

TulliusCicero 6y ago
> not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 But...that is 4K. It's what 4K is defined as, exactly 2x 1080p resolution in each dimension. > Windows scaling looks like crap I don't understand. 2x each dimension (so 1 pixel in the old resolution is 4 in the new) is, like, the easiest possible scenario when it comes to scaling in software.
- another_kel 6y ago
  4k on 27inch requires you to do 175%. 200% is too big.
  - alexvoda 6y ago
    To explain further: 200% (2 times each direction) scaling on 4K is the equivalent of 1080p. A 1080p 27 inch monitor has huuuge pixels for the normal viewing distance of a desktop monitor. 1080p is common on 23-24 inch displays. Therefore you are forced to use fractional scaling which is less then perfect.
- mdre 6y ago
  That's UHD. 4K is defined as 4096px wide. But I guess the mass adoption of the term 4K in consumer electronics changed the definition.
  - FireBeyond 6y ago
    That's DCI 4K. Two groups have competing definitions. One isn't inherently correct. I say this as someone who was "that guy" when it came to HD Radio: "It's not High Definition, it's Hybrid Digital!" even though that's exactly the confusion they were trying to encourage. Arguing that this is misleading is a fool's errand, and only plays into things if you assume that the primary purpose of a "4K" screen somehow is inherently "to play back cinematic content", which... it's not.
- atdrummond 6y ago
  While DCI 4K is a standard with 4,096 pixels of width, you’re correct that the HD standard (and therefore what is relevant to the discussion here) has always been UHD 4K and 3840 pixels wide. DCI is relevant for movie industry professionals only, as these are the dimensions used for projection devices and (potentially) their content.
- coldtea 6y ago
  >But...that is 4K. It's what 4K is defined as, exactly 2x 1080p resolution in each dimension. That's irrelevant though, except if we're talking about consuming movies fullscreen. For a monitor I don't want 4K, I want insivible pixels at viewing distances, so hi-dpi. I would also prefer no scaling for assets that are bitmap in nature. This ideally means pixel doubling (less cpu/gpu demanding and less fuzzy than fractional scaling). This, for 27" and more, means higher resolution that 4K. I don't want to restrict myself to pixel-doubled 1920x1080 on my 27" or 32" monitor. You do get nice DPI, but needlessly large buttons and other assets (compared to something closer to 5K).
  - gambiting 6y ago
    I just completely don't understand your point. There's no misleading advertising here - the resolution is exactly as promised ,at the size promised....what's the problem? If the resolution isn't high enough for you....then buy one where it is? There are 5K monitors out there, maybe even 8K? Or just get a 4K one but in a smaller size? I'm so confused by your comment.
    - coldtea 6y ago
      >I just completely don't understand your point. There's no misleading advertising here - the resolution is exactly as promised ,at the size promised....what's the problem? That would be relevant is my problem was false promises or misleading advertising. But my problem is not (a) "Monitors say they are 4K and they are not" but: (b) "Most monitors out there are BS-4K, but for the best quality/viewing comfort at their 27" and above diagonal they should rather be 5K, but most manufactures like Dell aren't bothered to produce at such a resolution and the few that do have prices to the skies". >There are 5K monitors out there, maybe even 8K? Or just get a 4K one but in a smaller size? Perhaps you've skiped through the thread? My comment responds to (and agrees with) the sub-thread started by a parent commenter writing: "Dell used to have good offerings, but all they seem to push now is the same 27” not-quite-4K 3,840 x 2,160 panels everybody else does.".
      - pavlus 6y ago
another_kel 6y ago
>Windows scaling looks like crap Huh? I'm using LG's 27 inch 4k and scaling looks good. It can bug and force you to relaunch app but that's not something you encounter often.
- thaumasiotes 6y ago
  I'm using a Dell P2715Q (also 27 inch 4k); it looks fine. But... scaling? The point of having a gigantic 27 inch monitor is that you don't need to scale it. The only problem I do have with the monitor is that it makes me disable scaling on my 15" laptop screen, since there are annoying interactions when you have one screen with scaling active and one without.
  - herbstein 6y ago
    > The point of having a gigantic 27 inch monitor is that you don't need to scale it The point of using a High-DPI display is that you can use scaling without losing the screen real-estate. With 5K @ 27" you can get what looks like 1440p in physical UI element size, but with an increase in clarity, readability, and quality.
  - bhauer 6y ago
    27 inch is a small monitor. But I agree, usable real estate comes first, then clarity (by way of scaling). So you want a genuinely large monitor (at least 40 inches) at 8K+.
fsh 6y ago
In my experience, the High-DPI support of Windows 10 is excellent. I am using a 27" 3840x2160 screen set to 150% next to an old 24" 1920x1200 screen at 100%. Pretty much all modern applications seamlessly adapt to the pixel density of the screen they are currently running on without any interpolation.

Aldipower 6y ago

I fell into this trap. Now I own a very bad Dell monitor. :(

adrian_b 6y ago
Dell sells some good monitors. Unfortunately, you must select carefully any monitor that you purchase, and the cheapest models are unlikely to be good choices. I am using 2 good Dell 4k monitors. One is 1-year old (U2720Q), but the other (UP2414Q) is more than 5-year old and it works as well as in the first day.
- jerf 6y ago
  I don't buy a lot of computers, so this can change at any time without me noticing, but: I think there's basically two Dells. There's the Dell that sells the cheapest equipment you can buy. This Dell sucks as much as anyone else. Don't expect miracles. Then there's the Dell that sells upscale gear. This is usually pretty good, or at least has the ability to be pretty good. I have appreciated the ready access to service manuals and such, too. I say this because it's unwise to hear that Dell has pretty good gear, then go to their site and buy the cheap stuff. It isn't necessarily any worse cheap stuff than anybody else, but it's not what people mean when they say Dell can have pretty good gear.
- msilb 6y ago
  Purchased U2720Q after reading through a number of rave reviews and can definitely vouch for it. Excellent 4K image quality and works well with MacBook. It's only the monitor though, so no webcam or audio speakers.
  - Marsymars 6y ago
    I wish my Dell monitor didn't have speakers. macOS doesn't provide any way to hide or disable connected speakers.
Veen 6y ago
Me too but with Samsung. I bought a cheapish 34-inch curved monitor that had great reviews, but it has almost as much light coming through gaps in the rear housing as the screen. Text looks like crap on its "not quite retina" resolution, especially when it's next to a retina macbook pro, although videos look very nice. I really do wish Apple would make a monitor more reasonably priced than the Pro Display XDR.

iamacyborg 6y ago

Sadly the implementation of USB-C on models like the U3419W isn’t to standard and causes known issues when used with Apple laptops.

mattgreenrocks 6y ago
I’m guessing this is why the cursor seems to visibly ghost when hooked up to my MBP.
- iamacyborg 6y ago
  I've not seen that, the bug I'm referring to is to do with putting the mac to sleep when it's connected to the screen.
  - mattgreenrocks 6y ago
    Oh, I think I’ve had that: it’s a total crapshoot as to whether it wakes? I thought it was a USB power problem for the longest time.
- arafsheikh 6y ago
  Sounds like for some reason the monitor is running at 30Hz. You can confirm that using an app like EasyRes.
  - bartvk 6y ago
    System Preferences can also show this, check my other comment in this thread.
- bartvk 6y ago
  You can check the refresh rate as follows. Open System Preferences, then click on Displays. There's a radio button, titled "Scaled". Option-click that radio button, and you'll see a pull-down menu, titled "Refresh Rate". It should be 60 Hz or higher.

gambiting 6y ago

Yeah, no. I have a 25" UltraSharp from them and it has a "fun" bug where it advertises to the system that it refreshes at 59.95hz but in fact refreshes at exactly 60hz, which leads to the monitor(!!!) Freezing for a frame every 20 seconds or so, it's absolutely infuriating in games and movies, and I only found out how to fix it by modifying windows drivers and forcing it to refresh at solid 60hz despite what the monitor advertises. But of course you can't do that with something like a PS4 connected to it. Would never buy another dell, thanks.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

formerly_proven 6y ago

I was surprised to find out the Ultrasharp series includes monitors with 6-bit IPS panels. Rather noticeable, even in desktop use. Previous to that I often told people to "just buy an Ultrasharp of a size you like".

garaetjjte 6y ago

Dell has very nice adjustable stands, but panels are mixed bag. eg. P2416D (1440p) is fine, but P2415Q (4K) has quite bad ghosting. So annoying I had to disable browser smooth scrolling.

chupasaurus 6y ago
Owner of P2415Q, can't say that ghosting on mine is extraordinary. You have to choose between ghosting or proper colours, higher refresh rate IPS panels are better in this metric but still suck compared to TNs.