Dell 28-inch Ultra HD 4K Monitor P2815Q First Look
By , - Source: Tom's Hardware US
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31 comments
A great value for all the pixels you're getting. But there's a catch.
Dell P2815Q 28 4K
Dell had everyone's attention when it announced that its 28-inch 4K P2815Q monitor would sell for $699. That's a stunning price for an Ultra HD monitor, and the panel does impress with its viewing angles when taking into consideration that it uses TN technology. That said, the big disappointment for us when we looked over the specs sheet is that it will only run at 30 Hz when at 3840x2160. Those who want a faster refresh at 60 Hz will have to dip back down to 1920 x 1080. Boo. Nevertheless, for those who do desktop work and perhaps even watch video, this is a great value.
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Also, while it is a return to cheap TN technology, it seems to have matured quite a bit and does not suffer from a lot of the issues that use to plague such displays (color shifting, limited display angles, etc.). It is not going to be quite as nice as an IPS display to be sure, but it sounds like it is not going to be horrible like a lot of cheap displays on the market.
So, not as good as a pro monitor, but not going to suffer from input lag and other issues associated with using a 4K TV as a monitor. All in all it looks like the best of both worlds in a package under $700. Personally I am holding out a bit longer for a 'cheap' 60fps capable display, and for GPUs to catch up a bit, but it looks like 4K is here to stay, and we should start seeing more mainstream panels released this year. The tyranny of 1080p will finally be over!
Think of it more like a 1080p gaming panel that can spreadsheet like crazy. GPUs are clearly not ready for 4K gaming anyways, so even if you had a 4K panel you are not looking at frame rates much above 30fps in the first place.
It is only the part that you interact with the most on your computer, so why should you be expected to spend any money on it? /sarcasim
Seriously, I made the mistake with my current 28" monitor in getting a cheap sub $400 screen almost 5 years ago. Considering the price it is not all that bad... but in the grand scheme of things it is a horrible cheap monitor with bad color, bad gama, backlight bleed, and everything else. And the worst part is that monitors last MUCH longer than computers do. It has already outlived one PC, and the way things are going it will probably outlast my current display as well. It is like a freaking death pact!
Choosing a monitor is like choosing your wife: You are going to have to look at them for a long time, so it is worth spending whatever effort possible to end up with one that is worth staring at. I at least got a good wife, so no need to replace her