There’s no question that 3840x2160 is the hot resolution in display technology right now. Gone are the days when computer monitors and televisions followed separate development paths. It was barely two years ago that Sony showed us the first-ever production 4K television (an 84-inch panel selling for a cool $25,000, a price that still stands incidentally). It was only a matter of time before computer users began demanding that same experience on the desktop. We waited patiently. And as we saw already from stories like Gaming At 3840x2160: Is Your PC Ready For A 4K Display?, the first-generation panels are here. Slowly but surely, their wrinkles are being smoothed out, too.
At least thus far, the first screens in our lab are all 31.5-inch IGZO-based panels with a pixel density of 140 ppi and a recommended price of $3500. While they employ panels from Sharp, they do use different part numbers. Witness Dell’s UP3214Q, which not only introduces Ultra HD to the company's display portfolio, but also brings in the wider Adobe RGB 1998 color gamut.

Asus' PQ321Q (Asus PQ321Q 4K Monitor Review: Top-Shelf Ultra HD For $3500) proved to be very accurate in our tests, and was easily worth recommending for a professional’s toolbox. It is missing one key element, though: the Adobe RGB gamut. The difference comes from the panel each company uses. Asus leverages a Sharp-manufactured LD315R3LC1, while Dell goes with the LQ315D1LG9D. Both are IPS, rated at 350 cd/m2 brightness, and have native 10-bit color. The only difference is the gamut. Check out the specs below.
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Model | UP3214Q |
| MSRP | $3499 |
| Panel Type | IPS/IGZO |
| Backlight | LED, edge array |
| Screen Size | 31.5" |
| Max Resolution | 3840x2160 |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Response Time (GTG) | 8 ms |
| Brightness | 350 cd/m2 |
| Speakers | - |
| VGA | - |
| DVI | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 |
| HDMI | 1 |
| Audio In | - |
| Headphone | - |
| USB 3.0 | One up, four down |
| Media Card Reader | 1 SD |
| Panel Dimensions W x H x D w/base | 29.5 x 19-22.5 x 8.4 in 750 x 483-572 x 214 mm |
| Panel Thickness | 2 in / 51 mm |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs / 9.2 kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
You can see from the average response time that this is not an ideal display for gaming. Our own Filippo L. Scognamiglio's The Myths Of Graphics Card Performance: Debunked, Part 1 helped illustrate the effects of that average response rating, and my tests bear this out as well. None of the first-generation panels have fast response, nor do they support a high refresh rate. Even if they did, the currently-available scaling hardware doesn’t support rates over 60 Hz. As it is, two scalers are needed to utilize the multi-stream feature of DisplayPort 1.2. The bandwidth is there in DisplayPort 1.2 and the forthcoming 1.3, as well as HDMI 2.0. But other components will have to be updated to process all of those pixels.
Neither Dell nor Asus is marketing their 4K displays to gamers. These are tools for photographers, artists, and programmers, pure and simple. To that end, accurate color, a sharp image, and solid build quality are the name of the game, rather than speed. Asus already sells a particularly accurate display, and Dell ups the ante with wide gamut support and a huge array of customization options. Not only can you choose between eight color modes, but there’s also a color management system, high and low RGB sliders, and factory-calibrated presets for both Adobe RGB and sRGB.
Without question, a lot of what you’re paying for is being first on your block with a 4K screen. Any major jump in resolution means manufacturing yields drop, and the cost of putting a tiled display together is undoubtedly high. But even with a few minor compromises, the PQ321Q and UP3214Q both exceed expectations for first-generation products. Build quality is excellent, and so is performance. Since Dell offers a little more in the way of features, though, it really should outpace the similarly-priced Asus.
The first item we find in the box is a calibration data sheet showing the results of Adobe RGB and sRGB color tests, grayscale and gamma graphs, and uniformity measurements for both luminance and color. To save you the trouble of skipping ahead, we were able to either match or exceed Dell’s numbers. This is a professional tool for sure. The entry price is steep, but the quality is there.
Also included with the UP3214Q are USB 3.0 and DisplayPort cables. The power supply is internal, so any standard IEC power cord will work if you don’t use the one in the box. A CD containing the user manual, drivers, and Dell Display Manager rounds out the bundle.
Product 360

Although the UP3214Q looks purposeful, it doesn’t call attention to itself in any overt manner. It is quite large though; you don’t see 31.5-inch screens on many desktops. Take a closer look and you’ll notice the all-metal base and upright. They’re made of a satin-finished aluminum and they exude quality. The bezel is reasonably narrow, measuring 24 mm all around, and it's surrounded by a silver band. Ergonomic adjustments include 3.5 inches of height, 45 degrees of swivel, and 15 degrees of tilt. All of the movements are precise and the panel stays put once you find the right position.
The screen’s anti-glare layer is one of the best we’ve seen. It strikes a perfect balance between light rejection and clarity. This is something we can’t measure, but in my opinion, this panel looks sharper than the Asus PQ321Q. You know from my comments on that monitor how small text and other objects become in Windows when running at native resolution without DPI scaling turned on. Where the Asus required scaling in most applications, this Dell can be used without any software assistance. When you can avoid using DPI scaling, the amount of desktop real estate at your disposal is unmatched.

The upright has a hole for cable management, which helps keep your desktop nice and tidy. The input panel can be covered with a snap-on piece that’s included in the box.

The UP3214Q is not the slimmest monitor, but its gentle tapers and rounded corners make it seem thinner than Dell's two-inch specification suggests. The band surrounding the panel is made from the same aluminum as the base and upright. There's an SD card slot built-in, though it's hard to see in the photo. You have to plug in the USB cable to enable it, and the drivers are on the bundled CD.

The included stand snaps on easily, requiring no tools to assemble. Removing it is a simple matter of pressing the button below the cavity. Inside, you'll find four VESA-compatible fittings for use with aftermarket brackets and stands.

With the cable cover in place, the back is totally smooth. Ventilation is facilitated by a barely-visible line across the top of the panel.

Inputs are digital-only and include DisplayPort, mini-DisplayPort, and HDMI. The only way to use the UP3214Q at its native resolution with a 60 Hz refresh rate is via DisplayPort. To do this, set the version to 1.2 in the OSD to enable the multi-stream feature. You can see a full 3840x2160 pixel image over HDMI, but you’ll be limited to 30 Hz. The USB ports are all 3.0-compatible. The fourth downstream connector is just to the right of the input panel and faces rearward.

There are no speakers built into the UP3214Q. However, if you want them, Dell will sell you this little soundbar that mounts on the bottom edge of the panel. It’s a powered unit with its own volume control. We didn’t have the chance to try it out though, so we can't speak to its utility compared to the tinny drivers we typically find integrated with monitors.
Initial Setup
Like Asus' PQ321Q, you need to use a DisplayPort connection to access the monitor’s full native resolution at 60 Hz. And your graphics card must be version 1.2-compatible to support the multi-stream (MST) feature. By default, Dell's UP3214Q comes set with DisplayPort 1.2 disabled. This means that when you first hook it up, the refresh rate will only be 30 Hz. Obviously that's far from ideal for gaming. But you won't want to use your desktop at 30 Hz either. The judder is acutely perceptible in Windows, and jarring if you're accustomed to a 60 Hz screen. Luckily, the fix is as simple as a visit to the OSD. Go to Display Settings and change DisplayPort 1.2 to Enable. If you’re wondering about the dual-HDMI option we saw on the Asus, Dell does not have this. There is only one HDMI port and it’s limited to the 1.4a specification.
We got a nice surprise when we connected the UP3214Q to an AMD Radeon HD 7770. Even though MSI lists the Cape Verde-based card's maximum resolution as 2560x1600, we managed to get its DisplayPort interface to output the full 3840x2160 at 60 Hz. And a driver update from November (13.250.18.0) worked without issue. Since this review focuses on usability and image quality, we didn’t perform any gaming benchmarks. If you plan to engage in high-resolution gaming, a Radeon HD 7700-series card clearly won't cut it.
OSD Tour
The UP3214Q has a large OSD with many options for color calibration, as well as convenience features. It’s controlled by five touch-sensitive buttons on the lower-right side of the bezel. Touching any of them brings up the menu along with icons telling you the function of each button.
Touching the bottom button brings up a quick menu of the most often-used functions. The preset modes number eight, and we’ll describe them in more detail below.
Pressing Menu takes you to the full OSD.
Like most monitors, Contrast has a small range where it’s most effective and won’t crush the brightest detail. The default setting is 50 and you can turn it up to 60 before any clipping occurs. We found 50 to offer the best grayscale accuracy and intra-image contrast.
The Brightness slider controls the backlight rather than the black level, and it has a very wide range. At zero, you’ll see around 33 cd/m2 maximum output, and at 100 you’ll have over 326 cd/m2.
Here’s where you select your input source. For 3840x2160 pixels at 60 Hz, you need to use DisplayPort. Go down to the Display Settings menu and make sure it’s set to version 1.2, which supports the necessary multi-stream signal.
Now we get to the meat of the OSD.
Aside from Brightness and Contrast, all of the other calibration controls are in the Color Settings Menu. Input Color Format is something we don’t often see. For PC signals, the default setting of RGB is correct. If you connect a source that only outputs YPbPr, like a Blu-ray player, you can choose that option to activate the correct color decoding matrix. Gamma options are only PC or Mac (2.2 or 2.0), and they do measure as indicated. Zonal Color Space is a unique feature where you can have two different color spaces on the screen simultaneously. If you turn this on, you can adjust the Contrast on the left half separately.
There are eight picture modes.
The UP3214Q comes set to Standard, which employs the Adobe RGB 1998 gamut with a D65 white point. This is fairly accurate. However, the better preset is Color Space mode. There you can choose between sRGB or Adobe RGB. Both are extremely close, as you’ll see in our tests. Game and Paper are more interpretive of correct color rather than literal. They should be used only as matter of personal preference. Color Temp. also uses the Adobe RBG gamut and unlocks a single slider that sets the white point by Kelvin value. The two grayed-out modes, Multimedia and Movie, require a YPbPr signal through the HDMI input to activate.
Custom Color opens up high- and low-range RGB adjustments and Hue/Saturation controls for all six colors.
Dell uses the term Gain for the high range and Offset for the low. We calibrated at 80 percent brightness to set the Gains and 30 percent to dial in the Offsets. Defaults for Gain start at maximum, so you’ll have to subtract the different colors to arrive at the desired result. Fortunately, the control resolution is very fine so great precision is possible.
These are the sliders for Hue and Saturation.
The CMS works well, but there is no luminance control, which limits it somewhat. We were able to improve upon the default Adobe RGB 1998 color gamut. However, when we tried creating a custom sRGB setting, we didn’t do as well. Fortunately, the preset one is very accurate, so it’s not an issue. All of the sliders default to the center of their range; again, great precision is easy to achieve.
Now we move on to other features.
Aspect ratio choices are the usual 4:3, Auto, and 16:9. Dell also adds 1:1 to the mix. In this mode, the scaler is bypassed and all signals are pixel-mapped, which means resolutions below the native 3840x2160 are displayed in a window rather than filling the screen.
Sharpness defaults to 50 and should be left at that setting. Any lower and visible softness occurs. Higher settings trigger edge enhancement. Uniformity Compensation works by using an internal look-up table. We ran tests with it off and on and found a few compromises. In short, turning it on improves screen uniformity, while reducing contrast. We preferred to leave it off.
DisplayPort 1.2 is grayed out because we’re using an HDMI input to shoot these photos. Ordinarily, you would have to visit this option to turn on the multi-stream capability required for full-resolution 60 Hz input signals. Be sure you do this. Otherwise, on-screen motion will be choppier at 30 Hz.
This is the signal info window. Not only does it report input resolution and refresh rate, but it also shows the PIP status and your DisplayPort capability; very handy!
In every screen we've shown so far, there is an Energy Use indicator at the top-right. This goes up and down with the backlight setting, though changing the power button LED and USB port options can reduce energy use a bit too.
We’re glad to see a timeout option for the OSD. The maximum is 60 seconds, and that's more than enough for our tweaking purposes. You can’t move the menu around the screen, but because it's always in the lower-right quadrant, that’s not a problem. This is the place to lock out the OSD if you desire.
We found the button sound option intriguing. It turns on a little chime that rings every time you press a button.
Even though there is an Auto-Rotate option, the included stand doesn’t have rotation. You’ll have to use your own mount to take advantage of this.
As always DDC/CI should be left on to allow two-way communications between the display and your computer.
LCD Conditioning runs a series of screen wipes to combat image retention.
The final menu allows you to change the function of the first three touch keys. This gives you one-button access to various options without navigating the full OSD.
Dell UP3214Q Calibration
With so many calibration options available on the UP3214Q, we explored several different scenarios to get the most out of this monitor. If you’re looking for ultimate accuracy (as we do), the Custom Color and Color Space modes are where you’ll spend your time. Color Space mode isn’t adjustable except for Brightness and Contrast, but it’s very accurate. In fact, that's where you get the best sRGB mode. The Adobe RGB option is very good too. Though, for that gamut, you can do even better in the Custom Color mode, where it's possible to adjust grayscale, gamma, and color to a very high degree of accuracy. The only thing missing in the CMS is a luminance slider, but if your goal is Adobe RGB, that isn’t a problem. Check out our final settings.
| Dell UP3214Q Calibration Settings | |
|---|---|
| Picture Mode | Custom Color |
| Brightness | 32 |
| Contrast | 50 |
| RGB Gain | Red 97, Green 100, Blue 97 |
| RGB Offset | Red 50, Green 50, Blue 50 |
| CMS Hue | Red 50, Green 51, Blue 49, Cyan 50, Magenta 52, Yellow 48 |
| CMS Saturation | Red 50, Green 51, Blue 53, Cyan 50, Magenta 48, Yellow 49 |
| Gamma | PC |
| Sharpness | 50 |
If you want to use the sRGB gamut, we suggest the Color Space mode, set to sRGB, with Brightness at 42 and Contrast at 50. Use the appropriate gamma preset for your PC or Mac. The UP3214Q is well worth the effort of calibration as you’ll see in our test results. It turns out to be one of the most accurate monitors we’ve ever measured.
To measure and calibrate monitors, we use an i1Pro spectrophotometer and version 5.1.2 of SpectraCal’s CalMAN software.

For patterns, we employ an AccuPel DVG-5000 video signal generator. This approach removes video cards and drivers from the signal chain, allowing the display to receive true reference patterns. Connections are made via HDMI.

The AccuPel DVG-5000 is capable of generating all types of video signals at any resolution and refresh rate up to 1920x1080 at 60 Hz. It can also display motion patterns to evaluate a monitor's video processing capabilities, with 3D patterns available in every format. This allows us to measure color and grayscale performance, crosstalk, and ghosting in 3D content via the 3D glasses.
The i1Pro is placed at the center of the screen (unless we’re measuring uniformity) and sealed against it to block out any ambient light. The Accupel pattern generator (bottom left) is controlled via USB by CalMAN, which is running on the Dell XPS laptop on the right.
Our version of CalMAN Ultimate allows me to design all of the screens and workflows to best suit the purpose at hand. To that end, we’ve created a display review workflow from scratch. This way, we can be sure and collect all the necessary data with a concise and efficient set of measurements.
The charts show us the RGB levels, gamma response, and Delta E error for every brightness point from zero to 100 percent. The table shows us the raw data for each measurement. And the area in the upper-left tells us luminance, average gamma, Delta E, and contrast ratio. The individual charts can be copied to the Windows clipboard to easily create graphics for our reviews.
Every primary and secondary color is measured at 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 percent saturation. The color saturation level is simply the distance from the white point on the CIE chart. You can see the targets moving out from white in a straight line. The further a point is from center, the greater the saturation until you hit 100 percent at the edge of the gamut triangle. This shows us the display’s response at a cross-section of color points. Many monitors score well when only the 100 percent saturations are measured. Hitting the targets at the lower saturations is more difficult, and factors into our average Delta E value (which explains why our Delta E values are sometimes higher than those reported by other publications).
Uncalibrated
Before calibrating any panel, we measure zero and 100 percent signals at both ends of the brightness control range. This shows us how contrast is affected at the extremes of a monitor's luminance capability. We do not increase the contrast control past the clipping point. While doing this would increase a monitor’s light output, the brightest signal levels would not be visible, resulting in crushed highlight detail. Our numbers show the maximum light level possible with no clipping of the signal.
Our comparison group is the last six monitors reviewed at Tom’s, including Asus' PQ321Q Ultra HD screen. Before we move on, all of the luminance measurements are taken with Uniformity Compensation turned off, except where noted. When it’s turned on, the monitor’s dynamic range is reduced by about 25 percent, mainly due to a higher black level.

While the UP32314Q isn’t quite as bright as Asus’ PQ321Q, it has more than enough light output for any productivity, graphics, or gaming application. While you can reach Dell’s 350 cd/m2 spec by upping the contrast control, this is at the expense of crushed highlight detail and a slightly green tint in the brightest whites.
The maximum black level runs mid-pack in our comparison group.

For a monitor with its backlight turned all the way up, this is decent performance. If you need to run your display this bright, you’ll need the higher black level to discern shadow detail in a well-lit work environment.
The resulting contrast ratio is pretty solid.

Only half of the monitors we’ve reviewed in the past year can top 1000 to 1 at maximum output. Our measured result means you’ll see an excellent image with plenty of depth and dimension, even if your work environment demands a high brightness setting.
We believe 50 cd/m2 is a practical minimum standard for screen brightness. Any lower and you risk eyestrain and fatigue. Some monitors, like the Dell UP3214Q, measure under that level. We recorded a minimum white level of 33.6211 cd/m2 with the backlight turned all the way down, which is a bit too dim for practical use. Raising the brightness setting to eight gets you 50 cd/m2.
The minimum black level, however, is quite good.

A reading of .0346 cd/m2 is very low. At that level, the monitor looks like it’s powered off. Even when you raise the output to 50 cd/m2, the black level is an excellent .0512 cd/m2, yielding one of the better results we’ve recorded to date.
Here are the contrast values.

We’re starting to see more consistent contrast performance from the latest displays, which means their image looks the same no matter what output level you choose. Most monitors demonstrate varying contrast when the backlight level changes. Needless to say, this trend is a very good thing!
After Calibration
Since we consider 200 cd/m2 to be an ideal point for peak output, we calibrate all of our test monitors to that value. In a room with some ambient light (like an office), this brightness level provides a sharp, punchy image with maximum detail and minimum eye fatigue. It's also the sweet spot for gamma and grayscale tracking, which we'll look at on the next page. In a darkened room, many professionals prefer a 120 cd/m2 calibration, though we find that it makes little to no difference in the calibrated black level and contrast measurements.

The calibrated black level is still nice and low. Remember that the Uniformity Compensation is turned off for these tests. Turning it on boosts the black level about 25 percent. We’ll talk more about this on page nine. Bottom line: using the compensation improves uniformity slightly, but reduces contrast. We think it’s better to leave it off.
Here are the final calibrated contrast numbers.

The calibrated contrast remains very consistent at 1005.5 to 1; again, an excellent performance. And there is no tradeoff in dynamic range when calibrating the UP3214Q. Some monitors take a hit in contrast to achieve their best color and grayscale accuracy.
ANSI Contrast Ratio
Another important measure of contrast is ANSI. To perform this test, a checkerboard pattern of sixteen zero and 100 percent squares is measured, giving us a more real-world result than on/off measurements because it tests a display’s ability to simultaneously maintain both low black and full white levels, factoring in screen uniformity as well. The average of the eight full-white measurements is divided by the average of the eight full-black measurements to arrive at the ANSI result.

We can finally quantify the impact of Uniformity Compensation. While screen uniformity is improved, overall contrast drops by 25 percent. We think the screen looks quite good in its native state without help.
The majority of monitors (especially newer models) display excellent grayscale tracking, even at stock settings. It’s important that the color of white be consistently neutral at all light levels from darkest to brightest. Grayscale performance impacts color accuracy with regard to the secondary colors: cyan, magenta, and yellow. Since computer monitors typically have no color or tint adjustment, accurate grayscale is key.
All of the picture modes in their default state are pretty close to the below chart, which was generated in the Adobe RGB preset.

For an uncalibrated monitor, we're impressed. All errors are under three Delta E and the average value is 1.87. The output level with no adjustments is 236.0479 cd/m2, and the black level is an excellent .1901 cd/m2. Adobe RGB mode returns the best contrast ratio we measured from the UP3214Q: 1242 to 1. You could easily select this mode, dial back the brightness to taste, and enjoy pro-level color accuracy with excellent gamma and contrast.
For our post-calibration chart, we chose the Custom mode and set it up for an Adobe RGB 1998 color space.

This is the best possible result from the UP3214Q. There are no errors of any consequence to discuss. Since Dell includes gain and offset controls for the RGB sliders, it’s easy to dial in excellent white balance. All we had to do was tweak 30 and 80 percent brightness window patterns to achieve an average error of .99 Delta E.
Here’s our comparison group again.

A monitor selling for $3500 should require little to no adjustment to render accurate color and grayscale, and Dell's UP3214Q fulfills that promise. The company includes test results with each screen and we had no trouble duplicating its numbers. An error below two Delta E is promised and delivered. The same is true for both the sRGB and Adobe RGB presets.
Of course, if a monitor includes calibration controls, we’re going to try them out!

This is the best result we could achieve in the Custom mode using the Adobe RGB color space. It is possible to create a custom sRGB color space, but for reasons we’ll explain in a couple of pages, using the preset mode is better. An average error of .99 Delta E is excellent. And because you can select either major color gamut, the UP3214Q is a true professional’s tool.
Gamma Response
Gamma is the measurement of luminance levels at every step in the brightness range from 0 to 100 percent. It's important because poor gamma can either crush detail at various points or wash it out, making the entire picture appear flat and dull. Correct gamma produces a more three-dimensional image, with a greater sense of depth and realism. Meanwhile, incorrect gamma can negatively affect image quality, even in monitors with high contrast ratios.
In the gamma charts below, the yellow line represents 2.2, which is the most widely accepted standard for television, film, and computer graphics production. The closer the white measurement trace comes to 2.2, the better.

The UP3214Q comes with two gamma presets, PC and Mac (also known as 2.2 and 2.0). Regardless of the picture mode selected, the results are the same. It’s pretty much perfect except for small dips at 10- and 90-percent brightness. The only way to improve would be with a multi-point gamma control.
Here’s our test group again for the gamma comparisons.

The aforementioned dips cost the UP3214Q, though a .25 variation in gamma values is extremely small. Our measurements indicate around one cd/m2 of additional brightness at 10 and 90 percent, which is an error you won’t see with a naked eye.
We calculate gamma deviation by simply expressing the difference from 2.2 as a percentage.

With an average value of 2.16, Dell rides very close to the 2.2 standard. When we checked out the Mac gamma, we got a similar result. Such an excellent result befits this display's status as a professional tool.
Color gamut is measured using a saturation sweep that samples the six main colors (red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellow) at five saturation levels (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%), providing a more realistic view of color accuracy.
There are three practical modes you can use for the best color accuracy: sRGB, Adobe RGB, and Custom. First up is the sRGB mode.

Our first chart truly deserves to be called astounding. Check out the luminance. Those are microscopic errors not even worth mentioning! Combined with a nearly dead-on CIE chart, you end up with vanishingly low color errors. All of the Delta E values are well below three.
In the Custom mode, you can create any gamut you wish, though there’s a caveat. The starting point is Adobe RGB 1998, and as you shrink the gamut towards sRGB, greater luminance errors result. If you use the Custom mode, it’s best to aim for Adobe RGB where you can achieve the high level of accuracy shown below. In other words, you can create a custom sRGB gamut, but it won’t be as close as the preset one.

We are particularly proud of and impressed by this result. It does require a fair bit of back and forth to tweak the Hue and Saturation controls. Even though Dell doesn’t include luminance sliders for each color, they aren’t missed if you’re going for an Adobe RGB gamut. When you shoot for sRGB, the luminance errors increase and you can’t fix them. Again, it’s better to use the preset for sRGB.
You can have very accurate color without calibration by simply choosing the Adobe RGB mode from the Color Space menu. However, if you want perfection, employ the CMS and grayscale controls as we did.
Now let’s see how Dell stacks up against the competition.

We’ve included the results from the preset sRGB and Custom Adobe RGB modes. Both numbers are excellent, but the Custom one is particularly noteworthy. Dell's UP3214Q is the first monitor we’ve ever tested that cracks the one Delta E mark. Even Samsung’s super-accurate S27B971D only manages 1.03! It really doesn’t get much better that this.
Gamut Volume: Adobe RGB 1998
There are basically two categories of displays in use today: those that conform to the sRGB/Rec. 709 standard like HDTVs, and wide-gamut panels that show as much as 100 percent of the Adobe RGB 1998 spec. We use Gamutvision to calculate the gamut volume, based on an ICC profile created from actual measurements. The chart shows the percentage of both sRGB and Adobe RGB 1998 gamuts.

The UP3214Q scores another top result in the gamut volume test. It's only the second display we’ve tested that can render both gamuts, and Dell covers them to near perfection. Photographers will principally use the wider Adobe RGB 1998 color space, but there are times when sRGB is more apropos. Anyone using this monitor for entertainment will want the smaller color space to better match gaming and video content.
While the UP3214Q uses a different panel than the Asus PQ321Q, they are both IPS screens using IGZO technology. Therefore, we expect similar results in their off-axis viewing performance. The Dell, like the Asus, shows a slight green tint when moving to the sides, and only minimal light reduction when moving above or below the center of the screen. No LCD is perfect due to the one trait that every panel shares: its light travels to you through a polarizer. While IPS makes huge improvements over TN in this regard, all desktop displays are best viewed as close to the center axis as possible.
Screen Uniformity: Luminance
To measure screen uniformity, zero- and 100-percent full-field patterns are used, and nine points are sampled. In a change from previous reviews, we’re now comparing the results to other monitors we’ve measured. First, we establish a baseline measurement at the center of each screen. Then the surrounding eight points are measured and their values expressed as a percentage of the baseline, either above or below. This number gets averaged. It is important to remember that we only test the review sample each vendor sends us. Other examples of the same monitor can measure differently in this metric.
First up is black field uniformity.

As we mentioned earlier, the Uniformity Compensation feature is effective but not entirely without compromise. Remember the ANSI contrast test, where turning it on reduced the result by 25 percent. Here is the upside of that. In a black field pattern, we see a 1.65-percent improvement. We can’t see them but our C6 luminance meter tells us the hot spots are in the upper-left, upper-right, and lower-right corners.
The following chart reflects the white field measurement.

The improvement is even more significant in this test, to the point that Dell's UP3214Q takes the crown as the monitor with the best white field uniformity ever seen in our labs. Even with the compensation off, it comes in at a very respectable 9.06 percent. Interestingly, the other screen with an extremely low result, Samsung’s S27B971D, also has a uniformity compensation feature.
Screen Uniformity: Color
To measure color uniformity, we display an 80-percent white field and measure the Delta E error of the same nine points on the screen. Then we simply subtract the lowest value from the highest to arrive at the result. A smaller number means a display is more uniform. Any value below three means a variation that is invisible to the naked eye.

The uniformity look-up table scores another victory in the color test. While a Delta E variation of 4.53 isn’t too bad, 1.31 is even better. If you leave the compensation off, there's an obvious flaw in the lower-right corner where we can see a slight green tint. Removing that measurement from the equation results in a 2.73 value. It’s likely that another sample would measure differently.
To perform these tests, we use a high-speed camera that shoots at 1000 frames per second. Analyzing the video frame-by-frame allows us to observe the exact time it takes to go from a zero-percent signal to a 100% white field.
The pattern generator is placed at the base of the monitor so our camera can capture the precise moment its front-panel LED lights up, indicating that a video signal is being received by the monitor. With this camera placement, we can easily see how long it takes to fully display a pattern after pressing the button on the generator’s remote. This testing methodology allows for accurate and repeatable results when comparing panels.
Here’s a shot of our test setup. Click on the photo to enlarge.
The brighter section of the camera’s screen is what actually appears in the video. You can see the lights of the pattern generator in the bottom of the viewfinder. We flash the pattern on and off five times and average the results.
Here’s the screen draw result.

A 25-millisecond result is just what we’d expect from an IPS screen. Even though IGZO technology has the potential to improve on this aspect of performance, we believe the display’s electronics are the limiting factor. Moving almost 8.3 million pixels requires a lot of bandwidth and it’s going to take time for all the different components to catch up.
Here are the lag results.

If high-speed gaming is your primary reason for buying a 4K screen, Asus' PQ321Q is the better choice right now. For those with super-fast reaction times, you would be better served by a TN-based display equipped with G-Sync, or some other display with a 120 or 144 Hz refresh. Asus and Dell are marketing these as professional-, rather than enthusiast-oriented products. Dell takes that a step further with its selectable color gamuts and precise accuracy. As we’ve stated before, 4K gaming requires two things right now: big compromises and a pile of cash.
If you’ve made it this far, it should be fairly obvious that Dell delivers a winning product in its UP3214Q. Yes, the price of admission is substantial, but this is a bleeding-edge product that performs far better than most first-gen technology. If you have the necessary graphics hardware, the UP3214Q is a true plug-and-play 4K solution.
Asus gave us excellent build quality with its PQ321Q, but Dell goes a little bit further. This is the most metal we’ve seen in any computer component outside of a case. Not only do you get a slick aluminum band around the panel’s perimeter, but the entire base and upright are made from the same material. We also really like the easy snap-on installation of those parts.
Feature-wise, the UP3214Q is quite complete. Three digital inputs take care of any potential (and relevant) source. We would have really liked to see HDMI 2.0 compatibility, but admittedly that interface is still in its infancy, having only been ratified a few months ago. Both DisplayPort connectors support full resolution at 60 Hz though, so long as your video card is multi-stream-compatible. We also applaud the inclusion of four USB 3.0 ports and an SD card reader.

For tweakers like us, the UP3214Q provides hours of enjoyment. With two nearly perfect presets for sRGB and Adobe RGB, plus a CMS and full grayscale control, you can calibrate this display to an extremely high standard. We recorded several top or near-top results in our tests. Most notable, perhaps, was color accuracy. Our benchmark takes the average of 30 measurements to arrive at an overall Delta E value. Any display that scores under one is exceptional, and Dell joins that exclusive club with its .75 result. In fact, the only other display in the same club isn't even a computer monitor; it’s a Pioneer plasma we use as a comparison point for our HDTV reviews!
Of course, contrast is an equally important metric and the UP3214Q beats Asus by a nose there as well, similarly maintaining a constant contrast ratio of around 1000:1 at all brightness levels. We run our tests at 200 cd/m2 as always, but you will see ideal image quality no matter your preference. Really, this monitor works well in any environment we can imagine without making quality compromises. Our only warning is to be careful with the Uniformity Compensation feature. While it does improve screen uniformity, it also reduces contrast by 25 percent. We were very happy with this display in an unaltered state, but your mileage may vary.
At least on paper, all of the 31.5” 4K panels seem stuck at $3500. Newegg is currently selling the UP3214Q for $2500 though, knocking $1000 off. We're not sure how long that will last, and it's still a steep price on high-end technology. But you can at least snag a pair of GeForce GTX 780s with the savings. Even more relief is in sight, too. We just received Dell’s UP2414Q, which retails for $1300, and that review will follow shortly. The company also introduced a budget-oriented 28-inch model as well, the P2815Q. Gamers might favor it more, since it's a $700 screen with a faster-responding TN panel.
There’s no question that 4K is here. Adoption will move along slowly for as long as prices remain stratospheric, but more affordable models continue tempting us. Stay tuned because we’re confident there are many more high-res display reviews to come!




