The P2714T comes in a standard suitcase-style box with sufficient protection to withstand the rigors of shipment. HDMI and USB 3.0 cables come bundled, and the panel is kept slim by an external power supply. Dell includes the brick and a detachable cord. Rounding out the accessory package is a CD containing the user’s manual and drivers, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a Velcro cable tie.
The panel seems very solidly put together. There isn’t the slightest hint of flex in any part. Given that a monitor like this is expected to get touched, prodded, poked, and perhaps even manhandled, beefy construction is a must if it's going to survive at least as long as Dell's three-year warranty period. Desktop displays typically aren't subjected to such abuse, so construction quality is an important new consideration. Dell’s has always been well above average, and this touchscreen is no exception.
Product 360

The front of the panel is a single sheet of glass. The black bezel is actually behind that, so it won’t interfere with touch interaction. In fact, one centimeter of the bezel is designated a swipe-in area, which is a wholly separate gesture from a swipe that only takes place on the viewing surface. This technique is used to pull out graphical drawers onto the screen, which can be used for a variety of functions. For more on Windows 8 and its available touch-based interactions, check out The Definitive Windows 8 Review And User Guide.
Controls are tucked around the lower-right side of the panel. You have to operate them by feel, though that shouldn't be a problem because a small graphic pops up when you press any key, denoting the function of each. You’ll see a photo of this on the next page.

From the side, the panel looks slim and smooth. The plastic back panel is a single piece of hard plastic that wraps around to meet the front glass. The stand is aluminum and sports integrated rubber pads that grip any surface. Its hinge is very stiff, which means the monitor effectively holds any position you choose. Obviously there is no height adjustment, but you can expand the stand backwards until the panel is almost horizontal.

This is the lowest you can go with the P2714T. You wouldn’t use a typical computer monitor like this unless you were replicating Dillinger’s desktop from Tron. For a touchpanel however, this position can be very useful.

If you find the included stand too limiting, you can remove it to expose a 100 mm VESA mount.

Inputs face downwards and include DisplayPort, two HDMI connections, and VGA. The USB 3.0 upstream port must be connected to enable touchscreen functionality. The two downstream ports on the back operate at USB 2.0 data rates, while the two side ports are third-gen-capable. The audio line-out jack is for use with speakers only; it does not support headphones. Audio input is enabled via DisplayPort or the HDMI interfaces. Speaking of HDMI, it's MHL-compatible, which means you can display the content from your phone or tablet on the P2714T. And the ports will charge your device whenever it's connected.
Connecting the P2714T is a plug and play affair in both Windows 7 and 8. Simply attach a video cable (we used DisplayPort) to your graphics card and the bundled USB 3.0 cable to an available port on your PC. After a quick reboot, you’re up and running with touchscreen functionality. Response to our gestures was fast and smooth with no perceptible lag. The touch layer's high resolution manifests in the fluid motion of on-screen objects and the ability to select very tiny buttons and text with precision. The glass doesn’t feel quite as slippery as an iPad, but it’s very close. And it resists fingerprints fairly well. Dell includes a small cleaning cloth in the box. If you use your own, make sure it’s of the lint-free microfiber variety.
Using such a large touchpanel is undeniably cool, but we still need to run through our standard calibration and benchmark tests before we get too carried away!
- Dell P2714T: A 27-Inch IPS-Based Touchscreen Monitor
- Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
- OSD Setup And Calibration Of The Dell P2714T
- Measurement And Calibration Methodology: How We Test
- Results: Brightness And Contrast
- Results: Grayscale Tracking And Gamma Response
- Results: Color Gamut And Performance
- Results: Viewing Angle And Uniformity
- Results: Pixel Response And Input Lag
- Touch Or Not, Dell's P2714T Is A Solid Performer
I said it's a crappy idea that's not going to catch on, and I'd prefer not to have to pay extra for it or sacrifice other aspects of the display, like resolution in this case. That said, the companies can put their R&D and marketing $ wherever they want, not my money, but it's still dumb.
So instead of injuring your arms from repetitive stress holding them up in front to touch the screen, you are going to get RSI, cramps or other problems in your neck for staring at a steeper down-angle for too many hours a day... or get both problems, albeit over a longer term than either extreme, if you put the touch-screen somewhere in-between.
This is going to be 'fun' 10-20 years down the road. (As in lawsuits due to not being warned by device manufacturers that extended use of their device in a typical setup may lead to injuries.)
On the plus side, as long as it is only the glass cover getting dirty, it is much easier to clean than a keyboard or mouse.
Kiosks is a nice use of touch since it is pretty easy to "secure" those by simply omitting unwanted access in the UI design with the rest of the system physically locked out - touch-based kiosks have been around for a long time: the first time I have seen a touch-based terminal was in a video rental store about 15 years ago and the menu was in good old 80x25 text mode.
Industrial touch applications are nice too since you can seal the display on the "dirty" hot side of the application and lock the rest on the "clean" cooled weatherproof side.
For everyday computing, touch may also have its uses such as when demonstrating stuff: instead of demonstrating software or page layouts by pointing things out on the screen with fingers and then using a keyboard/mouse to activate the object or navigate pages, clickable things can be demonstrated on-screen - you already have your fingers in there to point things out anyway.