If you're looking for the tablet-like experience on your desktop PC, Dell's P2714T could be the answer. This 27-inch multi-touch screen offers FHD resolution and sleek design at a high price point. But does its performance stack up in our lab tests?
With the launch of Windows 8 in 2012, Microsoft made touchscreen computing on the desktop mainstream. The Windows 8 interface attempted to bridge the gap between phones, tablets, and PCs by providing the same multi-touch experience first marketed by Apple in the original iPhone.

While touchscreen monitors are nothing new, they never had a reason to become more prevalent until Windows 8 hit the streets. Before that, only specific commercial applications and interactive displays used the technology. While Microsoft’s shiny new OS doesn’t require a touchscreen, its default layout certainly begs for one. Most power users continue to eschew the Windows 8 UI in favor of a traditional desktop. But for the folks willing to give it a shot, multi-touch displays offer a new way to interact with your computer.
To that end, Dell recently released its P2714T. This is a 27-inch PLS screen with a maximum resolution of 1920x1080. For now, the number of multi-touch-compatible monitors at this size is small, and there are none that we know of offering higher than FHD resolution. If you want the pixel density of a QHD screen, you're out of luck at the moment.
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Model | P2714T |
| MSRP | $700 |
| Panel Type | PLS |
| Backlight | W-LED, edge array |
| Screen Size | 27-inch |
| Touch Panel | Projected capacitive 10-point multi-touch |
| Touch Resolution | 32,767x32,767 |
| Max Resolution | 1920x1080 |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Response Time (GTG) | 8 ms |
| Brightness | 270 cd/m2 |
| Speakers | - |
| VGA | 1 |
| DVI | - |
| DisplayPort | 1 |
| HDMI | 2 w/MHL |
| Audio | 1 out (1/8" mini-plug) |
| USB 3.0 | 1 up, 2 down |
| USB 2.0 | 2 down |
| Panel Dimensions W x H x D | 26.2 x 18.7 x 3.1 in 665 x 476 x 80 mm |
| Panel Thickness | 1.7 in / 44 mm |
| Weight | 20.66 lbs / 9.39 kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
Seven hundred dollars sounds downright expensive for a 27-inch FHD screen, regardless of its performance. But the addition of a large touch-sensitive layer is not without cost. The output position resolution is even finer than that of the LCD panel behind. This makes for an extremely precise response to user input.
The technology is the same as you’d find on an iPad. A layer of electrodes is etched onto the front glass panel. Then, current is applied to create an electrical field. When a conductive object comes in contact with the field, the change in voltage is measured and translated into an input signal.
A 10-point touchscreen adds additional gestures beyond the actions you might be most familiar with. You can use multiple fingers to pinch in and out, double- and triple-tap, flick at varying speeds, and other combinations. Each is interpreted differently and translated into on-screen motion. How that appears depends on the operating system you're using. The two most common touch-enabled OSes are iOS and Windows 8, and they both employ similar gestures.
- 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.