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Packaging, Physical Layout And Accessories
The UP2715K comes in stout packaging that's completely foam-free. The monitor, base and upright are firmly held in place by strategically shaped and folded corrugated cardboard. The entire carton and its contents are recyclable. Our sample arrived without a scratch and it appears the box can withstand a reasonable level of abuse by its handlers during shipping. The screen is protected by a semi-rigid plastic sheet to prevent scratching its shiny surface.
The accessory bundle includes high-quality cables; definitely a cut above the norm. To run at 5K you'll need to use the enclosed DisplayPort wires, which are held together by plastic clips and marked primary and secondary. You also get a DP-to-miniDP cable, which can run the monitor at up to Ultra HD resolution, and a USB 3.0 connector. A CD contains the manual and drivers along with a calibration app that can create two custom setups if you have an i1Pro or i1DisplayPro meter.
Product 360
The screen's front layer is a single sheet of shiny plastic that is coated to reduce glare—and it does so quite effectively. The TFT layer is placed very close behind to increase sharpness. Image detail is stunning and razor-sharp with no hint of grain or other artifacts. You won't see individual pixels even when you put your nose right up to the screen. There is a bezel, though it's flush and therefore difficult to see when the monitor is off. Styling is in keeping with Dell's premium products and uses a nicely-blended combination of aluminum and silver plastic.
The base is all-metal while the upright uses plastic trim over a steel core. Adjustments are solid with an ideal resistance level and no slop or play. In addition to tilt there's a portrait mode along with swivel and height. The two down-firing speakers are fairly powerful and render a decent frequency range with their 16 watt-per-channel amps. The bezel proudly displays "Acoustics by harman/kardon" and that is evident in the UP2715K's sound. Not only is there volume to spare, you can actually hear a little bass.
From the right side you can see the panel is fairly slim. This is where you'll find the control buttons that move with a satisfying click. There are no USB ports here; you'll have to go around back for those.
The UP2715K is smooth across the back with an input panel cover and upright cable hole to keep things tidy. One of the five USB ports can be seen just to the right of the cover. Ventilation is accomplished by thin grills at the top and bottom. Some heat builds up after a few hours thanks to an internal power supply and a fairly bright backlight. The upright unsnaps by pushing a button to reveal a 100mm VESA mount.
DisplayPort inputs total three and the two standard ones are where the 5K magic happens. The one marked in blue should be connected to your graphics card's primary output. The included cable is color-coded as well to make things easy. Our test system with its Titan X worked at full resolution right out of the box. If you don't have the appropriate hardware, you can run at Ultra HD with most adapters using the included single DP-to-mini cable. Also here are the five USB 3.0 ports with their upstream connector. Labels are large and clear making setup a snap.
