Dell S2719DGF 155Hz Gaming Monitor Review: Speedy QHD

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Viewing Angles, Uniformity, Response and Lag

Viewing Angles

Looking at the flaws in the S2719DGF’s off-axis photo, you can tell that it’s a TN panel. But if you compare it to other TN displays, it fares quite well. There is a green shift and a 40 percent reduction in brightness to the sides, but all the dark steps can be seen clearly. If you view this monitor from 45 degrees, you’ll still see a decent picture. Even the top view is better than other TN screens we’ve photographed. While the image was still largely washed out, we could still see all the brightness steps from light to dark. You won’t have to give up much off-center viewing quality to reap the benefits of the S2719DGF’s extra speed.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Our sample had a few just-visible hotspots in its corners. We could see them in our black field pattern, but at any higher brightness they disappeared. During our gaming sessions, we didn’t experience any issues that detracted from gameplay. While this is a bit below average among our typical review subjects, it is by no means a deal-breaker.

Pixel Response & Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

In monitors, it seems that once speed goes over a 144Hz refresh rate, the differences in screen response are small to non-existent. You can see in the graphs above that the PG27V’s 165Hz isn’t enough to beat the S2719DGF in our top-to-bottom full-transition test. When checking input lag, our top three screens were within a hair’s breadth of each other. We doubt even the most skilled players are able to detect a 4ms difference.

These charts make a clear case in favor of faster monitors that operate at 144Hz and above. With faster draw times comes lower motion blur. Then, you won’t have to rely on backlight strobes or excessive overdrive to smooth out the action. And input lag is always lower at higher refresh rates. That’s a benefit, even for casual gamers.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

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Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

  • digitalgriffin
    poor contrast, poor gamut, poor viewing angles, simulated bit depth through dithering?Yep it's TN
    Reply
  • thealmightyeyeball
    I bought one of these and returned it. It had a nice picture for TN, but I was getting horrible tears playing DooM using freesync. My old reliable monitor does not do this.
    Reply
  • derekullo
    Will an 11hz refresh rate overclock do much more than let them put 155hz on the box?
    Reply
  • richardvday
    Yea 11hz is nothing to get excited about.
    Seems high for a tn monitor. Meh
    Reply
  • AlistairAB
    They get a deservedly bad rap. Gamma will be all way off. Look at the file explorer icon for example, it will bloom on TN monitors. Painful to look at unless you are very young. It's garbage, and they should stop making TN monitors. "Rap" comes from experience.
    Reply
  • beshonk
    Why is the screen size in your table listed as 24.5 inches? It's a 27 inch...
    Reply
  • milkod2001
    make it 4k at 32" size, 120Hz would do. Is that so much to ask in nearly 2019?
    1440p monitors are so 2010. Still have one, there is no way i'lll get another only because it has faster refresh rate.
    Reply
  • barryv88
    Am i missing something here?? This is a FREESYNC monitor for goodness sakes. Which means, Tom's was supposed to test it with an AMD card, then report to us how well Freesync worked in games. Come on guys, pull up your socks....
    Reply
  • jaexyr
    TN right at the beginning, that's all I needed to see
    Reply
  • Giroro
    I mean ... at least it's not curved.
    Reply