Dell S2719DM 27" QHD HDR Monitor Review: Style Meets Performance

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By Christian Eberle
published

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Conclusion

The Dell S2719DM is a style-oriented product, but also has performance chops to complement its stunning looks. Its all-metal base and upright along with a matte-silver finish bring design elements that have stood the test of time and hold wide appeal. If you want something that sheds the environs of the typical office cubicle, this monitor is it.

Our testing revealed a few key things. The monitor doesn’t quite cover the DCI-P3 color gamut as widely as other HDR monitors. With about 10% less volume, it gives up a little punch in the brightest parts of the picture. Still, the majority of content looks fine, so this is certainly not a deal-breaker.

The S2719DM’s HDR support is excellent. Even though its resolution is 2560x1440, it accepts 3840x2160 signals up to 60Hz. Competent video processing down-rezzes those signals without issue. The only thing we’d like to see added is a 24p mode for film-based material. Other than that flaw, this thing is great for watching movies. It won’t quite match a VA panel in this regard, but it comes awfully close.

This monitor also boasts fantastic HDR accuracy. Grayscale tracking and EOTF are implemented perfectly, and that implementation extends to the SDR modes too.

Those attributes combined with an attractive price and pleasing design make this monitor ideal for desktop-bound users seeking a good entertainment monitor. Without a higher refresh rate or adaptive sync, it won’t excel at gaming, but for casual play, it’s fine.

Ultimately, the S2719DM meets its design goal while advancing the HDR monitor genre. Highly Recommended.

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Christian Eberle
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.

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11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Rdslw
    DELL >> anything, AT least in monitors. solid, bright, and just works no matter what and how you connect it. Easily best monitors I had.
    Reply
  • AlistairAB
    I guess I just got unlucky. I ordered it right when it came out, clearly the best looking picture I've seen from a 1440p screen. But my black uniformity was awful with bleed everywhere. I ultimately bought the new Samsung 32" 4k monitor for $400 and am much happier.

    Nice to see though that Tom's got one with fantastic black uniformity, maybe I should have just ordered a second one.....
    Reply
  • AlistairAB
    The monitor is really beautiful and thin. Excellent build quality, much surpassing last year's thin design.
    Reply
  • truerock
    I'm not sure I understand that 60Hz is a "Con"
    You can't get 120Hz in a 4k UHD monitor. That would require HDMI 2.1 which is not something you can buy for a Windows 10 PC at this time.
    Am I missing something?
    Is Tom's saying >>all<< 4k UHD monitors have a con of a maximum 60Hz?
    Reply
  • truerock
    OK... I'm reding the article again. It's just stupid. The subject is 4k UHD monitors. The reviewer is mentally confused and trying to compare 4k UHD monitors to other monitor form factors.

    The author needs to write a different article about the state of 4k UHD monitors in general compared to typical 1080p monitors or something like that.
    Reply
  • 10tacle
    21130801 said:
    I'm not sure I understand that 60Hz is a "Con"
    You can't get 120Hz in a 4k UHD monitor. That would require HDMI 2.1 which is not something you can buy for a Windows 10 PC at this time.
    Am I missing something?
    Is Tom's saying >>all<< 4k UHD monitors have a con of a maximum 60Hz?

    I had the exact same thought. The price point of this monitor and its features are extremely competitive if not class setting. You have to spend over $400 (USD) to get a faster 1440p 27" monitor, and that's not even including one for Freesync or G-Sync. Further, I am one who doesn't see the major performance improvement past a consistent 60Hz/60FPS gameplay experience or a 120Hz/120FPS experience.

    This is why I've always overkilled on GPU power. I want to make sure the minimum frames in games don't dip down to near or below the 60FPS/60Hz sync limit. Also, the GPU doesn't have to work as hard. I've tried a G-sync 144Hz monitor and just didn't appreciate the cost difference vs. performance. I guess my eyes are getting older.

    Anyway I've been very happy with my Dell U2713HM 1440p that is now five years old. It cost over $500 but for the time was top of the line. In fact I have four Dell monitors I've never had problems with any of them dating back to a 2000-built 19" Trinitron G420S CRT built by Sony. If my 1440p monitor dies, I'd snap one of these up in a heartbeat.

    Also, I hope one day we can all have some sort of HDR standard because the different formats of it are not the same kind of tech and really not directly comparable:

    HDR10 Dolby Vision
    HLG
    Advanced HDR

    Off topic: I see my Dell G420S CRT monitor is selling on eBay for $450 plus! A photographer pro friend tells me that these old CRTs are still in high demand for their color reproduction. I think I just found my ticket to my next hardware upgrade.
    Reply
  • JamesSneed
    21130801 said:
    I'm not sure I understand that 60Hz is a "Con"
    You can't get 120Hz in a 4k UHD monitor. That would require HDMI 2.1 which is not something you can buy for a Windows 10 PC at this time.
    Am I missing something?
    Is Tom's saying >>all<< 4k UHD monitors have a con of a maximum 60Hz?

    If only this was a 4k monitor you may have had a point.
    Reply
  • JamesSneed
    21130815 said:
    OK... I'm reding the article again. It's just stupid. The subject is 4k UHD monitors. The reviewer is mentally confused and trying to compare 4k UHD monitors to other monitor form factors.

    The author needs to write a different article about the state of 4k UHD monitors in general compared to typical 1080p monitors or something like that.

    It's a QHD i.e 2K monitor. I don't think the author is the one confused. :pt1cable:
    Reply
  • JamesSneed
    I think the cons should list the lack of VESA, not a conn for everyone but then neither is 60 Hz. Personally on the spec chart I think VESA mountable should be there and if it was show the VESA mount size like 100x100 etc.
    Reply
  • truerock
    21132577 said:
    21130815 said:
    OK... I'm reding the article again. It's just stupid. The subject is 4k UHD monitors. The reviewer is mentally confused and trying to compare 4k UHD monitors to other monitor form factors.

    The author needs to write a different article about the state of 4k UHD monitors in general compared to typical 1080p monitors or something like that.

    It's a QHD i.e 2K monitor. I don't think the author is the one confused. :pt1cable:

    Wow... do I feel stupid. I've been so focused on upgrading to 4k UHD that I forgot what QHD was.
    In my limited brain space there is only 1920x1080p and 3840x2160 UHD. Everything else is just noise that I ignore. If I had noticed the article was about a QHD monitor I wouldn't have even read it.

    Thanks for pointing out my stupidity. I was really confused about 60Hz being a "Con".

    Reply