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

Tom's Hardware Verdict

This is one of the most accurate edge-array monitors for HDR. It loses some peak color saturation and doesn’t have full Ultra HD resolution, but at this price point, there are few screens better. On top of that, it boasts style that goes above and beyond the norm.

Pros

  • +

    Out-of-box accuracy

  • +

    HDR accuracy

  • +

    Good contrast

  • +

    600 nits peak HDR brightness

  • +

    Stylish

  • +

    Good video processing for Ultra HD signals

  • +

    Extended color

Cons

  • -

    Doesn’t quite hit DCI-P3

  • -

    60Hz refresh rate

  • -

    No adaptive sync

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Features & Specifications

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a monitor that looks great and performs well at the same time? Dell has answered the call with the S2719DM.

The Dell S2718DM impresses when it comes to HDR. While it won’t post the impressive numbers of its pro-level stablemate, the UP2718Q, it's about a fifth of the cost at $350. The best HDR comes from full-array backlights, but among edge-array monitors the S2718DM is one of the most accurate. It gives up a little peak color saturation and doesn’t have full Ultra HD resolution, but at this price point, there are few screens that are better. On top of that, it goes above and beyond in the style category.

You may notice our “sRGB+” notation in the specs. Dell claims 85% DCI-P3 coverage for the S2719DM, but our tests reveal it’s closer to 75%. So, it goes beyond sRGB but doesn’t quite get to DCI. And you’ll only see that extra color with HDR content.

And before you say, “it’s only Quad HD,” note the monitor accepts a 3840x2160 signal from a Blu-ray player and down-rezzes without artifacts or other issues. It won’t quite show you all the pixels or colors from your favorite games or Ultra HD movies, but it goes beyond a typical sRGB/SDR display.

With a max refresh rate of 60Hz, this monitor won’t be on most gamers’ wish lists. But its specs make it ideal for desktop movie-watching and appropriate for color-critical work in sRGB formats. 

Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Brand & ModelDell S2719DM
Panel Type & BacklightIPS / W-LED, edge arrayHDR10, HDR400
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio27" / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh2560x1440 @ 60HzDensity - 109ppi
Native Color Depth & Gamut8-bit / sRGB+
Response Time (GTG)5ms
BrightnessSDR - 400 nitsHDR - 500 nits
ContrastSDR - 1000:1HDR - 2000:1
Speakers
Video Inputs2 x HDMI 2.0a
Audio3.5mm headphone output
USB
Power Consumption22.5w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel DimensionsWxHxD w/base24 x 17.7 x 6.2"610 x 450 x 157mm
Panel Thickness1.1" / 29mm
Bezel Width.28" / 7mm
Weight9.9lbs / 4.5kg
WarrantyThree years

Product 360

The S2719DM ships fully assembled and comes with an HDMI cable. The power supply is external and housed in a tiny brick styled like something you’d see packaged with a laptop.

The S2719DM looks very much like a small iMac. The base and upright are all-metal, made from solid aluminum with a satin finish. They are permanently attached to the panel, which shares the same finish on its plastic backing. A hole in the upright makes cable management easy.

A nice stiff hinge provides 15 degrees back tilt and 5 degrees forward. There are no other adjustments available.

The device doesn't offer VESA mount options, so if you have ergonomic needs outside the norm, you might want to check this monitor out in person before committing

A Corning Iris Glass light-guide plate ensures a slim design. The thickest point is just a little over one inch, which is about half the typical depth of an LCD computer monitor. An almost-invisible grill along the top edge exhausts heat, which is minimal

The Corning Iris Glass light-guide plate also adds clarity by making the TFT air-gap nearly non-existent. The image is extremely sharp and contrasted thanks to this optical feature.

The bezel creates a 7mm frame around the picture that's so small you can't even see it when the monitor is off. Controls consist of tiny buttons that face down. The power key has a small white LED inside that glows just brightly enough without being obtrusive.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test Monitors

MORE: All Monitor Content

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.

  • 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