Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
Dell’s recent packaging eliminates most of the Styrofoam blocks typically encountered in monitor cartons. Replacing them are carefully-shaped parts made of corrugated cardboard. The new system seems to have enough strength to withstand the rigors of shipping, and is easier to recycle. Our sample arrived without a scratch.
Again, the UP2414Q includes a calibration data sheet specific to each monitor that shows results for grayscale tracking, color, gamma, and screen uniformity. Our test results support Dell’s claims of errors below two Delta E for both the sRGB and Adobe RGB color gamuts, and gamma is spot-on. Grayscale tracking turns out to be a tad over two Delta E, but still lower than I could see with my eyes. We were also able to duplicate Dell’s results in the screen uniformity test when we turned the compensation on.
Also included in the box are cables for USB 3.0, DisplayPort, and an IEC power cord. Drivers and manuals are provided on a CD-ROM.
Product 360
The base and upright are made from a satin-finished aluminum that looks very high-end. Dell uses the same material in the bezel surround, which is visible from the side. The screen’s frame is slightly narrower than average at 20 millimeters. Height adjustment spans a substantial 5.2 inches, and you can tilt the screen up to 15 degrees and swivel it 45 degrees in either direction. Rotation to portrait mode is supported, and an option in the OSD flips the image automatically. All the movements are very precise, offering just the right level of resistance.
Not surprisingly, the anti-glare layer is just as good as the one we saw on Dell's UP3214Q. It rejects light extremely well and still looks super-sharp. Just imagine how small text and other Windows objects look on a 24-inch Ultra HD screen. Even though OS-level DPI scaling is pretty much mandatory, this monitor completely earns its UltraSharp designation.
Controls on the UP2414Q work exactly like Dell's other displays. In the lower-right corner is a tactile power toggle followed upwards by five back-lit buttons. Touching any of them brings up an OSD that sits right next to the screen’s edge. We really like Dell’s user interface. Once you get the hang of it (which takes very little time), you can maneuver through the extensive menus with ease and efficiency.
The UP2414Q is just over two inches thick, so it won’t win any awards for compact dimensions. But there are no extraneous bulges to get in the way of wall mounting. The left side (not shown) sports an SD card slot, which is activated through the input panel's USB connection. In the image above, you can see the aluminum strip that surrounds the bezel very clearly.
The back is an all-plastic piece that tapers smoothly from side to side and bottom to top. Ventilation is handled by narrow grills at the top and bottom. The upright comes off without tools to reveal a 100 mm VESA mount. You can just make out the input panel on the bottom, which is hidden by a removable plastic cover. And a small hole in the upright takes care of cable management.
We’re seeing more and more monitors without VGA or DVI inputs. The UP2414Q includes only HDMI 1.4a and two DisplayPort connectors. One of them is the mini version, supported by the bundled mini-to-full-size cable. Dell claims compatibility with DisplayPort 1.2, which is sufficient for 3840x2160 at 60 Hz through multi-stream compatibility. We have yet to see a computer monitor with an HDMI 2.0 interface, but that's all the same given a lack of similarly-equipped graphics cards. Then again, we just reviewed a Toshiba 4K HDTV with HDMI 2.0 support, so it's only a matter of time.
The UP2414Q doesn't have built-in speakers, but the same soundbar Dell offers with its UP3214Q is also available for this screen.
