Dell UP2718Q Ultra HD HDR Professional Monitor Review

OSD Setup & Calibration

The UP2718Q’s OSD is extensive and includes a full set of calibration controls in the Custom Color mode. You're not likely to need them, however. Not only are there presets for every conceivable color gamut, two auto-cal memories are available for use with Dell’s software.

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First up are the luminance controls. They are available in every mode except HDR where brightness is grayed out. Following that is the source selector. Turning on Auto Select means the UP2718Q will lock onto the first signal it receives at power-up.

The Color menu offers seven preset modes, but the one we expect will see the most use is Color Space. Within it are five gamut options plus two auto-cal memories accessed through the software. The factory calibration data sheet certifies accuracy for the sRGB and Adobe RGB modes, but we found all the presets to be of similar precision. We’ll show you those details on page four. Additionally, the Color menu offers support for RGB or YPbPr input signals.

In the Display menu, you’ll find aspect ratio options (Wide, 4:3, 1:1) and a sharpness slider. Uniformity Compensation is available but not for the color gamut presets. Smart HDR offers two different modes for HDR signals, or you can turn it off. We found only HDR Vivid to be color-accurate.

The UP2718Q can display two signals at once in a PBP or PIP configuration. The PIP window can be small or large but can’t be moved around the screen.

USB selection assigns the two upstream ports to a specific video input. That allows full KVM functions when the monitor is connected to two computers. This is useful in post-production environments when multiple systems are integrated into a single workspace.

The OSD comes in multiple languages, can have a variable transparency level, and up to a 60-second timeout.

Three of the bezel control keys can be programmed to a variety of functions, including mode selection, luminance, and source. You can turn off the power LED if it becomes a distraction. The USB ports can be left active in the monitor’s standby mode if you need them for charging duty. And the UP2718Q can go to sleep after a set period of inactivity.

The Others menu has signal info, but you’ll have to check the upper-right corner of the window to know when you’re in HDR mode. You'll also find auto-rotation for the OSD, DDC/CI, LCD Conditioning, firmware version, and SDK access. When you want to return all settings to their defaults, choose Factory Reset.

Calibration

It is possible to calibrate the UP2718Q in the Custom Color mode like other Dell UltraSharp displays. Alternately, you can select one of the preset gamuts in Color Space mode, or use the provided calibration software with an i1 Pro or i1 DisplayPro from X-rite. We chose to simply use the preset gamuts, which cover sRGB, Rec.709, DCI-P3, and Adobe RGB. All proved to be reasonably accurate, though we thought there was room for improvement. We’ll show you our data on page four. In HDR mode, only Contrast is available, and we suggest leaving that on 75% for best results there. The color gamut presets are also adjustable. Most Ultra HD content is mastered to the DCI-P3 spec.

Here are the brightness settings for several commonly used output levels. They can be set independently for each gamut you wish to use.

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