- Overall
The Dell P2418D offers a downsized QHD screen that is quite reliable for everyday use at a very reasonable price point. This model has an extra sharp screen that’s great for games and movies, but it’s more suitable for productivity or business use. The Dell P2418D is a great choice if space is limited but a more detailed screen is required, but what kind of performance numbers can it deliver?
Dell P2418D Specifications
- Screen Size: 24 Inches
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 5ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 300 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes 100 x 100
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4x 2, USB 3.0 x 5, Audio Jack x 1
- Dimensions with Stand(WxHxD): 21.2” x 14.1” x 7.1”
- Weight: 17.22 lbs
Design and Features
The Dell P2418D sports the brand’s signature aesthetic treatment which has symbolized durability and reliability over the past few years. The brand makes all of their monitor variants using this all-business look except for their Alienware line which adds a more aggressive vibe in the mix. This model is also bezel-free like its contemporary siblings, giving users a nice and clear view of the display.
Build quality for the Dell P2418D is excellent as expected since it shows no manufacturing defects such as warping on its plastic panels. The device feels like it’s built like a tank, but its modest proportions can help it fit into tiny spaces such as study corners. The product doesn’t make any creaking noises when you try to adjust your screen thanks to a smooth and precise mechanism.
There are two notches at the bottom bezel of the Dell P2418D which were intended for the brand’s AE515 soundbar This Skype-certified gadget comes with 5-Watt speakers with decent range for movies and calls, but its an extra expenditure you have to do if you want to integrate audio into the monitor.
One of the sacrifices the Dell P2418D had to endure is its use of OSD buttons instead of a joystick. We think implementations like this are outdated and difficult to use for most even if the monitor’s menu is easily comprehensible, to begin with.
Functionality is the name of the game for the Dell P2418D, so it already includes a fully-adjustable stand. You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the display, so getting a perfect view isn’t impossible. This model is ideal for multi-screen setups, so thankfully, it is VESA-compatible so you can use dual or triple adapters instantly.
The Dell P2418D’s I/O layout is decently equipped with more ports than you will ever need in day to day use. The panel at the rear includes DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4 for video plus three USB 3.0 slots for peripherals such as keyboards or mice. There is also a USB 3.0 hub at the side for your thumb drives, but take note that you need to connect the type B slot at the rear to your PC for data transfer purposes.
Display and Performance
The Dell P2418D sports a 24-inch IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 5ms response time. The backlight goes up to 300 cd/m2 which is too bright for most scenarios, while contrast is rated to reach a typical 1000:1. This formula of capabilities isn’t meant for gaming, but the P line has always prioritized quality and reliability over speed for its business-minded users.
Squeezing a QHD resolution into a 24-inch monitor gives users a well-detailed and extra crisp image which is perfect for editing. The desktop space also increases massively so users can have more room for app windows or document viewers in a single unit. The only issue with this variant is some might need to rely on scaling which isn’t always reliable and clear.
The Dell P2418D’s IPS panel covers a decent 97% of the sRGB gamut which should be sufficient for most uses with differences almost unnoticeable compared to a 100% coverage display. Accuracy out of the box is fantastic as well, sitting at exactly Delta E 2.2. The screen’s color temp is slightly cooler than the 6500K we normally want, but we reckon many will like it more since traces of yellowish whites are next to zero.
The monitor also puts out an impressive 1020:1 contrast ratio which is beyond what many consumer IPS panels can offer. Black levels aren’t as deep as VA panels. But color definition and separation looks better with this model. Gamma is slightly off at 2.18, so most, if not all, will not notice any imbalances in the images’ overall appearance.
We recommend turning down the Dell P2418D’s backlight to around 30% to 40% since it can get very bright. Dropping the illumination also helps with the contrast ratio which drops to an average of 900:1 if the former is set too high. The recorded max output for the test model reached 340 cd/m2 at max power as opposed to the 300 cd/m2 listed by the brand.
Panel uniformity for the Dell P2418D is very decent thanks to brightness deviations staying below 11% from the center. The colorimeter saw some leaks, but they were too minor to affect the monitor by adding clouding which persists through images or graphics. Color deviation also stayed in line with DeltaE scores not exceeding 2.7 from the D65 standard across all quadrants.
Motion handling isn’t as great compared to 144Hz monitor since there is some smudging in fast-paced sequences in titles such as CSGO or Overwatch. Applying the monitor’s pixel overdrive feature at max helped to resolve this, but it adds minor overshoot which you can see if you look closely. We don’t recommend this model for competitive gaming, but casual or story-based titles look amazing on it.
The Dell P2418D, like its predecessors, is not advertised as a FreeSync monitor since it is not designed for gaming. Naturally, it also will not function with G-Sync compatibility mode for Nvidia GPU users. Input lag sits at just under 10ms, but the addition of adaptive sync solution would have boosted this monitor’s performance for our favorite hobby.
Thoughts on the Dell P2418D
The Dell P2418D is an excellent choice if quality and reliability are your top priorities over gaming-related characteristics. The IPS panel the brand tuned and used for this variant offers fantastic fidelity, making it ideal even for a bit of photo editing or content creation. The update to a bezel-free appearance is a brilliant move from Dell, making the device look more attractive than many similarly-priced options in the market.
The only limitation we can complain about regarding the Dell P2418D is its lack of features which would make it an excellent all-rounder. FreeSync would go well with the gorgeous IPS screen, plus an OSD joystick is more suited for a variant coming from the P-line by Dell. But to be fair, this model is priced accordingly, so it can give you the best value if you require a robust display solution for your home or office.
Ezway says
How does this compare to the U2518D?
Paolo Reva says
Hi, Ezway! The Dell U2518D has the advantage when it comes to image quality, but its also more expensive.
GG says
Recently bought one. Display is rather bright, I mean too bright. Blacks are not as black because backlight bleed is noticeable. I got use to the smaller size of text, I use it without scaling (100%) and from a distance of ~80-90cm. The monitor is great, but something is missing… when there are colors on the screen it’s beautiful, but when there’s only black on the screen or darker areas it’s just… it’s just not perfect.
Advantages: So much screen space. Sharpness.
Minor disadvantages: the 720p video on youtube is crispy 🙂
Paolo Reva says
Hi, GG! The poor black luminance you are seeing is due to IPS technology’s limited contrast ratio, but its also a widely-known issue of the panel type. We recommend adjusting the brightness to around 20% to 40% to see if that helps. Cheers!