The Dell S2718HN is a strikingly gorgeous monitor with a minimalist design packed with exciting features such as HDR compatibility and FreeSync. What’s best about this new model is it will start at a very affordable $300 when it becomes available. The Dell S2718HN has a lot of potentials which could make it a best seller among the rest, but it does have a lot to prove regarding its performance in practice.
Dell S2718HN Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080p FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 6ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 3 Watts)
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes (-5°/+21°)
- Stand: Swivel – No
- VESA Compatibility: No
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 1, VGA x 1, 3.5mm Audio Jack
- Dimensions with Stand(WxHxD): 23.54” x 13.24” x 6.38”
- Weight: 8.33lbs
Design and Features
The Dell S2718HN looks like the supermodel of the monitor world thanks to its sleek design and dimensions. The cabinet is less than 2 inches thick while employing the brand’s Infinity Edge design, so there are no annoying plastic bezels. There still is a thin black panel border on each side, but these are almost unnoticeable against the large screen. The overall appearance of the Dell S2718HN makes it ideal for multi-monitor or Eyefinity setups to maximize productivity or view space.
Most of the cabinet is finished in Dell’s glossy black while the architecturally appealing stand comes in a silver finish. These elements are expected from the company’s well-loved aesthetic treatment, and it makes the Dell S2718HN suitable for an elegant home or office environment. Since this is a budget monitor, the mentioned stand can only offer to tilt up to 26 degrees for ergonomics.
Since the Dell S2718HN is somewhat a budget offering, it does come with limited physical features. Users cannot mount it directly to VESA armatures, and while there is no mention of it yet, you might need a proprietary adapter to do so. Taller users might need a monitor stand to prop this up for comfortable viewing.
The I/O on the Dell S2718HN is fairly basic as well, although it has everything you need for daily usage. Most of the connectors are hidden under the central bulge of the rear panel in a down firing position. It includes an HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 1.4 slot, a D-sub port for legacy connections, and 3.5mm audio out jacks. There are no extras such as USB receptacles, but that exclusion is expected for a product marketed as affordable.
Display and Performance
The Dell S2718HN features a 27-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 6ms response time which dictates it is more for media appreciation and basic tasks than gaming. The screen has an 8-bit depth, and although it uses FRC to get there, specs sheets say this model can reach 99% sRGB coverage. These specs will ensure your content such as pictures and videos will look lifelike and satisfyingly saturated.
Some may be quick to judge that 1080p at 27-inches will appear loose with grainy edges due to the lower pixel density. In our opinion, 1440p is the king resolution for monitors of this size other than 4K, but 1920 x 1080 will still offer enough clarity and detail for games and movies. Plus, it is the universal resolution for a lot of content out there, so you won’t have scaling issues.
The backlight on the Dell S2718HN can only go up to 250cd/m2 which is far too low for full HDR support. There is also no mention of Full Array Local Dimming or FALD so that this model might be using an edge type LED light to compensate. With these factors, we can safely speculate that the Dell S2718HN can only support HDR10 instead of providing the full experience.
The Dell S2718HN also includes FreeSync support ensuring the refresh rate will play along nicely with your AMD GPU’s FPS output. Even if a lot of budgets or mid-range Radeon GPUs are plenty capable at 1080p, having smoother graphics will sometimes trump high frame rates for your eye-popping enjoyment. This aspect of the product also makes it excellent for budget builds where an affordable AMD rig almost always comes into play.
Like most of the company’s products, the Dell S2718HN will come with TUV Certified status meaning it has enough precautions for eye safety and comfort. The screen comes with a ComfortView feature which is designed to filter blue light and optimize eye comfort. This tool is quite handy for usage scenarios such as watching movies where users stare at the screen for extended periods.
Thoughts
The Dell S2718HN is something a wider audience of users will appreciate because of its universal resolution coupled with excellent color at a friendly price point. Display products from this company have been outstanding in both performance and built quality so far, so we have little reason to doubt its success.
Of course, the looming question everyone is asking is how much of an HDR experience the Dell S2718HN can offer. Its compatibility or support for HDR is yet to be seen, but we’ve known Dell to keep their promises and advertisements.
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