The Dell U3818DW aims to fill a growing demand for ultrawide monitors with a massive screen and an impressive 3840 x 1600 resolution, plus equally awe-inspiring clarity and visuals. The current high-end norm of 3440 x 1440 is more than suitable for most tastes and system capabilities, but the display market has always been driven by the need and wants for more. At a glance, the Dell U3818DW steps into this arena with the panache the brand imbues its products, but is it worth the price and the desk space?
Dell U3818DW Specifications
- Screen Size: 38 Inches
- Resolution: 3840 x 1600 UW-QHD
- Aspect Ratio: 21:9
- Panel Technology: In Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 5ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 300 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes 2 x 9 Watts
- Stand: Height – Yes (4.5 Inches)
- Stand: Tilt – Yes (-5°/+21°)
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C 3.1 x 1, USB 3. x 6, 3.5mm Audio Jacks
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 35.2″ x 21.54″ x 8.91”
- Weight: 26.76lbs
Design and Features
The Dell U3818DW utilizes the company’s standard aesthetics which use matte black plastics with silver accents. Although Dell’s designs tend to come off as conservative or traditional, both us and a lot of enthusiasts swear by the discrete but robust exterior. The massive, 38-inch face has Dell’s signature infinity edge design which, if not for the dual stage design with slim plastic outer strips and black panel borders, would be a perfect screen without boundaries.
The stand with a flat, square base offers height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, plus a cable management option built into the upright. From the dimensions of the product, the 9-inch depth of the square base looks like it couldn’t support the heft of the cabinet. But in our experience, Dell has already perfected the mechanics of their monitor stands with excellent durability and rigidity.
If however desk placement isn’t your cup of tea, you can remove this part via a quick detach button to reveal VESA 100 x 100 mounts. Although if you have plans of flush mounting, be wary of the 2300 curvature which is a bit tighter than most models.
The Dell U3818DW looks like it was built to cater to multitasking customers, so the product is equipped with plenty of connectivity options. For video input, it has DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 slots, and a USB-C port with DP 1.2 Alternate Mode. The latter can provide power and USB 2.0 speeds if used with a USB-C laptop like the latest MacBook Pro or Dell XPS laptops, but we are unsure if it can deliver 60 Watts or more to charge these devices while in use.
Users will also find a total of USB 3.0 receptacles on the side and the down firing I/O layout, so there is plenty for your peripherals and input devices. Users also get to enjoy a pair of decently powered speakers with 9 watts each. Finally, the power brick is internally integrated, so you don’t have to deal with a clunky piece of plastic which eats up space.
Display and Performance
The Dell U3818DW boasts a monumental, 38-inch AH-IPS panel with a 3840 x 1600 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, 5ms response time, and 1000:1 contrast. Other than the resolution, these specs are not as impressive as gaming or designer monitors, but 3840 x 1600 promises sharp and crisp imaging with extra viewing space vertically or horizontally. Multitaskers will have a field day in trying to fill their desktops with work, while gamers get to enjoy an upsized FOV.
This model doesn’t have an extended gamut required by Adobe RGB, but its 10-bit interface enables 99% coverage for sRGB and Rec 709. Dell promises an accuracy score of Delta E<2, and we have yet to see the company fail by a large margin in their claims. The brand’s factory calibration methods are one of the best in the industry, and if matched with their reliability, consumers almost always get outstanding products.
The Dell U3818DW is equipped with a lot of features which can maximize its 38-inch selling point. The most prominent of all is the PbP and PiP toolsets which should be similar to what we saw on the Dell P4317Q. Multi input screen splits are useful to various business which can include stock trading, programming, or security monitoring.
The one downside of the Dell U3818DW is it means too much business, so the company did not imbue it with staple assets such as FreeSync or G-Sync. 60Hz isn’t a lot, but a lot of consumers with mid-range GPUs would benefit from VRR tech. To compare, this model is in direct competition with the Acer XR382CQK which offers 75Hz and FreeSync as advantages for more or less the same price.
Thoughts
The Dell U3818DW is a premium ultrawide monitor with an equally upscale price which offers excellent visuals. The brand is widely known for reliability and superb performance, and we can’t imagine that this $1200 model will fall short of that expectation. If this model can keep its promised color performance and match it with a fantastic panel with excellent uniformity across the 38-inch expanse, meticulous professionals and luxurious home owners should be willing to pay its price tag.
At the time of this review, this option is available for pre order from Amazon, and from the looks of things, stocks are already running low. If the Dell U3818DW fits the bill as your next ultrawide monitor upgrade, you can find the current best price by clicking below.
Joshua L. says
Still trying to figure out if the resolution is on par with 4k and 5k monitors. Any comments on that?
Paolo Reva says
Hi, Joshua! On a technical standpoint and based what we know, you can’t compare 4K or even 5K to the 3840 x 1600 this monitor provides because the pixels spread out over a wider area. But from a practical view, the differences should be minimal because 1440p already is a huge leap from 1080p, but as you go further, the refinements in images become less noticeable.