Dell S2718D glossy 2560 x 1440 monitor
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The monitor features a 27” IPS-type panel with 2560 x 1440 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. This is accompanied by the usual 1000:1 static contrast, 178/178° viewing angles and a brightness of a somewhat higher than usual 400 cd/m². That is the maximum sustainable ‘normal’ brightness for the monitor, but the backlight may also be capable of pulsing to much higher luminance levels as the monitor also supports HDR10. This is an open High Dynamic Range standard and requirements for ‘supporting’ this are rather loose. It does have a minimum brightness target of 1000 cd/m² associated with it but also calls out for a Rec. 2020 (very large) colour gamut and 10-bit support. But these are just targets and it remains to be seen how far ‘support’ goes for the standard with this screen. The screen surface of the monitor is glossy with an anti-reflective treatment, offering superior clarity and vibrancy potential compared to matte surfaces. The backlight is flicker-free and offers ‘99% sRGB coverage’ – however it is still possible it extends far beyond this in some regions. A ‘ComfortView’ Low Blue Light (LBL) feature is also present to help aid more relaxing viewing, particularly useful in the evenings.
As you can see in the image above, the back is quite bare. Silver matte plastic is used throughout and the stand attaches centrally in a firm non-removable way. As mentioned earlier, the ‘brains’ are located in the monitor base – so it’s an integral part of the monitor and you can’t simply remove this. The ports are also located here, facing backwards, and include DC power input (external power brick), USB Type-C (USB-C), HDMI 2.0 and a 3.5mm audio jack. Availability is slated for March 23rd 2017 in the US with an RRP of $699.99. Global availability is expected shortly afterwards. Further information in this post on the manufacturer’s blog. The monitor is now available in the US for under $600. We will look to review this model, provided Dell has a sample available for us.