Dell S2721DGF 165Hz WQHD IPS model
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the “Buy” button at the bottom of this post. Where possible, you'll be redirected to your nearest store. Further information on supporting our work.IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels have gained a lot of ground against their TN counterparts when it comes to responsiveness, whilst offering clear advantages in colour reproduction. The Dell S2721DGF (S2721DGFA in some regions) follows up from the highly responsive S2719DGF, with a switch from TN to IPS. The aesthetics are fairly low-key for a gaming monitor, as usual for Dell’s S-series. There’s a shiny Dell logo in the centre of the bottom bezel, with dark grey matte plastic used elsewhere. The top and side bezels are ‘dual-stage’, with a slim panel border that’s flush with the rest of the screen and a slender hard plastic outer part. The OSD (On Screen Display) is controlled by a joystick and pressable buttons running down the rear right side of the monitor, as viewed from the front. A notable departure from the usual layout the manufacturer uses with pressable buttons on the underside of the bezel.
A 27″ IPS-type panel is used, the LG Display LM270WQA-SSA2 more specifically. This includes a light matte anti-glare screen surface and 2560 x 1440 (WQHD) resolution. A 165Hz refresh rate is supported, whilst Adaptive-Sync features to minimise stuttering and remove tearing. This includes support for Nvidia’s ‘G-SYNC Compatible Mode’ and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, with a 48 – 165Hz variable refresh rate range (plus LFC). A 1000:1 static contrast and 178°/178° horizontal/vertical viewing angles are specified, alongside 10-bit colour support via 8-bit + FRC. A flicker-free WLED backlight is employed, offering a 400 cd/m² typical maximum luminance and 98% DCI-P3 colour space coverage. This is a slight luminance boost compared to some competing models, such as the LG 27GL850, with VESA DisplayHDR 400 support included on the Dell. This is the most basic level of HDR that VESA certifies for and doesn’t necessitate effective local dimming or particularly high luminance by HDR standards. But it puts a 10-bit colour signal to use, allows the monitor to use its 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut appropriately and allows reasonably high luminance levels.
Low Blue Light (LBL) settings are included, with ‘ComfortView’ mode being the main setting. A 1ms grey to grey response time is specified, but as usual don’t pay too much attention to that figure. The rear of the monitor is mainly dark grey matte plastic, with a few black elements. These include the OSD controls, the inner surface of a cable tidy loop (hexagon) and a slatted design around the stand attachment point. This is designed for “enhanced heat dispersal” rather than being purely aesthetic. There is a strip of RGB LED lights on the boundary between the slatted area and the surrounding region, which can be controlled using the OSD. And there’s a shiny Dell logo at the top. The stand attaches using a quick-release mechanism and can be removed to make way for an alternative 100 x 100mm VESA compatible solution. The included stand offers height and tilt adjustment. The ports face downwards and include; AC power input (internal power converter), 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, DP 1.4, 3.5mm audio line-out and 2 USB 3.0 ports (plus upstream). There are 2 further USB 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom of the monitor, towards the left side as viewed from the front. For easy access.
Further information can be found on various regional websites of the manufacturer. The monitor is available for £390 in the UK and some other regions for a similar price.
