I’ve lengthy held {that a} speedy QHD monitor is the only option for high-performance gaming. While it doesn’t have the pixel density of an Ultra HD mannequin, it has sufficient, 109 ppi at 27 inches, to ship positive element and realism whereas sustaining excessive body charges. UHD tops out at 144 Hz, and also you’ll want an costly video card to entry that form of pace. For so much much less cash, a QHD show working at 165 Hz can ship the identical, or dare I say a greater, gaming expertise.
Since the 27-inch class is without doubt one of the hottest, it’s also a hotbed for value competitors. For instance, the 100 Hz Pixio PX275CP leaves out a number of issues to get the price down to only over $300. Now, Dell is doing the identical factor at 165 Hz.
Designed to compete with the perfect gaming screens, the sub-$300 Dell S2722DGM offers a fantastic gaming expertise and robust construct high quality. Not solely does it run at 165 Hz, but it surely additionally sports activities a curved VA panel with almost 3,000:1 distinction and Adaptive-Sync. To hit this value level, Dell omits HDR and prolonged shade, however contemplating what you get, the S2722DGM is an distinctive worth.
Dell S2722DGM Specs
Panel Type / Backlight | VA / W-LED, edge array |
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio | 27 inches / 16:9 |
Curve Radius: 1500mm | |
Max Resolution & Refresh Rate | 2560×1080 @ 165 Hz |
FreeSync: 48-165 Hz | |
G-Sync Compatible | |
Native Color Depth & Gamut | 8-bit / sRGB+ |
Response Time (GTG) | 2ms |
Brightness (mfr) | 350 nits |
Contrast (mfr) | 3,000:1 |
Speakers | None |
Video Inputs | 1x DisplayPort 1.2 |
2x HDMI 2.0 | |
Audio | 3.5mm headphone output |
USB 3.0 | None |
Power Consumption | 21.7w, brightness @ 200 nits |
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base | 24 x 15.5-19.4 x 7.5 inches (610 x 394-493 x 191mm) |
Panel Thickness | 3.8 inches (96mm) |
Bezel Width | Top/sides: 0.28 inch (7mm) |
Bottom: 0.63 inch (16mm) | |
Weight | 13.6 kilos (6.2kg) |
Warranty | 3 years |
The assertion about prolonged shade isn’t utterly true. The Dell S2722DGM does have a barely wider gamut than sRGB. My assessments revealed a quantity of 111.8% protection or 75% of DCI-P3. It’s not fairly as colourful as others within the 27-inch QHD class, but it surely comes shut. And with that VA panel (see IPS vs VA panels), distinction is certainly superior to any IPS monitor.
The curve radius is 1500mm, so the wrap impact is seen however not excessive sufficient to trigger picture distortion. You don’t get HDR both, which isn’t that large a deal. Most funds screens that assist HDR accomplish that in title solely. The precise impact isn’t a lot totally different than SDR. And while you’re a monitor that prices round $300, that’s a good tradeoff.
What the Dell S2722DGM presents in amount is video processing efficiency. In addition to the 165 Hz refresh fee, you get Adaptive-Sync in each flavors, FreeSync Premium and G-Sync, over a 48 to 165 Hz vary. Though the monitor had not been licensed by Nvidia at press time, it did work in our assessments. There’s additionally a three-level overdrive and an MPRT blur discount function that makes use of a backlight strobe to enhance movement decision. As with most different gaming screens, it really works as an alternative of Adaptive-Sync.
Though the worth is low, Dell didn’t skimp on construct high quality. The Dell S2722DGM is a stable package deal with a sturdy stand and chassis together with clear styling. Gaming enhancements embrace a body fee counter, countdown timers and multi-display alignment marks. Other than that, it’s a easy gaming monitor centered on no-frills efficiency.
Assembly and Accessories for Dell S2722DGM
Dell continues its custom of recyclable packaging with a clamshell-style field and molded paper pulp items inside to maintain every little thing safe. A chunk of versatile foam protects the curved display. The panel snaps onto the upright which is then bolted to a sturdy base. Quality cables are included for HDMI, DisplayPort and IEC for the interior energy provide.
Product 360: Dell S2722DGM
The solely seen clue to the Dell S2722DGM’s gaming intent is its hexagonal base. A neat little flare the place the upright attaches creates a floating look, and a small blue LED shines down onto the desktop with a refined glow. The bezel is 7mm skinny across the prime and sides and 16mm throughout the underside with a small Dell emblem as its solely function. A tiny energy LED peeks out on the precise facet and is simply seen from the entrance. The 4 management keys are across the again proper with a joystick for menu navigation.
In the again, you’ll see Dell’s now-familiar styling cue of louvered strains in a triangle form. Once you’ve seen a Cylon from 1978’s Battlestar Galactica, you’ll acknowledge the again of an Dell S2722DGM. The stand is firmly hooked up with a snap becoming and may be simply eliminated to disclose a 100mm VESA mount with the fasteners in place. Ergonomic changes embrace 100mm of peak and 5/21 levels of tilt. There isn’t any swivel although the bottom is sufficiently small to make turning the monitor simple.
The enter panel is tucked properly up and beneath the stand. Getting cables with thick connectors in there was a bit tough. One DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0 ports are included together with a 3.5mm audio jack. There isn’t any USB, nor are there inside audio system.
OSD Features of S2722DGM
Clicking any of the S2722DGM’s management keys, or the joystick, brings up a fast menu the place you possibly can change image modes and modify brightness and the Dark Stabilizer. A second click on of the joystick opens the total OSD.
The Game menu begins with 12 image modes. Standard is the default and fairly correct out of the field, however higher choices can be found. Simply altering to Custom Color improves the image visibly and unlocks calibration controls. The three Game modes additionally permit calibration and allow you to create particular person mixtures of the overdrive and Dark Stabilizer controls.
Dark Stabilizer is a gamma tweaker that raises the black degree to make shadow element extra seen. Also on this sub-menu are the FreeSync toggle, overdrive, and Game Enhance choices, together with countdown timers and a body counter. There aren’t any aiming factors out there.
In Custom Color, you possibly can modify the two-point white steadiness sliders, acquire and offset, and hue and saturation sliders. The identical controls can be found within the three Game modes together with Response Time and Dark Stabilizer.
Under the Response Time heading are three overdrive choices plus MPRT which is a backlight strobe. It cancels out Adaptive-Sync however delivers barely higher movement decision. The price in brightness is small, and in the event you can preserve the motion above 150fps, it’s an excellent alternate video processing possibility.
Calibration Settings for Dell S2722DGM
The Dell S2722DGM’s default Standard image mode is a bit cool-looking out of the field and doesn’t embrace any calibration choices. The subsequent best choice is to pick out Custom Color. That change alone improves accuracy to the purpose the place calibration will not be wanted. But since there are acquire and offset sliders, you may as properly use them to get the grayscale monitoring error even decrease.
When I completed, my pattern measured very properly with the colour gamut at sRGB+. It intently tracks sRGB after which oversaturates on the triangle’s perimeter; pink is very vibrant. Since HDR is not out there, that is an acceptable selection on Dell’s half. Here are the settings I used.
Picture Mode | Custom Color |
Brightness 200 nits | 66 |
Brightness 120 nits | 35 |
Brightness 100 nits | 27 |
Brightness 80 nits | 19 |
Brightness 50 nits | 9 (min. 29 nits) |
Contrast | 70 |
Color Temp User | Gain – Red 99, Green 99, Blue 100 |
Offset – Red 52, Green 51, Blue 50 |
Gaming and Hands-on with Dell S2722DGM
The Dell S2722DGM’s curve is a perfect radius. It’s sufficient to create a wrap impact however not a lot that it distorts the picture. In basic use, it’s barely noticeable. Spreadsheets look regular and phrase processing paperwork sit properly on the middle of the display. Photo modifying is simple because of the panel’s glorious distinction and vivid shade. I famous mild gamma monitoring throughout testing, but it surely didn’t have a serious affect on the picture. An accurate 2.2 hint would enhance image depth if Dell added extra presets.
Did I point out distinction? That is the place VA panels all the time shine and the S2722DGM isn’t any exception. Most of the screens on this class are IPS and although they’ve higher viewing angles, the Dell has 2.5 occasions the dynamic vary. And that’s one thing you possibly can clearly see in a side-by-side comparability. It makes video extra impactful when watching streamed exhibits or films. And the curve makes desktop viewing a bit of extra immersive. Though I wouldn’t usually select to look at Netflix on a pc monitor, it seems fairly good right here.
Gaming is why we’re right here, after all, and the Dell S2722DGM excels at it. QHD at 165 Hz and 109ppi is a feast for the eyes. Detail and texture pops from the display in fashionable titles like Doom Eternal. VA black ranges translate to plenty of depth and a three-dimensional look that IPS in SDR mode can’t match. And that readability holds up extraordinarily properly throughout quick motion sequences when the body fee is pegged at 165fps. My GeForce RTX 3090 platform had no hassle making that occur. Rates had been barely decrease, round 150fps, when working FreeSync on a Radeon RX 5700 XT. But within the body fee versus native decision debate, a 27-inch QHD display wins.
Video processing was by no means a problem both. Adaptive-Sync saved frames collectively, and I used the MPRT blur discount successfully. It improves movement readability with out decreasing brightness like most backlight strobes. At 165fps, there was no seen body tearing both. If you may have a sufficiently stout video card, it’s a viable various to Adaptive-Sync and overdrive.
Did I miss HDR or prolonged shade? Mostly, no. HDR solely impacts both dynamic distinction or a full-array native dimming backlight. SDR on a VA panel simply outpaces HDR on an IPS panel working at its native 1,000:1 as a result of its additional distinction is all the time there. And it makes colours look extra vibrant regardless that the Dell S2722DGM’s gamut is just 11% bigger than sRGB. For the worth, you received’t get a greater picture than this.
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