My Recent Experience with Computer Monitors: A Review of the Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q

I've had my fair share of difficulties with computer monitors in recent years, as I detailed in my "Monitor Roulette" series. In 2017, I invested in a large LG 31MU97 panel to improve the color accuracy and quality of my video courses. However, when I wanted to upgrade to a second monitor that matched its quality, I ended up with a huge mess. The first monitor was not the right fit, it died, and I had to settle for a Dell UP2718Q, which I originally wanted to buy but couldn't afford at the time.

Despite the initial setback, I've been thoroughly impressed with the Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q. One of the key features that caught my attention was its super sharp color accuracy, as well as its support for 10-bit color and a wide range of colorspaces. The monitor's Delta-E value is less than 2 for AdobeRGB and sRGB right out of the box, which means it's ready to go for even high-end color-accurate needs in video production and photo editing.

The Dell UP2718Q also features a response time of 1.3 to 1.4ms black-white latency, which is pretty fast considering its size. I used both the Leo Bodnar monitor latency tester and the Time Sleuth to measure the latency, and neither option seemed to impact the result. The monitor's "ResponseTime" option is set to either "Normal" or "Fast," but using my latency tester, neither option made a difference.

Another feature that stands out is the Smart HDR functionality, which completely sealed the deal for me switching from an ASUS PA32UC to this monitor. The Smart HDR feature makes a huge difference in terms of color accuracy and contrast, and it's incredibly cool. I've also noticed virtually no "halo effect" in high-contrast scenarios, which was a major issue with my previous monitor.

The Dell UP2718Q is also heavy and hot, but that's to be expected from a high-end monitor like this one. It doesn't support high refresh rates, but it has been great for my video production setup. I've also been impressed by the lack of issues I had with the ASUS PA32UC, such as over-sharpening, halo-ing, and vignetting.

One thing that might be a concern for some users is the monitor's size, which is 27 inches. However, this size has proven to be perfect for me, as my desk is only 2 feet deep. The 32-inch monitor I originally wanted was too large to see light from all corners of it at once, but the 27-inch model is more than sufficient.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with the Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q and would definitely recommend it to other professionals and enthusiasts looking to step up their monitor game for video production needs. The monitor's super sharp color accuracy, support for a wide range of colorspaces, and Smart HDR functionality make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their color grading skills.

I only reached out to Dell after I was confident with my purchase in the first one, and I'm definitely confident recommending them to other prosumers and enthusiasts. Affiliate product links will be in the description below, as always. Hit the like button if you enjoyed this video, subscribe for more tech education, and consider checking out my other monitor videos on the channel or this cool Nintendo Switch setup video.

As EposVox, I'm here to make tech easier and more fun. I hope to see you in a future video or past videos. Thank you for watching!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enI’ve not had the best of luck with computermonitors lately - as detailed in my short“Monitor Roulette” series.In 2017 I invested in a big LG 31MU97 panelso I could start producing more professionalvideo courses with great color accuracy, andthen in fall of 2018 I wanted a second similarly-high-qualitypanel to match with it.This resulted in a huge mess, a monitor thatwasn’t the right fit, that LG monitor outrightdying, and ultimately me landing on the DellUP2718Q.This was the monitor I originally wanted toupgrade to, but decided not to for some…reason… and thanks to Dell I now have two.After a few months working with these badboys, it’s time for a review.Spoiler alert: This was the first professionalHDR-10 certified 4K monitor and it’s stillthe best.Seriously.Full disclosure time: I purchased my maindisplay and first UP2718Q from Dell’s websiteafter the whole ordeal in my Monitor Rouletteseries for myself.Following a month of using this monitor andrealizing there was no real hope for revivingmy other production panel that I was supposedto pair with it, I reached out to Dell andarranged a review sample for a second oneso I could have matching sets for color grading,dual-monitor editing, and review.No one is seeing this review before it’sbeing posted, telling me what to say, payingfor this review, anything like that.This is the Dell UltraSharp UP2718Q - a 27inch, 3840x2160 4K UHD 10-bit HDR monitor.This thing is a beast.Physically, it’s quite large - these arethicc boi monitors, not paper-thin bezel-lessornaments.I truly don’t mind even monitor bezels likethis, they look nice and keep things framedproperly.They are thick and put out a lot of heat,and they are quite heavy on my dual monitorarm on my desk here at 13.18 pounds each.They put a lot of strain on my monitor armswhich makes it hard to keep them evenly flushfor those OCD folk out there.They also put out a LOT of heat compared tomore consumer-oriented monitors.Like a LOT.The monitor features two HDMI 2.0 ports withMHL support - so you can get 4K 60hz and HDRover HDMI, which I’ve been using for myXbox One X and PS4 Pro gaming.There’s also a full-size and mini DisplayPortinput.The cool extra option here is that this monitorfeatures TWO USB 3.0 hub connections.Now, I don’t actually end up using thisfor this feature in my current setup, thoughI could see myself doing so in a future deskre-build - but this monitor can act as a KVM,where you map one of the specific hubs toa specific input, and the second hub to thesecond input, or multiple inputs, and as youswitch inputs, your USB devices are also switchedto the PC that input goes to.Pretty neat.However, two of the USB ports are on the sideof the monitor - which is handy when accessiblefor sure, but means if you have two pairedtogether, the right-most monitor’s portswill always be blocked off.I would have also loved to see an integratedUSB 3 card reader on the side for us videopeople, too.The panel itself is IPS, which is generallygreat for video production, photo editing,color grading, etc. and again is at 4K 60hz.It has a typical brightness of 400 nits, witha peak brightness of 1000 nits, which makesit perfect for HDR use.Admittedly I don’t have much means of testingHDR ‘quality’ nor do I use it a ton otherthan some casual movie or HDR video viewingor gaming - but the implementation here isquite nice, if not incredibly bright.This was actually one of the first (if notTHE first) HDR monitor that Linus revieweda year or two ago and was perhaps the firstmonitor to meet HDR10 standards, accordingto Dell’s site and based on my experiencewith a few monitors and watching countlessreviews of others - it might still be thebest..One thing has greatly improved since theirreview, however - Windows 10’s HDR implementation.It’s still not great, by default the WindowsUI still dims down and doesn’t have an adaptationto the HDR color space BUT this specific monitorhas a “Smart HDR” option in the settingswhich allows it to keep SDR content at whatyou would consider “normal” brightnessand let HDR have full-range, which keeps Windowsusable with HDR enabled.Admittedly there’s a little extra gammacompared to just running the monitor in SDRmode, but it makes a HUGE difference.This feature - along with virtually no “haloeffect” in high contrast scenarios - completelysealed the deal on me switching to this monitorfrom the ASUS PA32UC I originally wanted totry.Dell lists a 6ms gray to gray response timefor the UP2718Q, Using both the Leo Bodnarmonitor latency tester and the Time Sleuth,I measured a 1.3 to 1.4ms black-white latency,which is pretty dang fast.Nothing noticeable when gaming for sure.In the menus, the monitor has a “ResponseTime” option of “Normal” or “Fast.”I typically keep it on “Normal” - butusing my latency tester, neither option seemedto impact the result, oddly enough.The big selling point about monitors likethese is their super sharp color accuracy,color and bit depth support, as well as colorspace support - and being accurately colorcalibrated with a Delta-E of less than 2 forAdobeRGB and sRGB right out of the box.This monitor supports full 10-bit color - andyes, that even works on some GeForce cards,despite common belief, including the 1080,1080ti, newer Titans, 2080, 2080ti, etc.Supports 100% coverage of AdobeRGB, sRGB,Rec. 709, 97.7% of the DCI-P3 color spaceand 76.9% of Rec. 2020.This means that the monitor is ready to gofor even high end color-accurate needs forvideo production and photo editing, and forpeople like myself who rarely get good resultswhen color calibrating - it’s ready to goout of the box.Though just about anyone will recommend youmanually calibrate every few months anyway.The Dell UP2718Q also features Picture inPicture (PiP) and Picture By Picture (PBP)modes so you can view a small window of anotherinput while showing your main input full screenOR setting up side-by-side inputs, which actuallyshows to your PC that the monitor is half-widthfor some portrait mode window organization.I’m not a fan of this, but I know some peoplewho are.I just use Aero Snap controls in Windows toorganize my windows.Overall these monitors are very high quality,super color accurate and have allowed me toreally work on improving my color gradingfor my photos and videos - and realizing howhorrible some of my older videos look, heh.They’re heavy and hot, and don’t supporthigh refresh rates or anything, but they havebeen great for my video production setup.I was also impressed at just how many issuesI had w/ the ASUS PA32UC aren’t presenton these panels.None of that weird over-sharpening I couldn’tget rid of on the ASUS, no halo-ing from poorlocal dimming support, no vignetting frombeing too large.Since my desk is only 2 feet deep, I’m alwaysless than 2 feet from my monitors and the32-inch was just too large to see light fromall corners of it at once, 27-inch is moreof the perfect size for 4K panels for me.Plus, the Smart HDR functionality is incrediblycool.I’m still finding my way through the monitorspace, but I’m happy to be done with thehassle of that mess at the beginning of theyear, and I’m incredibly grateful to Dellfor hooking me up to let me have the firstmatched pair of monitors I’ve ever owned.I only reached out after I was confident withmy purchase in the first one, and I’m definitelyconfident recommending them to other prosumersand enthusiasts looking to step up their monitorgame for their video production needs.Affiliate product links will be in the descriptionbelow, as always.Hit the like button if you enjoyed, subscribefor more tech education.Maybe consider checking out my other monitorvideos on the channel or this cool NintendoSwitch setup video.I’m EposVox here to make tech easier andmore fun and I hope to see you in a futurevideo.Or past videos.Or something.\n"