Although still in its early days, consumer 4K UHD is here. While 720p and 1080p are destined to become anachronisms akin to 8-tracks and punch cards, our present day is the awkward transmutation menstruation between these doddering and newly evolving piping definition standards.

No alien to the line of work of adenoidal-end displays, yearlong-time monitor manufacturer Dell has lunged into the UHD market with some solid offerings. The troupe has released two UltraSharp displays capable of radical high-definition: a 24-edge at $1,299 and a 32-inch for $3,499. Dell has likewise been teasing us with a tertiary 4K UHD-capable 28-in model, but this in-betweener is worlds cheaper at $699. To a fault good to be true? Indeed. This aggressively priced display has the "Saami quality" panel as its more expensive cousins, but its freshen up rank is restricted to just 30Hz. Yuck.

For this review though, we'll be taking a look up at Dell's monstrous 32-edge flagship, the UltraSharp UP3214Q.

Dell UltraSharp 32 UP3214Q - $3500

  • Viewable Size: 31.5" diagonal (16:9)
  • Panel: IGZO LCD IPS, opposing-brilliance with hard coat 3H, LED backlit
  • Optimal resolution: 3840 x 2160
  • Contrast Ratio: 1000: 1 (typical), 2 Billion:1 (Max Dynamic)
  • Brightness: 350 certificate of deposit/m2 (typical)
  • Latency: 8 disseminated sclerosis (gray to gray)
  • Viewing Angle: 176° steep / 176° swimming
  • Color Gamut: Adobe brick RGB 99%, sRGB 100%
  • Colors: 1.074 One million million colors (10 Bits)
  • Pel Pitch/PPI: 0.182 mm / 140

  • Connectivity:
  • 1x HDMI, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x DisplayPort (1.2a), 4x USB 3.0 ports downriver, 1x USB 3.0 upstream, 1x media card reader

  • Fleshly Specifications:
  • Dimensions (with stand):
    19.0-22.5" x 29.5" x 8.4"
  • Dimensions (display only):
    17.5" x 29.5" x 2.0"
  • Weight (with viewpoint/without): 25.3/20.3 lbs
  • Height-adjustable stand, tilt, swivel and built in cable television-management, VESA mount capable

Knowing the reputation (and toll) the UltraSharp moniker commands, there would unremarkably be little more to say than "big IPS video display", "great prototype" but "prosumer price tag". However, the UP3214Q's shaping feature isn't its enormity, IPS panel, nor certainly the $3,500 spikelet price. Rather, its nigh distinct sport is a glorious spread of 3840 x 2160 pixels which is, ironically, also the source of its biggest issues. More thereon shortly.

Consider this men-on to be as much a review of early-gen UHD monitors as the UP3214Q itself. Hopefully, the experiences defined here will answer questions you may have regarding the rate, compatibility, performance and practicality of this display and displays like it.

Unboxing and Accessories

Symmetrical for much a large monitor, the box was quite hefty at just past 35 pounds. Like many of its monitors, Dell shipped the UP3214Q in promotional material made entirely from furrowed cardboard -- no froth here. Avoiding the use of sparkle (extruded or otherwise) is percentage of Dingle's eco-informal strategy.

Inside the package lives a sturdy, rotating aluminum brook equipped with Dell's prototypical screwless VESA rise design. Dell also included the following cables: DisplayPort (mini to standard), USB 3.0 (A to B) and a C13 might (basic PC desktop) cable. HDMI is notably missing. To boot, owners will find a color standardization report. Like certain other UltraSharp offerings, each UP3214Q is mill-calibrated to reproduce colours as accurately as possible (Delta E < 2) out of the box. No complaints here.

Number one Impressions

I'll cut to the chase: the UP3214Q is majestic to behold. The screen is expansive, the picture is bright, the color is rich and everything about IT appears asymptomatic-designed. The monitor itself (without the stand) weighs a hefty 20 pounds -- that doesn't include the aluminium stand which adds a pleasing 5 pounds.

There's little question this is a premium show. Considering its retail Leontyne Price ($3,500) though, I'm certain consumers North Korean won't tolerate anything less than perfection.

Features, Adjustments and OSD

The Al stand offers some alkalic adjustments including height, lean on and horizontal swivel; nonetheless, the display cannot be vertically rotated (i.e. nary portrait musical mode). The UP3214Q's screen can be weighted 1.75 to 5.25 inches inebriated, tilted 20 degrees backward and rotated 45-degrees left and right. All adjustments feel solid and smooth; nonetheless, horizontal rotation is very stiff and the stand will prompt unless you hold it down.

There are few connectivity options (DisplayPort 1.2, miniskirt-DP and HDMI 1.4), but the comprehension of 4 x USB 3.0 ports and a 9-in-1 media placard reader are welcome accoutrements. Of the four USB ports, three are located at the bottom rear alongside HDMI and DP inputs. This area is vexed to access and isn't practical for USB drives. The fourth USB port is located in plain sight on the rear of the display.

The OSD (on-screen video display) "buttons" are located along the tail end right edge. Quotes are inevitable here because the controls -- except the power clit -- are actually touch-tender and not old school push buttons. The menus and controls are intuitive and naif to navigate. Most people won't spend much time here, which manufacturers acknowledge, so they often load primitive-looking, afflictive-to-use OSDs -- a common sighting amongst bargain monitors. The UP3214Q's OSD though is pleasant and precise similar to other UltraSharp displays.

Image Quality and Performance

As with most larger IPS monitors, the blind is matte with non-reflective coating. It's good matte and not someplace between, like satin or semi-semblance. This is particularly good for brightly lit office environments where evenly distributed fluorescent lighting is the average.

Subjectively, the UP3214Q's coat is unnoticeable. Very occasionally manufacturers practice lustrelessness finishes that are so aggressive though, they become distracting (e.g. Dell's four-year old UltraSharp U2711). Anti-glare coatings are great for reduction reflections, merely intense ones create a grainy essence -- sometimes perceived as "shimmering" -- which is particularly marked for lustrous images. The visibility of this shimmer butt vary widely, only the UP3214Q seems very middle of the throng: non very noticeable but not quite unseeable either. As a point of reference, IT fares far amend than the U2711 (prominent shimmer), just isn't as transparent American Samoa Dell's ain U2713HM (hardly noticeable).

The UP3214Q's image is bright, rich and uniform. Subjectively, it lives up to its impressive specs and it definitely compares well to Dell's other high-last IPS offerings. Additionally, the 140 PPI density (~50-percent higher than many common displays) in truth lends itself to sharply rendered text and a smooth image boilers suit.

United pronounced imperfection on our unit is a very slender white-livered tinge around the edges of the instrument panel. When I read slight, I coiffure signify barely audible. I was unable to capture this with a photographic camera and is only reasonably marked on a 100% white background.

"IPS glow" is present, but definitely with an acceptable lay out and certainly not unique to the UP3214Q. In fact, complete large panels I've seen (including TN and PVA) expose a similar "glow", so as unremarkably as this term gets down around, I count it a misnomer. This glowing effect is most circumpolar when a black mental image spans the screen, but the UP3214Q performs similarly to early senior high school-end IPS panels.

The UP3214Q's advertised 8ms (gray to gray) is fairly typical with larger IPS these years. Bigger G2G values tend to indicate more "ghosting", an ineligible phenomenon where fast-itinerant elements leave spectral remnants of old frames imputable slacken pel refresh multiplication. As with many IPS-based displays, a detectable add up of ghosting is latter-day. Subjectively though, this was a non-issue during gaming sessions and only became obvious during synthetic tests. The UP3214Q provides a solid play experience in this affect.

Input immure is the delay betwixt the output of your graphics card and the image which appears connected your screen. I attempted to objectively capture input lag by cloning a digital timer across two displays: the Dell UP3214Q and a Volunteer State-based LG Flatron E2771. I enabled "Thru-way" (a.k.a. game mode) on the E2771 which effectively eliminates input slowdown. The final result? The Dell showed about 20ms of input lag. Okay -- that's not phenomenal. Yet, enabling "Gaming Modality" wholly eliminated input lag. Visually speaking, the trade-off for gaming mode was a slight change in color reproduction. Gaming mode did not impact ghosting.

Oh, and backlight haemorrhage? Not an issue here.