Dell S2817Q Review

The Dell S2817Q is a 4k monitor capable of displaying a massive 3840 x 2160 pixels at a fairly standard 60 Hz. It’s not quite up there with the premium 4k gaming screens but it offers a good overall performance and, unusually, excellent sound reproduction. I haven’t heard one myself but the word on the street is that the Dell produces better than average audio quality, although most of us will still be plugging in our headphones!

Overall this monitor has plenty to offer anyone looking for a solid 4k experience at a reasonable price. It seems well targeted for home users looking for a seriously sharp image whilst keeping costs down. Giving a decent experience for day to day use and casual gaming whilst the 28″ at UHD resolution will offer lots of opportunity for professional use. Higher resolutions become more important as the screen size gets bigger and this seems like an effective combination to me.

Build Quality

Connectivity is well catered for thanks to an HDMI 2.0 socket and DisplayPort 1.2, so assuming you have a DP port on your graphics card this monitor would work just fine if you were planning to hook up a second device such as a DVD player or console. USB 3.0 ports are also included.

The monitor is let down on the adjustability front as it only offers a tilt capacity. This is surprising as typically Dell screens normally come with the full range of tweaks but not on this model. Given that the TN panel requires you to view direct on to get the best colour accuracy you might find the rigid nature of the stand disappointing.

This model also features a pair of 9W speakers with integrated sub woofer to deliver you good sound for integrated PC monitor speakers. This is a nice addition on a reasonably priced monitor especially when considering many other 4k models don’t even include speakers at all. Hands on reviews report back a deep, rich and detailed sound that can fill a room.

Performance

The S2817Q turns in an average performance, you can get better colour accuracy and contrast elsewhere. That said, it is a solid performer and proper calibration will improve the colour performance.

The TN panel suffers from the usual restricted viewing angles but as always, if you are sitting directly in front of the screen it’s no show stopper. The effect is more noticeable if you are looking side on, for example if you have a multiple screen setup. The matt finish gives effective glare resistance and hands on reviewers report back rich blacks.

The 4k resolution of course gives you stunning crisp pictures, it really does look great and if you’ve not used an ultra high def screen before you are in for a treat. The monitor will also run at 1440 and 1080 but still only at 6oHz. The monitor is fine for casual gaming, the TN panel offers fast response times but do remember that getting good frame rates on a 4k screen is dependent on having a beefy graphics card to power it. At the time of writing you really need an “enthusiast” level card to get the best out of this monitor. If you don’t have the power just yet and you’re looking to future proof you can always game at a lower resolution until your rig catches up.