Dell UltraSharp UZ2715H review

The UZ2715H is one of Dell’s 27in UltraSharp IPS monitors. We’ve long been fans of Dell’s UltraSharp range, as its 2,560×1,440-resolution monitors, flexible stands and excellent image quality have consistently made the monitors great value displays. The UZ2715H is a little different than other 27in UltraSharp models, however, as it only has a 1,920×1,080-resolution and a fixed stand. It’s much cheaper as a result, but those hoping to get the same picture quality as other UltraSharp monitors for a fraction of the price will be disappointed.

The UZ2715H’s colour accuracy was disappointing for an IPS panel, as our colour calibrator showed the screen was displaying just 86.6 per cent of the sRGB colour gamut at its default settings. This is very low for an IPS display, as we normally expect a colour gamut score of at least 96 per cent for this type of panel.

The UZ2715H’s weakest areas were its reds and greens, but magenta and cyan were also poorly represented. We managed to improve both the monitor’s red and magenta coverage once we’d calibrated the UZ2715H, but greens largely remained stationary and its gamut coverage only increased to 92.3 per cent overall. This is still very poor for an IPS display, but it’s particularly low compared to Dell’s other UltraSharp monitors, such as the U2713H and U2913WM, as these have traditionally scored much higher, with some scoring 99 or even 100 per cent straight out of the box.

Our subjective image tests confirmed this, as our solid reds, greens and blues weren’t as rich and deep as our reference monitor. Blacks were also noticeably lighter on the UZ2715H compared to our reference monitor, with the UZ2715H measuring 0.20cd/m2 compared to our reference monitor’s 0.18cd/m2, while whites were tinged with reddish shades of grey.

Fortunately, the UZ2715H’s contrast levels were better. Measuring 991:1, we were able to see a good level of detail in all of our test shots. Some areas of particularly deep shadow weren’t as well illuminated as our reference monitor, but on the whole we were pleased with how our test photos appeared on screen.

Changing the picture yourself is simple. The touch control buttons can be a little sensitive at times, but Dell’s onscreen menu is easy to navigate and there are even buttons for muting the speakers and taking phone calls to use in conjunction with the webcam. There are also basic brightness and contrast settings as well as several preset picture modes to choose from, including Standard, Multimedia, Movie, Game, Paper, Colour Temperature and a customisable Colour profile.

It’s a shame the UZ2715H’s picture quality isn’t better, as it’s one of the more attractive 27in monitors we’ve seen in recent months. Its thick 30mm bezel (50mm on the lower edge) makes it look a lot larger than your average 27in display from the front, but from the side the UZ2715H is surprisingly slim, measuring just 12mm at its thinnest point. This won’t make a huge amount of difference if you attach it to the monitor’s large square stand, but it’s great news for those thinking of mounting it to a wall.

The UZ2715H’s large bezel accommodates a 2-megapixel webcam above the screen, while the lower speaker grill underneath the display protects the monitor’s pair of 5W speakers.

There’s a good range of ports to choose from, too, with two HDMI inputs, both of which support MHL. This means you can charge MHL-compatible phones or tablets while simultaneously viewing your mobile content on the big screen, VGA and DisplayPort inputs and two USB3 ports. There’s even a combined headphone and microphone jack squeezed onto the side of the monitor, which is handy if you like to keep your PC tucked out of sight on the floor.

Sadly, the Dell UZ2715H isn’t as flexible as we’d like or have seen with other UltraSharp monitors. You can only tilt the screen backwards and forwards, making it much less flexible to work with than other UltraSharp monitors such as the height-adjustable U2713H.

For £265, the Dell UZ2715H is a decent 27in monitor with a good range of ports, but its colour accuracy is below average for this type of panel. It’s a good choice for professionals who could use the webcam for online meetings and aren’t bothered about image quality, but you can buy cheaper 27in monitors with better colour accuracy, such as the BenQ EW2740L (£191 from eBuyer). Otherwise, the best 27in UltraSharp monitor remains the £447 Dell U2713H.