Bottom Line
The Dell S2722QC is a 27″ 4K 60Hz IPS monitor with USB-C. Check out the full review and its alternatives to ensure it’s the best model for you.
If you have a laptop that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode and Power Delivery over USB-C, the Dell S2722QC might be the perfect budget 4K monitor for you.
Image Quality
Based on an IPS panel with 99% sRGB color gamut coverage, the Dell S2722QC offers consistent and accurate colors without over-saturation.
In addition, the 178° wide viewing angles ensure that the image remains flawless regardless of the angle you’re looking at the screen, while dithered 10-bit color depth support provides you with 1.07 billion colors for smoother gradients.
The monitor also has a strong peak brightness of 350-nits, so it will be able to get more than bright enough even in rooms with strong ambient lighting.
As expected from an IPS display, the static contrast ratio is mediocre at 1,000:1, so you won’t get quite as deep blacks as that of VA panels – but VA technology has other disadvantages.
IPS glow is another weakness of IPS panels. It’s characterized as visible glowing around the corners of the screen and it’s mostly visible when playing dark content in a dark room with a high brightness setting. Its intensity varies from unit to unit, but it’s completely manageable in most cases.
Moving on, the 4K UHD resolution provides you with a lot of screen real estate and sharp details and text thanks to the high pixel density of 163 PPI (pixels per inch).
You will need to apply some scaling in order to be able to read tiny text, but luckily, most applications nowadays handle scaling very well.
Also, keep in mind that 4K UHD is quite demanding on the CPU and GPU, so make sure your PC will be able to properly support it.
The Dell S2722QC monitor can also accept the HDR10 signal, but since it lacks proper hardware for a noteworthy HDR viewing experience, you can ignore its HDR support.
Performance
For most gamers, 60Hz is unacceptable nowadays, but if you only play games occasionally and prefer visual fidelity to fast-paced responsiveness, the Dell S2722QC will do just fine.
First of all, it has a low input lag of only ~10ms, so you won’t be able to notice or feel any delays between your actions and the result on the screen.
Secondly, it has a fast pixel response time speed, so there won’t be any noticeable trailing behind fast-moving objects, apart from the blur caused by the low refresh rate, of course.
For the best response time performance, we recommend sticking with the ‘Normal’ overdrive mode since ‘Fast’ and ‘Extreme’ add too much pixel overshoot.
Lastly, the Dell S2722QC supports AMD FreeSync, which provides you with a variable refresh rate (VRR) for tear-free gameplay as long as your frame rate is within the supported range (40-60Hz).
If you have an NVIDIA GPU (10-series or newer) with DisplayPort, you can use a DP to USB-C cable for VRR via the ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ mode. Despite not having official certification by NVIDIA, VRR works without issues.
The backlight of the monitor is flicker-free and there’s an integrated low-blue light filter mode (ComfortView).
Features
There are four hotkeys and a power button beneath the bottom bezel of the screen for navigation through the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu.
Besides the standard image adjustment tools, such as brightness, contrast, color temperature and aspect ratio, the Dell S2722QC also offers hue/saturation and sharpness settings.
It also has the option to automatically detect the input source once it’s connected to the monitor.
Other noteworthy features include various picture presets, Dark Stabilizer (improves visibility in dark scenes) and Picture in Picture/Picture by Picture support.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is robust and versatile with up to 110mm height adjustment, -5°/21° tilt, +/- 30° swivel, +/- 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
The screen has a slim three-sided borderless design and a 25% low-haze matte anti-glare coating that prevents reflections without making the image too grainy.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB-C (with DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 65W PD), an audio line-out port, dual 3W built-in speakers and two downstream USB 3.0 ports.
Price & Similar Monitors
The Dell S2722QC price ranges from $300 to $370.
At $300, it offers decent value for money, however, you should also consider the Philips 279P1. It goes for $280 – $320 and offers a higher 90W PD, four USB ports, a wide color gamut and an RJ45 port. It also has an excellent Delta E < 2 factory calibration and a built-in ambient light sensor, but lacks variable refresh rate support.
Need a different USB-C monitor? Check out our dedicated USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 monitor buyer’s guides.
Conclusion
Overall, if you need a 4K monitor with USB-C connectivity, the Dell S2722QC is one of the most cost-efficient models available, along with the Philips 279P1.
Be sure to check the pricing and reviews of both models to make sure you’re getting the model that’s most suited for you.
Specifications
| Screen Size | 27-inch |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (Ultra HD) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 4ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive-Sync | FreeSync (40-60Hz) |
| Speakers | 2x3W |
| Ports | 2x HDMI 2.0, USB-C (DP Alt Mode, 65W PD) |
| Other Ports | Line-out, 2x USB 3.0 |
| Brightness | 350 cd/m² |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 (static) |
| Colors | 1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC) 99% sRGB |
| HDR | HDR10 |
| VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
The Pros:
- Accurate and consistent colors
- High pixel density, wide viewing angles, fast response time
- Fully ergonomic stand and rich connectivity options, including USB-C with 65W PD
The Cons:
- IPS glow and mediocre contrast ratio (as expected from this panel technology)
