Dell SE2425HM Review: 1080p 100Hz IPS Monitor

The Dell SE2425HM is a popular budget monitor with a 24″ 1080p 100Hz IPS panel, offering decent image quality and performance for the price.

Make sure not to confuse this monitor with the Dell SE2425H, which has a VA panel.

Image Quality

Thanks to its IPS panel, the Dell SE2425HM monitor delivers consistent image quality with vivid colors and wide viewing angles as the image doesn’t degrade in quality when viewed at skewed angles.

It has a 72% NTSC color gamut, which translates to around 100% sRGB color volume. This doesn’t mean that it covers 100% of the sRGB color space, just that its gamut is of that size. In reality, the coverage will vary between 90% – 95% depending on the unit, which is still decent and fit for entry-level color-critical work.

Of course, if you want a display for professional color-critical work, you should look for a display with full 100% sRGB color space coverage and tighter factory calibration.

Next, the Dell SE2425HM has a peak brightness of 250-nits, which is the minimum as far as modern LED-backlit displays go, but the screen can still get more than bright enough for normal viewing conditions.

If you plan on using the monitor in a particularly bright room (under studio lighting or facing a big window without blinds or curtains), you should consider a brighter display instead, though it’d also be more expensive.

The main downside of IPS panels is the low static contrast ratio of around 1,000:1, which results in somewhat grayish blacks in comparison to VA panels with a typical contrast ratio in the range of 3,000:1.

Additionally, all IPS monitors suffer from the IPS glow. It’s characterized as visible glowing around the corners of the screen at certain viewing angles, though its intensity varies from panel to panel.

For the best viewing experience on an IPS monitor, avoid increasing the brightness too much in a dark room, as it will make the IPS glow more apparent. To minimize IPS glow and increase perceived contrast, add some ambient lighting behind the screen instead.

The 1920×1080 Full HD resolution on the 23.8″ viewable screen of the Dell SE2425HM has a pixel density of roughly 93 PPI (pixels per inch). This results in reasonably sharp details and text, unlike 1080p on 27″ monitors with 81 PPI, which looks a bit pixely.

Moreover, 1080p isn’t very demanding on the GPU, allowing for decent frame rates even with entry-level gaming graphics cards.

Performance

The Dell SE2425HM has a 100Hz refresh rate, providing you with a noticeable bump in motion clarity in comparison to the standard 60-75Hz displays.

It’s not quite as smooth as 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, but you can definitely see smoother motion in games and even while scrolling through webpages or moving your cursor around.

The 100Hz refresh rate also brings down display latency. With around 6ms of lag, there’s no perceptible delay between your actions and the result on the screen.

Further, the monitor’s IPS panel boasts a pixel response time that’s quick enough to keep up with the refresh rate, which eliminates ghosting behind fast-moving objects.

In the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, under ‘Display’ settings, you’ll find the ‘Response Time’ setting with two options: Normal and Fast. The former is rated at 8ms GtG (gray to gray pixel transition) response time, while the latter is at 5ms.

So, we recommend using the Fast mode unless you notice some overshoot (inverse ghosting) behind fast-moving objects, in which case you should dial it back to ‘Normal.’

Sadly, the Dell SE2425HM does not support variable refresh rate for tear-free gameplay. Luckily, screen tearing is a lot less noticeable at 100Hz than it is at 60Hz, but it would’ve been a nice feature to include.

Features

Beneath the bottom bezel of the screen, there’s a dedicated power button and four hotkeys for navigation through the OSD menu.

Apart from the typical image adjustment tools, such as brightness, contrast, and color temperature, the Dell SE2425HM also supports automatic input detection, image sharpness settings, and aspect ratio control (16:9, 4:3, and 5:4). However, it does not offer gamma or saturation options.

Dell doesn’t have any desktop application to adjust monitor settings with your keyboard and mouse, but it does support DDC/CI, so you can use third-party apps, such as ControlMyMonitor, to do so.

The backlight of the monitor is completely flicker-free and there’s a low-blue light filter setting, allowing you to use the screen without worrying about eye strain.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy, but it doesn’t have any ergonomic support besides tilt (-5°/21°). Luckily, it’s VESA mount compatible via the 100x100mm pattern, allowing you to detach the screen and place it on a third-party stand.

The screen has a light matte anti-glare coating to diffuse reflections without making the image too grainy.

Connectivity options include only one HDMI 1.4 input (supports 100Hz) and one VGA port (limited to 75Hz).

Price & Similar Monitors

The Dell SE2425HM can be found for $90. There’s also a 27″ variant, the Dell SE2725HM, with the same specs (except for the larger screen and lower pixel density), which goes for $110 – $140.

You can also find the Dell S2425HS and Dell S2725HS variants in ash white color with a bit higher 1,500:1 contrast ratio, integrated speakers and a fully ergonomic design for $130 – $160.

If you don’t need features such as an ergonomic stand, variable refresh rate or audio ports, the Dell SE2425HM is a decent budget display for everyday use.

We recommend checking out the Acer KB242Y G0bi and the Acer SB240Y G0bi, which have a bit higher 120Hz refresh rate and VRR support for AMD GPUs over HDMI, and can be found for $100 on sale.

The 27″ model, the Acer KB272 G0bi can also be found on sale for $110 if you’d prefer a larger screen and don’t mind lower pixel density.

For gamers, we recommend getting a higher refresh rate display with VRR instead. The KTC H24F8 with 190Hz, DisplayPort and VRR can be found for the same price.

For more options and information, check out our best monitors under $100 buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

The Dell SE2425HM is an overall decent budget monitor for everyday use. We’re glad to see that 100Hz is replacing the lower 60-75Hz displays and becoming the norm.

However, if you mainly intend to play games, there are better options in this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size	23.8-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	IPS
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	100Hz
Response Time	5ms (GtG)
Ports	HDMI 1.4, VGA
Brightness	250 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (8-bit) 72% NTSC
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)