Dell U2711..is it worth the money?

[reddev85]

Been pondering about the idea of upgrading my 24" monitor to a 27", and I have a few questions. This 24" monitor runs at 1920x1200, if I changed to a 27" 1080p monitor, would the lower res (not by much) look worse?

I am currently using a Dell 2407WFP (revision a04) and have done for about 5 years. Awesome monitor and it's still going strong...but displays have moved on since then - lower response times, higher contrast ratios etc etc. This one isn't THAT bad considering it's age. S-PVA panel made by Samsung with 1000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms G2G and 16ms B2B, not to mention the handy USB hub and card reader built in.

I remember it cost me around the £500 mark, which back then was a HUGE amount of money to spend on a monitor and still is today, though to a lesser degree.

I've been reading various threads on here about other brands (Iiyama and Hazro in particular) and I wasn't impressed. Various QA and warranty issues, dead pixels, dust trapped behind the panel and so on.

So my question is, is the Dell worth the added cost? It does come with the zero-dodgy-pixel guarantee. I know some other manufacturers require a clump of dead pixels the size of your fist before they'll replace the monitor.

The other monitor I've been looking at is the Asus VG278H which is around the same price, though I am not a 3D fan so I wouldn't be using that.

Is anyone using a Dell U2711 or the Asus? Which one would you recommend?

 

[.:SAmSuNG:.]

I also have a 1920x1200 24" and i wouldn't go for a 1080p 24" let alone a 27". The warranty and zero pixel guarantee is a massive plus alone. You phone them up and in my experience have a replacement screen next day.

They are pure quality.

 

[reddev85]

Yeah I must say this Dell has been awesome, 5 years old and still works just as good as the day I took it out of the box.

And still has some resale value, they still seem to go for £175-£200 second hand, so that would knock the cost of the U2711 down a chunk.

 

[cmndr_andi]

Hi there,

The U2711 is a really nice monitor, but it really depends on your uses whether it would be a worthwhile upgrade. One thing that may be an issue is input lag, looking at this test the U2711 has 30ms of input lag. This shouldn't be a crippling amount of lag, but it isn't ideal considering the cheaper Hazro HZ27WC offers less than 10ms. IIRC the 2407WFP has 10-20ms of input lag so jumping to 30ms probably wouldn't be a big issue, but it is something to take into account if you plan on spending this kind of money.

Another option worth looking at is the HP ZR2740 which is another 27in 1440p IPS monitor from a good brand - this monitor offers only 10ms of input lag (see this review) though the pixel responsiveness doesn't seem quite as good as the U2711.

As for the ASUS, I haven't used it but if you don't plan on using 3D (just using it for 120Hz mode) then I would instead look at the Samsung 27in 120Hz monitors - as the ASUS seems to have some issues with backlight bleeding. Also, please bear in mind that these 120Hz monitors use TN panels and are only 1080p - so in some respects they would be a downgrade from a S-PVA 1200p monitor.

 

[jbloggs]

I've owned and used the 2407WFP (revA04), HP LP2475p and NEC 24WMGX3 and now use the U2711 (hardware calibrated) and have to say it certainly is a lovely monitor in all uses and a step or two up from the 24" monitors I used...

 

[FoxEye]

I also have a 1920x1200 24" and i wouldn't go for a 1080p 24" let alone a 27". The warranty and zero pixel guarantee is a massive plus alone. You phone them up and in my experience have a replacement screen next day.

They are pure quality.

Whilst I didn't get on with the u2412m, I was very impressed with Dell customer support.

You can order from them in complete confidence, knowing that they will allow you to return your unit if you are not completely satisfied. I returned mine after the 7 day dsr had expired. And Dell even sent me two replacement screens before I decided I would get a refund.

 

[reddev85]

Thanks guys, I think I'm gonna go for it. Thankfully I never had an issue with this 2407, so I never needed to use the warranty service, but from what I hear it's awesome.

And if I'm spending that kinda money, an awesome warranty just seals the deal!

 

[Cithan]

Yes I've got one of these, there is a slight lag which is just possible to see when I drag a window from my 2007FP and move it up and down, straddling both of the screens. However when you use it you don't notice it - it is not like it causes lip sync issues or anything!

Regarding the warranty, I actually started out with a 2709W. Then after a couple of years I noticed a dead sub pixel. They replaced it twice (next day) with another 2709W - each time the "new" (somebody else's monitor sent in for repairs) had problems more serious than the previous one. I was beginning to regret calling the warranty when on the third try they delivered a brand new U2711 (back when you didn't get much change out of £1000 for one)!

 

[reddev85]

I've looked closer into the issue of input lag, which is around 30ms on the U2711 as someone pointed out (thanks).

I do play FPS though, is it actually noticable? Considering the existing input lag on this is 10-20ms and I don't notice it, is an extra 10ms going to stand out?

I do game a lot, so it comes down to the old 1080p 120Hz TN vs 60Hz higher res IPS decision which seems to be a regular conundrum these days.

The opinions for both camps on here seem to be divided. The low pixel pitch on the U2711 is a bit of a concern though. 0.270mm on the 2407WFP vs 0.233mm on the U2711.

I do not use my PC for professional use or photography and I really don't fancy having to squint to read text. Is the low pixel pitch as big of an issue as some people think?

Also, at the higher res, how would say...a 7950 cope? It would obviously take an FPS hit compared to 1080p. So you have higher FPS at 120Hz, vs lower FPS at higher res.

Ahhh christ....decisions decisions

 

[.:SAmSuNG:.]

Im not sure how the U2711 compares to my U2410 in regards to input lag but it is noticeable until you switch it to game mode when its perfectly fine in fast fps games.

 

[PCM2]

The input lag of the U2711 is about the same as the U2410 (non game mode) at around 30ms or approaching 2 frames. The game mode roughly halves the input lag of the U2410 to around or just under 1 frame, but has no real effect on the U2711. It's entirely subjective whether this is an issue or not - SAmSuNg, you would notice for example. The Samsung S27A850D's input lag is around the same as the U2711 and I can't stand playing FPS games on it but it is something I have become quite sensitive to.

 

[.:SAmSuNG:.]

Well if it has no effect switching to game mode like mine does then I would say it would defiantly be noticeable to me.

 

[two00lbwaster]

I had, until recently been planning on getting this monitor, although I'm sure that they must be about to be replaced, as the prices have been dropping on them for a while.

The quandary I'm now in is the same as the OP's. Is it actually worth it? I can get three U2312HM monitors for the same money, which would often be more useful to me, and I've been looking at the U2412M monitors which have my preferred 1920x1200 resolution, however, those monitors have higher input lag (I'm an FPS gamer) than the U2312HM and three of them cost significantly more than three U2312HMs/a U2711 the last time I looked.

 

[reddev85]

I was actually looking at the Hazro HZ27WC without the glass. I had previously overlooked Hazro monitors because of dust issues but perhaps I was being a bit too hasty.

Low 8-10ms input lag because of the lack of a scaler, IPS panel, and high res. Also £150 cheaper than the Dell. £200 cheaper when the Dell goes back to normal price.

Lack of scaling isn't an issue as I'd be gaming at native res. 1080p movie scaling is usually handled pretty well by the graphics card, and I only need DVI-D input so the lack of other inputs isn't an issue either. No OSD is a slight niggle but TFT central has an ICC profile so all that needs adjusting is the backlight level, which can be done.

I was tempted by the glass version. IMO it just looks a tiny bit nicer, but the dust issue would drive me crazy If I was unlucky enough to have any trapped behind the panel.

I've pretty much ruled out a 120Hz 1080p monitor. It would be a downgrade from S-PVA to TN, and 1200p to 1080p. Also, I'm not convinced that 120Hz makes as much difference as people make out (placebo effect). Call me a sceptic If you will.

 

[ChrisD.]

I've been looking at the U2711 as well, but the high input lag is putting me off.

Also currently use a 2407WFP and it's served me well for close to 5 years.

 

[andyr]

I've been looking at the U2711 as well, but the high input lag is putting me off.

Also currently use a 2407WFP and it's served me well for close to 5 years.

Also looking at the U2711 and it appears to have the same input lag as my Viewsonic VX2435WM which is measured at 26-28ms so i doubt i would notice the difference.I play MW3 quite a lot and it doesnt bother me at all, I read poor customer service from Hazro so that puts me off more !

 

[crinkleshoes]

lol @ people saying there's an issue with input lag on these monitors...

It's certainly not stopping me from being in the top ~3 per server in BF3 and MW3... so it can't be having any real negative effect.

Try it, you'll be surprised how un-noticeable it really is.

Don't like it? Return it... that's what the DSR is for.

 

[andyr]

lol @ people saying there's an issue with input lag on these monitors...

It's certainly not stopping me from being in the top ~3 per server in BF3 and MW3... so it can't be having any real negative effect.

Try it, you'll be surprised how un-noticeable it really is.

Don't like it? Return it... that's what the DSR is for.

I think i will be taking the plunge soon, which gfx card are you using

 

[PCM2]

lol @ people saying there's an issue with input lag on these monitors...

It's certainly not stopping me from being in the top ~3 per server in BF3 and MW3... so it can't be having any real negative effect.

Try it, you'll be surprised how un-noticeable it really is.

Don't like it? Return it... that's what the DSR is for.

There's no need to laugh at people for being more sensitive to something than you. I could frequently get 'in the top 3' most of the time on Battlefield 3 with the SA850. But funnily enough the K/D was lower than with for example the SA750 or SA950. But yes this does have to be assessed by each individual, and that is indeed where DSR comes in useful.

 

[FoxEye]

There's no need to laugh at people for being more sensitive to something than you. I could frequently get 'in the top 3' most of the time on Battlefield 3 with the SA850. But funnily enough the K/D was lower than with for example the SA750 or SA950. But yes this does have to be assessed by each individual, and that is indeed where DSR comes in useful.

Can people really tell the difference between 1/30th of a second lag and 1/60th of a second? Does seem pretty incredible.