Quick Review: Dell S2740L AH-IPS Monitor

Specs That Matter

Display Size: 27 Inch

Panel Model: LG AH-IPS

Pixel Pitch: 0.311mm

Color Depth: 6-bit + AFRC (16.7m colors)

Screen Coating: Glossy

Response Time: 7ms (g2g)

Brightness: 270 nits

Static Contrast Ratio: 1000:1

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Backlight: W-LED

Refresh Rate: 60Hz

Connectivity: HDMI(1), DVI-D (1), VGA (1)

Features:

4.5 out of 5

Rating:

+ Positives

• Very sleek looking display, with a thin profile and minimalistic design. Entire front of the monitor has a flat, frameless design.
• Extremely affordable for a high quality 27-inch monitor with AH-IPS panel from a reputable brand with a good warranty.
• Ah-IPS panel (6-bit + FRC) has wide viewing viewing angles with very little loss of image quality when viewed from a steep angle.
• Input lag is very low, with an average overall display lag of just 3.2ms. Gamers will have no problems with delayed movements or actions.
• Glossy surface provides a crystal clear image that is easy on the eyes with no fuzziness or dirty screen effect.
• Accurate color reproduction which is further enhanced by the glossy screen surface.
• OSD menu is very similar to previous models from Dell, meaning it is very intuitive, has a well organized layout and is easy to navigate and make changes to the display settings.
• Good news about PWM backlight dimming. The S2740L doesn't use PWM, so no flicker issues whatsoever.
• Backlight uniformity of the S2740L is very good, with virtually no backlight bleed and only a small amount of clouding that is not easily seen under normal viewing conditions.
• Response time was good with minimal motion blur, though overshoot may be an issue (see cons below).

- Negatives

• Glossy screen of the S2740L is highly reflective if under bright or direct lighting conditions.
• Stand has limited ergonomic adjustments (no pivot, height adjustment or swivel), which is something uncommon for Dell.
• Measured contrast ratio (around 700:1) is only adequate, and blacks levels are not quite up to par of other IPS displays from Dell.
• Under some conditions while gaming there were apparent issues with dark overshoot. Nothing to severe, but might pose problems for fast paced gaming.

S2740L Final Thoughts

The S2740L is a fantastic AH-IPS monitor at this price point. I considered giving it only a 4 star rating due to the amount of negatives, but they are all fairly minor and nothing the average user will likely even notice (though I'm not a huge fan of the S2740L's stand; Dell is usually known for having very ergonomic and adjustable stands). For only $300, the S2740L makes a great media or all-in-one display. It may not be a perfect solution for any single application, but it does everything relatively well.

See PCHardwareHelp.com's complete list of IPS monitors for more options other than the Dell S2740L.

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