Is this the best 4K gaming monitor? The Dell U2717D UltraSharp is the latest entry into one of the company’s longest running line of monitors, and this time it’s back with the company’s other patented screen-assist, InfinityEdge. The nearly bezel-less design gives the U2717D a sleeker, more futuristic look that not many other monitors can match, but will this be enough to carry it past its subpar response times and higher cost of entry?
Read on in my Dell U2717D UltraSharp monitor review to find out. While you’re at it check out our Dell Ultrasharp 24 wireless monitor review and our review of the best computer monitors around.
Overview
Price: $428.99 on Amazon
Available: Now
Model: U2717Dt
Summary: The Dell U2717D UltraSharp is a dependable all-arounder monitor with some of the thinnest bezels on the market, but all that sleekness comes at a high cost. Unfortunately, its cousin also comes at a high price, so visit our write-up on the Dell Computer Ultrasharp U2415 for more information.
What We Liked
- InfinityEdge bezels look great
- Color accuracy was solid
- Easy to navigate menu system
What We Didn’t
- Gaming performance was lacking
- High cost
Dell U2717D UltraSharp Specs
 | |
| Size | 27″ |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,000:1 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 6ms |
| Weight | 9.9lbs |
| Device Dimensions | 27 x 5.5 x 20.6 inches |
| Technology | IPS |
| Ports | 1 HDMI 1.4, 1DP 1.2, 1 DP-out, 1 mini-DP 1.2, 4 USB 3.0, 1 3.5mm passthrough |
| Onboard Speakers |  |
| Price | $457.98 |
| Buy Now |
Design
The design of Dell’s new U2717D UltraSharp monitor is all business straight out of the box, with its muted silver-on-black color scheme, rounded edges, and nearly bezel-less shell.
That lack of bezels is where the Dell gets its “InifintyEdge” label from, designed to create the illusion that there’s nothing standing between the image on your screen and everything else going on in the rest of the world behind it. Overall the effect pays off, and looks quite a bit more futuristic than what you might find on other displays at the same cost.
Related: Also check out our Dell U3419W review.
The ultrasharp 27 base swivels the screen left and right, and also makes it simple to switch into portrait mode with the press of a button. If you’re going for the full benefits of a bezel-less display though, you’re better off using the VESA mount to stick the U2717D directly onto a wall or side to side with other units for a multi-monitor setup instead.
Hardware
The Dell U2717D is a 27″ screen that runs at a resolution of 2560 x 1440, with an advertised response time of 6ms and a 60Hz refresh rate. That means low input lag. The UltraSharp features a contrast ratio that’s fine for daily work, but might be a little low for photo-editing at just 1,000:1, along with an ultra-wide viewing angle of 178° horizontal/178° vertical.
On the back of the DEll UltraSharp 27 we found one HDMI 1.4 port, one DisplayPort 1.2, DP-out, and one mini-DP 1.2 alongside four USB 3.0 ports and a 3.5mm headphone passthrough, even though the unit itself doesn’t have any onboard speakers.
Related: See also our Dell U2520D review.
Settings
The available settings on the Dell U2717D haven’t changed much (if at all) from what we first saw on Dell’s UltraSharp 24 wireless display, but unlike that display, everything is controlled with three physical buttons rather than capacitive controls.
Read More: Best Computer Monitors 2018
This made navigating through the many different customization options a breeze, including standards like brightness and contrast, as well as the ability to filter through presets like “Movie”, “Game”, and “sRGB” which will shift the color temperatures and response times of the computer monitor to fit the task at hand.
Color Accuracy
In our tests with Datacolor’s Spyder5Elite Pro calibration tool, we were able to hit the Dell’s advertised color accuracy stats right on the mark, with 99% of sRGB and 82% of Adobe RGB represented while the monitor was tuned to the “sRGB” preset.
This is more than enough for most amateur photo/video editing work, but might be slightly under the mark for professionals who demand the utmost clarity and accuracy when working on their next project.
Performance
Overall the performance of the U2717D UltraSharp was solid, but don’t expect it to be setting speed records anytime soon. With a 60Hz refresh rate and comparatively sluggish 6ms response time, if you’re looking for a purely gaming-ready monitor, you’re better off going with monitors like the Acer Predator XB27 instead.
As far as movies and TV were concerned, the Dell held up nicely, with vibrant color representation during our hi-res video tests, as well as displaying some beautiful stills in all their spectacular glory. As we mentioned in the last section, the UltraSharp could hold up well under pressure when it comes to basic photo and video editing, and as long as your job doesn’t depend on having the most accurate color possible, it should still be a good pick overall.
Wrap Up
Dell’s latest U2717D refresh of its most popular monitor lineup is a solid, if slightly underwhelming entry into the UltraSharp family of displays. Its InfinityEdge design is cool to look at, and really does give the content on-screen more of a seamless flow between the digital world in front and the analog world behind it. Gaming performance was okay, color accuracy was a bit better, and overall there was very little that would make us think this is a bad monitor in any sense of the word.
Unfortunately, this “good at most things, but not the best at anything” approach doesn’t really work when you take a gander at the UltraSharp’s retail cost. For the same price of roughly $400, you could get yourself a hyper-accurate monitor for colorwork, a hyper-fast gaming monitor for extreme performance, or even a decent 4K monitor with nearly twice the available pixels.
If you’re creating a multi-monitor display and want to cut down on the bezels as much as possible, the Dell U2717D UltraSharp has got some of the thinnest borders in the business. Other than that select case, however, you’re better off choosing a monitor for your specific needs for a more reasonable price instead.
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