Dell monitors models question

belkun · December 2, 2014

I'm building a new rig this month (i5-4690, GTX970, 16GB DDR3), and with it, I plan on buying a couple of new monitors. So far I've settled on Dell, since Asus monitors are hard to find where I live, and I really like Dell's thin bezels.

I originally planned on getting a U2713HM, which is a 27" 1440p IPS display, but Dell just released the U2715H, with the same size and resolution, but with thin bezels. The only problem is that I can't find any reviews on it since it's a new monitor, and buying it may be risky, even though I trust Dell.

I also plan on getting a second monitor, mainly to serve as an aid, for reference and stuff while I work, so I was also looking at Dell's Ultrasharps, and can't really decide between the U2414H, which is a 16:9 monitor, or the U2415, which is 16:10. Since it is going to be a secondary monitor, the extra pixels might help, though I'm not sure if it's worth it to spend around 30% more for it, compared to the 16:9 one which is cheaper.

Should I even be going for 1440p with the GTX 970? I pretty much just play mainly Dota 2, though I also plan on playing stuff like GTA V later on. If necessary I can try to get another 970 later on to run SLI, but for now, will it cut it? Maybe instead I could go dual 1080p and save some money? Maybe even consider dual 1440p? The bigger resolution is really going to help me with the software I use to work (3D modelling, Photoshop, etc), though it may possibly be a bit too much for the 970 right now, unless I end up getting a second one.

elkenrod · December 3, 2014

What type of monitor are you using currently?

Monitor preference is subjective, but what you need is dependent on what you are used to using, what you don't like about it, and what you plan to be able to do in the future.

belkun · December 3, 2014

What type of monitor are you using currently?

Monitor preference is subjective, but what you need is dependent on what you are used to using, what you don't like about it, and what you plan to be able to do in the future.

I currently use a really cheap Samsung 23" 1080p TN, which isn't really that great, specially the viewing angles. As I said, the main reason I'm looking into the 1440p one is for work, since I work with 3D modelling and Photoshop, so a big workspace and accurate colors are a must, so IPS is also very much required. I'll also use it for gaming, so it should have a low response time if possible, something that I know the U2713HM doesn't really have, but the 24" 16:9 one does.

elkenrod · December 3, 2014

I am a huge advocate of matching your monitors for a multiple monitor setup.

As you said, accurate colors are a must. Don't mix monitors even within the same brand if that's important to you.

You should not invest any money into a 1080 panel if you intend on doing 1440 or higher in the future. The good news about paying more for 1440 right now, is that a year from now that same panel will most likely be inexpensive.

Your 970 can drive two 1440p monitors.

belkun · December 3, 2014

I am a huge advocate of matching your monitors for a multiple monitor setup.

As you said, accurate colors are a must. Don't mix monitors even within the same brand if that's important to you.

You should not invest any money into a 1080 panel if you intend on doing 1440 or higher in the future. The good news about paying more for 1440 right now, is that a year from now that same panel will most likely be inexpensive.

Your 970 can drive two 1440p monitors.

Yeah, some people really recommended that I match the two monitors for a multi monitor setup, but the 1440p one is a little bit over two times as expensive as the 1080p one, and while the 970 may drive two of them, I think I may need another one to be able to play games at a decent framerate, and that is pretty much my only concern, apart from the monitor prices. I've read some benchmarks, and the 970 seems to get around 40-50 FPS at 1440p on very demanding games, which isn't bad, but I could go for a 1080p monitor and get 60+

Glenwing · December 3, 2014

Interestingly the U2715Q (4K) is the same price as the U2715H. It's likely the U2715H price will drop in the near future. Reviews might also come out for it soon too; I think TFTCentral tweeted they would have one coming in January.

belkun · December 3, 2014

Interestingly the U2715Q (4K) is the same price as the U2715H. It's likely the U2715H price will drop in the near future. Reviews might also come out for it soon too; I think TFTCentral tweeted they would have one coming in January.

That is really good to know, a review might help me make up my mind.

Still, I'm kinda leaning towards 2x 1080p, since I know for sure that the monitors are good and I won't be disappointed, since I'm used to the resolution and there are plenty of information about the U2414H on the internet, and I want to buy the monitors this month if possible. If I go for 2x 1440p, that means spending twice as much, possibly even more with another 970 down the line, and either risk getting something that may not be that good or wait a month for a possible review. I'm trying to save a bit of money (one of the reasons I went for an i5 instead of an i7), so maybe the dual 27 isn't the best option.