My review of the Dell U2724D (120 Hz Black IPS)

[EvolutionBG]

Yesterday I got this monitor (U2724D). Some observations:

The matte coating is like the one on Dell U2721DE (based on the RTings review) – the reflections are mostly well defused, avoiding sharper glare patches, but total reflections are higher than for example Dell S2721DS (which has less overall reflections with a more pronounced reflection outlines). I would say that it “uses a medium or ‘relatively light’ (slightly lighter than some we’d classify as ‘medium’)”. I also have noticed when the monitor is turned off the screen looks gray.
Videos about matte coating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCUzJD1CvEk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok0VWVYHPA0
And some pictures: https://imgur.com/a/A0mmNiz

Also there is a little graininess most noticeable when looked at higher vertical angle. It looks like it has the same graininess as Dell G2724D.

Much better horizontal viewing angles than G2724D. Vertical viewing angles could be better as the brightness loss from below is appearing from rather small angle (~35°). Similar to the Dell U2721DE (based on the RTings review).

It has some backlight bleeding – most noticeable at top and bottom edges, there is also a moderate amount of IPS glow – nothing to worry about at 0% – 10% brightness as is in relatively same amount from the 4 sides. A bit more than ASUS PA278QV and Dell S2721DS, and it was yellow-ish tint.
Videos:
Desktop with black color as wallpaper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzW5W2qoxWI
Black screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVEhxTC_neU

Sadly there are dynamic interlace pattern artifacts – a vertical lines could be seen during movement. They are fainter at 120Hz, but still visible and annoying (to me). At 60 Hz they are even more pronounced. I really wish it didn’t have those since it’s a UltraSharp… this is the biggest drawback (to me).

Contrast seems OK, slightly better compared to S2721DS. At least on my unit or my eyes. On Standard mode, in a bright room, the first square (lagom test) is indistinguishable from the background, in a dark room all of the squares are almost equality visible in Standard mode. There is a sRGB mode too. The panel also has a decent gray uniformity.

The response times are a bit disappointing or OK at best, as there is a bit of overshoot when using “Fast” overdrive setting even at 120 Hz, while “Normal” has bit of a motion blur with fast-moving objects. At 120 Hz “Fast” looks best and for everything under 100 Hz “Normal” is a more appropriate setting. I can try to make a video about that too.

The variable refresh rate is working with my GTX 1650 Super over DP. It just says that it’s not validated as G-Sync Compatible by Nvidia, but again it’s working relatively well with a range of a 53 Hz to 120 Hz supporting low frame rate compensation (LFC).

There is a darker edge “lip”, most noticeable at the bottom part of the screen – the last few pixels are becoming darker when looked at an angle or when you are sitting closer to the monitor. Same as the G2724D.
ASUS PA278QV and Dell S2721DS doesn’t have this “issue”. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN94ZegGPTg

The screen is bright enough at max brightness and it goes dark enough at the minimum setting. Also I really like that it doesn’t have a bottom bezel.

For me personally the overall experience is disappointing, due mostly to the dynamic interlace pattern artifacts.
A bit expensive too – I bought it for about 450 euro. Probably will return it.

[r0ach]

YMMV, but I’ve bought like eight 1440p 240hz panels lately + the horizontally polarized 360hz 24.5” panel and everything has high eye strain except the BOE panels (Samsung VA and the BOEs are vertically polarized - not sure if this plays a part yet or not). So, TLDR, whatever you buy next will probably be even more of a problem than this one.

[EvolutionBG]

Since I have been comparing it to Dell S2721DS for a few days now I want to add (and maybe correct myself) that the black levels are actually one step ahead (even a small one) than any other IPS monitor I have tested so far. Maybe the closest to this was Dell G2724D. Comparing it to the Dell S2721DS side by side, Dell U2724D has deeper blacks and has just a deeper picture, maybe it’s partly because of the less reflective matte coating.

I guess the advertised ~2000:1 contrast ratio doesn’t mean the monitor would have two times better contrast than ~1000:1 – it might be slightly better perception of the contrast (brightness difference between white and black pixels). To me it ‘feels’ that it has deeper blacks than Dell S2721DS which ‘feels’ like a cheaper ‘glossy’ monitor compared to this.

[EvolutionBG]

Added some comparison shots between Dell U2724D and Dell S2721DS: https://imgur.com/a/tOKXrQ5