Question Which Dell monitor to purchase?

[Compnewbie01]

I've been using Dell monitors for the past 14 years and have always been happy with them. In fact, I still have my Dell 2407 that I bought in 2006 on my desk right now. I bought a U2415M U2412M about 11 8-9 years ago and used that up until recently when I gave it to my wife for her computer. I ended up replacing it with a U2415 about 6 months ago and like it so far. However, the 2407 is really starting to show its age in color and other minor issues. It also gives off a significant amount of heat compared to the newer monitors.

My question is what is the current Dell line of monitors in the $200-300 range? Should I try to buy another U2415? Upgrade to a 27" 2K monitor next to the U2415?

Edit: Corrections made in red

 

[Nessism]

I've got a U2415 and love it. As far as I know it was released in late 2014 so the design is about 5 years old not 11. Dell still sells it so that should tell you something. It still seems to be top of the heap of Dell monitors at 24". It's got a terrific panel that has a little more vertical room being it's 1920x1200 compared to 1920x1080 for most other 24" monitors.

 

[Compnewbie01]

I must have messed up the model numbers, but from the picture I pulled up the button configuration on the right side of the bezel looked identical. Basically all 3 Dell monitors I've purchased (2006, 2009, 2019) have been 24" 1920X1200 panels and they seem to last a LONG time. I am just confused with the Dell nomenclature and don't know what the "current" version of this monitor is. Are current U2415 for sale all from 2014? Or is it just a 2014 design that is still in production? I want to buy a similar monitor from 2019 or 2020 preferably if it's a thing.
I am also looking at the 27" 2K Ultrasharp since it's not too far off in price ($350 U2717D vs $280 U2415) but wonder if two different size screens will be distracting and make me regret not getting another 24". My main difficulty is making sure I'm buying the correct monitor since many have these different suffixes (D, S, HD, etc.).

Edit: I now realize 2K is a different aspect ratio (16:9) than the 1920X1200 (16:10). Is this an unusual thing to have side by side?
Edit2: The second monitor was actually a U2412M that i bought 8-9 years ago (not 11). They are currently $188 on Amazon which sounds like a decent deal.

 

[Arkaign]

Dell makes some fine displays, but it may be important to distinguish : is this for gaming at all with a dGPU? If it's just for work/general PC stuff, Dell is excellent. If it's for gaming, you probably want something from Asus, Acer Predator, Alienware, etc that is variable refresh rate, the benefits are massive in that regard. High refresh is still nice to have for general use, but far from critical of course.

 

[Compnewbie01]

My use is probably mixed evenly across all categories (internet, video, gaming, work, etc.) but 60Hz is the only refresh rate I've ever used on a monitor. If it matters, most games I play are 5-20 years old anyway. These days I haven't been as focused on new games coming out.

Edit: Upon looking, it seems that most monitors with higher refresh are not 16:10 ratio. Is 16:10 a thing of the past?

 

[Arkaign]

I loved 16:10, but yes, those times are gone with the wind for all practical purposes now. I do find 2560x1440 at 27" and 3440x1440 at 34" to be excellent replacements for the old 1920x1200 panels.

 

[Compnewbie01]

I'm really becoming interested in 2K and 144Hz now that I read more about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor-S2719DGF/dp/B00N2L5CXO/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38JACFWR00QB8&dchild=1&keywords=s2719dgf&qid=1586304980&sprefix=S27%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-2

I suppose with my current arrangement the new monitor would be more for gaming and the existing U2415 would be my internet/video monitor. Maybe I could get the best of both worlds by looking for something like the above.

 

[Nessism]

I think the high frequency of some "gaming" monitors is so they can produce images beyond 60 FPS. If you are not gaming this feature is of questionable benefit.

The "ultrasharp" Dell monitors are the ones to target if image quality, not gaming, is important. A larger screen might be the way to go (I'm thinking about this too...)

 

[LOUISSSSS]

I'm really becoming interested in 2K and 144Hz now that I read more about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor-S2719DGF/dp/B00N2L5CXO/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38JACFWR00QB8&dchild=1&keywords=s2719dgf&qid=1586304980&sprefix=S27%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-2

I suppose with my current arrangement the new monitor would be more for gaming and the existing U2415 would be my internet/video monitor. Maybe I could get the best of both worlds by looking for something like the above.

This monitor would be great for general use!

 

[Nessism]

I'm really becoming interested in 2K and 144Hz now that I read more about it.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-27-Inch-LED-Lit-Monitor-S2719DGF/dp/B00N2L5CXO/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38JACFWR00QB8&dchild=1&keywords=s2719dgf&qid=1586304980&sprefix=S27%2Caps%2C220&sr=8-2

I suppose with my current arrangement the new monitor would be more for gaming and the existing U2415 would be my internet/video monitor. Maybe I could get the best of both worlds by looking for something like the above.

This is a TN panel. A very good one mind you but it won't have the image quality of the 2415.

 

[Arkaign]

This is a TN panel. A very good one mind you but it won't have the image quality of the 2415.

Yeah this is a good point. OP, if you want a high refresh panel that also has excellent color, look for the IPS 144hz 27" stuff.

This is way better than the Dell :

https://www.amazon.com/27-inch-FreeSync-MG278Q-Response-DisplayPort/dp/B014X4U076

 

[Compnewbie01]

When I look that ASUS monitor up, I find that it is also a TN panel. I am nervous about a TN panel but am slowly working up to trying one out. Does anyone know how Amazon's return policy works for monitors if I try it for a couple days and it's horrible?

I was actually also looking at:

https://www.amazon.com/Swift-PG278QR-G-SYNC-Gaming-Monitor/dp/B01N4ENDXR/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1GAHGO43GN0LK&dchild=1&keywords=asus+pg278qr&qid=1586494476&s=electronics&sprefix=asus+pg278,electronics,219&sr=1-2

What's the difference? I'm now wondering if I should just hold off until I can justify another $200 and get a fast IPS.

 

[Compnewbie01]

So after hours of research and reviews I went ahead and bought an LG 27GL83A from Amazon for $400 after tax. It seemed like every other monitor had at least one major flaw that people hated whereas this one seemed more middle of the road issue-wise. So far I like it and I'm pleasantly surprised with 144Hz in gaming. I would definitely have a hard time switching back to 60Hz after seeing it in action. Also, as someone mentioned , 27" 2K is indeed a good replacement for 1920X1200. Despite having 3" more in the diagonal, it is very close in size to the 24" 16:10 aspect monitor.

I also think sticking with IPS was a good decision because the colors are pretty nice. I had to play with the settings a bit while reading a calibration site because things looked a little orange out of the box. Though even after improving the settings they still don't "pop" as much as the Dell Ultrasharp leading me to believe I've been spoiled all these years and a TN panel would have disappointed me. I think my setup will work well using the Ultrasharp for internet/video and the LG for gaming.

All-in-all I'm quite pleased and so far I have not seen any back light bleed, screen flicker, or any of the other issues sometimes reported. Not even a single dead pixel which seems like a problem across ALL monitors these days.