The best Dell monitors offer beautiful picture quality in a beautiful and sleek package. So, whether you're looking for an affordable model to populate your office with or want a stunning high-spec monitor for gaming or video editing, the brand is a safe bet.
That's especially if you're hoping to upgrade to 4K, as Dell has some of the most appealing offerings for such high-resolution panels. 4K monitors like the Dell S3221QS, which is made better by its curvature, give consumers more affordable options without compromising on picture quality. Meanwhile, gamers can also find affordable options in the typically pricey Alienware line, with the likes of the Alienware AW2521H often getting price cuts.
Whichever Dell monitor you're looking for, you'll find the best Dell monitor for you in our list below. If you're on the hunt for a new laptop too, check out our pick of the best best Dell laptops, and if you're after the best Dell all-rounder, check out our page on the best Dell XPS 13 (9310) deals.
The best Dell monitors available now
The Dell P2720D monitor is the perfect all-rounder in function and design, and our top pick of the best Dell monitors. It offers a near-perfect combination of looks, resolution, features, size for a cracking price, making it number one in our Dell monitors best buys.
Its 27-inch screen is the standard size for office monitors these days, and it's a perfectly good size for watching your favourite media on – especially with its 1440p (QHD) (positioning itself between 4K and the lower 1080p). The monitor is easy to adjust up and down, swivelling left and right on its base, turning the screen clockwise and anticlockwise. Its design also has thin bezels, giving it a sleek look.
Along with HDMI 1.4, its USB-C connection means you can easily connect with your laptop, and charge it at the same time. For most of us who's looking for a fantastic all-rounder, the Dell P2720D is without a doubt, the ideal option.
The Dell S2721DS is proof that you don't need to spend a lot on a display if you daily computing needs do not hinge on special or expert-level features. These days, it's even cheaper than its ever been, making it our new best budget Dell monitor. But, don't let its inexpensive price tag fool you: it's more capable than most of the budget monitors out there.
Wrapped in a stylish gray-on-white package, it boasts a 1440p IPS panel with a 75Hz refresh rate and a decent 350 cd/m² brightness, already making it superior to your aging 1080p display. The 99% sRGB color coverage means you can do some basic photo editing on it while the AMD FreeSync allows you to immerse in smooth gaming and the built-in 3W speakers means you can do that as well as stream the latest blockbusters while you're sending out a few emails.
If you're setting up a permanent home office, you might want to spend a bit more on your monitor to really get it right. The Dell U4021QW is one of Dell's more expensive offerings, but if multi-tasking on a giant screen is an important part of your job, it is well worth it.
Designed for content creators and those working with data, the gorgeous, curved 40-inch display (the first of its kind) is perfect for side-by-side tasks. It has a resolution that'll knock your socks off at 5,120 x 2,160 pixels (though the brightness doesn't quite match up at only 300 nits).
If connectivity is your jam, the number of ports here should sway you. Included on the ample list of ports (situated on the back) are a DisplayPort 1.4 connection, two HDMI 2.0 ports, a Thunderbolt 3 connector, plus four types of USB ports, an audio jack and an RJ45 port. Talk about productivity.
4K monitors still aren't as cheap as they should be, despite the fact that 4K is now becoming the new standard resolution for displays. But, that doesn't mean that there aren't any affordable options out there. The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE is a great and affordable 4K display with a robust suite of useful features.
Lauded for its accurate colors, this affordable 4K monitor offers great colour coverage of 100% Rec 709, 100% sRGB, and 98% DCI-P3 gamut, a contrast ratio of 2000:1, a 400 cd/m² brightness level, USB-C connectivity, a USB hub, and KVM support. So, this isn't only ideal for budget-conscious productivity pundits and multitasking maestros; it's a great option for creative professionals as well. It even comes with VESA DisplayHDR 400 so you can squeeze it a bit of gaming or a movie between heavy workflows to unwind.
The Dell S3221QS offers a gorgeous curved 4K display at a very reasonable price. It boasts a unique, simple but elegant design that sets it apart from both gamer-centric screens as well as your run-of-the-mill black office monitor.
The stunning 4K VA panel makes everything look superb, from movies to video games, and it has a host of welcome features such as decent speakers and an interesting picture-in-picture functionality that allows you to display two different computers in the same display. It's a neat trick and makes up for the lack of USB-C connectivity. This is one of best Dell monitor deals if you're looking for quality and style at a good price.
The Dell UltraSharp U3223QZ isn't going to be the cheapest proposition for an office display, which is why it's lower on our list, but it's certainly among the most feature-rich ones out there. We're testing this model at the moment and think that if you're looking for a kitted-out monitor with practically everything you need, this is worth the investment.
Front and centre, both literally and figuratively, is the built-in Windows Hello-enabled 4K webcam that boasts its own security features, decent mount articulation, customizability, and some video presets. That will certainly come in handy if you're working remotely and have video meetings all day – especially combined with the built-in dual echo cancelling mics and two 14 W speakers.
Other mention-worthy features are the PBP/PIP view modes for multitasking, USB-C up to 90W power delivery to charge up your laptop, and the USB hub for connecting other peripherals. Need to do light video or photo editing every now and then? The 100% Rec 709, 100% sRGB, and 98% DCI-P3 colour coverage and 2000:1 contrast ratio make that possible.
If you believe the best gaming monitor is about speed, the Dell Alienware AW2521H is the monitor for you. It offers what is currently the fastest refresh rate available on any screen at 360 Hz, and the lowest available input lag for an astoundingly smooth response. This monitor also boasts a NVIDIA 'Reflex' feature, which measures input lag and helps to reduce it.
Like most Alienware monitors, the build quality is excellent and the stand offers a range of ergonomic adjustments. It also has good reflection handling and great peak brightness. It covers the whole sRGB colour space and has outstanding colour accuracy out of the box. However, despite a better contrast ratio than many IPS panels, blacks still look a little greyish, so it isn't ideal for gaming in the dark. All in all, though, this is a superb gaming monitor from Dell.
OLED monitors are the new big thing in the display market – even though they've been around in the mobile and TV markets, so they are a bit of a shiny novelty at the moment. Still, this Dell monitors list isn't complete without one of Dell's OLED offerings.
The new Alienware AW3423DW, released in 2022, is not just an ultrawide curved display for gaming. It also boasts those deep black and rich colours that OLED technology is known for, and it's an absolute beast in the gaming world.
We're talking 1M:1 contrast ratio and 1000 cd/m2 peak brightness here, as well as VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 that gives it great HDR performance. That's not to mention its impressive 149% sRGB (CIE 1931) and 99.3% DCI-P3 colour gamut. For an even deeper gaming immersion, it supports Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate and comes with that nice 1800R curvature on a 34-inch panel.
Having tested and reviewed the Dell P3222QE, we can honestly say that it is one of those productivity displays on that market that have more to them than meets the eye. It's not just the USB-C with Power Delivery and its sleek design that are nice perks here. And, they do make it a terrific Dell display for MacBook Pro users.
The full sRGB coverage and the Delta-E 1.48 colour accuracy we got in our Dell P3222QE review also make it ideal for users who do photo editing as well. Of course, that large 31.5-inch screen in 4K resolution also means you're getting plenty of real estate, whether you're editing or doing heavy multitasking, giving you a pixel density of 140PPI.
It's no gaming demon, unfortunately, not with its 8m response time. But, if you're looking for an affordable 4K solution for the office, this one's one of the best Dell monitors to consider.
If you're bored of the same ol' 16:9 ratio, then you may want to try the Dell UltraSharp U3023E, which has a slightly taller 16:10 ratio. We liked that extra vertical space when we tried out this monitor, and found it really useful for productivity. Elsewhere, the general quality of the IPS panel is good, and colour accuracy and coverage were good enough for content creators, though not super-advanced ones. There are tons of ports. Though for this cost, some may prefer to go 4K.
Read more:
- How to buy a monitor: 5 things to consider
- How to calibrate your monitor
- The best LG monitors: top LG displays and deals
