If you’re looking for a high quality 4K monitor for either Windows or macOS that will perform exceptionally well and last a long time, the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q just might be your pick.
I’m not going to bore you with all the technical details or fancy benchmarks. Instead, I’m going to take you through some real life usage scenarios and give you my personal opinion on why I chose this as my main 4K monitor.
The U2720Q is a premium 4K monitor from Dell with USB-C functionality and good color accuracy.
Design
Starting with design, I have to be honest this monitor is pretty good looking. It’s very minimal and clean, with tiny bezels and no obnoxiously large logo on the front.
The width of the screen is very slim and even the back of the monitor looks nice. The light grey, dark grey, and black color scheme means that this screen will fit in almost any environment, either in the office at work or at home.
One thing I don’t like however is how the input panel on the left side sticks out. It looks a bit bulky, but this isn’t a huge deal and the fact you get all these easily accessible ports offsets the physical drawback for me.
I went with the 27 inch version as I find that’s the perfect size for me. Smaller than that and I feel cramped, any larger and I feel like I’m moving my head too much just to look around the screen.
My advice to you however is to always go a bit larger if you’re unsure. If you think you’ll be ok with a 24″ or 25” inch screen, try the 27”.
The stand not only looks good but also has a ton of functions. You have a wide range of swivel, and the rectangular base is extremely sturdy and is great for storing things on or even just sitting on top of something.
The sturdy base with wide range of swivel is paired with the arm making almost any angle or adjustment possible. This range of motion means you can use the screen in almost any orientation you desire – including portrait mode.
You can also take off the stand and mount the screen to a monitor arm via a VESA mount. Alternatively, the monitor can be attached to the wall via a wall mount.
Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q Connectivity
This is where the Dell U2720Q shines. You see, this monitor fully supports USB-C connectivity and has 90W of power delivery.
If you’re using a laptop, all you need to do is plug a single USB-C cable into it, and you will get an external display, charging at full speed (so just as quick as the charger brick that came with your device). You’ll also have access to any USB devices you have plugged into your monitor.
Here’s a quick overview of the ports. Starting from left to right, AC power, security lock, HDMI, Displayport, USBC DisplayPort, audio line out (so for speakers if you use them), and 2 USB 3.1 ports.
You also get this really useful USB C and standard USB port on the side, which is great for plugging in USB drives or other accessories to your laptop, without having to use an extra hub or reach around to access the back of the monitor. I’ll go into more detail on this when we get to the section about laptop usage.
If you’re after even more connectivity, I recommend the CalDigit TS3+ Thunderbolt 3 dock.
Screen Quality & Viewing Angles
Next up we have screen quality. Again, I won’t go into the nitty gritty details, so check out Dell’s product page and have a read through the technical specifications.
My personal experience however has been very positive. Whether I’m using Windows or macOS (including either a Mac Mini or a MacBook), the colors are super bright, very accurate, and the ability to see everything at 4K resolution means that you can barely see any individual pixels. I have also had no issues with any blurriness or hard to read font.
Viewing angles are also very impressive as it’s an IPS panel and is also anti-reflective coated. It’s a 60Hz refresh rate, so you won’t be doing any hardcore FPS gaming, however it’s totally fine for a bit of gaming here and there, and I’ve played games such as Fortnite without any issues.
I use this screen primarily for productivity tasks, and also video editing. By the way, if you use DaVinci Resolve, check out the best DaVinci Resolve Render settings for YouTube.
The U2720Q also works great for productivity, because coming from a 1440p panel, I’ve found that using a screen with a higher resolution such as 4K is slightly less strain on my eyes. Everything seems clearer and easier to tell apart.
You can also go into the settings of your device and change the scaling which means you can make text and icons larger or smaller to suit your preference. This works on both macOS and Windows.
I also like it for video editing as I seem to get a really accurate color space out of the monitor and I can playback my videos in full 4K resolution before I render them.
You can also use Dell Display Manager to tweak different settings and work spaces. Personally my ideal setup is two of these monitors for multitasking efficiency.
Using With A Laptop
Moving on to what is in my opinion the most important section, and that is using this screen with a laptop. I recommend watching my video review on Youtube for this section, as I am able to show you in-person how the Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q interfaces with a USB-C compatible laptop.
More and more monitors are shipping with USB-C ports, and this opens up a range of new features.
Price
In terms of price, this is probably the main negative of this monitor. You can easily pick up a basic 4K monitor from other cheaper brands at much lower cost. Now, I wouldn’t class the Dell U2720Q as a budget option, but I also don’t believe it’s too expensive either.
Many of the cheaper 4K monitors out there either have no USB C functionality, meaning you can’t charge or even connect your laptop unless you use a HDMI or DisplayPort cable and a converter, or are just plain ugly looking or made with really cheap components.
I’ve been using Dell Ultrasharp monitors for both in the office at my 9-5 job and also at home for about 5 years now, and I’ve never been let down. Dell also has a really good warranty too. One way to think about it is that you’re not just getting a screen, but a hub and also a charger. You also get all the cables you’ll need in the box.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the Dell Ultrasharp U2720Q is a really high quality monitor, with awesome build design, and comes with all the ports, cables, and functionality you could ever need from a monitor, but it can be a bit pricey.
