Dell U2713HM - Unbeatable performance out of the box

Dell U2713HM Conclusion

With the U2713HM monitor, Dell hasn’t broken any new ground. Instead, they have taken the same panel that many vendors are using and presented it in a well thought out and constructed package that is a pleasure to use. From the packaging to the stand to the OSD, everything is designed for ease of use, and after weeks of use nothing left me feeling annoyed or that it needed to be changed.

Performance for the Dell U2713HM is very good, with the performance out of the box being extraordinary. Calibrated color performance is very good, and the contrast numbers are as good as any 27” display we've tested, even with the more difficult method now being used. The only negative for the display is the slower response time for gaming, though as I mentioned before this might be improved by running at the native resolution (but we can't directly test this).

The U2713HM lists for $799 and though Dell often has sales on their displays I don’t know how much this will affect this model. Compared to the $650 HP ZR2740w you get better pre-calibration and post-calibration results, more inputs, an OSD system, USB 3.0 support, and the same contrast ratios. If prices were equal from a sale, I’d pick the Dell U2713HM over the HP unless I absolutely needed faster response times for gaming that the HP offers due to its lack of a scaler. Even then, the Dell might be the exact same at gaming when using the native 2560x1440 resolution.

Compared to the $430 Nixeus model that was just reviewed (though currently selling for $500), it becomes a more difficult a decision. The Dell is superior in performance in all areas out of the box, and remains superior in white and black uniformity and levels as well as contrast, even after calibration. It also offers USB 3.0, better build quality, and a far better OSD system. The color errors are equivalent after calibration, but the Dell offers such great performance out of the box that you likely don’t even need a calibration for it, which for many saves the cost of decent calibration hardware. For those that don’t care about calibration and are most focused on a display for general use, it’s still going to be hard to beat the value offered by the Nixeus.

In the end, I think the U2713HM is a very well designed display and one that I do recommend, especially if it is available on sale from Dell. It is one of the few displays that after spending time with it I don’t have any annoyances or problems that I feel need to be fixed. The user experience from opening the box to using the display is well considered and designed, with no major flaws to be found. A Dell display might not stand out on your desk, but with its test performance it stands out in my lab. Dell has a wonderful blend of features and performance in the U2713HM, and while not the value leader in 27” displays, this might be my favorite overall model in this category right now.