Dell UltraSharp U2724DE 27" Class Black, Silver, Dual Color Review

This is a Thunderbolt docking station that happens to be a great color-accurate monitor. It scores in the 85th percentile for color and 88th for ergonomics, making it a top-tier pick for professionals. Just know you're paying for the hub and the Dell name, not cutting-edge panel performance.

The Dell UltraSharp U2724DE is a 27-inch QHD monitor that scores a 62.4/100 in our overall rating, with its strongest suit being professional work at 65.1/100. It's built around a solid IPS panel with 98% DCI-P3 color coverage, landing it in the 85th percentile for color accuracy. That's the main story here: this is a workhorse for creators and office users who need accurate colors and a clean, ergonomic setup, not a flashy gaming screen.

Where it starts to show its age is in raw performance, sitting at the 55th percentile. The 120Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time are decent, but they're not going to blow anyone away. This monitor's value proposition is its Thunderbolt 4 hub and excellent ergonomics, which score in the 77th and 88th percentiles respectively. It's a tidy, one-cable solution for a MacBook or high-end laptop, not a benchmark crusher.

Performance is a mixed bag, depending on what you're measuring. For color-critical work, it's excellent, hitting the 85th percentile with its 98% DCI-P3 coverage and 10-bit panel. That means your photos and videos will look true-to-life. The 120Hz refresh rate is a nice step up from the standard 60Hz for office monitors, making scrolling and motion smoother, but it's only in the 55th percentile overall because it's not a high-refresh gaming panel.

Its 350 nits of brightness is adequate for a well-lit office but might struggle against direct sunlight, and the 5ms response time is fine for most tasks but not ideal for competitive gaming. Think of it as a premium office and creative performance, not a gaming one. The real performance win is the Thunderbolt 4 hub, which handles video, data, and up to 90W of laptop charging all through one cable.

The value equation here is tricky. This monitor's price swings wildly from $450 to $656 depending on the vendor, a $206 spread. At the lower end, it's a compelling package for a Thunderbolt 4 docking monitor with great color. At the high end, you're paying a premium for the Dell and Thunderbolt branding. You're not buying raw specs per dollar; you're buying convenience, color accuracy, and a clean desk. If a single-cable setup for your laptop and accurate colors are worth a couple hundred extra bucks over a basic monitor, then the value is there. Just shop around.

Compared to its flashier competitors, the Dell U2724DE carves out a different niche. The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 or ASUS ROG Swift QD-OLED will demolish it in contrast, HDR, and gaming refresh rates, but they're also massive, expensive, and lack a built-in Thunderbolt hub. Even Dell's own 27" 4K HDR 120Hz monitor offers a sharper picture and better HDR. The MSI MPG 32" 4K is a better gaming all-rounder. This Dell's advantage is its balance: excellent color for work, smooth-enough 120Hz for light gaming, and that fantastic one-cable Thunderbolt dock. It's the tidy, professional choice in a sea of giant, flashy gaming displays.

Skip this monitor if you're a competitive gamer or a home theater enthusiast. Its 55th percentile performance score and lack of high contrast or local dimming mean it's not built for that. Also, if you don't need a Thunderbolt dock and just want the best QHD picture for the money, there are simpler monitors that offer better pure display specs in the same price range. It's overkill if you're just plugging in a desktop PC with standard cables.

We recommend the Dell UltraSharp U2724DE if you're a professional, hybrid office worker, or content creator who uses a high-end laptop and values a clean desk. The data backs this up: its 85th percentile color and 88th percentile ergonomics are its winning tickets. The Thunderbolt hub is the killer feature. We can't recommend it for hardcore gamers or those chasing the absolute best picture quality for the price, as its 55th percentile performance score and high-end price tag don't compete well in those arenas. It's a specialist, and a very good one at its specific job.