Dell UltraSharp U2410 review

Above the usual TN panels but short of our top-end Eizo and LaCie favourites sits an intriguing middle-ground of professional monitors. It can’t match S-PVA, but the H-IPS panel type allows for a higher contrast ratio than standard IPS TFTs, as evidenced by the slightly silly 80,000:1 dynamic ratio on offer here. But even without such gimmicky figures, the 24in Dell UltraSharp U2410 looks hugely appealing.

It’s an understated matte black design with a sturdy stand that pivots to portrait mode, swivels through 45 degrees in either direction and lifts through 100mm to suit any desk. The bezel is just 19mm on all sides, and the square base gives it a professional look – the four USB ports and a media card reader add to the all-round appeal.

The Dell comes well prepared. It has two DVI ports, D-SUB and DisplayPort – with cables in the box for all three – as well as HDMI, composite and component inputs. There’s a 3.5mm output for passing through audio from an HDMI source, but there are no integrated speakers – an optional 10W sound bar will set you back £20 exc VAT, with dearer bars available offering Virtual Surround. All in all it’s an elegant design that should blend into most environments.

But it’s that 1,920 x 1,200 panel that interests most, particularly as the U2410 retails at just £382 exc VAT – significantly cheaper than the recent S-PVA-based Eizo FlexScan S2432W. To see if that premium over the average £200 TN panel is worth paying, we put the Dell through our tests using the Standard preset mode and a mid-level brightness. The Dell goes blindingly bright – it’s rated at 400cd/m2 – but for comfort we found 50% or so to be the ideal compromise. Besides, an idle power draw of 63W shoots up to 97W at maximum brightness.

In DisplayMate we found few weaknesses: the black level wasn’t quite as deep as the Eizo, and the overall tone very slightly pinkish – although that warmth works better with entertainment than accurate colour work. But all other tests produced flawless results, with smooth gradients, perfect colour-on-colour performance and a good dynamic range.

Our 1080p test videos looked stunning, and we saw no evidence of ghosting or blurring that so often plagues these professional TFTs in fast motion tests. The only other issue is the slightly mottled finish to the screen that’s common with this kind of panel, but we soon stopped noticing that at all.

Add in the motion-sensing touch controls and Dell’s simply superb menu system – which others would do well to imitate – and you have a fantastic all-round monitor. It’s expensive, but if you require colour accuracy at a less-than astronomical price, the UltraSharp U2410 is a good compromise.