Dell S2716DG Review : 1440p 144Hz G-SYNC Gaming Monitor 

Refresh rate continues to be a significant feature for lots of gamers. And even on a budget, you may be wondering which monitor will meet your gaming needs regarding high refresh rate. That said, Dell which has been a significant player in the monitor industry brings us their best for the money monitor.

Dell S2716DG is a 27-inch gaming monitor that features 144Hz refresh rate and G-Sync technology to help it win big in gaming battles.

Pros

• High 1440p resolution
• Adaptive display technology
• Fast 1ms response time
• LED-backlit LCD
• Includes USB ports

Cons

• Low contrast ratio
• Less than perfect blacks

Design Features 

Dell has long been known for multipurpose monitors. As such, it is not a wonder to see their designs have thin bezels to attract the majority of the general consumers. But the same design has been carried on to their gaming monitors.

Dell S2716DG comes with thin 0.3-inch bezels in a warm dark color. It is ultra-thin that using it in a dual-monitor setup won’t be so much of a problem. The badge bar is a bit thicker at 0.5 inches, but it is still thinner than monitors in its class.

The only thing that’s going to tell you it’s a gaming monitor is the Nvidia G-Sync sticker on the base. It does not have any flashy details because it is not a luxurious monitor.

When it comes to the stand, it is quite basic as it is simply flat and rectangular. The monitor can be wall mounted using 100 x 100 mm VESA mounts. Not to mention it offers ergonomic adjustments such as height up to 130mm, +/-45 degrees swivel, 26 degrees tilt, and 90 degrees pivot.

Setting it up is fast and easy since the base connects to the stand using a single screw. The stand goes into the slots at the rear of the panel, and it does not require any screws to lock it down. Removing the stand from the back is as simple as pushing a single button.

Screen Qualities

Dell S2716DG is another Twisted Nematic (TN) panel, monitor. It has a 16:9 aspect ratio with a QHD (2560 x 1440p) resolution. The LCD screen is LED-lit, and it has an anti-glare coating to enable comfortable viewing in brightly lit rooms. Since it uses a TN panel, Dell has narrow viewing angles which can interfere with the color and contrast when viewing the monitor from the top.

This monitor also goes into the Monitor Deep Sleep Feature to help save power. Let's check out our next key feature from our Dell s2716dg review. 

Controls and Connectivity 

 Dell aims to be a simple monitor to use. As such, you get simple control buttons at the bottom bezel on the right. The buttons don’t feel too comfortable as they are a bit firm and tiny that they need a firm press to get a response. However, we find the Onscreen Display Menu to be super easy to navigate. It allows you to control the screen’s brightness, RGB, color temperature, contrast, and input source selection.

Looking at the connectivity options, Dell does not have a lot of options, but it includes all the essential ports. These include HDMI 1.4, DisplayPort 1.2, two Analog Audio out ports, and four USB 3.0 ports. It is an exceptional monitor considering most monitors in this price range do not have USB ports.

You will like that two USB ports, and the headphone jack are on the left side of the screen. It means you won’t be searching for ports at the backside as it is easy to insert your USB devices quickly at the side.

However, the HDMI port is limited to 1440p at 60Hz. For full refresh rate at full resolution, you have to use the DisplayPort or an Nvidia GTX 650 Ti Boost.

Display Quality 

The question in many gamers’ minds is whether a high refresh rate and a fast response time are enough to buy a cheap gaming monitor without advanced features. Read on to find out whether the Dell S2716DG is for you.

This monitor boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. Dell S2716DG promises anti-tearing gaming performance so you can play games like Battlefield without being plagued by stutter. Motion is just excellent with this monitor as it barely leaves any ghosting trails.

The monitor is designed to sync its refresh rate with that of your graphics card. It makes your games noticeably smoother making it an excellent option for fast-paced gaming. Remember that you have to pair the monitor with an Nvidia graphics card to realize the benefits of G-Sync technology on the monitor.

With its flicker-free backlight, you are not about to experience eye aches and fatigue when you can put your controller down. It supports variable refresh rate to help with playing different games at the ideal pace which is at par with more expensive options.

Image Performance 

Dell S2716DG works and looks better in brightly-lit rooms than in dark rooms. It does not enjoy the best black uniformity and may appear washed out. This means that its gray performance is great and it does not show any dirty screen effects. It has low gamma which is between 2.07-21 resulting blues, greens, and reds that are too bright.

You may also notice that the monitor has oversaturated reds, blues, and magenta. You will have to recalibrate to get its gamma close to 2.2 to improve the color accuracy slightly. 

Maximum brightness for this monitor is 350 nits. Although the brightness is above average, its contrast ratio at 600:1 is nothing to be excited about. This is because it will not deliver a lifelike viewing experience. Only sharp images and some enviable details but it does not cut it when it comes to beating the competition.

Flaws of the Dell S2716DG

As a gaming monitor, we expected better picture performance. With other monitors reaching 99% of the sRGB spectrum, this monitor manages only 93%. And while monitors reach up 79% AdobeRGB, this monitor reaches 69%. You also have to turn the brightness down to get better blacks, but it does not change much to warrant any applause.

Conclusion

Dell S2716DG gaming monitor offers perfect gaming performance for competitive gamers. Its low input lag, fast response time, and high refresh rate are features seen only in the best. It makes for flicker-free and stutter-free gaming as it invests in Nvidia’s G-Sync technologies. It can handle the frame rates of various games and running at 1440p; it solidifies itself as a gaming monitor. We hope you enjoyed our Dell s2716dg review.