Dell – S2721DGF 27″ Gaming IPS QHD FreeSync and G-SYNC compatible monitor with HDR (DisplayPort, HDMI) – Accent Grey

Upon opening the box I found MAJOR aesthetic defects as shown in the pictures. These pictures don’t do it justice but when touched the plastic seemed as if it would fall off..and this is a brand new monitor. The top right was separating and you could see back into the monitor. Also, the back panel was bowed out as if it were to fall off at any moment. I’ve been a loyal Dell customer for my office and gaming needs, however, now I am not sure I can continue this with the terrible build quality.

You get what you pay for, amazing monitor. Clear picture easy to use, but it’s a tad on the heavy side

I am an avid gamer and build my own rigs, and for too long I ignored the value of updating my monitors as often as I did my components. While my current gaming computer isn’t earth shattering by any means, in terms of specs at its core it is an Intel i7 8700K with 32 gigs RAM and a Nvidia RTX 2070 Super video card that outputs to a Dell S2716DG as my main monitor and a Dell SE2717H as my side monitor (for web surfing, watching videos while I play, etc). Somewhat of an aged setup, but I note it because you really want to make sure you have the right horsepower under the hood (primarily in your graphics card) to make this type of investment in technology. If you are plugging it into that Gateway computer you inherited from your grandparents, or connecting a mid-level laptop into it using an HDMI cable, you probably want to look at a less expensive display as you aren’t going to access most of what this monitor has to offer (you can’t achieve full 165mhz unless you use a DP cable).
The Dell monitor I am replacing/updating was nothing to sniff at, it gave me 144mhz refresh and 1ms response times, all while keeping my gaming experiences tear-free and artifact-free for the last few years via Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. Back when I started to study and understand monitors more as a gamer, I personally put a higher value on speed, refresh rate and minimal input lag, as it generates higher frames per second (fps). This newer monitor maintains the 1ms speed- there is zero input lag, and consequently no motion blur hindering the action. It is a true-to-life gaming experience, if you’re playing titles with high-end scene design and graphic engines. The jump to 165 mhz refresh rate doesn’t seem like a lot coming off of a 144mhz capable screen, but I actually saw a noticeable increase in framerate across a few games I bench tested it on (Shadow of the Tomb Raider, COD Warzone and Metro Exodus). I was running anywhere between high 80s to low hundreds consistently, but jumped up to the 120 at peak. With the continuity for me of having the G-Sync experience, I couldn’t tell you what an artifact or screen tear looks like for the last few years, gameplay is stunning and immersive, my only wish is that my gaming library had more titles that explored the broader universe of capabilities this newer technology opens the door to. My only single gripe about this new monitor is that, while advertised as G-Sync compatible, my Nvidia software did not pick it up as such, and only noted that “Selected Display is not validated as G-Sync Compatible’. After doing some research, it appears this problem isn’t uncommon, and Nvidia has a few great G-Sync demo programs you can use to benchmark and see that the technology is in fact working properly.
This monitor boasts an in-plane switching (IPS) screen, which is new for me as my older monitor was a twisted nematic (TN) type, and what I thought was more closely associated to gaming (TN technology leveraged speed and refresh rates, but were generally lacking in color depth and diminished viewing angles). IPS screens generally cater more to color accuracy and color consistency (think graphic design, photo or video production or editing, etc.) with phenomenal view range. To be able to game with this type of tear-free and lag-free speed, and jump from 16.7 million colors to 1.07 billion (yes…billion) is absolutely insane. I’m was the furthest thing from a color ‘snob’ when it came to gaming monitors, thanks Dell, you just made me one. This is an outstanding gaming monitor that combines fluid speed with a new universe of color.
Physically, as I had with the previous generation I owned, I love the look and feel of this screen. Very tight side and top bezels, and hidden buttons and a knob control on the back is a really clean look. I will admit, it was also a really low concern on what the back of the monitor looks like, but the innovative venting design is pretty slick looking, and as my monitor sits in a corner, the ambient LED lighting is pretty awesome. One small wish on a future model would to have those be addressable LEDs, since the rest of my setup is a synchronized breathing of random colors. Setup took literally two minutes, it is tool-less, and my biggest problem now is deciding whether to use the older unit as my side-monitor, or pass it along to my son who also games and plays himself on a 7 year old 1080p HD monitor. I think he’s going to become a screen snob soon as well.

I came from a 144Hz TN display, and this is SO much better. I saw multiple reviews that stated the ONLY issue with this monitor, is the contrast ratio. However, I would argue that the blacks are GREAT, perhaps with the exception of professional photo/video editing. Take a look at my screenshots of Phasmophobia (good game to test out dark environments) and see for yourself.