Today we’re reviewing the Dell UltraSharp U3423WE, a display for audio visual professionals. It features a 10bit Black IPS panel and a USB C HUB with 90W power delivery.
Thanks to Dell for providing us with this model.
[nextpage title=”The Dell UltraSharp UW3423WE”]
Unboxing and contents
For the box, nothing out of the ordinary. There are photos of the screen and various technical information.
In the box we find :
- Dell UltraSharp U3423WE screen
- Height-adjustable stand
- HDMI cable
- DisplayPort cable
- USB C to USB A cable
- USB C to USB C cable
- Manuals, instructions and warranty card
Technical specifications
The MSI Summit MS321UP screen has technical specifications that match its price: we’re talking about a €900 screen with interesting features for the world of photography:
- Frequency: 60 Hz
- Resolution: 3440 x 1440 (Full HD)
- Color gamut: DCI-P3 98%, Display P3 98%, sRGB 100%, Rec 709 100%
- Video ports : HDMI x2 , Display Port, USB C
- Upstream data ports: USB C
- Data ports : USB A x5
- Dimensions : 34 inches (86.71cm)
- Dimensions (with stand) : 81.326 cm x 23.744 cm x 39.277 cm
- Dimensions (without stand): 81.326 cm x 5.75 cm x 35.905 cm
- Weight: 11.44 kg
- Inclinations : -5 / 21 degrees
- Response time (gray to gray): 5ms
- Speakers – stereo: 2 x 5W
Installation
Mounting the screen couldn’t be simpler. First mount the base on the stand, then the stand on the screen.
[nextpage title=”The screen in use”]
In use
For this test, we used the display in USB C HUB mode on a Dell Inspiron 14 plus 7420. Keyboard, mouse, Ethernet and headset connected to the screen. We start with the first problems: the laptop doesn’t charge at 90W, but at 30W max, whereas it can accept 130W in USB C mode. Then, the dock for the Razer Ultimate mouse kept disconnecting, so I ended up using it wired.
The Dell U3423WE has an integrated power supply, which connects directly to the mains without an intermediate transformer.
The MS321UP has four video inputs, including the USB C port for DisplayPort. All these ports are compatible with 3440 x 1440p 10-bit resolution. However, you’ll need a dedicated graphics card with HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.4 video output to switch to 10 bit, as laptop outputs via Intel IGP don’t support this.
As for USB inputs, there’s a USB C port that enables the use of USB ports on the display. But that’s not all, as there’s also the aforementioned USB C port, which does the same thing depending on the source selected (USB C PD or USB C). USB sources can be changed using the display’s built-in KVM switch. So you can use the same keyboard and mouse between a laptop connected to USB C PD and a desktop PC connected to USB C.
On a positive note, the USB C PC port can supply 90W of power, so you can recharge your laptop with it if it supports the display.
Dell’s U3423WE is certainly the best monitor I’ve tested to date in terms of image quality and design. The sRGB and DisplayP3 profiles are just about perfect, despite the 8-bit limitation on my laptop.
We’ll finish our tour of this display with the OSD, which can be controlled via a joystick on the back of the screen. Its basic functions are :
- Up: open OSD.
- Left-Right: quick access, PIP, KVM, brightness, presets
- Bottom: close OSD
- Click: selection
[nextpage title=”Panel measurements”]
Uniformity measurement
Screen uniformity is measured via DisplayCal with the sRGB profile. A 5×5 grid is displayed on screen, and each square is measured with the probe.
Here, as can be seen, uniformity is very good, with a maximum variance of 6.5%. With greater leakage in the corners of the screen.
As for light leakage, it’s just like the uniformity test.
Pre-calibration measurements
To find out the colorimetric quality of this screen out of the box, we took measurements in the sRGB mode offered by the display.
These were tested on DisplayCal following 51 color patches.
We start with the measurement with the screen connected to the Dell Inspiron 14 plus limited to 8 bit.
As can be seen, the calibration is very good from the outset, with 7000K for the expected 6500K, which is within the specs. Delta E is just 1.11% on average and 4.66% at maximum.
As for brightness, the screen can climb to 371 cd/m² with a contrast ratio of around 1640:1.
The gamut is :
- 99.7% sRGB
- 91.5% Adobe RGB
- 93.2% DCI P3
[nextpage title=”Conclusion”]
Conclusion
The Dell UltraSharp U3423WE offers good solutions for audio-visual professionals. The panel is perfectly calibrated in all modes and covers a large proportion of color spaces. The USB HUB with KVM function reduces the number of cables on the desk and optimizes setup to the maximum. However, we regret the absence of an SD card port.
For €900 we have a very good panel with an integrated HUB worth €200 alone. Unfortunately, it competes with the AW3423DWF with its QD-OLED panel, which can sometimes be found at a similar price.
Dell UltraSharp U3423WE
Positives:
- Display P3 and sRGB coverage
- Factory calibration
- USB C KVM switch
- Build quality
- The bundle
- 90W USB C power delivery
Negative points :
- Lack of SD card slot
In the end, we decided to give this monitor the Silver award. Even though it’s very well made, with a perfectly calibrated panel. Its few bugs with the USB HUB and the lack of an SD card port for audio-visual use make it less attractive. Then, its close competition with QD-OLED screens for the same price may sway the choice in the other direction.
