Dell just unveiled two new UltraSharp 4K monitors, both with IPS Black displays and integrated Thunderbolt 4 hubs.
The new UltraSharp 4K Thunderbolt Hub monitors are identical to each other, save for their 27-inch (U2725QE) and 32-inch (U3225QE) sizes. They sport the same minimalistic design language of previous UltraSharp monitors, though they’re the world’s first 4K monitors to boast a 5-star TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort 3.0 certification thanks to low reflectivity, auto brightness settings, and reduced blue light emissions.
More importantly, these monitors utilize IPS Black display panels for improved contrast, color, and viewing angles. The new UltraSharp 4K series can achieve a 3,000:1 contrast ratio with 47% deeper black levels than conventional IPS screens. Last year’s UltraSharp monitors also utilize IPS Black panels.
Developed by LG Display and Merck, IPS Black display panels utilize a unique liquid crystal material and a reversed pixel-activation system (activated pixels are black, rather than white) to achieve their enhanced contrast ratio. It’s a neat alternative to OLED that doesn’t suffer from burn-in. That said, OLED still offers better contrast than IPS Black.
Integrated USB hubs are a hallmark of Dell’s UltraSharp series, and the new 4K monitors take this legacy to the extreme. They both feature an integrated Thunderbolt 4 hub with a compelling port selection—a Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a pair of USB ports, two DisplayPort connections with daisy chaining capabilities, and an HDMI input. Laptops connected to one of these monitors via the dedicated Thunderbolt 4 port, which is separate from the other USB-C ports, receive up to 140 watts of passthrough charging. Naturally, the Thunderbolt 4 port also supports DP Alt Mode video input.
Previous UltraSharp models had some extra USB ports on their side. Dell now places these extra ports—two USB-C and one USB-A—in a pop-out module at the bottom of its UltraSharp monitors. It’s a nice convenience, although it’s easy to overlook.
So, that’s a total of nine USB ports in each monitor. I’d also like to point out that the stock UltraSharp monitor stand has a hollow cutout for cable management, though you can switch to an aftermarket VESA mount if that’s what you’d prefer.
The Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) and its 32-inch sibling (U3225QE) launch on February 25th for $700 and $950, respectively. Dell will offer the monitors through its web store and through third-party retailers.
Source: Dell
