Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM 27” AH-IPS Monitor Review

Like many companies firmly entrenched in the high end monitor marketplace, Dell has always opted for a staggered refresh schedule for their various product lines. This means their smaller 24” models are typically updated before the larger more expensive models. Not all that long ago the U24 series received a facelift and the resulting U2412 was quite a good all-round performer. So, it was only a matter of time before Dell turned their attention the larger U27 series and cascaded a new branding upwards into higher end price points. With the release of the U2713HM the wait for a new UltraSharp 27” monitor is over.

Unlike most companies, Dell has taken this staggered approach one step further and have removed some of the planned obsolesce that is so prevalent in today’s throwaway society. Instead of replacing the existing U2711 model, Dell has actually moved away from a typical release / replace schedule where the newest model is introduced and its direct descendant is discontinued. Rather the U2713 is meant to coexist alongside the U2711. The end result is quite interesting since anyone in the market for a high performance 27” monitor now has two choices from Dell, neither of which steps on its sibling’s toes. The Ultrasharp U2713 and U2711 are designed to meet the needs of slightly different consumers and each comes equipped with a different set of strengths and weaknesses.

On paper the U2713 is expected to appeal to the discerning home users while the older U2711 is still geared towards a professional-oriented customer base. To help with this separation, Dell has designed the U2713 to be a vastly different product Unlike the older U2711 which uses a 10bit (8bit + A-FRC configuration) P-IPS panel, the U2713 is the first Dell monitor to use LG’s newest 8bit Advanced High Performance IPS (or AH-IPS) technology, though the “Advanced” doesn’t mean higher resolution. This is still a 2560x1440 WQHD panel but despite AH-IPS panels being an option on Apple’s new MacBook line, Dell’s implementation doesn’t boast a pixel per inch ratio of match the ‘Retina Display’. With that being said, the U2713 should be quite efficient since it eschews CCFL backlighting by going the edge backlit W-LED route.

Also helping to distinguish this new model from the old, the U2713 has an MSRP of $799 or about 20% less than the U2711’s MSRP. With Dell’s frequent “Dell Deals” we expect this difference to be even greater once things settle down and both models find their footing. On paper, this blend of performance and price should allow the Dell U2713 to achieve what it is designed to do: give consumers another great option in a very cluttered market.