Dell S2721DGF 27-inch Gaming Monitor Review: Great HDR Value

For fans of color

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Dell S2721DGF
(Image: © Dell)

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Grayscale & Gamma Tracking

We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

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Dell S2721DGF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

In the default Standard picture mode, the S2721DGF has a slight green tint in the middle brightness steps. It’s hard to see in actual content but worth fixing. Gamma tracks extremely well with only a slight dip at the 10% step, indicating luminance that’s too high.

Calibrating the Custom Color mode (second chart) yielded a nice gain with all errors below the visible threshold. Gamma is unchanged, which is a good thing. Our only complaint is the lack of gamma presets. Since the S2721DGF has plenty of light output available, it would be nice to select a higher gamma value for more depth in the midrange and shadow areas. But with the available adjustments, the picture is still clearly improved in both depth and dimension.

Comparisons

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Dell S2721DGF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The S2721DGF’s default grayscale error of 3.31 Delta E (dE) is just barely visible in both test patterns and content. The green tint is mainly in the midtones, where most image content lies. That puts it mid-pack in our comparison. 

After calibration, the Dell moved up to fourth place , but with all the monitors sporting low dE scores, the Dell won’t look any different than the other screens here.

Gamma tracking is excellent in either case. A 0.11 range of values is about as tight as it gets, and with a 2.19 average value, the S2721DGF is only 0.45% off the mark -- excellent performance.

Color Gamut Accuracy

For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

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Dell S2721DGF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The S2721DGF shows excellent color gamut accuracy in its default state with a low 1.74dE average error. The chart shows nearly complete coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut with a little bonus red. It only comes up a tiny bit short of 100% green saturation. Overall, buyers seeking a very colorful monitor will be pleased. 

Calibration (second chart) improved the average error to the professional level and bumps up mid-tone red saturation a little ,which is a good thing. This is excellent performance.

Comparisons

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Dell S2721DGF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

A 1.01dE average gamut error  post-calibration is among the best we’ve recorded. The S2721DGF could function as a professional monitor for post-production color-critical tasks. The only thing that might be an issue is its lack of an sRGB mode. You can see in the second chart that it covers an excess 37.7% of that smaller gamut. But its 92.88% coverage of DCI-P3 is among the best.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.