Dell UltraSharp U3824DW Review: Two Screens In One Plus KVM And USB-C

38-inch ultra-wide productivity monitor with IPS Black technology, wide gamut color, and a powerful KVM feature with enterprise integration.

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Dell UltraSharp U3824DW
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Since I mostly review gaming monitors, my recommendations are slanted in that direction. Many good examples can serve admirably for enterprise-grade productivity, or even as a professional screen. But if you also want the convenience and flexibility of KVM, network integration and lots of USB ports, the Dell U3824DW provides those things along with a stunning image. 

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Aside from its lack of support for HDR, the U3824DW’s picture is superb. Contrast is approaching VA quality with over 1,700:1 available right out of the box. It isn’t the brightest monitor out there, but with just over 250 nits of peak output, it provides enough light for any indoor environment.

Color is exemplary, with correct rendering of the DCI-P3 gamut and nearly 100% coverage. Accuracy is well within the professional realm. The U3824DW is closer to the reference mark than many of the professional, and more expensive displays I’ve tested. You can just unpack and install it, and do nothing else besides set brightness to taste. Dell’s IPS Black technology is a real enhancement to the IPS genre, adding both depth and color saturation.

The army of USB ports and RJ-45 jack is a real value add for enterprise use. You can hook up as many as four video sources and with eight additional USB ports available, the U3824DW becomes a hub for just about anything you can think of to connect. With a well-designed KVM system and flexible PBP/PIP functions, presentations can be managed with ease.

Aside from action gaming and HDR content, there is nothing beyond the U3824DW’s capabilities. Since it can easily take the place of two or three smaller screens, while adding a wealth of convenience and flexibility, it’s even a decent value. If you need power in your enterprise monitor, the Dell U3824DW delivers it along with a stunning image. Definitely check it out.

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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.

2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • uwhusky1991
    I don't quite understand the 3840X1600 UW monitor. This one is 38". There are a multitude of options in 4k 43" monitors which would be this monitor if the bottom 2 inches or so weren't cut off.
    Reply
  • uwhusky1991
    Tom Sunday said:
    All I can say is that I graduated from a straight 27-inch Dell 1920 x 1080 monitor to an Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Monitor at 3440 x 1440 in a ultrawide format. The upgrade was pure heaven for gaming and a feeling that my RTX 4090 would be much more appropriate. Thus in no time I got used to the larger 34-inch display and the Alienware monitor was truly a great design and looker. But on a pure whim and a 'nice-to-have' gesture my dad showed up with a 38-inch Alienware 3840 x 1600 pixel display with a much crisper specification and hoping to expand my gaming horizons even further. And it wasn’t even my birthday! Bottom-line I can now never go back to anything less than a 38-inch ultrawide panel as gaming was never any better. Much better then 34-inches any day and a bigger picture difference is felt immediately! The high resolution and a larger screen area is of course a big deal for me, whereby milliseconds never count! Will I ever move to increasing my screen size larger than 38-inches…probably not. It’s a sweetspot for me or at least for the time being! Now I am just hoping that Dad and Mom will get back together again!
    I guess I don't understand the value of this monitor. It's 38", 60hz, doesn't support freesync or g sync and is well over $1,000. I have a 43" Vizio 4k TV that I use as a monitor that is also 60 hz but at least it supports free sync and VRR and it was less than $250. A 38" 3840X1600 monitor is just my 43" monitor with the bottom 500 pixels chopped off and apparently an extra $1000. But it's curved so there's that.
    Reply