Skip to main content

Dell’s new gaming monitors offer something for everyone

Dell

Dell has announced a new line of affordable gaming displays, offering a variety of resolutions, refresh rates, and sizes to choose from.

In today’s monitor market, quality displays are somewhat hard to come by, which would have you think that manufacturers would come out with anything that sells. But Dell’s latest lineup doesn’t quite follow that pattern of thought. Rather, it offers an impressively well-thought-out new product stack.

Today’s drop includes the 25-inch S2522HG, the 27-inch S2722DGM, the 32-inch S3222DGM, and a 34-inch ultrawide called the S3422DWG. Let’s start off with a spec sheet:

S2522HG S2722DGM S3222DGM S3422DWG
Size 24.5-inch 27-inch 31.5-inch 34-inch
Panel type IPS VA VA VA
Resolution 1920 x 1080 2560 x 1440 2560 x 1440 3440 x 1440
Refresh rate 240Hz 165Hz 165Hz 144Hz
Contrast ratio 1000:1 3000:1 3000:1 3000:1
Color coverage 99% sRGB 99% sRGB 99% sRGB 90% DCI-P3
Curve Flat 1500R 1800R 1800R
Adaptive sync G-Sync, FreeSync FreeSync FreeSync FreeSync

As you can tell, the displays are all a bit different from one another, with just the 27-inch and 32-inch sharing similar spec sheets. They’re both 1440p curved displays with a 165Hz refresh rate, though the 27-inch model has a more aggressive curve.

The smallest of the bunch, the 25-inch panel, is an ultrafast 240Hz IPS display with a resolution of “only” 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. That should make it excellent for highly competitive gameplay (though not quite as fast as something like the Asus PG259QNR, which runs at a mighty 360Hz).

But it’s not big, measuring just 24.5 inches diagonally, and the low-ish resolution may leave you wanting more when it comes to slower, immersion-based titles. It’s great if you’re after competitive performance but less so if you’re an all-round gamer.

Meanwhile, the S2722DGM and S3222DGM both feature VA panels for producing luscious, inky deep blacks while packing a higher resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. The panels run at a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz, which is plenty for the vast majority of us gamers, and you get a choice: For sharpness, pick the 27-inch variant; for more immersion, pick the 32-inch panel.

That said, the star of the show might be the S3422DWG, as it features an ultrawide design with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. Sure, its refresh rate might be down to 144Hz, but that’s still plenty fast for most of us.

The ultrawide format, at least in my book, gives you an excellent level of immersion while featuring the same DPI, and thus sharpness, of the 27-inch panel. With the added width, that can often give you a gameplay advantage with a wider field of view, allowing you to see around corners at the edge of your screen better or just get more into your peripheral vision.

The curved VA monitors only include AMD FreeSync support, while the 25-inch flat panel supports G-Sync as well.

The monitors also include built-in USB hubs and Dell’s “downlight” feature, which is essentially a small light at the bottom of the monitor for illuminating an area of your desk. They’re also neutrally-styled and feature stands with the full range of adjustments.

No pricing has been announced for any of the four panels yet, but given that they don’t break any technical frontiers, I would expect budget-friendly pricing. Do keep in mind that Dell often offers better warranties on its panels, so they will come in at a slight premium compared to the budget options with similar specs.

U.S. availability is slated for May 27 on the 25-inch and 34-inch displays, with the midtier 27-inch and 32-inch panels landing June 22.

Editors' Recommendations

Niels Broekhuijsen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Having failed to grow up, Niels never quit his gaming hobby and decided to turn it into his work as a freelance technology…
4 gaming monitors you should buy instead of the Alienware 34 QD-OLED
Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.

The Alienware 34 QD-OLED is one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. There's no doubt about that. It has exceptional image quality, an attractive price, and a suite of features that are actually useful. Even with such high praise, the Alienware 34 QD-OLED isn't for everyone, and there are some other great options available.

Maybe you're looking to spend a little more or a little less, or maybe the ultrawide form factor isn't for you. Regardless, we've rounded up four monitors that Digital Trends has reviewed and found to be great alternatives to the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G8

Read more
This new GPU feature is ‘a whole new paradigm’ for PC gaming
RX 7900 XTX slotted into a test bench.

Microsoft has released its Agility SDK 1.613.0, which features some critical components that will be shown to developers at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco next week. The most interesting component is Work Graphs, which Microsoft describes as "a whole new paradigm" for graphics cards.

Work Graphs enable GPU-driven work. Normally when you're playing a PC game, there's a relationship between your GPU and CPU. Your CPU gets work ready and sends it to your GPU, and then your GPU executes that work. Work Graphs is an approach that allows your GPU to schedule and execute its own tasks, which has some massive implications for performance.

Read more
Gigabyte just upped its OLED monitor game
Three Gigabyte Aorus monitors over a colorful background.

Gigabyte already makes some of the best gaming monitors, but its upcoming lineup of QD-OLED Aorus displays is arguably even more exciting. However, its rivals Asus and MSI have held an edge in terms of warranty -- something that's crucial for a QD-OLED panel that could be prone to burn-in. Gigabyte now addressed the issue, extending its warranty to match those of the competition.

Gigabyte first showcased the new monitors earlier this year. Initially, they were all given a standard one-year warranty. MSI and Asus also stuck to offering a one-year warranty, but not for long. What follows is an interesting look at how all the top brands in the gaming market affect one another.

Read more