Skip to main content

Dell’s 75-inch monitor is a Surface Hub competitor built for the classroom

Image used with permission by copyright holder

When it comes to displays, bigger is better. Following HP’s announcement of the 65-inch HP Omen Emperium 65 at CES earlier this year, rival Dell just announced a 75-inch 4K touch-enabled display. Unlike HP, which is focusing on the gaming market with its super-sized screen, Dell’s 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor C7520QT is targeted at classrooms and environments that are geared for collaboration.

“Gen Zers indicate a strong preference for peer learning (75 percent) and teamwork (58 percent), and today’s classrooms are transforming into collaborative-friendly spaces that facilitate group learning and productivity,” Dell said in a press release. “The new large-format Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor (C7520QT), available this spring, is ideally suited as a primary classroom display or for group collaboration.”

With its large format and collaboration focus, the Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor may be a good alternative to Microsoft’s Surface Hub. In addition to supporting 20-point multi-touch InGlass touchscreen technology, like the Surface Hub, Dell’s display can also be used with a stylus for inking. Dell will ship two passive pens with its display, which the company claims will deliver zero lag. The monitor also supports Dell’s Screen Drop, which makes raising and lowering the display easier for all users.

In addition to the 4K UHD resolution, the panel also ships with anti-glare and anti-smudge coating, which helps reduce fingerprints and reflections on the screen. For its computing power, the monitor can also be paired with an optional Dell OptiPlex MicroPC. Adding the OptiPlex creates a modular all-in-one solution that will save space and allow users to upgrade the PC portion down the road, making the display more futureproof.

Dell’s display will cost $5,999 when it launches on April 30. For comparison, Microsoft’s first-generation Surface Hub starts at $8,999 for a 55-inch 1080p model. Pricing for the larger 84-inch Surface Hub with 4K resolution jumps to $21,999. Since the Surface Hub was initially introduced, Microsoft announced a Surface Hub 2 last year with a 50.5-inch multi-touch display with a 4K resolution. The Surface Hub 2 is expected to ship in the second quarter of 2019, with Microsoft positioning the large PC for workgroups, conference rooms, and collaboration. Unlike Dell’s offering, the Surface Hub 2 is a large all-in-one computer that comes with a PC built into the display, so you won’t need to connect a separate computing device to the screen.

In addition to the large display, Dell also announced its Latitude 3300 for Education laptop and new Dell Chromebooks 3100, 3100 2-in-1, and 3400 models.

Chuong Nguyen
Silicon Valley-based technology reporter and Giants baseball fan who splits his time between Northern California and Southern…
Dell’s new UltraSharp monitors have one major innovation
A woman using a laptop connected to a Dell 24 video conferencing monitor.

Dell makes some of the best monitors and it is introducing a fresh lineup designed for office or remote work setups with a major innovation. Expanding its UltraSharp series, the company is launching four new models, all of which come with a faster refresh rate of 120Hz. Typically reserved for gaming monitors or high-end screens, the faster refresh rate is a great sign for monitors, especially on one as cheap as $380.

Furthermore, Dell is debuting the world's initial 23.8-inch, 27-inch, and 34-inch video conferencing monitors that are certified for both Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

Read more
Does Dell or HP make the best 16-inch laptop? You might be surprised
Photo of an HP Envy 16 laptop.

You can spend a lot of money on 16-inch laptops with fast components for video editing and photo editing. We're talking $2,500 and a lot more. But there's a class of midrange 16-inch machines that offer much of the same performance for less money.

Dell's Inspiron 16 Plus and HP's Envy 16 are two such laptops with prices that start well under $2,000. Both can be equipped with some fast components, but they're not identical by any means. Which of these more affordable 16-inch powerhouses is the best?
Specs and configurations

Read more
Why I still prefer my dual-monitor setup over using an ultrawide
Dual monitors set up on a desk.

Oh, ultrawide monitors, how I have coveted thee.

Whether it's the ultrabright mini-LED models, or the ultra-gorgeous OLEDs, there is a lot to love about the latest crop of ultrawide monitors. They're very much the vogue display type if you're buying a premium monitor, especially for gaming. But as much as these new displays are beautiful, and objectively far more impressive than the monitors I use day-to-day, I still prefer dual monitors.

Read more