For many, the monitor is the core of the setup, tying together every device and peripheral. It's hard to get any work done without a good screen, and a great monitor can do a whole lot more than that.
Lately, I've been spoiled with high-end OLED gaming monitors like the HP OMEN Transcend 32 I reviewed, but the latest monitor to grace my desk has surprised me in more ways than one.
It's smaller, slower, and not nearly as flashy, but the new Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) still may be the single best display I've ever tested for productivity.
This is a 4K, 120Hz IPS LCD panel that sets itself apart by baking an entire Thunderbolt 4 USB hub into its slim frame. It's a feature I didn't know I needed, but now that I have it, I'm going to struggle to transition to any other monitor.
With the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor releasing today, I thought I'd give you my first impressions ahead of a full review in the coming weeks.
What should I know about this monitor?
The Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor isn't really a first for the industry or even Dell, as we've seen monitors with one, some, or most of these features in a variety of shapes and sizes, but this display is a relatively unique combination of capabilities.
At its core, you'll find a 27-inch, 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 120Hz refresh rate. It's great to see higher refresh rates leave gaming monitors and hop the fence to the productivity side, and this display does feel excellent.
This display uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology rather than the more expensive OLED, so it's not as vibrant. It also relies on a single backlight rather than the local dimming zones we've seen in more expensive IPS LCD displays, which does harm contrast ratios.
However, this is an IPS LCD "Black" panel, meaning it boasts significantly higher contrast ratios than your average IPS monitor; Dell also paired that with an anti-reflective screen, and it does make a big difference.
I'll get into how the UltraSharp U2725QE performs as a display soon, but that's ultimately not why you should consider this monitor.
Many monitors include USB hubs to expand your connectivity options, but this monitor boasts a full-featured Thunderbolt 4 Hub, complete with 140W Power Delivery and more advanced Keyboard, Video, and Mouse (KVM) support to share all your accessories and peripherals across connected devices. It works brilliantly and makes this product a real productivity monster.
If that's all you need, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) is available starting today for $699.99 at Dell. There's also a 32-inch version, which is effectively identical but (obviously) features a larger display; that's available for $949.99 at Dell starting today.
Is the Thunderbolt hub really that useful?
In short, absolutely. If you're not familiar, many monitors do provide a handful of additional USB ports, which you can use to quickly connect accessories or your most used peripherals. Many of those monitors also support KVM, which allows you to control multiple connected devices (usually a laptop and a desktop) with the same keyboard and mouse, all through your display.
Dell's U2725QE takes that another step forward.
Not including its power port, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub monitor includes 15 ports, which has given my setup more flexibility than any other monitor I have ever tested.
I'll give you the quick rundown: you have DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression and Dynamic Refresh Rate support, a second DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 with Variable Refresh Rate support (yes, it supports the full 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate), a Thunderbolt 4 upstream port with DisplayPort 1.4 and 140W Power Delivery support, a Thunderbolt 4 downstream port with 15W charging (to daisy chain a second 4K display), a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 upstream port (to enable KVM support with DisplayPort or HDMI), four USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, an RJ45 Ethernet jack, and a Kensington Nano Security Slot.
Oh, and there's a hidden compartment on the bottom of the display with two front-facing USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports and a fifth USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, all with 15W charging for your devices.
Every single one of these ports can be accessed by two devices at the same time, with Auto KVM, Picture-in-Picture, and Picture-by-Picture support.
The best part? The U2725QE's power supply is entirely internal, so there's no massive power brick to keep that hungry display and 140W Thunderbolt 4 port fed.
Right now, I have the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) connected to the HP OMEN 35L desktop PC I reviewed via DisplayPort 1.4 and USB Type-C and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 (Gen 10) I'm in the process of reviewing via Thunderbolt 4.
Shared between these devices? My keyboard, mouse, headset, microphone, and webcam... and I still have free ports on the front to connect USB drives, plug in my phone, or do anything else I need.
That means I get to use my favorite accessories and peripherals with each device seamlessly and with no need to unplug anything. I can even use both devices at the same time.
Just having that additional bandwidth for more connections immediately makes KVM support far more useful to me. It also helps that this monitor is great on its own, too.
Is this a good display beyond the Thunderbolt hub?
For $700, your monitor needs to be more than adequate, and the UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor doesn't disappoint.
Sure, it's a "boring" IPS LCD panel that lacks the punchiness and satin blacks of OLED displays, but this is a very pleasant, comfortable display with a surprising level of versatility.
Apart from its base specs — a 27-inch, 4K, 120Hz display — the U2725QE simply looks good. The singular backlight manages a commendable, even spread across the entire panel with less bleed than a paper cut, the white balance is cool and consistent, and the display, in general, is easy on the eyes thanks to Dell's improved ComfortView Plus technology managing blue light levels.
Factory calibration ensures respectable color accuracy (although I have yet to do my own in-depth testing), helping this monitor adapt to work, gaming, content consumption, and more without missing a beat. The U2725QE also incorporates an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust brightness and color temperature levels to match your surroundings.
The Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor isn't the most exciting on the block, but I'm not lacking for anything, either. I can play games on it, I can comfortably work for hours on end, and I can watch movies. No built-in webcam or speakers is a real shame, though.
A monitor so good I almost don't miss having OLED
It's no secret that I'm personally partial to OLED displays, as I simply love that iconic, ultra-vibrant look. I still have more testing to do and more conclusions to draw, but the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor has been stellar enough that I haven't really missed the more premium OLED monitor I was coming from.
It may not be as interesting to look at, but it ticks all the boxes I want in my primary monitor (a good balance between a high resolution and a fast refresh rate) and includes some very useful features to help me be more productive.
Having my monitor also be my Thunderbolt 4 hub feels so obvious in hindsight that moving forward, monitors without copious additional ports will feel a little lacking.
This monitor isn't quite the ultimate productivity display, but I can already say with a fair amount of confidence that it's worth your consideration. If you're in the market and you want a sharp, smooth monitor that can become the foundation of your work setup, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) is available now for $699.99 at Dell — and it has already won me over.
Stay tuned to Windows Central for my full review of this monitor in the coming weeks, where I'll go more in-depth on its design, image quality, and features.
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