What you need to know
- Dell announced three new monitors with a dedicated Microsoft Teams button.
- The button allows people to answer calls, and the monitors support hands-free commands through Cortana.
- The monitors will be available in February 2021.
Dell announced three new monitors that are built for virtual communications (via The Verge). All three of the monitors feature a dedicated button for Microsoft Teams and pop-up IR cameras that support Windows Hello. The monitors launch on February 16, 2021 and come in 24-inch (FHD), 27-inch (QHD), and curved 34-inch (WQHD) variants for $520, $720, and $1,150 respectively.
Dell states that these are the "world's first videoconferencing monitors certified for Microsoft Teams." You can already purchase displays, webcams, and headsets that are certified for Teams, but these appear to be the first computer monitors built with Teams in mind.
The dedicated Microsoft Teams button allows people to make and receive video calls. People can also control Teams through Cortana with the monitor's built-in microphone.
In addition to having the dedicated Microsoft Teams button, all three of these monitors have 5-megapixel IR cameras that support Windows Hello. These cameras should make it much easier to jump onto a PC and sign on quickly.
The monitors also have a noise-canceling microphone, dual 5-watt integrated speakers, and reduce blue light emission to lower strain on people's eyes that stare at a screen all day.
With more people working from home, having a monitor with everything built-in should free up some desk clutter. While the best webcams for Windows PCs are great, having an IR webcam, a microphone, and speakers built into a monitor should help create a much cleaner desk. The dedicated Teams buttons are also a handy feature for people who rely heavily on the communication platform.
