Dell U2412M - 16:10 IPS without Breaking the Bank
by Chris Heinonen on February 28, 2012 9:00 AM ESTIntroducing the Dell U2412M
For every monitor review that I’ve done for AnandTech so far, I know that as soon as I check the comments there will be a thread with the same theme: “I don’t care about 1080p monitors, I only want 16:10 aspect ratios!” When widescreen displays first came out for desktop LCD monitors, virtually every model was a 16:10 display. The 20” Dell I have on my own desk is 16:10, and almost every vendor made 16:10 panels.
As the price of flat panels dropped and HDTV adoption took over, more and more desktop panels migrated to the HDTV aspect ratio of 16:9. The reasons behind this were easy to understand, as you could produce more displays, reuse panels across PC and TV lines, and have a lower cost across the board to let you sell them for less. Most people were more than happy to pay less for a display than to pay 2-3 times as much for those extra 120 pixels at the bottom of a display. As this happened, 16:10 panels became relegated to higher end models, almost always as IPS panels and often with high end features like AdobeRGB colorspace support and more.
Dell finally decided to address this with their U2412M display that features a 1920x1200 on its 24” panel. The U2412M is also an eIPS panel that is natively 6-bit but uses A-FRC to display 16.7 million colors. Dell has managed to bring this monitor in at $329 and can often be found on sale for under $300, while most other 16:10 24” panels come in at $500 or more. What did Dell have to do to hit this aggressive price point? Let's find out, starting with the specifications overview.
| Dell U2412M Specifications | |
| Video Inputs | D-sub, DVI, DisplayPort |
| Panel Type | eIPS |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.27 mm |
| Colors | 16.7 Million (6-bit with A-FRC) |
| Brightness | 300 nits |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 (Typical) |
| Response Time | 8ms GTG |
| Viewable Size | 24" |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 |
| Viewing Angle | 178 H, 178 V |
| Backlight | LED |
| Power Consumption (operation) | 38W |
| Power Consumption (standby) | Not Listed |
| Screen Treatment | Anti-Glare with Hard Coat 3H |
| Height-Adjustable | Yes, 4.5" of adjustment |
| Tilt | Yes |
| Pivot | Yes |
| Swivel | Yes |
| VESA Wall Mounting | Yes, 100mm VESA |
| Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD) | 20.22" x 21.89" x 7.10" |
| Weight | 8.73 lbs. without stand |
| Additional Features | 4 port USB Hub, Power Management Software |
| Limited Warranty | 3 Years |
| Accessories | Power Cable, DVI Cable, USB Cable, VGA Cable |
| Price | $329 at Dell.com |
The stand with the U2412M is very adjustable, with tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments available to the user. There is a 4-port USB 2.0 hub with two ports on the bottom of the display and two that are more accessible on the side of the display. The one port you might find missing is an HDMI port, but as the HDMI port is trademarked and requires licensing fees, and adds nothing that other ports don’t offer on a display with no speakers, I’m not particularly sad about the loss. Most HDMI transmitter chips are limited to 1920x1080 resolution as well and that would just be another cost that really adds no benefit. DisplayPort is starting to become more and more common now and I’d prefer to see those ports instead.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
143 Comments
View All Comments
klatscho - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
we sort of downgraded from eizo to these beauties, and the do the job quite nice, especially since we got them way below the 200 euro mark including the soundbar - which is why everyone is getting one now.the only problem we have identified so far is an unusually high doa-rate above 6% at the beginning, which has meanwhile dropped to around 4% for the last couple of hundred units; but again, at this price this is forgiveable.
Touche - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
Although it could be calculated (if contrast is consistent across the brightness range), it would be helpful if you showed the black level at calibrated brightness setting (100 cd/m2).cheinonen - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
I can add that to future reviews.anactoraaron - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
Please correct me if I'm wrong but this panel beats the U2312H from last year in power draw since last year's 2312 uses ccfl, not led like this panel.I personally didn't HAVE to have the 16:10 and recently bought 2 of the updated U2312HM which also uses led. But I always hear "once you go 16:10 you never go back" and I guess I'm just scared that will happen....
Sure the styling isn't "sexy" but I'm a man that prefers function over all. At least comment on how there's ZERO glossy surfaces on these monitors...
Also, the stand with these Dell monitors are top notch. They adjust more than ANY monitor I have ever encountered- 9" of height adjustment (for the newer U2312HM- I believe the U2412 has 7") , can spin to portrait orientation (just need to release a locking mechanism), and it can basically do more twists and turns than anyone's parents at a 1950's themed dance party. :)
1ceTr0n - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
The U3011 is a beautiful monitor but for $1200, I demanded perfection and all three models had color uniformity and lighting issues.I finally gave up and got a U2412M and i've been very happy with it. Very nice bright and even LED lighting, very low heat, great colors and nary any ghosting and a great price with extended 4 year advance warranty.
Unless your anal about LCD's, this one is hard to beat
fausto412 - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - link
Do 120hz IPS 24" 16x10 Monitors exist and are they any good and affordable?I've been waiting for that "I gotta have that monitor!!" review for like 2 years.
Currently using 22" Samsung 226bw and the view angles suck balls. But considering how long monitors last I am trying to wait for the next huge leap forward to get a 24" screen and upgrade. what say the monitor experts on this thread?
cheinonen - Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - link
There are no 120Hz IPS panels yet, you are stuck with TN at this point. I have no idea if there is a time frame for these or not either.Oxford Guy - Thursday, March 1, 2012 - link
120 Hz A-MVA panels are supposed to be near.Oxford Guy - Sunday, March 4, 2012 - link
They were announced in December:http://www.google.com/search?q=120 hz amva&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
fausto412 - Thursday, March 1, 2012 - link
sadly i don't know what's holding back monitor makers.I feel like they quit trying to advance tech for home users.