Dell 27 Plus QHD S2725DSM review

Twenty seven inches of 1440p with adjustable ergonomics, and the portrait rotation that reads contracts.

The verdict: A 27-inch QHD panel at 2560 by 1440 with a 1500:1 contrast ratio, 144Hz, 1ms MPRT, dual 3W speakers, a four-star TUV low blue light certification and adjustable ergonomics. Buy two if you read contracts, because rotating one to portrait shows most of a page at readable size and no ultrawide does that. Buy one if the desk is small, in which case it is a perfectly good single monitor and the ultrawide is the better use of the same money.
Best Dual-Monitor Panel
Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor S2725DSM, 27-inch QHD (2560x1440) 144Hz 1ms
~$180

A 27-inch QHD monitor with a 1500:1 contrast ratio, 144Hz refresh, dual 3W speakers, TUV low blue light certification and adjustable positioning.

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Specifications

SpecDetail
Size27 inch
ResolutionQHD 2560 x 1440
Contrast1500:1
Refresh rate144 Hz
Response1 ms Moving Picture Response Time
AudioDual 3 W integrated speakers
Eye comfortFour-star TUV-certified low blue light
ErgonomicsAdjustable positioning
SoftwareDell Display and Peripheral Manager

Specifications above come from Dell's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

Where it falls short

What owners report

Owner reports on Dell's mainstream monitors are consistent about the thing that matters, which is that they are unglamorous and reliable and the stands actually adjust. That last point is what people appreciate a year in, and it is what cheap monitors cut first.

Our ultrawide versus dual monitors comparison covers the decision. The argument for two 27-inch panels is height: rotating one to portrait shows most of a contract page at readable size, which is the single most useful thing a real estate desk can do with a monitor.

If you are building a working office, our time management guide covers what actually saves time, and it is usually fewer context switches rather than more pixels. Our offer comparison tool is one of the things worth keeping open on the second screen.

Who it suits

Who should skip it

Alternatives worth considering

One Wide Surface
Sceptre 34-Inch Curved Ultrawide WQHD Monitor (3440 x 1440), R1500
~$198

Thirty percent more screen space than a conventional monitor in one uninterrupted 21:9 panel, with no bezel in the middle. Same vertical height as this monitor, and a gaming aesthetic including LED back lighting.

Check price on Amazon
Portable Second Screen
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5), Ultra Retina XDR Display, 256GB
~$1,155

If your second screen needs to travel, a tablet is the only version of that. Vastly more expensive per pixel and it does things a monitor cannot, including being a client-facing display in a listing.

Check price on Amazon
Fix the Call
Logitech C920x HD Pro PC Webcam, Full 1080p/30fps
~$60

This monitor has speakers and no camera. If client video calls are part of the job, a proper webcam does more for how you come across than a second monitor does.

Check price on Amazon

Common questions

One ultrawide or two 27-inch monitors?

Two 27-inch panels give you more total pixels, cost about the same and let you rotate one to portrait, which is the best thing you can do for reading contracts on screen. An ultrawide gives you one uninterrupted surface with no bezel. Reading documents favours two; wide single windows favour ultrawide.

Why rotate a monitor to portrait?

Because documents are tall. A 27-inch QHD panel rotated to portrait shows most of a letter-sized page at readable size without scrolling, which for anyone reading contracts and disclosures on screen is transformative. This is the argument for a dual monitor setup over an ultrawide.

Is QHD sharp enough at 27 inches?

Yes, for office work. It is the standard pairing for the size and text is comfortable without display scaling. Four K at 27 inches is sharper and generally needs scaling, which brings its own complications. For MLS windows, documents and spreadsheets, QHD is the right choice.

Are the built-in speakers any good?

They are adequate for a voice or video call and nothing more. Dual 3W drivers in a monitor chassis cannot do much. Having them means a client call works with no additional hardware, which is the point rather than sound quality.

Do I need 144Hz for office work?

No. High refresh rates matter for gaming. For documents, spreadsheets and MLS windows it changes nothing you will notice beyond slightly smoother mouse movement. It is included at this price rather than paid for, so it is not a reason for or against.

Keep reading

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.