Dell P Series DELL 27" Black 2020

The Dell P2720D is a 27-inch QHD IPS monitor built for office work, not gaming. Its 60Hz refresh rate and 8ms response time are among the slowest we've tracked, but the ergonomics are excellent and the resolution is sharp. Pricing ranges from USD 225 to USD 345, with Newegg offering the best deal. Buy it for productivity at the low end of that range, skip it if you want to game or need modern connectivity.

Let's be honest about the performance numbers here. A 60Hz refresh rate and 8ms response time put this monitor in the 6th percentile for performance in our database. That's not a typo. This is one of the slowest displays we've tracked, and it shows if you try to use it for anything fast-moving. Gaming on this thing feels like dragging your cursor through mud compared to even a budget 144Hz panel. The 5ms 'Fast' mode helps a little, but it's still a 60Hz screen at heart.

For its intended use case, though, the performance is fine. Text is crisp at 110 pixels per inch, and the 350 nits of brightness is enough for most office environments. The 1000:1 contrast ratio is standard for IPS, which means blacks look a bit gray in a dark room but everything is perfectly readable in normal lighting. The 10-bit color support is a nice touch for a monitor in this class, even if the 74th percentile color ranking suggests it's good but not exceptional. You're not buying this for speed, and that's okay.

Stacked against the competition in our database, the P2720D occupies an odd space. The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG and MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 are OLED gaming monitors that absolutely demolish this Dell in performance, color, and contrast. But they also cost significantly more and are built for a completely different audience. If you're editing video or gaming, those are the obvious choices. The P2720D isn't even playing the same game.

Where the Dell makes more sense is against other productivity monitors. The LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B and Samsung Odyssey G60SD are gaming-focused displays that happen to be 27 inches and QHD, but they lack the ergonomic flexibility and office-friendly design of the P series. The Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27U2 S is a 4K panel that offers more resolution but at a higher price and with OLED burn-in concerns for all-day static content. For pure office work, the Dell's adjustable stand and proven reliability still count for something.

Pricing on the P2720D is all over the place right now. We're seeing it listed anywhere from USD 225 to USD 345 across US retailers, which is a pretty wide spread for what's essentially the same monitor. At the low end, around USD 225, this is a solid deal for a QHD IPS display with a fully adjustable stand. At USD 345, you're getting into territory where newer monitors with USB-C, higher refresh rates, and better color coverage start to look tempting.

Newegg currently has the best US pricing at the lower end of that range, so if you're set on this model, that's where we'd point you. The renewed listings on Amazon are also worth a look if you're comfortable with refurbished gear. Just keep in mind that this is a monitor from 2019, and the market has moved on. You're paying for the Dell build quality and ergonomics, not cutting-edge specs.

The Dell P2720D is a 27-inch QHD monitor aimed squarely at people who need to get work done. It's not flashy, it's not fast, and it won't make your games look like a window into another dimension. What it does is put 2560 x 1440 pixels on a big IPS panel with excellent ergonomics, and it does that without making a fuss. If you've ever squinted at a 1080p screen full of spreadsheets, you know why that resolution bump matters.

This is a monitor for office workers, programmers, and anyone who spends their day staring at text, code, or multiple windows. The 27-inch size and QHD resolution give you enough room to have two documents side by side without feeling cramped. And because it's an IPS panel, colors stay consistent even when you're not sitting dead center. That's more useful than it sounds when you're showing something to a coworker or leaning back in your chair.

Dell's P series has always been about practicality over pizzazz, and the P2720D fits that mold. You get a fully adjustable stand with height, tilt, swivel, and pivot, plus VESA compatibility if you'd rather mount it. The port selection is modest, just one HDMI and one DisplayPort, but for a productivity display that's usually enough. The real question is whether this aging panel still makes sense in a market full of newer, faster options.

Gamers should absolutely skip this monitor. The 60Hz refresh rate and 8ms response time are simply not built for gaming, and you can find 144Hz QHD panels for not much more money these days. If you play anything faster than a point-and-click adventure, you'll feel the difference immediately. Look at something like the LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B or a budget 144Hz IPS panel instead.

Creative professionals who need accurate color should also look elsewhere. While the 10-bit color support is nice, the 74th percentile color ranking means it's good but not great. If you're doing photo or video work where color accuracy matters, you'll want a monitor with better factory calibration and wider color gamut coverage. And if you want a clean desk setup with a single USB-C cable to your laptop, this monitor's lack of USB-C connectivity will frustrate you. Modern alternatives with USB-C power delivery are worth the extra cost.

If you're a programmer, writer, or office worker who wants a big, sharp screen with a stand that actually adjusts to your body, the P2720D is a reasonable buy at the right price. The QHD resolution gives you meaningful extra space over 1080p, and the IPS panel keeps colors consistent from any angle. The ergonomics are genuinely best-in-class for this price range, and that matters more than most people realize when you're sitting in front of it for eight hours a day.

But if you have any interest in gaming, video editing, or anything that benefits from a high refresh rate, look elsewhere. The 60Hz panel and 8ms response time are dealbreakers for those use cases. And if you can stretch your budget, a modern USB-C monitor with power delivery will simplify your desk setup considerably. The P2720D is a competent workhorse, but it's a workhorse from a few years ago, and the market has moved on.