Dell S2721HS 27" Silver 2022

The Dell S2721HS is a 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor that punches above its weight for office work and light gaming. The adjustable stand, 75Hz refresh rate, and solid build quality make it a standout in the budget category. Just don't expect built-in speakers or razor-sharp text at this resolution.

The S2721HS runs at 75Hz with a 4ms grey-to-grey response time, which is a small but noticeable step up from the 60Hz panels most offices are still using. Scrolling feels smoother, and casual games look a bit more fluid. AMD FreeSync is on board too, so if you have a compatible GPU, you won't see screen tearing in lighter titles. But let's be real, this is not a competitive gaming display. The 4ms response time is fine for everyday use, but fast-paced shooters will show some ghosting.

Color performance is a mixed bag. The panel covers 99% of sRGB, which is solid for an office monitor, but it sits in the 38th percentile for color in our database. That's because there's no factory calibration, so colors out of the box can look a little off. A few minutes with the OSD settings fixes most of it, and owners consistently say image quality is good after a quick tweak. The 8-bit panel handles 16.7 million colors, which is standard for this price range.

The Dell S2721HS sits in a completely different league than the OLED gaming monitors it's often compared against in search results. The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG, MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2, and LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B are all 1440p or 4K OLED panels with 240Hz+ refresh rates and price tags several times higher. If you're shopping for a competitive gaming monitor, those are the ones to look at. The S2721HS is not trying to compete with them.

A more realistic comparison is against other budget 27-inch 1080p office monitors. The Samsung Odyssey G60SD and Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27U2 SA are also gaming-focused and cost significantly more. For office work, the Dell's main advantage is its stand and build quality. Most budget competitors in this price range come with a tilt-only stand and feel flimsier. The trade-off is that the Dell's connectivity is limited to one HDMI and one DisplayPort, which is a bit thin if you want to hook up multiple devices.

At $230 to $240 USD, the S2721HS is a solid deal for a 27-inch IPS monitor with a fully adjustable stand. You're not going to find many displays in this price range that offer height adjust, swivel, and pivot, let alone a 75Hz refresh rate. The main trade-off is resolution. For around the same money, you can sometimes find 1440p panels, though they usually skimp on the stand or build quality. If you're in Canada, the CAD 295 price is also reasonable. The value proposition really comes down to what you prioritize: ergonomics and build quality, or pixel density.

The Dell S2721HS is a 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor aimed squarely at office workers and students who want a bigger screen without breaking the bank. It usually sells for around $230 to $240 USD, and for that money you get a height-adjustable stand, thin bezels, and a 75Hz refresh rate. That last part is a nice bonus if you occasionally fire up a game, but this is not a gaming monitor in the traditional sense. It's a productivity display that happens to handle light gaming better than your average 60Hz office panel.

Dell markets this thing with ComfortView and a flicker-free screen, which basically means it's designed to be easy on your eyes during long work sessions. The 99% sRGB coverage and anti-glare coating help with that too. And the 3-sided bezel-less design looks clean on a desk, especially if you're running dual monitors. The stand is a real highlight here. Height adjust, tilt, swivel, and pivot are all included, which is more than you get from a lot of budget monitors.

Is the Dell S2721HS good for office work? Yes, mostly. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch panel means text isn't as sharp as it would be on a 1440p display, but for spreadsheets, email, and web browsing, it's perfectly fine. Just don't expect to do serious photo editing on it without calibrating first.

Skip the S2721HS if you need a high-resolution display for photo editing, video work, or sharp text. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch panel just doesn't have the pixel density for that kind of work. Gamers looking for high refresh rates should also look elsewhere. The 75Hz panel is fine for casual play, but competitive gamers will want 144Hz or higher. And if built-in speakers are a dealbreaker for you, this monitor doesn't have them. For sharper text and better color accuracy, consider a 1440p IPS panel instead. For gaming, look at something like the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG or LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B.

Should you buy the Dell S2721HS? If you need a reliable 27-inch monitor for office work, school, or general productivity, and you want a stand that actually adjusts, this is one of the best options in its price range. The 75Hz refresh rate is a nice bonus, and the build quality is better than most budget panels. Owners rate it 4.7 out of 5 stars across 689 reviews, and the sentiment data backs that up. People like this monitor.

But it's not perfect. The flickering issue on some units is worth noting, and the lack of built-in speakers is a real annoyance if you were counting on them. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch screen also means text won't be as crisp as it would be on a 1440p display. If you're doing color-critical work or want a sharper image, you should look elsewhere. For everyone else, this is a safe buy.