New Dell IPS S2721DGF 165hz gaming monitor

[Flyke]

Ordered one 29th of January from Dell, initially it was expected to ship on February 11th. In the evening of the 30th the website for my order was updated and said the monitor had been shipped.
I got kinda nervous that I would be getting a returned monitor since I knowingly ordered it with expected arrival mid February.

Today the monitor arrived.
I feel somewhat convinced it is a monitor that has previously been sent out. And so I feel like returning it.
It does look good though. Just feel somewhat disappointed.

It had a little mark that looked like a finger smudge on the side of the screen. And when shining a flashlight on it it looks like it's been wiped down, in particular across the top - but the more I think about it it actually looks a little like it's under the top screen layer.

It has a little 'speck' in the top left, it looks like a dead pixel because it is reflecting light but it's in the frame.

Does anyone know how to access the service menu on this monitor ?
I have tried different methods to no avail, holding buttons while powering on etc.
I would like to see the number of hours the monitor has been on.

Thanks in advance.

 

[The Mike]

Ordered one 29th of January from Dell, initially it was expected to ship on February 11th. In the evening of the 30th the website for my order was updated and said the monitor had been shipped.
I got kinda nervous that I would be getting a returned monitor since I knowingly ordered it with expected arrival mid February.

Today the monitor arrived.
I feel somewhat convinced it is a monitor that has previously been sent out. And so I feel like returning it.
It does look good though. Just feel somewhat disappointed.

It had a little mark that looked like a finger smudge on the side of the screen. And when shining a flashlight on it it looks like it's been wiped down, in particular across the top - but the more I think about it it actually looks a little like it's under the top screen layer.

It has a little 'speck' in the top left, it looks like a dead pixel because it is reflecting light but it's in the frame.

Does anyone know how to access the service menu on this monitor ?
I have tried different methods to no avail, holding buttons while powering on etc.
I would like to see the number of hours the monitor has been on.

Thanks in advance.

I don't know if it helps you at all, but mine also had some finger prints on it and looked a little wiped with a cloth.

 

[Admiral Huddy]

What's the difference between the DGF and DGFA ?

 

[Flyke]

DGF and DGFA

It should be a firmware difference. The DGFA being the newer one, source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Monitors/comments/jmnmia/difference_between_dell_s2721dgf_and_dell/

I don't know if it helps you at all, but mine also had some finger prints on it and looked a little wiped with a cloth.

Thanks. It does a little.
The small fingerprint I had wiped off nicely here. The wiped look is indeed something inherent to the monitor. Could be part of a coating process I suppose. It is not visible unless you shine a light on the monitor in a particular way.

It also has a sharp bit on the plastic bottom edge towards the screen. Like a scratch - which will catch on a cloth used to wipe the screen.

I am nit-picking I know..

I can also only run 120Hz. My GPU only has DP1.2 so that explains the lack of the 165Hz open but I don't even see a 144Hz option. I want a new GPU but that's for a different thread.

I come from a U2412M (16:10, 1920x1200) which I honestly still very much like. I just really wanted more pixels to be able to fit more on the screen and a higher refresh rate.

Been waiting for a 240Hz QHD IPS monitor.
And when starting to work from home during December I started thinking that the time for a new monitor might be now.
I don't have much space for a monitor. A 27" just fits. My 24" leaves a little extra room which now that I am trying a 27" in the spot I might actually prefer over the larger monitor..
I feel that the AW2721D is just too expensive + the monitor stand is too big for my space.
The S2721DFGA monitor stand fits perfectly.
I've considered getting a monitor arm but the benefits would be minuscule as I have a stand (with a depth of 24cm ) on top of my desk on which the monitor stands.

Acer has two models (240Hz QHD IPS, a Nitro and a Predator) but they are not available in EU yet.

I could get a Lenovo 165Hz for about the same price as the Dell and it was available.
I still opted for the Dell as it somehow had more appeal to me.

I ordered 29th of December hoping that I'd get an invoice dated before the new year. Didn't happen. Not really a big deal.
I also ordered expecting to have all of January to consider if it was the right decision. Didn't happen.
And while that would usually be a good thing I just found it very weird with their initial expected shipping date and reading about people having to wait for these monitors.

I guess I just can't make up my mind on whether I'm happy about it or not.

The little reflecting spot in the upper left corner is actually a little annoying! It looks like a red pixel since it is reflecting the ceiling light.
The sharp edge is also a little annoying.

 

[Vulture]

So what is the best alternative for this monitor or gl850? Is there any monitor that have same panel or similar, with good contrast ratio and srgb mode? I can't believe how many good monitors don't have srgb mode, like it is so expensive to implement it. msi mag274qrf-qd would be perfect choise if it have srgb mode, i would overpay it if needed. Perfect for gaming and content creation.

 

[mattyfez]

What's the difference between the DGF and DGFA ?

It's been asked a few times in this thread.. The best info anyone has is that the brightness setting on the A versions are set slightly lower at stock to satisfy some energy consumption tick box. Nothing to stop you turning up the brightness but my older non-a version was too bright for my eyes at stock settings anyway. It really makes no difference which varient you have, but I think you can only buy the A versions now if brand new.

 

[The Mike]

Okay, let me make an update on my issue. Sorry for my english if it doesn't make perfect sense, as its not my native language and it is complicated for me to post.

As Flyke said, I might suspect I got a refurbished monitor. My monitor was coated in something that could look like a quick cleaning from a cloth with some cleaning water on it.

I got a lot of eye strain before changing the colors on my monitor, which made it a perfect monitor for me end the end. Like a week ago I noticed that there were some more of the "watermark" from the cleaning before it was sent out to me.

When I gently cleaned it off my monitor came with a little squeak, like the sound from when two plastic parts click together. First I looked and could see nothing, and when I turned it off for the night.

The day after I suddently have insane problems aiming and killing enemies in my games, and I started to get extreme shoulder pain without wondering why.

After looking at the bottom of the monitor, it looks like the monitor has stretched itself somehow.

I've made a drawing to show what I mean. It is drawn extremely, as it's only like 0,5 milimetre in difference, but it goes up to around the middle of the display.

The display goes perfectly with the monitors shell to the mid of the monitor at the Dell logo, but after that the gap slowly becomes bigger and bigger. If I take a cleaning cloth and carefully put my nail down from the right, I can feel it tightens around my nail when I get to the center, whereas I barely can push it further to the left (Again, not pressure or anything as I dont want to damage the unit.)

I started to notice, while everything looked fine, as in the top aligned with the top, and the bottom aligned with the bottom, I noticed from the mid and down to the right that the monitor felt "not right" from my viewing angle. It feels something like this:

The aim goes a little down in the right side. Now, I dont know if that is something I make up in my mind or not, but it is very clear that from the mid and to the right it seems like it goes down compared to the other side.

A weird thing also, is that if I clean VERY carefully on the mid with a cloth, then it comes with a "sticky" sound. Like you remove tape from something. Its only in the lower mid the sound comes, and you can hear it here:

Should I be able to feel the difference in the middle of the screen like this? I noticed it before I noticed there's a tiny gap in the lower right of the monitor. It's like only 0.5 milimetre or so, is that really enough to notice the problem?

Im really sad I didnt return it because it was hard for my eyes, even though I fixed it. It has almost NO ips glow at all, and no pixel defects.

If I get a return with a monitor with just one dead pixel or with noticeable IPs glow my OCD brain will become insane and throw it out the window, it really annoys me this happened after the 14 days of return with my monitor.

I dont know what to do. my three other monitors had the same problem with a Asus monitor I got replaced three times before I got my money back. **** modern monitors seriously.

Edit: Now that I have inspected it further. It looks like its "curvy" from the center mid to the right, which also could explain why theres a bigger gap between display and shell compared to the left.

 

[mattyfez]

@The Mike your second point - there is a small gap between the screen and bezzel along the bottom, approx 0.5 to 1mm, from what I can gather, that's just how they are by design.

It seems wierd to me as it could be a dust trap. I've just checked mine and it doesn't seem to make any ticky/sticky noise when poking the screen, as if cleaning it in the above video.

 

[The Mike]

@The Mike your second point - there is a small gap between the screen and bezzel along the bottom, approx 0.5 to 1mm, from what I can gather, that's just how they are by design.

It seems wierd to me as it could be a dust trap. I've just checked mine and it doesn't seem to make any ticky/sticky noise when poking the screen, as if cleaning it in the above video.

But the gap is even from the left to center, whereas from the mid to right the gap becomes 0.5mm wider.

It just makes sense given the the weird noise comes from the lower mid, as its from the lower mid to the lower right

 

[mattyfez]

Might be defective then, or a bad refurb?

 

[barbaros]

I checked mine and it has this sticky sound just few inches above the Dell logo and bit on the corners. I should say the sticking job is poorly done as there are some glue residues can be seen near the bottom sides.

 

[The Mike]

I checked mine and it has this sticky sound just few inches above the Dell logo and bit on the corners. I should say the sticking job is poorly done as there are some glue residues can be seen near the bottom sides.

But otherwise your monitor looks ok? No stretch?

I mentioned it to the support and he told me that it is not normal that the monitor should say that.

 

[barbaros]

How do you check for the stretch exactly? My current problem is still, I feel weird when I use the monitor, like something doesn't look or feel normal. I haven't tried playing games with it yet.

edit: I will talk tomorrow with Dell to return this item, let's see if it will work or not.

 

[The Mike]

How do you check for the stretch exactly? My current problem is still, I feel weird when I use the monitor, like something doesn't look or feel normal. I haven't tried playing games with it yet.

edit: I will talk tomorrow with Dell to return this item, let's see if it will work or not.

I'm a highly sensitive person, so I just started searching for it and found out.

I'd say, what I did was: Try to make it be so comfort as possible. Try to use it. Feel whats wrong.

If you are using it as playing. Do you get neck pain? Shoulder pain? if yes, which one?

Notice what your body reacts to. Try to see icons in games, or in windows. Do they look in a hundred percent horizontal line, or do they tilt a little up or down, to the left or right?

I felt the icons began to turn "down" on the right side, where they were straight on the left side.

I took a cloth and used my nail to gently clean through the monitor. The gap on the right made my use the cloth and the nail just fine, while I could feel slightly resistance at the mid, whereas the display fled perfectly with the monitor shell.

Since yours makes that sticky side at the bottom, try changing the stand so the top is more towards you and the bottom is a bit further away from you. Doesnt matter if it is in a unnatural position.

The idea is to see if the display is stretching like mine, which could sound like that.

Could sound like the bottom is too far in or out of the frame, while the upper frame could be in the correct position, unless it also makes that sticky sound.

Sorry for my bad and complex english, but in short:

Sounds like a stretch in a viewing angles, and sounds like top and bottom arent aligned correctly. If it makes sense.

 

[barbaros]

I found my issue, described by another person here and I think it's the exact explanation: "Anyone having a strange cloudy feeling (like losing focus) when on white backgrounds with this one". I can't focus on the text properly and it appears blurry for some reason. Light color text on dark background is fine. But if the majority of the page has white background (like google search results) it's challenging to read the text, I feel dizzy and tired while trying to read the mentioned text. My monitor was delivered on 17th of December and I passed the legal return window (I was away when my monitor got delivered) so I will see if they will accept my condition as return or not. Fingers crossed.

 

[The Mike]

I found my issue, described by another person here and I think it's the exact explanation: "Anyone having a strange cloudy feeling (like losing focus) when on white backgrounds with this one". I can't focus on the text properly and it appears blurry for some reason. Light color text on dark background is fine. But if the majority of the page has white background (like google search results) it's challenging to read the text, I feel dizzy and tired while trying to read the mentioned text. My monitor was delivered on 17th of December and I passed the legal return window (I was away when my monitor got delivered) so I will see if they will accept my condition as return or not. Fingers crossed.

I got huge eye strain before setting my monitor up properly. Have you tried changing the settings?

 

[barbaros]

I decreased the brightness to zero, I did some color change also. Well it didn't change much, and honestly it doesn't worth messing with my eye/brain health just for some 400 euro monitor. I am not going to force myself to accept some possibly damaged monitor. I never had that kind of weird issue with any other monitor before. I have LG UltraFine 5K monitor at work, and I am using it 8 hours a day from 50-60 cm distance for office work, and never felt like this. Plus I didn't even try playing games with the monitor when you focus even more and blinking your eyes less often, which I am sure will make me feel worse.

 

[chrcoluk]

So what is the best alternative for this monitor or gl850? Is there any monitor that have same panel or similar, with good contrast ratio and srgb mode? I can't believe how many good monitors don't have srgb mode, like it is so expensive to implement it. msi mag274qrf-qd would be perfect choise if it have srgb mode, i would overpay it if needed. Perfect for gaming and content creation.

Please see my reply a few pages back (guessing , but was recent), there is a LG nano ips screen that is natively SRGB.

 

[marcus1954]

this is a reply to an earlier question I have found that this monitor gets better results after calibration I used my datacolor spyder x lite to install an icc profile and recalibrate each month to keep the screen up to date. this btw also sets the rgb levels etc

 

[Vulture]

Please see my reply a few pages back (guessing , but was recent), there is a LG nano ips screen that is natively SRGB.

I can't find it, but aren't all monitors based on LG nano ips panel same? Lg would be perfect if they have 1000:1 contrast, even if they are slightly slower, i play horror games so it would be perfect. Too many drawbacks on IPS panels.