Notice: Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Picture Quality
- Motion
- Inputs
- Features
- Comments
Dell U2518D vs Dell UltraSharp U2721DE
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Dell U2518D
Dell UltraSharp U2721DE
Tested using Methodology v1.1
Updated Sep 03, 2021 02:17 AM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comTested using Methodology v1.1
Updated Dec 14, 2023 04:44 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Size25"
Pixel TypeIPS
Variable Refresh RateNo VRR
Native Resolution2560 x 1440
Max Refresh Rate60 Hz
Size27"
Pixel TypeIPS
Variable Refresh RateNo VRR
Native Resolution2560 x 1440
Max Refresh Rate60 Hz
Variants
- U2518D (25")
- UltraSharp U2721DE (27")
Our Verdict
Dell U2518D
Dell UltraSharp U2721DE
The Dell U2518D is a bit better than the Dell UltraSharp U2721DE. The U2518D is a bit smaller, but it supports HDR and has much better gradient handling. The smaller screen on the U2518D results in slightly sharper text, but it's not quite as good for multitasking. On the other hand, the UltraSharp U2721DE has better connectivity, including USB-C power delivery support.
Check Price
25"
U2518D
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com27"
UltraSharp U2721DE
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comMain Differences forMixed Usage
Mixed Usage
Threshold
Mixed Usage
7.6
7.4
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Design Picture
Size
25"
27"
Curved
No
No
Curve Radius
Not Curved
Not Curved
Weight (without stand)
7.7 lbs (3.5 kg)
8.9 lbs (4.0 kg)
Weight (with stand)
12.8 lbs (5.8 kg)
12.6 lbs (5.7 kg)
Stand
Stand Picture
Width
11.5" (29.2 cm)
9.1" (23.0 cm)
Depth
7.9" (20.1 cm)
7.1" (18.0 cm)
Ergonomics
8.5
8.5
Ergonomics Picture
Height Adjustment
5.1" (13.0 cm)
5.1" (13.0 cm)
Switch Portrait/Landscape
Yes, Both Ways
Yes, Both Ways
Swivel Range
-30° to 30°
-40° to 40°
Tilt Range
-22.5° to 2.5°
-20° to 5°
Back
Back Picture
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100
VESA 100x100
Borders
Borders Picture
Borders
0.3" (0.8 cm)
0.2" (0.6 cm)
Thickness
Thickness Picture
Thickness (with stand)
5.4" (13.7 cm)
5.0" (12.8 cm)
Thickness (without stand)
2.0" (5.1 cm)
1.5" (3.8 cm)
Build Quality
7.5
7.5
Build Quality Picture
Picture Quality
Contrast
6.3
6.0
Checkerboard Picture
Native Contrast
1,187 : 1
1,014 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
N/A
N/A
Local Dimming
0.0
0.0
Local Dimming Video
Local Dimming
No
No
Backlight
Direct
Edge
SDR Peak Brightness
8.2
7.7
SDR Real Scene
406 cd/m²
314 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
423 cd/m²
347 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
426 cd/m²
348 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
426 cd/m²
348 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
426 cd/m²
349 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
426 cd/m²
349 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
421 cd/m²
347 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
424 cd/m²
348 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
425 cd/m²
348 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
425 cd/m²
349 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
425 cd/m²
349 cd/m²
SDR ABL
0.000
0.000
HDR Peak Brightness
7.2
0.0
HDR Real Scene
498 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Peak 2% Window
476 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Peak 10% Window
520 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Peak 25% Window
545 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Peak 50% Window
562 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Peak 100% Window
584 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Sustained 2% Window
279 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Sustained 10% Window
304 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Sustained 25% Window
317 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Sustained 50% Window
328 cd/m²
N/A
HDR Sustained 100% Window
340 cd/m²
N/A
HDR ABL
0.012
N/A
Horizontal Viewing Angle
8.2
7.4
Horizontal Viewing Angle Video
Horizontal Chroma Graph
Color Washout From Left
44°
39°
Color Washout From Right
47°
39°
Horizontal Hue Graph
Color Shift From Left
50°
48°
Color Shift From Right
55°
47°
Horizontal Lightness Graph
Brightness Loss From Left
46°
45°
Brightness Loss From Right
49°
46°
Black Level Raise From Left
70°
70°
Black Level Raise From Right
70°
41°
Gamma Shift From Left
45°
39°
Gamma Shift From Right
53°
38°
Vertical Viewing Angle
6.6
7.6
Vertical Viewing Angle Video
Vertical Chroma Graph
Color Washout From Below
34°
32°
Color Washout From Above
34°
34°
Vertical Hue Graph
Color Shift From Below
34°
41°
Color Shift From Above
37°
43°
Vertical Lightness Graph
Brightness Loss From Below
39°
34°
Brightness Loss From Above
39°
36°
Black Level Raise From Below
23°
70°
Black Level Raise From Above
52°
70°
Gamma Shift From Below
33°
44°
Gamma Shift From Above
34°
63°
Gray Uniformity
8.6
8.7
50% Uniformity Picture
50% Std. Dev.
3.180%
2.436%
50% DSE
0.109%
0.115%
5% Uniformity Picture
5% Std. Dev.
0.340%
0.279%
5% DSE
0.046%
0.041%
Black Uniformity
5.9
7.1
Native Black Uniformity Picture
Native Std. Dev.
2.053%
1.219%
Black Uniformity Picture With Local Dimming
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A
N/A
Pre Calibration
9.2
7.1
Pre Calibration Picture
Pre Gamma Curve Picture
Pre Color Picture
Picture Mode
Standard
Standard
Luminance
275 cd/m²
103 cd/m²
Luminance Settings
75
22
Contrast Setting
75
78
RGB Controls
100-100-100
100-100-100
Gamma Setting
No Gamma Setting
No Gamma Setting
Color Temperature
6,720 K
5,949 K
White Balance dE
1.28
3.53
Color dE
1.15
3.19
Gamma
2.19
2.24
Post Calibration
9.7
9.7
Post Calibration Picture
Post Gamma Curve Picture
Post Color Picture
Picture Mode
Custom Color
Custom Color
Luminance
99 cd/m²
101 cd/m²
Luminance Settings
17
23
Contrast Setting
75
78
RGB Controls
99-98-100
94-92-100
Gamma Setting
No Gamma Setting
No Gamma Setting
Color Temperature
6,513 K
6,489 K
White Balance dE
0.45
0.40
Color dE
0.48
0.52
Gamma
2.18
2.17
SDR Color Gamut
8.7
8.6
Color Gamut sRGB Picture
sRGB xy
98.1%
96.8%
Color Gamut ARGB Picture
Adobe RGB xy
76.1%
75.3%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom Color
Custom Color
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom Color
Custom Color
SDR Color Volume
8.9
8.9
sRGB Color Volume ITP Picture
sRGB In ICtCp
95.9%
96.6%
Adobe RGB Color Volume ITP Picture
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
80.8%
81.4%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom Color
Custom Color
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom Color
Custom Color
HDR Color Gamut
6.5
0.0
Wide Color Gamut
No
N/A
Color Gamut DCI-P3 Picture
DCI P3 xy
72.6%
N/A
Color Gamut Rec.2020 Picture
Rec. 2020 xy
56.9%
N/A
DCI P3 Picture Mode
Custom Color
No HDR
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Custom Color
No HDR
HDR Color Volume
5.9
0.0
P3 Color Volume ITP Picture
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
66.6%
N/A
2020 Color Volume ITP Picture
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
49.6%
N/A
DCI P3 Picture Mode
Custom Color
No HDR
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Custom Color
No HDR
Image Retention
10
10
Image Retention Picture
IR After 0 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
IR After 2 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
IR After 4 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
IR After 6 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
IR After 8 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
IR After 10 Min Recovery
0.00%
0.00%
Gradient
9.4
7.8
Gradient Picture
Color Depth
10 Bit
8 Bit
Color Bleed
10
10
Color Bleed Horizontal
Pixel Row Error
0.000%
0.000%
Color Bleed Vertical
Pixel Column Error
0.001%
0.002%
Reflections
6.9
7.6
Average Room
Average Room Off Picture
Bright Room Off Picture
Screen Finish
Matte
Matte
Total Reflections
6.3%
6.5%
Indirect Reflections
3.3%
5.7%
Calculated Direct Reflections
3.0%
0.8%
Text Clarity
8.0
7.0
ClearType On
Pixel Type
IPS
IPS
ClearType Off
Pixels
Sub-Pixel Layout
RGB
RGB
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
7.7
7.1
Motion Blur Picture
Response Time Table
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
8.0 ms
7.7 ms
Total Response Time
15.5 ms
19.2 ms
Overshoot Error
1.7%
4.5%
Dark Rise / Fall Time
8.5 ms
8.4 ms
Dark Total Response Time
16.7 ms
20.7 ms
Dark Overshoot Error
3.2%
6.0%
Response Time @ 60Hz
7.7
7.1
Motion Blur Picture
Response Time Table
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal
Normal
Rise / Fall Time
8.0 ms
7.7 ms
Total Response Time
15.5 ms
19.2 ms
Overshoot Error
1.7%
4.5%
Dark Rise / Fall Time
8.5 ms
8.4 ms
Dark Total Response Time
16.7 ms
20.7 ms
Dark Overshoot Error
3.2%
6.0%
Image Flicker
10
10
Backlight Picture
Flicker-Free
No
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
940 Hz
0 Hz
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
0.0
0.0
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
No
No BFI
BFI Picture
BFI Frequency Picture
BFI Maximum Frequency
N/A
N/A
BFI Minimum Frequency
N/A
N/A
Refresh Rate
5.9
5.9
Variable Refresh Rate
No VRR
No VRR
Native
60 Hz
60 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
60 Hz
60 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
No
No
FreeSync
No
No
G-SYNC
No
No
VRR Maximum
N/A
N/A
VRR Minimum
No VRR
No VRR
VRR Supported Connectors
No VRR
No VRR
Inputs
Input Lag
8.0
9.0
Native Resolution
15.8 ms
8.7 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
15.8 ms
8.7 ms
Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
N/A
Variable Refresh Rate @ 60Hz
N/A
N/A
10 Bit HDR
19.8 ms
N/A
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
N/A
N/A
Resolution And Size
8.3
8.3
Native Resolution
2560 x 1440
2560 x 1440
Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:9
Megapixels
3.7 MP
3.7 MP
Pixel Density
118 PPI
109 PPI
Screen Diagonal
25.0"
27.0"
Screen Area
266 in²
310 in²
Inputs
Inputs 1
Inputs 2
Total Inputs
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.2)
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.2)
No
HDMI
1 (HDMI 2.0)
1 (HDMI 1.4)
DVI
No
No
VGA
No
No
DisplayPort Out
1 (DP 1.2)
1 (DP 1.4)
USB
4 (USB 3.0)
4 (USB 3.0)
USB C
No
1 (USB, USB PD, DP Alt Mode)
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm
1
1
Microphone In 3.5mm
No
No
Digital Optical Audio Out
No
No
Analog Audio Out RCA
No
No
Power Supply
Internal
Internal
Features
Additional Features
RGB Illumination
No
No
Speakers
No
No
HDR10
Yes
No
Multiple Input Display
No
No
On-Screen Display (OSD)
OSD Picture
Controls
Controls Picture
In The Box
In The Box Picture
Check Price
25"
U2518D
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com27"
UltraSharp U2721DE
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Dell U2518D
Dell UltraSharp U2721DE
Comments
Dell U2518D vs Dell UltraSharp U2721DE: Main Discussion
What do you think of these products? Let us know below.
Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.