Dell 27 Plus QHD

Everyday image quality

CHIP tested the exact S2725DSM in January 2026: 99.9% sRGB coverage, 78.1% Adobe RGB, 345 cd/m² peak brightness and 308 cd/m² full-white, scoring the panel “Good” (2.3 on German grading) as an office monitor — explicitly not a professional color-critical screen. That brightness sits close to Dell’s 350 cd/m² typical figure, though direct sunlight can still wash the panel out depending on position.

Owners add texture. One April 2026 account praises the matte screen’s daylight handling and balanced colors while conceding some IPS glow; another owner saw IPS glow in dark scenes. IPS glow is a familiar LCD backlight effect, not a damaged panel, and no S2725DSM-specific defect rate exists in the sources — inspect a new unit at normal brightness and reasonable distance, then use the seller’s return window if uniformity is unacceptable.

Inputs, stand and desk setup

The input set is the monitor’s biggest desk compromise: one HDMI and one DisplayPort 1.4, with no USB-C video input, no USB hub and no KVM. A USB-C laptop needs an adapter or dock, and a two-PC desk needs a separate switch. CHIP confirms the limitation in testing.

The stand is the better news. Height (110 mm), tilt, swivel and pivot all come in the box, 100 × 100 mm VESA is standard, and one May 2026 verified purchaser specifically liked pivot for long PDF documents in portrait orientation. Rotate only after raising and tilting the panel so it does not strike the desk, per the manual. The two 3 W speakers are fine for calls — one verified owner called them notably good for their use, though that is a personal impression, not a measured audio test.

Repairs, running costs and warranty

There are no consumables — no filters, ink or scheduled parts — so the required annual running cost is $0. Electricity is the only continuing expense. CHIP measured 22.3 W operating and 0.3 W standby; at 8 hours on and 16 hours standby a day with power at $0.20/kWh, that works out to 66.87 kWh/year, roughly $13.37 a year before tax. Dell rates the panel at 21.4 W typical and 65 W maximum; the maximum is a ceiling, not a normal draw.

A DisplayPort cable is not in the box; a Monoprice Select Series 6 ft DP 1.4 cable was $8.29 at Monoprice US when checked. Internal parts have no documented US retail prices and no representative failure data exists, so a repair reserve is a guess; an out-of-warranty repair quote can exceed the $169.99 October 2026 sale price.

The US offer carries a one-year limited warranty, one-year Advanced Exchange Service and Premium Panel Exchange — not the three-year terms on Dell’s India and Australia pages. Premium Panel Exchange is a branded policy, not a promise that every pixel counts; check Dell’s written pixel terms for your serial before shipping. For faults, run Others > Self-Diagnostic in the OSD, photograph the problem and use the Service Tag with Dell’s support portal.

Which model this is

This page covers the Dell 27 Plus QHD S2725DSM — manufacturer part GTT45, Dell order part 210-BTGM — a 27-inch QHD 144 Hz panel in Ash White. It is easy to confuse with the 100 Hz S2725DS, the USB-C S2725DC, the 4K S2725QS or the 180 Hz G2725D; a review of one of those names is not a test of this monitor.

Is it worth it?

At $169.99 — the promotional price on Dell’s US site in October 2026, matched by Micro Center at $169.99 — this is a good buy for QHD 144 Hz with a full stand. Dell’s other pages showed $219.99 and even “Unavailable”, Newegg listed $219.99 sold by Dell Technologies, and a Walmart third-party listing showed $230.99, so shop the offer, not the sticker. Above $200, compare the USB-C-equipped S2725DC at $199.99 Dell direct or the 4K S2725QS at $229.99 from Micro Center. A competitive gamer can also look at the 180 Hz G2725D, though some Dell listings show it unavailable.

Sources

Manufacturer:

• Dell USA — S2725DSM technical specifications, warranty and included equipment
• Dell — S2725DSM User’s Guide, Revision A03 (May 2026)
• Dell USA — S2725DSM promotional offer ($169.99 vs $219.99 estimated value)
• Dell Support — S2725DSM manuals and service material
• Dell India — S2725DSM listing with 3-year overseas warranty terms

Independent reviews:

• CHIP Testcenter — measured S2725DSM review (February 2026)

Owner reports:

• S2725DSM owner discussion: matte screen, IPS glow, eye comfort (r/monitor)
• S2725DSM owner eye-discomfort report (r/ScreenSensitive)

Stores and parts:

• Micro Center — S2725DSM SKU 965376, $169.99
• Newegg — S2725DSM $219.99, sold by Dell Technologies
• Walmart — S2725DSM third-party listing
• Monoprice — Select Series DisplayPort 1.4 cable, 6 ft, $8.29
• Dell USA — S2725DC USB-C alternative
• Dell USA — G2725D 180 Hz gaming monitor