Dell’s 32-inch display comes with a focus on video calls. | Image: Dell
Dell has finally revealed the $1,599.99 price attached to the UltraSharp 32-inch 4K video conferencing monitor it previewed at CES (via 9to5Mac). If that price sounds familiar, it’s because Apple’s 27-inch Studio Display costs almost the exact same amount — only Dell justifies the price with the monitor’s size and its camera sensor, while Apple’s sales pitch leans on that still-rare 5K resolution.
The Dell monitor (U3223QZ) comes with a focus on videoconferencing, made clear by Dell’s built-in UltraSharp webcam with a 4K HDR Sony Starvis sensor that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help keep you in the frame during a call. This is a bit like Apple’s Center Stage feature used in the Studio Display and other Apple devices, a similar auto-framing functionality HP recently implemented in its upcoming Z24m videoconferencing monitor.
Image: Dell
The monitor comes with a 4K Sony Starvis webcam and two noise-canceling mics.
You can tilt the camera to different angles without having to move the entire monitor (although you technically could, since the display is tiltable), as well as customize the field of view to 65, 78, or 90 degrees, depending on how much of the background you want in the frame. The camera’s shutter will automatically open when in use and close when it’s not, meaning you won’t have to remember to close the shutter manually (or slap a piece of tape over the webcam) when you’re done with your meeting. In terms of sound, it features dual noise-canceling microphones and two 14W speakers.
The 4K 3840 x 2160 IPS display has a 60Hz refresh rate with a rather sluggish 8ms response time, which isn’t the most ideal if you’re looking to do some gaming on the monitor when you’re finished with work. It also has a decent set of ports — connect it to your computer or laptop using the USB-C port, and you’ll get access to an additional USB-C port, HDMI 2.0 port, DisplayPort 1.4, and five 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.
Image: Dell
The display comes with a variety of ports.
The webcam on Dell’s monitor definitely appears to be one of its strong points — the Studio Display has a 12MP webcam that struggled with video quality upon launch. Although Apple rolled out an update in an attempt to fix the issue, it still doesn’t produce the most impressive camera quality.
For Mac users, though, it might not be worth migrating to a 4K monitor when there’s already a 5K monitor within Apple’s ecosystem for the same exact price. Plus, many Mac owners prefer monitors that have a 5K resolution, as users tend to encounter scaling issues when using a 4K monitor as an external display.
So, is Dell’s new monitor the right choice if you’re going to spend $1,599? Maybe not for Mac users, but we won’t be able to tell until it ships in July.