While the PC ecosystem usually gets the most attention, the PC display market continues to impress with a continued march toward higher-quality displays. Between ultrahigh resolutions, high dynamic range (HDR), and curved screens, the workhorse PC monitor has become something of a star.
Dell ramped up the hype machine at CES 2017 with its own exceedingly high-end display. The UP3218K that was unveiled there is poised to give “high resolution” new meaning, with an 8K panel offering up a massive 7,680 x 4,320 resolution. Now, Dell is actually offering it for sale, as MSPU reports.
More: The world’s first 32-inch, 8K monitor headlines Dell’s newest displays
Before anyone gets too excited, we’ll note that Dell is asking a hefty $5,000 for the UP3218K. Unless you just have money to burn, then you’ll likely need some pretty compelling reasons to spend that kind of money. If you’re such a person — say, a creative professional who needs the utmost in resolution and color support — then Dell is obviously working hard to justify your investment.
The highlight of the UP3218K, of course, is the 31.5-inch panel running at 8K UHD. That translates into a pixel density of 280PPI, which is competitive with tablets that are meant to be held much closer to the eye than the typical 32-inch class display. Clearly, the monitor offers unparalleled sharpness for someone who needs to pixel peep.
It’s not just high resolution that Dell’s bringing to the table, however. The UP3218K also offers up superior color support. It meets pretty much every important industry standard, offering 100 percent of AdobeRGB coverage, 100 percent of sRGB, 100 percent of Rec. 709, and 98 percent of DCI-P3. If you value color fidelity, then this is the monitor for you.
Dell also calibrates the display for Delta-E color accuracy of less than 2, with parameters that can be set via custom color modes, a software development kit (SDK), or option X-rite iDisplay Pro colorimeter. Support for 1.07 billion colors rounds out the display’s color specs.
Other functionality includes the ability to swivel from landscape to portrait mode, as well as Dell’s InfinityEdge bezels, which keep the user focused on the image. Connectivity options include two DisplayPort connections, one USB upstream and two downstream ports, and audio line-out.
If you place your order today, then Dell promises a ship date of April 14, 2017. So, you’ll still have to wait a few weeks for delivery. Certainly, from the specs alone, it would seem like the UP3218K will be worth the wait.
