CNET Editor's rating: 8.7 out of 10
Reviewed by
Eric Franklin
Review date: 04/17/08
Release date: 04/15/08
The good: Strong overall performance; its tried-and-true design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical; video connections galore.
The bad: Cool preset mode is too blue; no digital audio connection.
The bottom line: The 24-inch Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP display delivers across the board in performance, design, and features. It excelled with movies and games, making it not only an excellent choice as an entertainment display, but also great for everyday Windows tasks.
The Gateway FHD2400 may be cheaper, but the Dell UltraSharp 2408WPF display is the better value of the two 24-inch LCD monitors. It performed outstandingly in our labs-based DisplayMate tests, delivering quite possibly the best image we've seen for DVD playback. The 2408WPF packs all of its stellar performance inside a practical and aesthetically pleasing design while delivering an embarrassment of connection riches. Moreover, it carries a fair price of $599; we'd wager any 24-inch display you find for less will come with trade-offs in terms of features or performance or both. The UltraSharp 2408WFP is a great entertainment display, whether it is games, DVDs, or--making use of its 1,920x1,200 resolution--HD movies. Rest assured, it does not drop the ball on the basics; we give it a strong recommendation should you seek a large productivity monitor.
Design
The Dell 2408WFP shares the same basic design as its predecessor, the UltraSharp 2407WFP. This includes the relatively thin bezel around the edge of the screen with the Dell logo along the bottom.
The onscreen display is easy to navigate and includes the usual options of brightness, contrast, color, and so on. We also liked that the OSD stays on the screen long enough to evaluate any changes you make while calibrating the display. There are also six included preset modes for activities such as playing games, watching movies, and graphics work that affect color temperature, contrast, and brightness.
From the back, you're looking at a mostly silver enclosure, which runs along the foot and neck of the stand with a large silver Dell logo at the top. The screen rotates 45 degrees to the left and right, and about 30 degrees back. The screen also pivots 90 degrees to the left into portrait mode, but you'll have to rotate the screen back first before you can actually pivot it as the stand is in the way normally. This is a minor gripe, but it's something we hope Dell will consider when they choose to redesign this chassis.
The foot of the stand is the same Y-shaped, or "bird-foot" as it is sometimes called, design as found on last year's model. The width of the stand is about 15.5 inches at its widest and really helps to make the display feel very sturdy, even when placed on a narrow stand and the screen is raised to the top of its 4.5-inch range. This display has many connection options, and Dell continues to make it easy to find them all. Each connection has a very clear illustration beneath it that makes it a cinch to find and connect.
Features
The Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP includes an abundance of connection options. For video connections, you'll find a VGA, two DVI, an HDMI, a DisplayPort, component, and composite ports. There's also a speaker port, four USB ports (plus one upstream USB port), and a media card reader for Compact Flash and SD formats. That's certainly a long list of connections, but if we're being greedy, we would have liked to have seen an optical audio out connection. Compared with the lower priced Gateway FHD2400 we reviewed recently and praised for its connection options, the Dell surpasses it in the variety and volume of connection options. In particular, the extra DVI port and the DisplayPort are valuable extras if you want to connect the display to a media center or high-end PC.
The Dell has a Dynamic Contrast of 3000:1. This means--according to Dell--that the blacks the display outputs are three times darker than the whites are when viewing dark scenes. To get that kind of contrast ratio the display powers down its backlight in dark scenes, so that the blacks are very dark. This also means that if the dark scene in question contains areas of bright light, the light may be sacrificed as the backlight does not have the power to represent it accurately. Basically, Dynamic Contrast is just a marketing term and, for now, there is no independent standard for measuring it, so it should not be considered when making a buying decision. We felt the display was capable of dark blacks, but they could have been a bit darker. The whites were as bright as any we've seen in a recent display.
Performance
We tested the Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP through the DVI connection and it delivered high scores across the board in our labs-based DisplayMate tests, excelling particularly in sharpness and color. Most monitors have no problem displaying legible fonts at 6.8 point and above, but things usually deteriorate as the size gets smaller. At 6 point, most displays have a hard time with sans serif fonts such as Helvetica, because of the somewhat curvy nature of the font. The Dell is not immune to this issue completely, but it performed better here than the Gateway FHD2400. The Dell rendered the fonts thinly, unlike the Gateway where the fonts seemed fat, oversaturated, and less distinct in comparison. Its composite score of 90 on our DisplayMate suite of tests has been matched only by another Dell display, the 22-inch SP2208.
The Dell had no problem on our Intensity Color Ramp test, which measures a display's capability to render gradations of primary colors smoothly, uniformly, and consistently. The fact that the display did well in this test indicates that it will be able to display accurately different shades of the same color in a given scene.
One problem we did see was when viewing the display on the Preset Mode Cool was that the screen looked too blue and unnatural. For example, when we typed in Word or viewed a Web site with a white background, the page was not white, but very light blue. The effect was just too extreme should have been more subtle. This is a minor quibble, however, as there are six presets to choose from as well as a user customizable mode.
DVD playback on the display was as good as we've ever seen on a monitor. Even when viewing medium shots with our eyes inches from the screen in Kill Bill Vol.1, we found the image retained its detail. We had a little PVP action while testing the display with World of Warcraft. It's hard to make this game look bad, and the 2408WFP continues the tradition of displaying WoW excellently. The colors, detail, and image integrity were as good as it gets.
We noticed a little backlight bleedthrough on the top corners in a pitch-black testing room, but saw absolutely none in normal room lighting.
Service and support
The $599 price includes a three-year limited warranty that covers defects in the display and its peripherals. This also includes a 24-7 toll-free phone technical support as well as technical support through live Web chat. We could not find the drivers for this display on Dell's site. Under the support/drivers area on their Web site, this display was not listed at the time this review was written.
Intro:
The Dell Ultrasharp 2408WFP is a 24 in, flat panel computer monitor.Compared to other flat panel monitors on the market, it is midpriced at around $605.Comes with a built-in 9-in-2 card reader and USB hub.This display features a 1920x1200 native resolution.Weighs 21.8 lbs.
Noteworthy Features:
Accepts composite, component video, and S-video analog inputs.Also, this monitor has 1920x1200 resolution, which is somewhat higher than some similarly priced monitors.In fact, the typical cost of a product with this high a resolution is $955.Its wide viewing angle (178 degrees) is useful whenever the screen is being viewed by more than one person at the same time.Accepts DVI input, which allows for greater signal clarity than traditional VGA.
Weaker Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
A flat panel monitor, suited for those who want a high-end display for movies, presentations, or design work.The 6 ms response time of this screen makes it ideal for fast-moving games and for watching movies.
Value:
In general, this monitor has great features for the money.In terms of viewable size, flat panel monitors with comparable viewable size have an average cost of around $885.
Suggestions:
(1) Before purchasing an LCD monitor, consider visiting your local store for a live demo to ensure that its overall image quality, color, and sharpness meets your expectation.(2) You can use the built-in USB hub to connect peripherals such as mice and keyboards, or a flash card reader.(4) For more help in deciding if this is the right monitor for you, visit the buying guide for monitors at CNET Reviews.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular UltraSharp
Having been a previous owner of the 2407 Dell Ultrasharp Monitor I was a little concerned about ghosting as a ...
Having been a previous owner of the 2407 Dell Ultrasharp Monitor I was a little concerned about ghosting as a problem in this monitor as the 2407 had a TERRIBLE ghosting problem in games and movies probably due to the factory cranking the overdrive up to ludicrous speed..."We've turned plaid!!"
Suffice to say that I was more than pleased when I hooked this monitor up to my PC and my Xbox 360 and found that my new monitor displayed no noticeable ghosting at all. In fact, ghosting aside the image quality on this monitor is astonishing. With just a little tweaking in the options menu I discovered just how beautiful gaming and 1080p movies could be. The colors are accurately displayed for the most part. Like I said...A little adjustment is needed...But goodlord...After I was done with my tuning, this monitor really POPS!
Many inputs make this monitor an excellent multimedia display for a bedroom or office. I found the HDMI and RGB inputs to be relatively useless for HD movie play back in 1080p due to display scaling / cropping, however there are two DVI inputs that will display an HD input PERFECTLY!
Static image quality is probably a little sketchy for those of you who make a living off of that sort of thing. I noticed a little color shifting in some of my static test images. If your just an average consumer you won't notice though as the picture quality is still WAY above average.
For gaming this monitor is SPECTACULAR. The changes I noticed going from the old one to this are simply mind bending. EVE looks incredible. You can really see how much love DELL put in this monitor for gamers over the 2407.
I recommend this monitor to anyone and everyone. At this price point it just can't be beat.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Outstanding
The best monitor I have ever owned. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It does everything I want it to ...
The best monitor I have ever owned. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It does everything I want it to and does it well.
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by mknorr (see profile) -
July 17, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
3 out of 10 - Poor How did this monitor get Editor's Choice???
I just purchased 2 of these 2408WFP's to use as dual monitors. I thought I did all my homework ...
I just purchased 2 of these 2408WFP's to use as dual monitors. I thought I did all my homework prior to making the purchase but evidently not. The model currently shipping is a first version and has major issues. Just check the Dell Support Forums...customers with this monitor are eagerly awaiting a new hardware revision!!!
First, the wide color gamut is basically incompatible with Internet Explorer! (and any other non-color managed applications!) Most images on the web and in most other applications use the standard sRGB color profile. This monitor does a poor job in displaying these images. Users are having to use special color-managed web browsers for this monitor!
Second, this monitor has been found to have the worst input lag of just about any LCD! Gamers be warned...this monitor is NOT for you! The input lag is so bad it's even noticeable in scrolling on web pages!
Dell is promising an updated revision that should fix the input lag and other issues. Not sure how they will address the color gamut issue if even at all. What this monitor needs is a sRGB color profile mode for everyday use!!!
Updated Just to add a few more comments to my original review...
The input lag is totally different from the "Response Time" spec. If you put the 2 together you get the overall time it takes the screen to be refreshed. You have to add the input lag to the 6ms Response Time spec and in the case of this monitor you'll get way worse than anything near 6ms!
8 out of 10 - Excellent Solid, High-Quality Picture
Overall, this is an excellent monitor?the image quality is great, excellent motion-response for video and games, minimal if any ...
Overall, this is an excellent monitor?the image quality is great, excellent motion-response for video and games, minimal if any ghosting, and lots of picture adjustments. The connection options are very nice if you plan to connect multiple devices, although I personally haven't used any of them, so I can't speak to any limitations or caveats.
I also use an Apple display of the same size (which is twice the price, due largely to the aluminum enclosure), and this Dell preforms better in almost every way. The one thing I really like about the apple display is that it's text display is quite a bit smoother. I'm on a mac where high-quality text anti-aliasing is standard, so that's a tiny bit disappointing. Still, probably the only reason I notice it is because the Apple does it slightly better. Also, the Dell is slightly slower waking from standby. In most other ways the Dell is superior (adjustability, color, contrast).
I'm very happy with the Dell and I've had no dead pixels or other problems of any kind.
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by tmschafer (see profile) -
June 29, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Worth every penny.
This is my first review ever. I currently have two of these in my office here, both get used for ...
This is my first review ever. I currently have two of these in my office here, both get used for graphic design and video production.
I must say, these monitors are "wild." The default brightness level is WAY to bright and the saturation of the Reds and Greens is almost blinding at first. If you are not prepared to get a color calibration device and calibrate it properly, you're in for a VERY bright and colorful computing experience.
For example, you will notice, very quickly, that you'll need to enable the color management feature in firefox in order to get a color managed web browsing experience (google it, it's a hidden option in firefox.) If you use IE, or firefox without enabling color management, the reds and greens will be so over saturated, it's almost "clown like" browsing experience.
So, to sum this up. You will NEED to properly calibrate this monitor and enable the firefox color management option, if not, while your reds and greens will be colorful, it will not be very accurate.
Final note: again, if you calibrate this monitor, you will have something which can compete, somewhat, with EIZO's top of the line coloredge offerings. Also, to all you PVA haters, I'd just like to remind you that EIZO uses S-PVA panels, just like this dell.
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by floz23 (see profile) -
June 24, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Outsanding design and performance!
This is by far the best 24" monitor money can buy. I happened to scoop one of these up brand ...
This is by far the best 24" monitor money can buy. I happened to scoop one of these up brand new from ebay(I know its risky) for $490. I just finished watching Blu Ray version of 300. I have to tell you that the visual experience was phenomenal coupled with 5.1 surround sound, I actually felt like I was part of the movie. Becuase it is an S-PVA panel, this monitor has no ghosting, superb color gamut, perfect viewing angles, and the 6ms response time has no effect as I still pwn in CS:S. I highly recommend this monitor to anyone who wants full hi-def and a plethora of features...did I mention the features?
2 x DVI with HDCP support HDMI DisplayPort Analog (VGA) Component S-Video Composite
As well as, (2) USB 2.0 - left, (2) USB 2.0 - back 9-in-2 Flash reader (USB connection to PC required) Audio out Optional speaker bar
Most people won't use these features, however the fact that Dell didn't skip over anything is awesome. Displayport is one of the more unique things about this screen. All in all this a superb monitor that will please even the harshest critics.
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by 1337Ruski (see profile) -
June 15, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Fantastic!
My first ever on line review because the product is so good I'd recommend it to anyone. I've ...
My first ever on line review because the product is so good I'd recommend it to anyone. I've read some on line comments about problems with bleeding and banding. In a totally dark room I see a little bit in upper left corner, in normal light, nothing. Banding? I magnified a screen cap and measured "banding" at 8 pixels. The green ghosting on text is no big deal for me. No dead pixels or bright pixels and with Dell's return policy not a problem at all. I've seen people say they'll wait for revision A01 but why? If you get a good one like I did, enjoy, if not, return and get a good one, Dell makes it easy.
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by vagabond35 (see profile) -
May 5, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 out of 10 - Abysmal Okey-dokeyed again by Dell
I ordered this great-sounding monitor online from Dell. When I checked by email the next day to determine the status ...
I ordered this great-sounding monitor online from Dell. When I checked by email the next day to determine the status of the order, the information I got was that the order was canceled. I called Dell -- four times, and spoke to eleven different people, was referred to two specialists who weren't available and a third whose voicemail was full. The gist of it is that Dell put a hold on my Mastercard account for $633, and canceled the order because -- they say -- the order was not approved. Luckily, it only took a second call to Mastercard to void the whole transaction. I had forgotten about Dell's Three Stooges approach to customer service, and came out of it feeling like I'd been through a Chinese fire drill in a subway and emerged with my wallet missing. If this is how they treat people trying to make a purchase, imagine what trying to navigate the warranty servicing would be like. I'll find another monitor from a more reputable dealer. Caveat emptor.
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by Mike K8 (see profile) -
July 9, 2008
6 out of 10 - Good Not worth the buck
On the paper this is a overall great monitor with good color, interface, and brightness, and that is possibly why ...
On the paper this is a overall great monitor with good color, interface, and brightness, and that is possibly why reviewers have given this monitor so great reviews. But Testing out fancy images and color templates have nothing to do with real use and this is where this monitor falls through. As a highend product you do expect some quality.
First of all the input lag is gigantic. 0.60 sec in avrage input test from various sites and i can 100% agree. Its horrible. If you have too much text on the screen at once the screen starts to "distort" itself in some wierd way. Text itself is also very unsharp.
If you want a 24 inch monitor go buy it somewhere else. Dell's 24 inch is not worth the buck.
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by malu05 (see profile) -
July 19, 2008
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI),
Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
Audio Output
Type
None - Integrated
Input Device
Input device type
None
KVM
Type
None
Expansion / Connectivity
Interfaces
2 x DVI-D - 24 pin digital DVI,
1 x - 20 pin DisplayPort,
1 x S-video input - 4 pin mini-DIN,
1 x HDMI - 19 pin HDMI Type A,
1 x Component video input - RCA X 3,
1 x VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15),
4 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A,
1 x Composite video input - RCA,
Audio line-out - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
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