Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP

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http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/monitors/0,39030121,49281769,00.htm

Reviewed 6 July 2006

Reviewed by Michael Degnan

The Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP, a 24-inch widescreen LCD, is another solid entry into Dell's updated UltraSharp monitor line. This £820 monitor boasts plentiful features and connections, excellent image quality and all the adjustability we could ask for in a monitor of this size.

Other monitors may come close to the Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP's performance, but few come close to matching the UltraSharp 2407WFP's connectivity options or overall price/performance advantage.

Design
The Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP's design follows that of the other UltraSharp monitors, including its simple black-and-silver colour scheme. You can pivot this display between landscape and portrait modes, tilt the panel about 20 degrees forward and 5 degrees back, swivel it 45 degrees left and right, and raise the panel about 100mm. All adjustments are easy to make -- although when you're pivoting or swivelling the monitor, the base tends to wobble slightly.

The display's inputs, located on the back of the monitor, are easy to access, especially when the monitor is in its portrait position. Inputs include one upstream and two downstream USB 2.0 ports, DVI-D and VGA (analogue) signal inputs, a 12V audio jack for connecting an optional Dell Sound Bar speaker, plus composite, component and S-Video ports for connecting a VCR or DVD player. Along the left side of the monitor are two more USB 2.0 ports, and a 9-in-2 media card reader. Like its UltraSharp siblings, the 2407WFP's cable management is rather sparse: the display's slender neck has only a simple rectangular cut-out through which to thread the cords.

The 2407WFP's on-screen menu has a horizontal configuration. The menu is set along the monitor's bottom bezel, and each adjustability option has its own submenu -- you must navigate through each submenu to select settings. There's no dedicated exit button, however, which makes it difficult to make your way through the submenus.

The menu lets you adjust the usual settings, including brightness, colour temperature and sharpness, and it offers three preset image modes for Desktop, Multimedia and Gaming use. A dedicated button on the monitor's control panel launches picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture functions, and another dedicated button lets you switch between inputs.

Performance
Tested at its native resolution of 1,920x1,200 pixels, the Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP delivered excellent performance in our DisplayMate-based tests. Text was dark and easily legible, and greyscale tests looked terrific, showing only slight pink tints in the mid and light sections. Colours looked accurate and vivid across the board.

Dell rates the UltraSharp 2407WFP with a relatively fast 6-millisecond response time, and the monitor performed well in both of our moving image tests. DVD testing showed slightly more digital noise than average, but images were sharp and clear, with vivid colours. Gaming tests were also vivid and sharp, but we did notice minimal streaking and ghosting. The 2407WFP comes HDCP-equipped, and when we connected the display to a high-definition signal, we did see some digital noise in solid backgrounds, which is expected. From a normal viewing distance, however, the picture was clear and vivid.

The Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP comes with an industry-standard three-year warranty on parts, labour and the backlight. Dell also offers telephone technical support in addition to alternative support options, such as community forums, a searchable knowledge base, and documentation and driver downloads via its Web site.

Edited by Charles McLellan
Additional editing by Nick Hide