If you're looking for a monitor that offers high resolution at a more affordable price, the Dell S2722QC is a solid choice with excellent text quality, making it good for productivity. On the other hand, if you are a professional working with high-resolution photos or videos and require the best image clarity possible, the LG UltraFine 5K may be worth the higher cost, with its superior resolution and color performance. However, for gaming, both monitors have lower refresh rates and response times, so neither is ideal for competitive gaming but can be adequate for casual play. The LG does not support variable refresh rates, which can be a drawback for gaming. If you consume a lot of media or HDR content, both monitors are limited in that regard, but for general use and detailed visual work, the choice would lean towards the LG, budget permitting. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell S2722QC (IPS)
The Dell S2722QC (IPS) has no clear advantages over the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS).
Advantages of the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS)
Very good for productivity
Good for media consumption
Best in class text clarity
Best in class image clarity
Good brightness
Key differences
Productivity
7.9/10
8.7/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
5120 x 2880
164 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
218 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Glossy
The LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) is very good for productivity, while the Dell S2722QC (IPS) is good.
Cost
$400
$1,179
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell S2722QC (IPS) has a price of $400 and the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) costs $1,179.
Key similarities
Casual Gaming
5.9/10
6.0/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
5120 x 2880
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
1304:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1200:1
382 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
500 nits
402 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
Unknown
82.9 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
99.0 %
Matte
COATING
Glossy
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) to be only fair for casual gaming, while the Dell S2722QC (IPS) is poor.
Competitive Gaming
4.9/10
5.0/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
14.4 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
14.0 ms
40 - 60 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
N/A
No
STROBING / BFI
No
382 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
500 nits
The LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) and Dell S2722QC (IPS) are both poor for competitive gaming.
Media Consumption
6.8/10
7.0/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
5120 x 2880
1304:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1200:1
382 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
500 nits
402 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
Unknown
Matte
COATING
Glossy
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) to be good for media consumption, while the Dell S2722QC (IPS) is only fair.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
No
No
Both the Dell S2722QC (IPS) and LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) are not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Dell S2722QC (IPS) and LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Dell S2722QC (IPS) and LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
Print Photo Editing
No
No
Both the Dell S2722QC (IPS) and LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) are not suitable for print photo editing.
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How the Dell S2722QC (IPS) and the LG UltraFine 5K 27MD5KL (IPS) compare to other monitors
"The Dell S2722QC offers 4K, USB-C, HDR, and integrated speakers for a uniquely affordable price, but makes some image quality sacrifices to hit its low cost. It’s a good everyday productivity monitor that you should buy for its features, not its performance."
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec monitors team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest monitor information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the monitor team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Monitors Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.