Ever since I was young, I’ve always had a soft spot for games. Sitting down in front of the monitor and playing for hours on end was just simply nothing short of amazing. In truth, my true interest in getting a proper setup to play games didn’t really happen until recently, when I got my first PC.
Only four things are necessary for a setup: a PC, a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard. In my opinion, they are all important, but none are as life-changing as a good monitor; though my wallet was crying buckets when I clicked buy.
But with so many different types of monitors now, it can get very confusing to decide on what to buy. So, we tested out 3 different monitors from Dell – a 1080p 27” monitor, a 4k 32” monitor and a 1080p 32” curved monitor, and here are our thoughts on them!
Before you continue
Monitors have improved by leaps and bounds over the years, to the point where some of the terms used for marketing these devices might seem rather alien, so here is a quick summary of them.
First, let’s talk about panel types. IPS, VA and TN, are the commonly-used terms to describe the type of panel used on the monitor. In terms of the differences between the three, IPS panels tend to be better in terms of their colour and viewing angles, while VA panels are usually better for their contrast. TN panels, on the other hand, are generally cheaper and seen as better for their refresh rates. In this case, the three monitors we tested from Dell only use IPS or VA panels.
Let’s move on to the refresh rate, represented with “Hz”, which stands for hertz. To summarise, the number of times the screen can update the on-screen image affects how smoothly your images move across the screen. One such example would be games – if your computer can run games at a high framerate, but your display is only rated at 60Hz, you will only be able to experience the smoothness of up to 60 frames per second. The higher the refresh rate, the more smooth your gameplay will feel (if your computer can handle it!)
So with that out of the way, here are the gaming monitors!
The Higher-End Choice: G3223Q
Quick Specs:
- Screen Resolution: 3840 x 2160
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Screen Size: 32”
- Panel Type: IPS
- Dimensions: 28.6 in x 2.7 in x 16.8 in (WxDxH)
When you think of 4K resolutions, your first thought would probably be of televisions, not a monitor. But in current times, more monitors are starting to be produced with 4K resolution, providing users with an ultra-clear and crisp viewing experience in a smaller size. They, however, tend to come with low refresh rates, which might seem somewhat off-putting for those who prefer the smoothness from a higher one.
The Dell G3223Q, however, is an exception. It comes with a 32-inch IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate, making for a smooth user experience. As we tested it on our desktop PC, we noted that the monitor had an excellent colour output, and the visuals were sharp and crisp. When we booted up FPS games such as VALORANT and Apex Legends on it, the graphics took our breath away, with how visually stunning the monitor made everything in-game look, bar the brightness of the monitor, which we had to adjust as it was too dark.
We also tested it with a PS5, which could run up to 120Hz for games that supported it through the included HDMI 2.1 port. Unfortunately, the overall dimness of the monitor was more prevalent here, as games such as Saints Row looked very dark. We ended up having to crank the brightness to the maximum, but even then, it was only sufficient rather than satisfactory.
But the biggest elephant in the room is the price of the setup required to utilise the monitor. In order to run the monitor at 4k and fully utilise the 144hz, you need a high-end PC with the latest parts. This on its own is already expensive enough. Add on the cost of the monitor itself, which comes in at S$1,279, and you probably have to fork out upwards of S$4,000.
So with all that said, is the 4k monitor still feasible for gaming?
If you want to future-proof your setup: Definitely! With how fast technology is progressing, it’s only a matter of time for 4k monitors to become more accessible and affordable. Besides that, it still works really well for consoles as well. We even tested out FIFA 22 on it, and the graphics looked amazing on its screen. So visual-heavy games such as Cyberpunk 2077 would look really good on the monitor.
If you want more information on the monitor, you can check it out here at Dell’s website.
Pros
- Good for gaming on console
- Good for future-proofing
- Good for visual-heavy games, i.e. Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2
Cons
- Requires an expensive setup to run to its potential
- Not many games can fully utilise the monitor to its maximum specs
- Only certain titles such as CS:GO and VALORANT can run at 4k 144Hz, but in those titles, one would prefer higher framerates
The Standard Choice: G2722HS
Quick Specs:
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh Rate: 165Hz
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Screen Size: 27”
- Panel Type: IPS
- Dimensions: 61.16 cm x 36.341 cm x 39.295 cm (WxDxH)
Nowadays, 1080p resolution is generally the norm for any type of monitor, be it ones used primarily for office work or others that are gaming-centric. But even with more and more monitors being made in clearer and better resolutions, such as 1440p and 4k, 1080p is still extremely popular for gaming monitors due to how cheap they are, and how it gives a performance boost in other areas compared to other resolutions.
This particular model, the G2722HS, can be described as the standard gaming monitor out of the three Dell offerings – a 27-inch 1080p IPS screen with a refresh rate of 165Hz. This means it is smoother than the standard 144Hz gaming monitors you usually see. Because of the IPS panel, the games that we tested out on it looked superb. On games such as Forza Horizon 5, the overall experience was vibrant and visually pleasing on max settings.
When we tested FPS games such as VALORANT and Apex Legends on it, everything was really smooth and crisp, with the models of the enemies easy to see in movement. The overall gameplay was also presented without any tearing, owing to the monitor supporting both AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. These two software help to match the screen’s refresh rate to the graphics card in your PC, so your screen always looks smooth.
So with that being said, is the G2722HS worth its price?
With it being a 1080p monitor, you wouldn’t need the most expensive setup to fully utilise the monitor. Moreover, the overall look of the monitor is sleek and has good specifications, making it really good for competitive gaming, where one would want to pump out as much FPS as possible.
This makes the G2722HS a great choice for those who want to upgrade their current monitor to something that can be used for that edge in gaming. But ultimately, if you’re looking for a monitor that has really clear and vibrant visuals, 1080p is inferior to other resolutions. Not just that, but the difference between 165Hz and 144Hz is negligible, making it a little hard to justify the price point for what you get from the monitor.
The G2722HS comes in at S$429 for its 27” variant, and S$379 for its 24” variant, the G2422HS. In our opinion, the G2722HS is rather expensive for a gaming monitor for its price, and you could probably get another monitor with similar specs for a lower price. However, with that being said, if it is on a discount, you could consider this model for your setup.
If you want more information on the monitor, you can check it out here at Dell’s website.
Pros
- Great upgrade option for those planning to do so for their regular 60Hz monitors
- Clarity and overall look are great
- A lower-end system can also make full use of the monitor
Cons
- 1080p is inferior in terms of clarity to other resolutions
- 165hz is not very different from 144hz, so cheaper options with a 144hz screen might be better value
The Unique Choice: S3222HG
Quick Specs:
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Refresh rate: 165Hz
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Screen Size: 32”
- Panel Type: VA
- Dimensions: 70.876 cm x 23.761 cm x 45.598 cm (WxDxH)
Usually, you’d see that monitors come with a flat screen, but the more unorthodox option that has recently gained popularity is curved monitors. Curved monitors are generally easier on the eyes compared to their flat counterparts. They tend to be more comfortable for viewing and more immersive as they cover a wider field of view. But prices still do vary for these types of monitors.
In the case of the S3222HG, it is a 32-inch 1080p VA panel monitor with a refresh rate of 165Hz. A VA panel tends to be better in contrast, distinguishing darker areas more clearly. Along with the 165Hz refresh rate, using the monitor on paper sounds like a good proposition.
However, when we tested games such as Forza Horizon 5 on it, the visuals left quite a lot to be desired. The cars’ reflections felt grainy and blurry, but the contrast between colours was quite prominent. For games such as Cyberpunk 2077, it was sometimes easier to view the map because of the VA panel.
As for FPS titles such as Apex Legends and VALORANT, the overall widened field-of-view did help too, but the overall clarity does sometimes affect you in terms of gameplay. It also comes with AMD FreeSync for AMD PCs. In general for FPS games, the monitor holds its own and was overall not too bad for gaming.
So is the monitor any good at all? Well, yes. You could use it for long gaming sessions because of the curvature, making it easier for the eye. The contrast brought by the VA panel is also helpful in some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077. The monitor is also good for watching shows in the dark, and you don’t need a high-end PC to push 1080p.
But overall, the price for the monitor is rather steep in our opinion. The S3222HG comes in at S$569, which for its features, is quite unjustified. The brightness also had to be adjusted manually because the monitor was rather dark at times, as were the monitor’s presets itself. Thus, you would be better off getting another monitor for gaming, which would probably cost less.
If you want more information on the monitor, you can check it out here at Dell’s website.
Pros:
- Better contrast for panels
- Comfortable for viewing with the curved panel
- A lower-end PC can fully utilise the monitor
Cons:
- Visuals are unclear and grainy
- Price is high for the overall viewing experience
- There are cheaper alternatives that might be better
With that, those are our thoughts on these three Dell Gaming Monitors! These monitors are ones to consider if you happen to be looking for a new one. Lastly, check out their full tech-spec comparison here for a complete in-depth look and comparison!
Photos by Darren Chiong, Hendrick Yeo, Joey Daniel and Glenton Weng of the DANAMIC Team.
