Dell U2415 1920x1080 v Dell U2515H 2560x1440 v Dell U2413 1920x1200 Premiun Colour

[Cage]

OK, it's time to update the old Dell S2209W 22" TN Monitor. (Thanks stoogest )

I've been happy with it and see no compelling reason to change brands. A visit to Dell's site for 24" monitors showed this.

Dell snip-AP.jpg

As you can see they are all pretty much at the same price point, so that won't be a deciding factor. The U2515H is a tad larger but not enough to be a deal breaker.

The U2515H and the U2413 come pre-calibrated from the factory and as I don't have any calibration software, that could be a consideration.

The U2413 has 'PremierColour'. Is this a must have?

Connectivity and compatibility with my GPU shouldn't be a problem as it has a HDMI output and 1024MB of GDDR5 RAM plus I'm running 16GB of system RAM.

I'm leaning toward the new U2515H as it seems the higher 2560x1440 res should be better for PP albeit at the expense of smaller on-screen print size, although my new computer-specific specs should alleviate any problem in that area.

Any thoughts from you techy folk would be much appreciated.

[mikew09]

I recently upgraded to the have the new U2412 and it just blows me away. The colour depth etc is just superb. One thing I have found is this monitor calibrates much better than my old Samsung. The digital display is spot on also.

[Cage]

Cheers Mike.

Even though the U2412M has been around for a couple of years it still rates very highly in the reviews I've read and is currently available for $374 with Dell's 15% coupon.

What was the calibration like straight out of the box? At that price it is very tempting.

[mikew09]

From memory it was pretty close actually. I dont calibrate that often anymore as I find this monitor holds its setting pretty well, my old monitor I was doing weekly. One this I do really notice is this new Dell back lighting is very even from corner to corner as opposed to the old style back lighting.

Cheers Mike.

Even though the U2412M has been around for a couple of years it still rates very highly in the reviews I've read and is currently available for $374 with Dell's 15% coupon.

What was the calibration like straight out of the box? At that price it is very tempting.

[Cage]

Even though the U2412M has been around for a couple of years it still rates very highly in the reviews I've read and is currently available for $374 with Dell's 15% coupon.

Or $351.20 from Dell's eBay store.

[nardes]

Not quite sure if you are upgrading to a brand new computer, but if not, make sure your current graphics card can support the 2560x1440 screen resolution.

Cheers

Dennis

[Cage]

Cheers Dennis.

The cards specs say support for resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz. I upgraded the computer about 18 months back and tried to future proof it as much as possible, bearing in mind that today's technology is already outdated.

[arthurking83]

Technically speaking, the 2413 is the 'better' screen of the three(hence the high initial price .. obviously discounted in your screencap tho!)

They all do true 8bit colour, which makes them accurate for when they're calibrated with a calibration device.
One thing to note is that calibration is a relative thing.
No calibration will be perfect, at least in the consumer market .. so when the term calibration is used, it's usually meant that calibrated to a point where the human eye can't discern any real differences.

So that you know, the factory default calibration will be out by enough that you will notice the differences.

Why this can be important is that ... if you have a cheap and nasty screen, but it's been calibrated, it's usually calibrated to a point where it looks as good as anyone else with a calibrated screen will be accustomed too.
(in terms of colour/contrast/etc).

But a badly calibrated screen(ie. at a default factory point) .. even tho we know the screen is very good, is still going to show colours and contrast that is not rendered to the same level as all other calibrated screens.

Remember the point of calibration is not just the accuracy of colour and tones the screen displays.
The point of calibration is that all screens display the same level of colour and tones.
That is we see what you see, as well as seeing the same thing as your printer(if you send files out to print) and so on.

My cheapo screen is out by just enough that some people may notice .. but in reality only in a side by side comparison to a better quality screen.

So, if you have a screen now that is calibrated enough(that is renders an image to a level that the human eye can't notice enough difference) .. then getting a new screen that is not calibrated well(or in this case factory default) .. may actually be a worse off situation.

As for the screens, a quick look at tft central shows some interesting points.

As said already in a technical sense the 2413 is the better screen.
it not only does 8bit colour depth, but also has the ability to be calibrated via an internal hardware system.

Calibration is done in two ways.

1/ the more common way is the usual way most of us do it, which is to send a calibration point into the graphics card.

2/ the hardware version is better for various reasons, but the difference is that instead of the calibration being sent to the graphic card, the screen itself is calibrated.

The major difference between the two types of calibration is that the hardware type is much more stable and not prone to system/OS vagaries.

If you notice hard enough, with a graphics card calibration, during boot up into your OS, the screen at some point will change colour. This varies with each system and the software used.
With a hardware calibration, the screen is calibrated independently of the operating system used.

ie. with a software calibration the calibration is tied to the OS used .. and hence you could have differences for example if you update the driver in the graphics card(ie. needing a calibration again).
with a hardware calibration, theoretically you could change OS completely(ie. from Windows to Mac to Linux, to DOS if you want) ... the screen is still calibrated.

Hardware calibration is much more stable as a result ... is. better.

But(to throw you off now ) .. the major issue with this Dell 2413(as well as the 2713 I think) is that you need a specific calibration device type to access the hardware calibration system.
That is, not any calibration device will allow you to calibrate via the hardware option!

If you just want a new screen and be done with it .. any will do, but be sure to calibrate it when you can, or alternatively you could download a calibration file to load into your computer which will be better than the default DELL calibration.

If you want to look at this purchase from an in depth point of view, with the possibility that you will invest more in the future .. then the 2413 is the better option as long as you are willing to fork out the extra money on the compatible calibration device(which undoubtedly costs double the price of a regular calibration puck! )


The other thing to be aware of between the three screens:

the 2415 and 2414 will basically give you similar rendering of any file .. no matter what .. especially once calibration is done.

the 2413 tho displays more colours. Where the other two only display sRGB (16million) colours, the 2413 displays aRGB as well(1 billion colours).
Note that the numbers of colours simply represent tones of colours.

This can be important in some situations in that the sRGB only screens can render posterised colours at an earlier point than an aRGB screen will.
This is important only in that if you print at high quality levels(ie. in aRGB printing spaces).

I've seen this myself on a few occassions.
I only work in the sRGB colour space. very rarely do I print my photos. sRGB is just easier to live with. anything else is superfluous .. except

.. except in those rare instances when I do print.
I print in aRGB, but because I work in sRGB, the conversion and adaptation to the larger colour space usually distorts some colour, somewhere in my files.
if I've pushed an edit too far, it may look posterised(blocky colours instead of nice smooth graduations).

BUT .. I know it's an illusion on my screen. The file itself is fine .. ie. not posterised at all.
It just looks it on my screen because the screen can't render aRGB properly .. it's an sRGB only screen.

Once you work out what your ultimate goal is, I can post a link to the TFT site where you can download the appropriate icc file for better than the default calibration point.


If it were my money, and these three were my choices to pick from, I'd go for the 2413, even tho it's older .. but with the notion that I'd look to get the appropriate calibration puck to do a hardware calibration.
If that's not your ultimate goal, then the 2515 .. but only because it uses just a little less power than the 2414
(note that the 2413 uses more power by comparison, but not excessively. You expect that from a better quality unit tho)

ps. sorry for the long post.

[Cage]

Artie, thank you for your very comprehensive reply, most, but not all, of which I understand. And please, don't ever feel the need to apologise for taking the time to explain things in depth.

When I spend my hard earned OAP dollars, I like to think I'm getting maximum bang for my buck, and being retired, it gives me the time to do my 'due diligence'.

I'd looked at the U2412M that mikew09 mentioned, but thought that Dell may have discovered some magic bullets in the last couple of years. I'm sure they have, but the question I have to ask myself is 'Will my tired old eyes even see, or appreciate the difference'. At $150.00 + cheaper than the models I listed above, it sure as hell warrants my attention.

After my first very nervous wedding I've done another from their recommendation, and had quite a few recommended and paying jobs. I guess what I'm after is that when my USB stick is plugged into the printer at the local Kodak shop, or wherever, the client is presented with a reasonably true representation of the subject. I suppose I should start saving for a reasonable semi-pro printer.

At my stage in life I have no aspirations to embark on a pro career, but if I can pick up the odd buck here and there it will help me to sort of keep up with the rapidly evolving world of technology.

The U2412M seems to suit my requirements, and more importantly, my budget, and it would leave me some change to invest in some calibration software. Gawd, another skill I'll have to acquire. I find that I learn them when the need arises, and then promptly forget most of it, until I need to use it again. Thankfully, some of it sticks.

Mate, again, many thanks for your thoughtful and incisive reply.

[arthurking83]

......

After my first very nervous wedding I've done another from their recommendation, and had quite a few recommended and paying jobs. I guess what I'm after is that when my USB stick is plugged into the printer at the local Kodak shop, or wherever, the client is presented with a reasonably true representation of the subject. I suppose I should start saving for a reasonable semi-pro printer.

.....

The cost of running a semi pro printer won't add up in the long run compared to just getting them printed at a quality establishment.
While it'd be nice to have access to printing 24/7, I doubt you'll see any other benefit.

Something you can do for calibration(other than download a pre cooked icc file) us to use a few prints as rough guides to get your monitor looking like what you need it too.

Like you said, all you want is close and accurate rendering between your screen, and the printed images off your Thumbdrive.
If you have a few printed images set in a typical lighting situation, there's nothing wrong with using them to set the monitor to display the same scene in the same way.

I've done this.
I calibrated my monitor to what was the most accurate setting, but me being paranoid(amongst other things! ) .. I had to check it against one of the prints I'd had at the time.
Colours looked pretty much spot on, and because I was comparing a source lit image(the screen version) to a incidence lit copy of the same image(the print) .. there were obviously going to be some differences.

The other thing to be aware of is that the lighting you are viewing in is vital too!
That is viewing the images in a semi lit room at sunset, they will look pretty much differently. But if viewed after dark(ie. no external ambient) and only via a good interior light source they can look close enough to identical.
I only I use a very high temp globe in my study(6500K) which helps to balance the rendering of a screen vs a print.
IN this situation the prints look close enough to identical. But if viewed at sunset, even with the curtains blocking most(but not all) external light into the study, the print and screen always look a little different.
Nothing you can do about it.
If you try to match the two mediums when looking at them at sunset(for eg), then they will look different after dark under strong white light .. and different if you change that white light with a warmer 3700K or lower globe.


Had a quick look at the 2412 specs, and while it calibrates well again(and this is the most important thing to take into consideration) .. as you'd expect, it's not as good as either of the other three models mentioned.

But if that $150 saving gets you a calibration device then this is ideal

[Cage]

Decision time.

The U2515H is on special for @419.00 till the 26/3/15. It was my original choice, so perhaps I should stop procrastinating and just hit the 'BUY' button. In defense of my procrastination, I have, over the years, elevated it from an annoying trait to something approaching an art form.

Cheers

Kev

[arthurking83]

Did you hit the buy button YET!!!




yeah.... at that price I'd do it.
Seems like a very good monitor.

[Cage]

Did you hit the buy button YET!!!




yeah.... at that price I'd do it.
Seems like a very good monitor.

Thanks for the 'PUSH' Artie.

Done it, eta 31/3/15

Thanks again for your input.

Cheers

Kev

[arthurking83]

When you've got it, let me know.

I'll give 'ya some help to 'set it up' a bit.

[Cage]

When you've got it, let me know.

I'll give 'ya some help to 'set it up' a bit.

Thank you Uncle Arthur.

ETA now 8/4/15 and not holding my breath.

PS: Now I'm on the info trail for a calibration device to suit my requirements. The X-Rite ColorMunki Smile @ $85.00 has caught my attention, basic, but probably does all I'll need it for.

[Cage]

Hmmm, maybe I'm getting the U2515H, and maybe I'm not.

A couple of days ago delivery was put back again till 20/4/2015, and now the monitor has been removed from Dell's website.

[Cage]

Just had a call from Dell confirming that I should receive the monitor by next Friday.

It seems that Dell completely underestimated the demand for the U2515H in Australia, to the extent that it has been temporarily removed from their website until stock is available again. My unit is apparently being sourced from across the Tasman (and I'm resisting the temptation to make any references to sheep).

Just hope it lives up to the hype and expectations.

I'm going to calibrate the old unit and mount it in portrait mode alongside the new one, mainly to use when doing PP with a 'helper', either online or on file. I know it will look horrible alongside the new one, but as it will mostly only be used for text and non-colour critical stuff I'm hoping it will do the job.

Hopefully my next post on this subject will be a glowing review, , although with my limited knowledge on it's techhy side it will be pretty basic.

[arthurking83]

What I did when I got my newest screen(I previously had two others) .. was:

Set the new screen up as the primary screen and the better of the older two next to it as my 'dump' screen.
as the new screen was much larger it was nicer for most tasks(spreadsheets/web/etc) so the older 19" screen was mainly blank other for those times when I needed some extra screen estate.
So If I had an extra large spreadsheet, I extended the main screen across the two, or opened a new page/program/whatever and sent it to the second screen.

When using PP software, I'd send the workspace to the old screen and then send the opened image(s) to the new screen.
Usually the new screens are better at rendering images(that's why you bought it in the first place!!) .. so it makes sense to keep the images you're working on set to the new screen.

Tools, widgets, palettes and info aren't important in the scheme of things so having them on an old calibrated (or not) screen makes more sense.

[Cage]

Cheers Arthur.

I'd sorta sussed out most of what you said. When it is all set up I'll post a pic.