Dell's $2000 27-inch Thunderbolt 3 UltraSharp monitor has a built-in colorimeter

Dell is taking on Apple's Pro Display XDR in the affordable calibrated professional monitor market, by offering the UltraSharp 27 4K PremierColor Monitor with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and a built-in colorimeter to help ensure its accuracy over time.

Launched at Adobe Max, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K PremierColor Monitor, model UP2720Q, is aimed at creative professionals who need to see accurate colors represented on the display as they work. In this monitor's case, it offers 100% of the Adobe RGB range, 98% coverage of DCI-P3, and 80% of BT2020, allowing it to represent a wide array of color space standards.

To ensure the display maintains a consistent accuracy over time, the built-in colorimeter provides quick calibration on an on-demand or scheduled basis, a feature Dell claims to be a first for a 27-inch display at its resolution. The monitor is also CalMAN-ready, allowing it to work with CalMAN color calibration software using both the built-in colorimeter and external versions.

Displaying at a 4K resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels at 60Hz, the LCD screen has a contrast ratio of 1,300:1 and a typical brightness of 250 nits. The front features an anti-glare treatment for the front polarizer hard coating, and the backlight is a white LED edgelight system.

The monitor's Thunderbolt 3 connectivity consists of two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one for upstream and one for downstream, with it capable of being used as part of a daisy chain. Other connectors include two USB HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 connection, and six USB 3.2 ports, with the display capable of providing up to 90W of power delivery via its secondary Thunderbolt 3 connection.

Picture-by-Picture mode is also offered as a way to compare images from two different video sources, as well as to see the same image in two different color spaces.

Shipping on January 15, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K PremierColor Monitor will cost $1,999.99. The LG UltraFine 5K display retails for $1300, and has the same size panel, but no colorimeter.

Dell's monitor may be seen as a potential cost-saving alternative to Apple's Pro Display XDR, which is anticipated to be available to purchase in the near future. While Dell's monitor is $3,000 cheaper than Apple's version, it has fewer Thunderbolt 3 connections, is smaller with a lower resolution, and doesn't feature Apple's optional nano-texture glass etching to produce a matte finish.