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We've recently released Test Bench 2.0 for Monitors! Read our new VRR Flicker R&D Article and Pursuit Photo R&D Article to learn more.

Dell P2417H Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Review updated Mar 08, 2018 at 11:20 am
Dell P2417H Picture
7.3
Mixed Usage
7.5
Office
7.7
Gaming
7.0
Multimedia
7.1
Media Creation
5.4
HDR Gaming

The Dell P2417H is an average 1080p monitor with and IPS-type LCD, giving it wide viewing angles. Its stand offers a wide range of ergonomic adjustments and its low input lag keeps it responsive. Unfortunately, its picture quality leaves a bit to be desired and gamers might be disappointed by its standard 60Hz refresh rate.

Our Verdict

7.3 Mixed Usage

The Dell P2417H handles a varied set of usages decently. Most users will find its 24 inch size good, and its wide viewing angle can be quite practical. Unfortunately, its visible backlight bleed reduces the picture quality in a dark room, and it lacks most gaming-oriented features like adaptive sync. The picture quality is decent, but blacks do appear gray in a dark room.

Pros
  • Flicker-free
  • Wide viewing angle
Cons
  • Mediocre picture quality
  • Could be brighter
7.5 Office

Good monitor to use in an office. The Dell P2417H's great ergonomics helps it fit in a variety of environments, and its pivot feature is particularly useful when combined with its wide viewing angle for sharing your screen with neighbors. Its flicker-free backlight is useful for long working sessions. The picture quality is also decent.

7.7 Gaming

Good monitor for casual gaming. The low input lag and decent motion make it decently responsive and capable for both PC and console gaming. Unfortunately, it lacks support for higher refresh rates or adaptive sync technologies, so it is fairly basic. The picture quality is decent, but when viewed in a black room, dark scenes do appear washed out and blotchy.

7.0 Multimedia

Average choice for consuming different types of media. The Dell Professional P2417H's uneven blacks cause its picture quality to suffer significantly in a dark room. While it's 1080p resolution is decent, it lacks support for HDR or wider color gamuts increasingly used in modern content. When viewed from an angle the picture remains accurate, which is good.

7.1 Media Creation

Passable monitor for media creation. As is often seen on Dell monitors, the monitor has decent accuracy out of the box. Unfortunately, its 1080p resolution might be a bit limiting to some users, and it lacks support for larger color gamuts such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. The picture quality is also only decent, and when viewed in a dark room the blacks appear blotchy.

5.4 HDR Gaming

HDR is not supported, and the monitor can't produce bright, saturated colors. Only much higher-end monitors support HDR such as the Samsung CHG70.

  • 7.3 Mixed Usage
  • 7.5 Office
  • 7.7 Gaming
  • 7.0 Multimedia
  • 7.1 Media Creation
  • 5.4 HDR Gaming
  1. Updated Dec 04, 2017: Review published.
  2. Updated Dec 02, 2017: Early access published.
  3. Updated Dec 01, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Nov 27, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the Dell P2417H, which is a 2017 model 24" Professional monitor. There are many other sizes within the 2017 model year of Dell Professional monitors, listed below.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Dell P2417H doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.

Model Size Year Resolution
P2017H 20" 2017 1600x900
P2217H 22" 2017 1920x1080
P2317H 23" 2017 1920x1080
P2417H 24" 2017 1920x1080
P2717H 27" 2017 1920x1080

Compared To Other Monitors

Comparison picture

Left: Dell P2217H. Middle: Dell P2417H. Right: Dell U2515H
Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The Dell P2417H is an average monitor with an IPS panel, which works well for a range of usages. The wide viewing angles and low input lag result in versatile performance, but for specific uses such as gaming, there are better choices.

See our recommendations for the best gaming monitors under $300, the best 1080p gaming monitors, the best budget gaming monitors, and the best budget monitors.

Dell U2515H

The Dell P2417H and the Dell U2515H offer very similar performance. The U2515H has a higher native resolution and is a bit larger, but has worse black uniformity than the P2417H. If you want a larger screen, the U2515H is a better choice.

Dell P2217H

The Dell P2417H is slightly better than the Dell P2217H. The overall performance of the two models is very similar, but the P2417H has better black uniformity, good for darker rooms. The only real difference between the two is the size, so if you want a bit more screen real estate, the 24" P2417H is better.

Dell U2717D

The Dell P2417H is better than the Dell U2717D for most users, unless you need the larger screen size and resolution of the U2717. The P2417H has much better input lag and black uniformity than the U2717. The U2717D is brighter and has a higher native resolution, good for office use and multitasking.

Dell U2415

The Dell U2415 is a bit better than the Dell P2417H. The U2415 has a slightly higher resolution than the P2417H. Overall, picture quality and performance are very similar.

Acer GN246HL Bbid

If you plan to do collaborative work, then the Dell P2417H is a better choice due to better viewing angles. On the other hand, the Acer GN246HL Bbid is a better choice if you sit right in front of the screen in a brighter room. The Dell P2417H has significantly better ergonomics that allow you to place it as you like. The Dell P2417H has better input lag and thus is more responsive which is great for gaming. The Acer GN246HL, on the other hand, is slightly brighter and has a faster response time with less blur and a better refresh rate of 144Hz.

HP Pavilion 22CWA

The Dell P2417H is much better than the HP 22CWA. The Dell has much better ergonomics and will not trouble you when trying to place it comfortably. The Dell also has slightly better motion blur. On the other hand, the HP 22CWA has a slightly better vertical viewing angle and marginally better contrast that improves the picture quality in a dark room.

Samsung CF398

The Dell P2417H is a 24" IPS monitor, whereas the Samsung CF398 is a VA monitor. Generally, the P2417H is better than the CF398, but the CF398 is a bit better in some cases. The P2417H has wide viewing angles and a much better, fully adjustable stand, making it a more versatile choice for most people. The CF398, on the other hand, has a faster response time, so motion looks clearer with less blur, and it supports FreeSync VRR.

LG 24MP59G-P

The Dell P2417H is much better than the LG 24MP59G, mainly due to the much better stand. Overall, both monitors deliver similar performance. The LG 24MP59G has a better 75 Hz refresh rate and FreeSync VRR support. The LG also has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature that can help reduce persistence blur. The Dell is much more versatile, thanks to the excellent stand that has great ergonomics, so it's easier to place in an ideal viewing position.

HP 27F

The Dell P2417H is a bit better than the HP 27F. The P2417H is a slightly smaller screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, and no VRR support, but it has significantly better ergonomics, making it easier to place in an optimal viewing position, or for a multi-monitor setup. The P2417H is also more versatile than the HP 27F, with HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA connections, and it can be used as a USB hub.

ASUS MX279HS

The Dell P2417H is better than the ASUS MX279HS, mainly due to its better ergonomics. The Dell has a stand that allows you to place it comfortably on your desk. The MX279HS, on the other hand, is larger, but the Dell can get brighter and has a faster response time that leaves a slightly smaller blur trail behind fast-moving content.

+ Show more

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Size 24"
Curved No
Curve radius N/A
Weight (without stand)
7.3 lbs (3.3 kg)
Weight (with stand)
11.5 lbs (5.2 kg)

The design of the Dell P2417H is good and the monitor looks very professional. The stand has a small footprint and supports the monitor well. It also provides a wide range of ergonomic adjustments, which is great. There is a hole in the rear of the stand for cable management and the build quality of the monitor is good.

Design
Stand
Width
9.5" (24.1 cm)
Depth
7.0" (17.8 cm)

The stand of this monitor has a small footprint but still provides good support, similar to other Dell stands. There is a hole in the rear of it for cable management, which works well.

8.3
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
5.1" (13.0 cm)
Switch portrait/landscape Yes
Swivel Range -45Ā° to 45Ā°
Tilt Range -22.5Ā° to 2.5Ā°

The ergonomic adjustments are great, like other Dell monitors in the Professional (P) series. Finding a comfortable viewing position is easy due to the swivel, tilt and height adjustments. Moving the monitor to share images with colleagues is also simple.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 100x100

The rear of the monitor is simple and made of plastic. It looks good, and basic cable management is possible through the stand.

Design
Borders
Borders
0.4" (1.0 cm)

The borders of the monitor are a bit thinner than average, and look good.

Design
Thickness
Thickness (with stand)
5.5" (14.0 cm)
Thickness (without stand)
1.8" (4.6 cm)

When viewed from the side, the monitor itself is quite thin and sits close to any VESA mount. The stand is also quite small too, so it can sit close to a wall.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality of the Dell Professional P2417H is good, similar to other Dell monitors. The plastic parts feel well constructed and nothing is loose. The stand movement is also good and feels quality.

Picture Quality
6.2
Picture Quality
Contrast
LCD Type
IPS
Native Contrast
1,102 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

The Dell P2417H has a passable contrast ratio and is similar to the contrast ratio of other Dell IPS monitors reviewed. Because if the IPS panel used here, dark room performance is not that great as blacks tend to look more gray than really black. This is why this monitor is best suited for a well-lit room, like an office space.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Direct

The monitor does not have a local dimming feature. The video is for reference only.

6.4
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene
220 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 2% Window
230 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 10% Window
231 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 25% Window
230 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 50% Window
230 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 100% Window
229 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
228 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
231 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
230 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
229 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
227 cd/mĀ²
SDR ABL
0.000

Decent SDR peak brightness. While most people won't have an issue with the luminance range, readability might become problematic in harsher environments where lots of reflections hit the screen.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene
N/A
HDR Peak 2% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 10% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 25% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 50% Window
N/A
HDR Peak 100% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 2% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 10% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 25% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 50% Window
N/A
HDR Sustained 100% Window
N/A
HDR ABL
N/A

HDR is not supported.

7.4
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Shift from Left
43Ā°
Color Shift from Right
38Ā°
Brightness from Left
50Ā°
Brightness from Right
46Ā°
Black Level from Left
75Ā°
Black Level from Right
75Ā°
Curve Radius N/A

The Dell P2417 has a decent horizontal viewing angle. Like other IPS TVs, its black level remains constant even when viewed from the side.

7.5
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Shift from Below
23Ā°
Color Shift from Above
22Ā°
Brightness from Below
29Ā°
Brightness from Above
28Ā°
Black Level from Below
75Ā°
Black Level from Above
75Ā°

Good vertical viewing angle. The blacks share the same behavior as on a horizontal axis and remain very constant. While the brightness and colors deteriorate a bit faster, they are maintained better than average allowing this monitor to provide a lot of flexibility with viewing positions.

8.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.152%
50% DSE
0.107%
5% Std. Dev.
0.446%
5% DSE
0.056%

The gray uniformity of the Dell P2417H is great, which is good for browsing websites or playing games which have large uniform areas (such as NFL games). Both sides are a bit darker than the center, but other than this no significant issues are visible on both the 50% and the 5% gray.

5.4
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.427%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

The black uniformity is poor. There is backlight bleed (BLB) in each corner, which can be distracting when viewing the monitor in the dark. This is still a better result than the P2217H, which was much more problematic due to the significant flashlighting.

Note that on this test picture, we can see some stuck pixels. However, this only affects the black uniformity test and note the rest of the review. We are currently testing the monitor a bit more to see what may cause this issues. We are going to update the review page to let you know what will happen in the future with this monitor.

8.3
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
Picture Mode
Standard
Luminance
206 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
75
Contrast Setting
75
RGB controls
Default
Color Temperature
6,491 K
White Balance dE
1.64
Color dE
2.84
Gamma
2.21

The Dell P2417H has an impressive accuracy out of the box. We found that the most accurate picture mode was the 'Standard', which could be used as is by most people without even the need to do a calibration unless you are a professional that already have other calibrated monitors and might notice the difference between the monitor and those later ones. The second most accurate picture was the 'Custom Color', which is still almost as accurate as the 'Standard' one.

The gamma was almost right on our 2.2 target and looking at the curve, we see that it does not diverge greatly from it, besides a small bump in the around the 5 to 35 IRE, which is really not that dramatic here. As for the color temperature, the P2417H is almost right on target here to, with only 9k off, which is not perceivable anyway. This is an overall great result for this Dell monitor.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
Picture Mode
Custom Color
Luminance
100 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
24
Contrast Setting
75
RGB Controls
100-98-98
Color Temperature
6,490 K
White Balance dE
0.50
Color dE
0.85
Gamma
2.18

After calibration, the accuracy of the Dell Professional P2417H is excellent. Since the accuracy was already very good out of the box, only small correction needed to be done. The most visible correction that was applied is related to the color dE, which was brought down from 2.84 to 0.85, and if we look at the color space, we see that before calibration the primary were oversaturated, and are now right on target.

The gamma curve was also corrected and is now tracking much closely our target curve. Besides the gamma, the color temperature did not change too much and is still spot on.

You can download our ICC profile calibration here.

8.0
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB xy
92.2%
Adobe RGB xy
67.7%

The Dell P2417H's SDR color gamut is decent. At 92.2% of the most common s.RGB color space, it shouldn't have any glaring issues while displaying most content. Unfortunately, it support for the Adobe RGB gamut is poor, so it is not recommended for those that require it for more professional usages.

7.7
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB in ICtCp
83.8%
Adobe RGB in ICtCp
69.2%

Decent color volume. The Dell P2417H covers most of the widely used s.RGB volume, but due to both its low contrast ratio and limited color saturation, it is a bit below average. Since it isn't a professionally-oriented monitor, its Adobe RGB capabilities are also quite limited.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
No
DCI P3 xy
N/A
Rec. 2020 xy
N/A

HDR color gamuts are not supported.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 in ICtCp
N/A
Rec. 2020 in ICtCp
N/A

HDR color gamuts are not supported.

10
Picture Quality
Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

Perfect score for the Dell P2417h on our image retention test, as no retention could be picked up during our analysis of the test picture.

8.1
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
8 Bit

The Dell P2417H does a great job at displaying our gradient test image. Due to the limitation of this monitor, we can see the 8-bit banding, be for the rest, it does a really good job, as only small imperfection are visible in the dark section of the color.

10
Picture Quality
Color Bleed
Pixel row error
0.002%
Pixel column error
0.001%

Color bleed is not an issue on this monitor, making it a good choice for users that often work with large uniformly colored graphics.

7.5
Picture Quality
Reflections

The reflection handling is good. The light-matte coating slightly diffuses reflection on the screen, which reduces their intensity but also smears them across the screen. This is a good result for most rooms but may present an issue in bright rooms.

Motion
8.2
Motion
Motion Blur
80% Response Time
6.2 ms
100% Response Time
15.8 ms
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal

Response Time Normal
Response Time Fast

Very good pixel response time, good enough for watching videos with a lot of motion or playing games. Most of the blur in the photo is due to unavoidable 60Hz persistence (its a result of the static 60 fps frame) only a very short ghosting trail can be seen following the moving logo, which is good. Not all colors of this panel have the same response time; when a black object moves on a white background, a yellow trail can be seen preceding the square (white to black transition) and a blue trail can be seen following the square (black to white transition). Thus even though this monitor has a fairly fast response time, ghosting often has a color to it, which makes it more noticeable. This won't be bothersome to most people but some may find this colored ghosting distracting.

The 'Response Time Normal' setting was the most balanced; the fast setting was a little faster but added bothersome overshoot, so it's not recommended.

7.5
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-free Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
No
BFI Maximum Frequency
N/A
BFI Minimum Frequency
N/A

The Dell 2417H monitor has a flicker-free backlight, which is great for producing smooth motion when browsing the web or playing games. Unfortunately, it lacks a Black Frame Insertion feature to add optional flicker, which would otherwise be useful to clear up motion. This is expected as it's rare for a 60Hz monitor to have BFI because 60 Hz flicker is bothersome to many people.

6.7
Motion
Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
No
Native Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Factory Overclock
N/A
Variable Refresh Rate
No
G-SYNC Compatible
No
VRR Maximum
N/A
VRR Minimum
N/A
VRR Maximum With OC
N/A
VRR Supported Connectors N/A

The monitor only has a very common 60Hz refresh rate and no variable refresh rate features like FreeSync, unlike many gaming monitors. A fixed 60Hz refresh rate is good enough for most use cases but gamers may be disappointed.

Inputs
9.0
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution
8.7 ms
Non-Native Res @ Native Refresh
8.7 ms
Native Resolution @ 60 Hz
8.7 ms
Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
10 bit HDR
N/A
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
N/A

Great low input lag, which should please all but the most competitive gamers. The input lag remains constant even for non-native resolutions, which is handy when gaming at a lower resolution.

7.1
Inputs
Resolution and Size
Native Resolution 1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Megapixels 2.1 MP
Pixel Density 92 PPI
Screen Diagonal 23.8"
Screen Area 243 inĀ²

The Dell P2417H monitor only has a very common 1080p resolution and 24" size, which is good enough for most use cases but all would benefit from a larger and higher resolution screen.

Inputs
Inputs
Inputs
Total Inputs
DisplayPort 1 (DP 1.2)
Mini DisplayPort No
HDMI 1 (HDMI 1.4)
DVI No
VGA 1
DisplayPort Out No
USB 2 (USB 3.0), 2 (USB 2.0)
USB C No
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm No
Microphone In 3.5mm No
Digital Optical Audio Out No
Analog Audio Out RCA No
Power Supply Internal
Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
HDR10 No
Multiple input display
No

There is an option to keep the USB ports on when the monitor is on standby, so it can continue to act as a USB hub.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)
Features
Controls

The Dell Professional P2417H monitor has a typical four-button control scheme for the OSD, plus the power button. The buttons have good tactile feedback but their sharp corners can be hard on your fingertips after a while.

Features
In The Box

  • Manual and drivers
  • Power cable
  • USB Cable
  • VGA cable
  • Displayport to Mini Displayport cable