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Dell S3422DWG Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v2.0
Review updated Mar 29, 2024 at 09:50 am
Latest change: Writing modified Apr 17, 2024 at 10:15 am
Dell S3422DWG Picture
7.2
PC Gaming
6.6
Console Gaming
7.6
Office
7.2
Editing
7.7
Brightness
6.8
Response Time
5.7
HDR Picture
8.3
SDR Picture
7.1
Color Accuracy

The Dell S3422DWG is a 34-inch 1440p budget ultrawide gaming monitor with an 1800R curve. As a gaming-focused monitor, it has a 144Hz maximum refresh rate and FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing. It also has some added productivity features, like PIP and PBP modes, and a USB 3.2 hub with four USB-A ports, though it doesn't have USB-C.

Our Verdict

7.2 PC Gaming

The Dell S3422DWG is decent for PC gaming. Its 144Hz refresh rate is decent enough for most gamers, but it isn't ideal for competitive gaming. It also has only okay response time as there's noticeable blur and smearing with fast-moving objects. It also has distracting VRR flicker with changing frame rates, particularly in dark scenes. That said, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, and its ultrawide format provides plenty of screen space to view more of your game at once. Although it has a good native contrast ratio and excellent black uniformity, it lacks a local dimming feature to further improve the picture quality in HDR.

Pros
  • Low input lag.
  • 144Hz refresh rate.
  • Ultrawide format.
Cons
  • Noticeable motion blur and smearing.
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Distracting VRR flicker with changing frame rates.
6.6 Console Gaming

The Dell S3422DWG is okay for console gaming. It can't take full advantage of consoles as the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S don't support ultrawide gaming, and the monitor doesn't support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth either. That said, it still supports most signals from the consoles. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, but motion is blurry, and there's smearing with fast-moving objects.

Pros
  • Good contrast.
  • Low input lag.
Cons
  • Noticeable motion blur and smearing.
  • Can't take full advantage of consoles.
7.6 Office

The Dell S3422DWG is a good monitor for office use. It has good text clarity, and its 34-inch size is large enough to open multiple windows side-by-side. It has good brightness and reflection handling, so you won't have any issues using it in a brighter room. However, it has unremarkable ergonomics and narrow viewing angles, making sharing your screen with others difficult.

Pros
  • Very good peak brightness in SDR.
  • Superb SDR color gamut.
  • Ultrawide format.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Unremarkable ergonomics.
  • No USB-C.
7.2 Editing

The Dell S3422DWG is decent for content creation. Its 34-inch, 1440p screen creates a large workspace with good text clarity. It also has good contrast, ensuring that deep blacks are visible even if you're editing images in a darker room. However, its accuracy before calibration is disappointing, and it needs a full calibration for the most accurate image. It also has unremarkable ergonomics and narrow viewing angles, making sharing your screen with others difficult.

Pros
  • Good contrast.
  • Very good peak brightness in SDR.
  • Superb SDR color gamut.
  • Ultrawide format.
Cons
  • Narrow viewing angles.
  • Unremarkable ergonomics.
  • Disappointing accuracy before calibration.
  • No USB-C.
7.7 Brightness

The Dell S3422DWG has good brightness. It gets bright enough to fight glare in a well-lit room, and while it gets bright in HDR, small highlights don't pop against the rest of the image.

Pros
  • Very good peak brightness in SDR.
Cons
  • Small highlights don't pop in HDR.
6.8 Response Time

The Dell S3422DWG has an okay overall response time. It has okay motion handling across its VRR range, but it's worse at lower refresh rates, and there's noticeable blur and black smearing with fast-moving objects.

Pros
  • Motion handling remains mostly consistent across VRR range.
Cons
  • Noticeable motion blur and smearing.
5.7 HDR Picture

The Dell S3422DWG is disappointing for HDR. Without a local dimming feature, it fails to improve the contrast ratio by making small highlights stand out against the rest of the image, but it still has a good native contrast ratio. It also has good HDR color volume but fails to display really bright and really dark colors.

Pros
Cons
  • No local dimming feature.
  • Small highlights don't pop in HDR.
8.3 SDR Picture

The Dell S3422DWG has great picture quality in SDR. It has a good native contrast ratio that helps it display deep blacks in dark rooms, and there isn't much blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • Good contrast.
  • Superb SDR color gamut.
  • Excellent black uniformity.
Cons
7.1 Color Accuracy

The Dell S3422DWG has decent color accuracy. As it has disappointing accuracy before calibration, you need to calibrate it for the most accurate colors. However, if you do, it maintains that accurate image consistently across the entire screen thanks to its great gray uniformity.

Pros
  • Great gray uniformity.
Cons
  • Disappointing accuracy before calibration.
  • 7.2 PC Gaming
  • 6.6 Console Gaming
  • 7.6 Office
  • 7.2 Editing

Performance Usages

  • 7.7 Brightness
  • 6.8 Response Time
  • 5.7 HDR Picture
  • 8.3 SDR Picture
  • 7.1 Color Accuracy
  1. Updated Apr 17, 2024: Updated text throughout the review according to Test Bench 2.0, mainly in the Verdict and Motion sections.
  2. Updated Apr 17, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0. This includes new tests for VRR Motion Performance, Refresh Rate Compliance, Cumulative Absolute Deviation (CAD), and VRR Flicker. You can read the full changelog here.
  3. Updated Jan 15, 2024: Updated text to reflect changes with Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Oct 04, 2023: Added that the HP OMEN 34c is another ultrawide gaming monitor with a slightly higher 165Hz Refresh Rate.
  5. Updated Apr 18, 2023: Confirmed that 1440p works on this monitor with the PS5.
  6. Updated May 02, 2022: We tested the monitor with the PS5's new variable refresh rate feature and confirmed that it's not compatible, since the PS5 only supports HDMI Forum VRR.
  7. Updated Apr 08, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.2, resulting in changes to the results and scores with the Response Time and Input Lag. Added tests for Console Compatibility and macOS compatibility and made minor changes to other tests, which you can see in our Changelog.
  8. Updated Aug 27, 2021: Review published.
  9. Updated Aug 24, 2021: Early access published.
  10. Updated Aug 16, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  11. Updated Aug 12, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  12. Updated Aug 04, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 34-inch Dell S3422DWG, which is the only size available for this monitor. The results in this review are only valid for the model we tested.

Model Size Native Resolution Max Refresh rate Panel Type Curve
S3422DWG 34" 3440 x 1440 144Hz VA 1800R

 Our unit was manufactured in May 2021; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The 34-inch Dell S3422DWG is a decent budget ultrawide gaming monitor with low input lag, but it has noticeable motion blur. Its large size provides an immersive experience, and its good contrast ensures it works well in darker rooms. It's fine if you want an ultrawide monitor with a VA panel for this high contrast. However, if you're looking for a slightly more expensive 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor with a faster response time, better viewing angles, improved ergonomics, and USB-C support, consider the Gigabyte M34WQ.

For more options, check out our recommendations for the best ultrawide gaming monitors, the best 34-49-inch monitors, and the best gaming monitors.

Gigabyte M34WQ

The Dell S3422DWG and the Gigabyte M34WQ use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The Dell uses a curved VA panel, so it's a better choice for a dark room, as it has better contrast. The Gigabyte is a flat IPS monitor, so the image remains accurate at an angle. The Gigabyte also has better ergonomics and a better selection of additional features.

LG 34GN850-B

The LG 34GN850-B and the Dell S3422DWG are both ultrawide gaming monitors, but there are a few differences due to their panel types. The LG has an IPS panel with much better motion handling and an overclock feature for a slightly higher 160Hz refresh rate. The LG also delivers a more realistic image thanks to its better accuracy before calibration. On the other hand, the Dell gets brighter in HDR for a more vivid image, and it's also the better choice for dark room gaming as it delivers deeper blacks.

Gigabyte G34WQC

The Dell S3422DWG is a bit better than the Gigabyte G34WQC. The Dell has much better black uniformity, slightly better viewing angles, and a much better HDR color gamut. The Dell also has a slightly better response time and better connectivity, with a built-in USB hub. There's also a slight design difference, as the Gigabyte has a slightly more pronounced curve, which might bother some people.

LG 34GP83A-B

The LG 34GP83A-B and the Dell S3422DWG use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The LG's IPS panel delivers much better viewing angles, and it has a faster response time. The VA panel on the Dell delivers much better black uniformity and better contrast. The Dell also has better reflection handling and an optional backlight strobing feature.

HP OMEN 34c

The Dell S3422DWG and the HP OMEN 34c are similar ultrawide gaming monitors, but there are a few differences. While the HP has a slightly higher 165Hz refresh rate, the Dell has a quicker response time, leading to less motion blur, but each monitor has smearing with fast-moving objects. The Dell is also better to use with gaming consoles as it can downscale a 4k image, which the HP can't do. Lastly, the Dell has a few extra features, like a USB hub, making it the better choice if you need more USB ports to plug in your devices.

Samsung Odyssey G5 C34G55T

The Dell S3422DWG is better than the Samsung Odyssey G5 C34G55T. The Dell has better ergonomics, slightly better viewing angles, and a much faster response time, despite the Samsung's higher refresh rate. The Samsung has better contrast, but the Dell has much better black uniformity. There's also a slight design difference, as the Samsung has a more pronounced curve, which might bother some people.

ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B is slightly better than the Dell S3422DWG overall, but the Dell might still be better for some people. The ASUS has better contrast and a slightly faster refresh rate, as well as slightly better ergonomics. The Dell, on the other hand, has much better black uniformity and a faster response time at 60Hz.

AOC CU34G2X

The Dell S3422DWG is better for most uses than the AOC CU34G2X. While they both use the same panel type, the Dell delivers better motion handling thanks to its faster response time, and it has better picture quality due to its higher peak brightness in SDR and HDR. The AOC has a few minor advantages, though, as it has better ergonomics because it supports swivel adjustment and has better accuracy before calibration.

Samsung Odyssey G5/G55C S27CG55

The Dell S3422DWG and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G55C S27CG55 are different types of gaming monitors. The Dell has an ultrawide screen, which is great for playing atmospheric or detailed games, while the 27-inch screen on the Samsung is better if you have limited space. They perform similarly otherwise, but the Dell has slightly better picture quality in HDR, as it gets a bit brighter, and the Dell has a few extra features like a USB hub, which the Samsung doesn't have.

Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx

The Dell S3422DWG and the Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx use different panel technologies, each one with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Dell has much better contrast and better black uniformity, so it's a better choice for a dark room. The Dell is also a lot brighter in both SDR and HDR. The Acer, on the other hand, has much better viewing angles and better ergonomics.

Dell S2721DGF

The Dell S2721DGF and the Dell S3422DWG use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The S2721DGF uses an IPS panel, and it has much better ergonomics, better viewing angles, and a better response time. The S3422DWG has better black uniformity, better contrast, and an optional backlight strobing feature.

Dell S3220DGF

The Dell S3422DWG is much better than the Dell S3220DGF. The S3422DWG has a faster response time, better black uniformity, and a higher-resolution screen, resulting in better text clarity. The S3422DWG also has an optional backlight strobing feature. The S3220DGF has better ergonomics, with a better height adjustment, and the base can swivel.

LG 35WN65C-B

The Dell S3422DWG is better than the LG 35WN65C-B. The Dell is the better gaming monitor as it has a higher refresh rate and much better motion handling, and even if you want to use it for office use, it has better reflection handling. HDR also looks better on the Dell because it gets brighter, so highlights pop more.

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Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
Yes
Curve Radius
1800R

The Dell S3422DWG has a fairly plain design that looks great in any setting. Instead of a full RGB backlight, there's a fixed-color blue ambient downlight feature on the bottom bezel.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures N/A
7.0
Design
Build Quality

The Dell S3422DWG has decent build quality. Though it's entirely plastic, and there's a bit of flex along the bottom bezel, there's no bubbling or areas of significant concern. The stand is okay, but there's a bit of wobble due to the weight of the display.

6.7
Design
Ergonomics
Min Height To Top Of Panel
16.5" (42.0 cm)
Height Adjustment
3.8" (9.6 cm)
Tilt Range
-22.5° to 5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
No swivel
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

The ergonomics are unremarkable. This is expected for an ultrawide monitor, but without swivel range, you can't easily share the screen with someone next to you. The stand also features a clip for cable management.

Design
Stand
Base Width
11.4" (29.0 cm)
Base Depth
9.3" (23.5 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
8.3" (21.0 cm)
Weight (With Display)
21.5 lbs (9.8 kg)

The stand has a small overall footprint, so you can still place small objects in front of the monitor. It supports the monitor well, though there's a bit of wobble due to the weight of the display.

Design
Display
Size
34"
Housing Width
31.9" (80.9 cm)
Housing Height
14.4" (36.6 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
5.7" (14.5 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
17.0 lbs (7.7 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.3" (0.9 cm)
Design
Controls

There's a joystick control on the back for navigating the on-screen display.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
Internal

  • Power cable
  • DisplayPort cable
  • HDMI cable
  • USB-B cable
  • User manuals

Picture Quality
7.7
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
2,725 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
N/A

The Dell S3422DWG has a good contrast ratio. It shows deep blacks next to bright highlights, making it a good choice for content consumption or gaming in a darker room. This monitor has no local dimming feature to improve the contrast further.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Edge

This monitor doesn't have a local dimming feature. We still film these videos on the monitor so you can compare the backlight performance with a monitor that has local dimming.

7.9
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
350 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
344 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
345 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
345 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
345 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
344 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
344 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
344 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
344 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
345 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
344 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000
Minimum Brightness
25 cd/m²

The SDR brightness is very good and is bright enough to overcome glare in most environments. It also maintains its brightness well across different content.

These measurements are from after calibration in the 'Custom Color' Picture Mode, with the Brightness set to max.

7.5
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
DisplayHDR 400 - 1.0/1.1
Real Scene
547 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
519 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
528 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
528 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
528 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
527 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
517 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
527 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
526 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
526 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
525 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.001

The HDR brightness is good, though highlights don't pop against the rest of the image. It also follows the PQ EOTF curve very well. There's a sharp cut-off at the peak brightness, but this means that it doesn't tone map before your computer does.

These measurements are in the 'DisplayHDR 400' Picture Mode, with Brightness set to max.

6.2
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
35°
Color Washout From Right
36°
Color Shift From Left
70°
Color Shift From Right
70°
Brightness Loss From Left
33°
Brightness Loss From Right
34°
Black Level Raise From Left
21°
Black Level Raise From Right
21°
Gamma Shift From Left
12°
Gamma Shift From Right
14°

The horizontal viewing angle is mediocre. While you can still share your screen with someone else, the image is inconsistent at different angles.

5.9
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
31°
Color Washout From Above
33°
Color Shift From Below
62°
Color Shift From Above
70°
Brightness Loss From Below
31°
Brightness Loss From Above
33°
Black Level Raise From Below
14°
Black Level Raise From Above
15°
Gamma Shift From Below
12°
Gamma Shift From Above
14°

This monitor has middling viewing angles. The image is inconsistent if you stand up and look down at the monitor.

8.0
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.624%
50% DSE
0.150%

The gray uniformity is great. The sides of the screen are a bit darker than the center, and there's a dark horizontal band running across the center of the screen, but it's not too noticeable. There's very little dirty screen effect.

8.5
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.748%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

The Dell S3422DWG monitor has excellent black uniformity. There's a bit of clouding throughout the screen, but it's not very noticeable. There's no local dimming feature to improve contrast further.

5.9
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Standard
sRGB Gamut Area xy
123.4%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
5.23
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,347 K
Gamma (Avg.)
1.98
Color dE (Avg.)
4.42
Contrast Setting
75
RGB Settings
Default
Gamma Setting
No Gamma Setting
Brightness Setting
75
Measured Brightness
157 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The Dell S3422DWG has disappointing accuracy before calibration. The white balance is noticeably off, especially in brighter shades of gray, and the color temperature is a bit warm. Gamma doesn't follow the sRGB target curve, and most scenes are too bright. Additionally, the monitor oversaturates most colors and doesn't have an sRGB mode to correct this.

9.7
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Custom Color
sRGB Gamut Area xy
98.5%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.66
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,536 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.19
Color dE (Avg.)
0.51
Contrast Setting
75
RGB Settings
Gain (100-100-91), Offset (53-50-53)
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
43
Measured Brightness
99 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

The accuracy after calibration is superb. Gamma is very close to the sRGB curve, and the white balance is nearly perfect. Colors aren't oversaturated anymore, and there are no noticeable issues with any color.

9.3
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
98.5%
sRGB Picture Mode
Custom Color
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
82.4%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Custom Color

The SDR color gamut is superb. It can display nearly the entire sRGB color space used by most desktop and web content. Coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space is decent, though it's too low for professional editing.

7.5
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
86.8%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
DisplayHDR 400
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
64.4%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
DisplayHDR 400

The HDR color gamut is good. It has very good coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used by most current HDR content. However, coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space is disappointing, and white is particularly off in this gamut.

7.5
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
1,000 cd/m² DCI-P3 Coverage ICtCp
67.7%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
DisplayHDR 400
10,000 cd/m² Rec. 2020 Coverage ICtCp
30.4%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
DisplayHDR 400

The HDR color volume is good. It's mainly limited by the incomplete color gamut, even in the DCI-P3 color space, and it can't display very bright and very dark colors all that well.

7.5
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
VA
Subpixel Layout
RGB

The text clarity is good. With ClearType on (top photo), the diagonal lines appear clearer. These photos are in Windows 10.

7.7
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.1%
Indirect Reflections
3.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
1.9%

The Dell S3422DWG has good reflection handling. It also has very good brightness, so it overcomes glare in most environments.

9.7
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

The gradient handling is incredible. There's a bit of banding in darker shades, but it's not noticeable with most content.

Motion
7.4
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
100 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
60 Hz

This monitor has a fast refresh rate. If you want an ultrawide gaming monitor with a slightly higher refresh rate, look into the HP OMEN 34c, which has a 165Hz refresh rate.

Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Compatible (Tested)
VRR Maximum
144 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI

NVIDIAVRR MinVRR Max
DisplayPort<20Hz144Hz
HDMIN/AN/A

AMDVRR MinVRR Max
DisplayPort<20Hz144Hz
HDMI<20Hz144Hz

6.9
Motion
VRR Motion Performance
Recommended VRR OD Setting
Super Fast
Variable Overdrive Advertised
No
Avg. CAD
235
Best CAD
215
Worst CAD
288

Refresh RateCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
143HeatmapChartPhoto
120HeatmapChartPhoto
100HeatmapChartPhoto
80HeatmapChartPhoto
60HeatmapChartPhoto

The Dell S3422DWG has okay motion handling across its entire refresh rate range with VRR enabled. The 'Super Fast' Response Time setting performs the best across the entire refresh rate range, but motion still looks blurry with smearing, and there's overshoot at low refresh rates. The 'Extreme' setting has such high CAD that it passes the limits of our charts, as you can see here.

7.0
Motion
Refresh Rate Compliance
Compliance @ Max Hz
51%
Compliance @ 120 FPS
57%
Compliance @ 60 FPS
69%

The refresh rate compliance is decent. It struggles to keep up with quickly changing frame rates, but it's better at 60Hz.

6.5
Motion
CAD @ Max Refresh Rate
OD Transition Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Super Fast
Avg. CAD
219
Best 10% CAD
71
Worst 10% CAD
514

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
Super FastHeatmapChartPhoto
ExtremeHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at 144Hz is okay. There's noticeable smearing and blur with fast-moving objects, and the 'Super Fast' overdrive setting has the lowest CAD because it has a faster response time than 'Fast' and less overshoot than 'Extreme'.

Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Super Fast
First Response Time
8.7 ms
Total Response Time
9.6 ms
RGB Overshoot
1 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
23.7 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
23.7 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
11 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
Super FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
ExtremeHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

7.0
Motion
CAD @ 120Hz
OD Transition 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Super Fast
Avg. CAD
197
Best 10% CAD
64
Worst 10% CAD
391

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
Super FastHeatmapChartPhoto
ExtremeHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at 120Hz is decent. It's actually better than at its max refresh rate, but there's still blur and smearing. The overdrive settings perform similarly to its max refresh rate, and 'Super Fast' has the fastest total response time.

Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Super Fast
First Response Time
6.7 ms
Total Response Time
9.0 ms
RGB Overshoot
3 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
18.4 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
18.4 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
18 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
Super FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
ExtremeHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

6.0
Motion
CAD @ 60Hz
OD Transition 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
Avg. CAD
277
Best 10% CAD
86
Worst 10% CAD
487

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
Super FastHeatmapChartPhoto
ExtremeHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at 60Hz is mediocre. There's noticeable blur and smearing, and unlike at higher refresh rates, the recommended overdrive setting is 'Fast' because 'Super Fast' and 'Extreme' have too much inverse ghosting.

Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
First Response Time
14.2 ms
Total Response Time
14.3 ms
RGB Overshoot
0 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
26.4 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
26.4 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
1 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
Super FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
ExtremeHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Yes
Maximum Frequency
144 Hz
Minimum Frequency
100 Hz
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
192 cd/m²
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
192 cd/m²
Pulse Width Control
No
Pulse Phase Control
No
Pulse Amplitude Control
No
VRR At The Same Time
No

Refresh RateMotion Blur Photo
144HzPhoto
120HzPhoto

This monitor has an optional backlight strobing feature. You can enable it by setting the Response Time to 'MPRT', which also locks the overdrive settings.

4.0
Motion
VRR Flicker
Dark Gray Flicker
6.0 RGB
Middle Gray Flicker
3.2 RGB
Light Gray Flicker
1.9 RGB

Unfortunately, the Dell S3422DWG has terrible VRR flicker with changing frame rates. It's noticeable in most content, especially in dark scenes, and this can be distracting while gaming.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The backlight remains flicker-free at all brightness levels, which helps reduce eye strain if you're sensitive to flicker.

Inputs
8.8
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
4.5 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
5.0 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
10.2 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
7.5 ms

The Dell S3422DWG has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience.

7.7
Inputs
Resolution
Native Resolution
3440 x 1440
Aspect Ratio
21:9
Megapixels
5.0 MP
Pixel Density
110 PPI
4.9
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes

Since the PS5 doesn't support ultrawide aspect ratios, you have to set the Aspect Ratio setting to 'Auto Resize'; otherwise, the image will be stretched to fill the space. This results in black bars on either side, but the image is displayed correctly.

6.8
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes

Since the Xbox Series X|S don't support ultrawide aspect ratios, you have to set the Aspect Ratio setting to 'Auto Resize'; otherwise, the image will be stretched to fill the space. This results in black bars on either side, but the image is displayed correctly. Even though the native resolution of this monitor is below 4k, it can accept a 4k signal and downscale it to 1440p, resulting in a slightly more detailed image than a native 1440p signal, and allows you to use HDR because the console only supports HDR at 4k. Also, you need to enable the console's HDMI override setting for 1440p @ 60Hz to work, which disables VRR.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.4)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.0)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
No HDMI 2.1
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
2
3.5mm Audio In
No
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Microphone In
No

There are two sets of inputs on this monitor.

Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
4
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
Yes
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Upstream
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Rated Speed
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Power Delivery
No USB-C Ports
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
No USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
No

This monitor has two sets of USB inputs, including two ports along the bottom bezel that are easy to access.

Inputs
macOS Compatibility

This monitor works well with macOS. HDR works properly, though VRR doesn't work properly with macOS and flickers a lot when you're not gaming. When using a MacBook, windows return to their original position when you reopen the lid or wake the laptop up from sleep.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
RGB Illumination
Fixed (On/Off)
Multiple Input Display
PIP + PBP
KVM Switch
No

The Dell S3422DWG has a few additional features, including:

  • Timer: Displays a countdown timer on-screen.
  • FPS Counter: Displays the current frame rate the monitor is receiving from the source.
  • Dark Stabilizer: Adjusts gamma to make it easier to spot other players/enemies in the shadows.
  • Display Alignment: Displays gridlines on the screen to help align multiple displays.
  • Downlight: An ambient downlight on the bottom bezel. It's a fixed blue light that can't be changed; it can only be turned on or off.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)