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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 U2515H Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Review updated Feb 27, 2018 at 04:44 pm
Latest change: Retest Aug 20, 2021 at 01:30 pm
Dell U2515H Picture
7.3
Mixed Usage
7.5
Office
7.8
Gaming
7.1
Multimedia
7.2
Media Creation
5.3
HDR Gaming

The Dell UltraSharp U2515H is a versatile IPS LCD monitor with wide viewing angles and decent picture quality. It gets bright, and it sits on a very good stand with a wide set of adjustments. It also remains accurate when viewed at an angle, which is great. Its main downside is the low contrast ratio and cloudy blacks.

Our Verdict

7.3 Mixed Usage

The Dell U2515H is a decent monitor for a mixed usage. It has okay picture quality and the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle, which is good. The 1440p resolution is also a good fit for editing content or even browsing the web. Its well-rounded set of features doesn't make any aspect particularly stand out, but it makes it well fit for those looking for a monitor that works well in a varied set of usages.

Pros
  • Flexible stand with a wide range of adjustments
  • Wide viewing angles
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio
  • Cloudy blacks with lots of bleed and glow
7.5 Office

Good monitor for use in an office. The Dell U2515H's stand offers a wide range of flexibility for easy adjustment on a desk or easy rotation to share with coworkers. Its decently high resolution also gives a large virtual workspace which is helpful for more productive tasks. The picture quality is also decent, and the monitor remains accurate when viewed at an angle which is good.

7.8 Gaming

Good Gaming monitor. The Dell Ultrasharp U2515H covers the gaming essentials without issues; its input lag is low, and it doesn't produce a large amount of motion blur. The picture quality is also decent, and the screen can get bright enough to overcome glare. However, it is limited by the 60Hz refresh rate, and lack of more advanced features such as FreeSync.

7.1 Multimedia

Decent monitor for consuming a variety of media. The Dell's high resolution produces pleasingly sharp images and videos, and it reproduces colors well. Unfortunately, its overall picture quality is only ordinary, and it lacks any form of HDR support or local dimming.

7.2 Media Creation

Decent monitor for creating media. The Dell Ultrasharp U2515H comes quite accurate out of the factory, reducing the need for calibration which is useful for smaller scale media creators. Its wide viewing angle helps keep the content shown on-screen accurate within a fairly large range of viewing positions as well. However, it does lack support for more modern wide color gamuts commonly used today.

5.3 HDR Gaming

Doesn't support HDR or HDR features such as a wide color gamut. There are only a few monitors which support HDR and have a wide color gamut such as the Samsung CHG70.

  • 7.3 Mixed Usage
  • 7.5 Office
  • 7.8 Gaming
  • 7.1 Multimedia
  • 7.2 Media Creation
  • 5.3 HDR Gaming
  1. Updated Aug 20, 2021: There was a mistake in the number of USB ports. There's a fifth USB port on the back of the monitor.
  2. Updated Nov 17, 2017: Review published.
  3. Updated Nov 15, 2017: Early access published.
  4. Updated Nov 10, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Oct 16, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the U2515H, which is a 2015 model 25" Ultrasharp monitor. There are many other sizes and year variants of the Dell Ultrasharp monitors, listed below.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Dell U2515H 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
U2415 24" 2015 1920x1200
U2515H 25" 2015 2560x1440
U2715H 27" 2015 2560x1440
U2717D 27" 2017 2560x1440
U2518D 25" 2018 2560x1440

Compared To Other Monitors

Comparison picture

Left: Dell P2417H. Middle: Dell U2515H. Right: LG 27UD58-B.
Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The Dell U2515H is a decent monitor for a wide range of usages due to the decent picture quality, wide viewing angles and good range of ergonomic adjustments. While it does perform decently across the board, for a specific use there may be better competition. See our recommendations for the best monitors for PS4, the best 24-25 inch monitors, and the best 1440p monitors.

Dell U2715H

The Dell U2715H is a bit better than the Dell U2515H due to its larger screen size that allows you to work more comfortably. Note that the two monitors have the same resolution. The score differences can be attributed to panel variance.

Dell U2518D

The Dell U2518D is better than the Dell U2515H. The Dell U2518D has HDR support. On the other hand, the Dell U2515H has somewhat better input lag that makes it very responsive and will be appreciated mostly by gamers.

Dell U2415

The Dell U2415 is marginally better than the Dell U2515H. The Dell U2415 has better vertical viewing angles can display more uniform blacks, which is great for dark scenes. The Dell U2515H, on the other hand, has a larger screen with a higher resolution that can fit more of your work.

Acer G257HU Smidpx

The Dell U2515H is much better than the Acer G257HU Smidpx. The design of the U2515H is far superior, with far more ergonomic adjustments as well as VESA mounting ports. The U2515H has much better gradient handling with less banding, and is free of distracting temporary image retention. The U2515H also has better features, including the ability to daisy chain to another monitor, as well as USB charging ports.

Dell P2417H

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.

Acer GN246HL Bbid

The Dell U2515H is more suitable for a room with wide seating. On the other hand, the Acer GN246HL Bbid is a very fast monitor with very good motion features. The Dell U2515H has better viewing angles and significantly better ergonomics so you can position it to your liking. Also, it has a higher resolution and marginally larger size, giving you more detail to work on. The Dell U2515H also has slightly lower input lag which is great for gaming.

LG 27UK650-W

The LG 27UK650-W is better than the Dell U2515H. The Dell U2515H has better ergonomics that easily allow you to place it comfortably. On the other hand, the LG 27UK650-W has a slightly higher refresh rate, larger size, and a marginally better vertical viewing angle that makes it more suitable for almost every use. Finally, the LG 27UK650-W offers HDR support, albeit not great.

+ Show more

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Size 25"
Curved No
Curve radius N/A
Weight (without stand)
9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)
Weight (with stand)
12.6 lbs (5.7 kg)

The design of the Dell U2515H is good and the monitor looks very professional. It looks very similar to most other Dell monitors with a rectangular stand that provides good support with a relatively small footprint. It is also possible to rotate, swivel and tilt the monitor to suit.

Design
Stand
Width
9.6" (24.4 cm)
Depth
8.1" (20.6 cm)

The familiar Dell stand has a small rectangular footprint which supports the monitor well. It has a gap at the rear of the stand for cable routing, which is good.

8.0
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
4.4" (11.2 cm)
Switch portrait/landscape Yes
Swivel Range -45Ā° to 45Ā°
Tilt Range -20Ā° to 5Ā°

Like most other Dell monitors, the Dell U2515 has a wide range of ergonomic adjustments. The monitor can swivel, pivot and tilt which is great, but the height adjustment range may be a bit limiting for some people.

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 100x100

The rear of the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H is quite simple but looks good. There is a gap at the rear of the stand for cable management as shown here.

Design
Borders
Borders
0.3" (0.8 cm)

The borders of the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H monitor are thin and look good, with only a small gap between the border and the screen.

Design
Thickness
Thickness (with stand)
5.8" (14.7 cm)
Thickness (without stand)
1.8" (4.6 cm)

When viewed from the side, the monitor is quite thin. The stand doesn't extend too far behind the monitor so it can be placed quite close to a wall.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality of this Dell monitor is good. Although almost entirely plastic, it feels well constructed and professional.

Picture Quality
6.3
Picture Quality
Contrast
LCD Type
IPS
Native Contrast
1,209 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
N/A

The monitor has a mediocre contrast ratio, but relatively good for an IPS monitor. As with other IPS monitors, dark room performance is sub-par, as blacks tend to look more gray than really black when viewed in the dark. When used in a brighter room, like an office, the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H is a much better performer and is on par with the bigger U2715H, as both have almost the same contrast ratio.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Edge

Update 08/31/2018:Corrected the backlight from 'Direct' to 'Edge' lighting.

The Dell U2515H does not have a local dimming feature. The video is for reference only.

8.1
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene
367 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 2% Window
382 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 10% Window
384 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 25% Window
384 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 50% Window
383 cd/mĀ²
SDR Peak 100% Window
382 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
382 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
384 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
384 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
383 cd/mĀ²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
381 cd/mĀ²
SDR ABL
0.000

This Dell monitor's brightness is great. It gets bright enough for almost every environment, regardless of the average picture level or time.

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
40Ā°
Color Shift from Right
35Ā°
Brightness from Left
52Ā°
Brightness from Right
45Ā°
Black Level from Left
75Ā°
Black Level from Right
75Ā°
Curve Radius N/A

Decently wide horizontal viewing angles. As is common with most IPS type LCD monitors, the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H maintains its picture quality quite well at an angle. Most notable are the blacks which don't shift significantly when viewed from an angle.

6.3
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Shift from Below
25Ā°
Color Shift from Above
30Ā°
Brightness from Below
34Ā°
Brightness from Above
38Ā°
Black Level from Below
19Ā°
Black Level from Above
27Ā°

Passable vertical viewing angle. The U2515H's colors and brightness shift only slightly faster than horizontally giving it a relatively large sweet spot. However, the blacks shift significantly more. This is possibly part of the excessive clouding shown in our black uniformity test.

8.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.250%
50% DSE
0.118%
5% Std. Dev.
0.461%
5% DSE
0.047%

The gray uniformity of the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H is remarkable. Looking at the 50% test picture, we can see that the 4 corners are a bit darker than the rest, and we can also notice a slightly warmer patch near the center of the screen. Overall, these uniformity issues are really faint and do not cause any dirty screen effect which is great for browsing the web or viewing videos.

Looking at the 5% gray test uniformity picture, we can see in in the top left corner some backlight bleed which is also visible on the black uniformity picture. Other than this though, the screen is uniform which is good for viewing dark scenes in a dark room.

2.2
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
4.525%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

The Dell U2515H has a terrible black uniformity. Backlight bleed is prominent in the top left corner, but also around the edges near it. Some flashlighting is also visible near the bottom right corner. Overall, this results in a worse dark scene performance as the blacks appear blotchy.

8.1
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
Picture Mode
Standard
Luminance
266 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
50
Contrast Setting
50
RGB controls
100-100-100
Color Temperature
6,319 K
White Balance dE
2.80
Color dE
1.97
Gamma
2.24

Out of the box, the U2515H monitor has a great accuracy, that is when set on to the 'Standard' picture mode ('Custom color' and 'Multimedia' are also reasonably accurate). The white balance dE and color dE are below the limit were the inaccuracy become apparent to most enthusiasts, which is good for people who do not intend to calibrate their new monitor. The gamma is not far from our 2.2 target and looking at the curve, we see that it does not deviate too much from the target curve. Finally, the color temperature is not too far from our 6500K target. Overall, this monitor could be used by most people without any calibration, which is good.

9.6
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
Picture Mode
Custom Color
Luminance
102 cd/mĀ²
Luminance Settings
15
Contrast Setting
55
RGB Controls
96-97-99
Color Temperature
6,458 K
White Balance dE
0.56
Color dE
0.40
Gamma
2.19

After calibration, the accuracy of the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H is remarkable. Both the white balance dE and color dE are around 0.5, which is by any means, almost unnoticeable. To do the calibration, we used the 'Custom Color' picture mode, as it is this mode that allowed us to change the monitor RGB balance. The gamma curve was also corrected slightly to match more closely the target curve, and the overall value is now a bit closer to our 2.2 target. As for the color temperature, after calibration, it was much closer to our 6500k target.

You can download our ICC profile calibration here.

8.8
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB xy
99.5%
Adobe RGB xy
75.3%

The Dell U2515H has no issues covering the standard RGB color gamut almost perfectly. Unfortunately, its reproduction of the wider Adobe RGB gamut is not sufficient for more professional use.

8.7
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB in ICtCp
94.8%
Adobe RGB in ICtCp
78.9%

Good coverage of SDR color volumes. The volume matches its color gamut performance. As is common with most monitors, the Dell Ultrasharp U2515H cannot display darker tones due to its low contrast ratio.

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

The monitor does not support HDR color gamuts.

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

The monitor does not support HDR color gamuts.

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%

The Dell U2515H is not prone to image retention, as our test indicates, and is in line with the result that we had with the U2715H.

8.1
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
8 Bit

The Dell Ultrasharp U2515H can display our gradient test image very well, as not much color tone issues can be noticed, besides the 8-bit banding due too the limitation of this monitor. Overall, this is a great performance, and the small problems are not enough to cause visible banding while watching regular content.

10
Picture Quality
Color Bleed
Pixel row error
0.000%
Pixel column error
0.000%

Thankfully, the monitor does not produce any color bleed when showing large stripes of uniform colors.

7.5
Picture Quality
Reflections

The reflection handling is good. The light matte coating diffuses reflections across the screen, which helps to reduce their intensity. This is fine for an average room but may be distracting in a bright room.

Motion
8.6
Motion
Motion Blur
80% Response Time
4.4 ms
100% Response Time
15.9 ms
Best Overdrive Setting
Normal

Response Time Normal
Response Time Fast

Very fast response time, which is great for viewing fast motion such as sports, games, or even browsing web pages. The ghosting trail following the logo is very short and hard to notice, which is great and most of the blur in the photo is due to 60 fps persistence. 'Response Time Normal' is the most balanced overdrive setting; the 'Fast' setting is a little faster but adds significantly more overshoot. Those who don't mind overshoot artifacts may prefer the 'Fast' setting, but most people will be better served by 'Normal'.

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 Ultrasharp U2515H monitor has a flicker-free backlight and does not use PWM to dim, which is excellent as it results in smooth motion. The monitor lacks a black frame insertion feature, which is unfortunate as introducing flicker can help to clear up blur due to image persistence with fast paced content. This is a common result though for 60 Hz monitors as many people find 60 Hz flicker bothersome.

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 Dell Ultrasharp U2515H monitor only has a very common 60 Hz refresh rate and lacks a variable refresh rate feature like FreeSync. This is good enough for most usages, but all usages would benefit from a higher refresh rate. For gaming, in particular, this refresh rate is only mediocre.

Inputs
8.8
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution
9.9 ms
Non-Native Res @ Native Refresh
10.2 ms
Native Resolution @ 60 Hz
9.9 ms
Variable Refresh Rate
N/A
10 bit HDR
N/A
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
N/A

Great low input lag, which will please all but the most competitive gamers. The input lag for non-native resolutions is the same as normal, which is good.

8.3
Inputs
Resolution and Size
Native Resolution 2560 x 1440
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Megapixels 3.7 MP
Pixel Density 118 PPI
Screen Diagonal 25.0"
Screen Area 266 inĀ²

The Dell Ultrasharp U2515H monitor has a sharp 1440p resolution but only an ordinary 25" size, being not quite as large as its big brother the U2715H. Still, this resolution and size will be great for most usages.

Inputs
Inputs

All the monitor's inputs are on the back.

Inputs
Total Inputs
DisplayPort 1 (DP 1.2)
Mini DisplayPort 1 (DP 1.2)
HDMI 2 (HDMI 1.4)
DVI No
VGA No
DisplayPort Out 1 (DP 1.2)
USB 5 (USB 3.0)
USB C No
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 1
Microphone In 3.5mm No
Digital Optical Audio Out No
Analog Audio Out RCA No
Power Supply Internal

Update 08/20/2021: There was a mistake in the number of USB ports. There's a fifth USB port on the back of the monitor, separate from the other inputs.

The monitor has a DisplayPort Out for daisy chaining with another monitor, which allows both monitors to be fed from one DisplayPort on a computer. The monitor's HDMI ports support MHL.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
HDR10 No
Multiple input display
No

The monitor has a DisplayPort Out which can be used to daisy chain with another monitor. This allows one DisplayPort on a computer to send video output for both monitors to the U2515H, then the Dell 2515H sends video to the second monitor, effectively allowing dual monitors using only one DisplayPort.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)
Features
Controls

On the lower right corner of the monitor, there are five capacitive buttons for controlling the OSD and power. These soft touch buttons can take some getting used to as they lack any feedback that they've been pressed. There is an option in the OSD to make the monitor chirp when the buttons are pressed, but this can be annoying.

Features
In The Box

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