Hands On with Dell's 27-inch P2714T Touch Monitor

When Microsoft launched Windows 8, the company gambled on consumers welcoming touch on the desktop, just as they had on mobile handheld devices, namely tablets and smartphones. It remains to be seen if that gamble will pay off, but in the meantime, peripheral makers and other hardware partners have stepped up with products built to take advantage of Windows 8's touch friendly interface. That includes Dell, which sent us its 27-inch P2714T Touch Monitor to test drive.

The P2714T brings support for 10 points of multi-touch input, so if you want to get up close and friendly with two hands, it won't wig out on you. Multi-touch support also means you and a friend can play touch-oriented games, and with 27 inches of elbow room, t's not only possible but feasible. Of course, there aren't a ton of games designed for two players on a single panel, but there are a few, especially with the concept of tabletop computing having already been introduced.


To be clear, the P2714T isn't really aimed at gamers, not as a primary audience anyway. This is a monitor that's optimized specifically for Windows 8/8.1, and the more time you spend navigating its interface, the more this monitor makes sense. Along those lines, it's a nimble display with up to 60 degrees of tilt action so you can both tap and type on the monitor itself, and the Plane-to-Line Switchng (PLS) panel technology (developed by Samsung) Dell opted to go with ensures a bright display with wide viewing angles.

After having spent ample time with this monitor running Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, we have a pretty good idea of its strengths and weaknesses. We'll share our thoughts on the following pages, but first, let's have a look at this panel's technical resume.

Dell 27-inch P2714T Touch Monitor Specifications & Features

Display Size	27-inch widescreen
Resolution	1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Brightness	270 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	8,000,000:1 (dynamic); 1,000:1 (typical)
Response Time	8ms (gray to gray)
Viewing Angle	178° vertical / 178° horizontal
Display Type	PLS (Plane to Line Switching); LED backlight
Connectors	DisplayPort 1.2; HDMI (MHL); VGA
Power Consumption	19W (Typical); <0.5W (Standby)
Speakers	N/A
Stand	Tilt (up to 60 degrees)
I/O Ports	USB upstream port (for touch enablement); USB 2.0 / 3.0 downstream port; Audio line-out
Dimensions (with stand)	475.50mm ~ 246.50mm x 665mm x 421.30mm~79.70mm (HxWxD) / 18.72~9.70 inches x 26.18 inches x 16.59~3.14 inches
Weight	9.39 kg / 20.66 lbs
Included Accessories	Power cable, power adapter, HDMI cable, USB 3.0 cable (enalbes touch screen function on the monitor), screen cleaning cloth, velcro strap, quick start guide, drivers and documentation media, product and safety information guide
Warranty	3 years Limited Hardware Warranty
Price	$700 MSRP; ~$527 @ Amazon

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Reality smacks you right in the forehead when you glance the list of specs and see that a pedestrian 1920x1080 resolution is stretched across the 27-inch widescreen panel. Though the physical size of this monitor is set firmly in power user territory, the Full HD ceiling is a reminder that this is a general purpose display. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're in the market for a monitor to get the most out of Windows 8.1. However, if you're a graphics professional or gamer in need of a higher resolution, there are more appropriate options out there, such as the Dell UltraSharp U3011 30-inch monitor we reviewed last year.

One thing we want to point out at right away is that even if you don't plan on taking advantage of the P2714T's built-in USB hub, you'll want to connect the included USB cable. You need to plug this in to enable touch support, otherwise you'll drive yourself batty trying to troubleshoot why your swipes and taps aren't registering.