Hands On with Dell's 27-inch P2714T Touch Monitor
Performance Summary and Conclusion
Windows 8/8.1 is here to stay, and with it is a concerted effort by Microsoft to get users accustomed to touch computing. Microsoft can't drive this revolution by itself -- the company needs help from hardware partners to deliver accessories that take advantage of this new computing paradigm, and that's what Dell has done with the P2714T.
This isn't a monitor that you'll likely pick up for Windows 7 or Linux, but paired with Windows 8, it has quite a bit to offer. The PLS panel Dell chose to go with ensures great viewing angles and superior color reproduction compared to cheap TN panels, and the edge-to-edge glass makes sure there's no protruding bezel to get in the way of finger swipes. Throw in 10-point capacitive touch support and you have a monitor that's well suited to help Microsoft showcase Windows 8.
This is where Dell has your wallet in a vice. While you can upgrade to a bigger, better monitor for not a whole lot more (street pricing, at least), you'll lose out on touch input, which is what the P2714T is all about. That's really the bottom line here -- this is a somewhat expensive monitor that's big in size and only average in resolution, but great for touch input. If you've bought into the whole touch craze that Microsoft is selling on the desktop and you're willing to invest a few bucks to exploit Windows 8's touch capabilities, the P2714T is a very good option with a few bonuses, like MHL support and surprisingly good gaming performance. However, if you're more interested in bang-for-buck performance and are still willing to spend a chunk of change (without touch support), Dell's U3011 is a better bet.
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