Dell U2311H: E-IPS, Full Adjustments, and DisplayPort
by Chris Heinonen on September 27, 2011 12:20 AM ESTFor years now Dell has been one of the few companies that consistently offers a range of displays using IPS panels for desktop displays instead of only the more affordable TN panels. Now with the availability of e-IPS panels, Dell has been able to offer even more models and lower the price all the way down to $319 for a 23” 1080p display.
The U2311H uses a very similar base to what Dell has been using for years that lets the monitor simply clip in, and allows for rotation to be used as a portrait display as well. The left side of the display has a pair of USB 2.0 ports, to go with the pair located on the bottom of the display. Also on the bottom of the display are DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA inputs, as well as the power input. Located on the front of the display on the right side are the menu control buttons that are unlabeled and nicely disappear into the bezel. The U2311H can adjust in height vertically and has both tilt and swivel adjustments as well, which should make it able to fit into most spaces. It might not be flashy but it gets the job done.
With all the above features, you’ll note that a few items are missing. There’s no HDMI port, making this less desirable as an all-in-one display for use with PCs as well as game consoles. There are also no speakers, though given the quality of most LCD speakers we don’t feel like we’re really missing out. In a similar vein, there’s no audio out, so if you were to use DisplayPort for carrying audio there’s no way to get the audio from the display to an external source. There are perhaps minor omissions, but most of Dell’s higher-end LCDs include such features and they’re worth pointing out. Here’s the full rundown of the LCD specs:
| Dell U2311H Features and Specifications | |
| Video Inputs |
1 x DVI-D w/HDCP 1 x DisplayPort 1.1a 1 x VGA |
| Panel Type | e-IPS 6-bit + AFRC |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.265 mm |
| Colors | 16.7 Million |
| Brightness | 300 nits (typical) |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,000:1 (typical) |
| Response Time | 8 ms (GTG) |
| Viewable Size | 23" (58.4 cm) |
| Resolution | 1920x1080 at 60Hz |
| Viewing Angle | 178 degrees horizontal and vertical |
| Backlight | 4-CCFL edge-light system |
| Power Consumption (operation) | 33W (typical) |
| Power Consumption (standby) | Less than 1W |
| Screen Treatment | Antiglare with hard-coating 3H |
| Height-Adjustable | 3.94" Height Adjustment |
| Tilt | Yes, range not specified |
| Pivot | Yes: Landscape and Portrait |
| Swivel | Yes, range not specified |
| VESA Wall Mounting | 100 mm x 100 mm |
| Dimensions w/ Base (WxHxD) |
21.57” x 14.02” x 7.25” (548 x 356 x 184 mm) |
| Weight | 14.22 lbs with stand (6.46 kg) |
| Additional Features |
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Hub (1 USB upstream port and 4 USB downstream ports) |
| Limited Warranty | 3 years |
| Accessories | Power Cable, DVI Cable, USB Cable, VGA Cable |
| Price |
$319.00 MSRP Online Starting at $285 (Plus S/H) |
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jabber - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
...with just buying a PVA panel instead?Aphelion02 - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
Nice article, but so late as to be dangerously close to being irrelevant. A large amount of people who might have found this useful have already made their purchasing decisions almost a year ago. I have noticed this as quite a trend at AT, with this article and the P8P68 mobo review as being most striking. At some point, the added value of a late review is so minimal you are better off spending the effort on something else.dingetje - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
more 1920x1080 reviews?I like Dell, but here's what I think: they can shove all their 16:9 panels up their @$$
A5 - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
Cool story bro.The market has spoken, and they want cheap 16:9 1080p monitors. Dell isn't going to make a 16:10 monitor that won't sell to satisfy you.
Makaveli - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
Its funny you say that cause Dell already has a 16:10 24' model that is superior to this.The market is also full of dumb ass best buy shoppers!
Dug - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
The market hasn't spoken,No one I have ever spoken too prefers 16:9 to 16:10
And that sentiment is echoed in every forum I come across.
16:9 is what has been shoved down our throats
user1003 - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
This monitor is horrible. The whole stand is nice and adjustable, but the panel itself is plagued with a lot of problems, among them:- tinting (google it, it's a problem with the whole series, and the 24" series too). there are yellow stripes at the screen borders and the whole left side is slightly tinted yellow, too. the area effected by the tinting differs, but a lot of the U23 and U24 Dells have this problem
- the anti glare coating distorts small details like fonts
- the PSU makes a loud humming noise when set to <95% brightness, so you either become blind or deaf
- clouding at the edges
Some of them are better than others so you could get lucky (and let's face it, they sent Anandtech a good one for testing), but overall this monitor just sucks, even considering the low price.
jecs - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
That is too bad. But also makes me feel safe with the higher quality 2470 ultrasharp. This screen is working very well, I have a lot of input connectors to choose from, 1920 x 1200 screen and I have 0 problems after a year of use. But, also remember this new matrices may still be 6 bits for color depth and that LED panels are good on power consumption but not very good for precision color. However I don't know why Dell is having such a product on the market if it not ready. It also makes me wonder if Dell is lowering the quality to appeal to new audiences but instead is disappointing loyal customers.tech6 - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
To all those who complain that this panel is far from perfect for design work: I would have to agree but that's not the market it aims for. For starters, any 1080 panel is no good for layout work so if that's what you're looking for there are a number of $500+ monitors that will meet your needs. This panel is designed as an upgrade to mediocre $200 TN monitors and it does a great job and it does a great job. We bought a number of these for the office last year and they put all other TN panels to shame. For those considering a 1080 work or home display, this is a high quality bargain.Miggleness - Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - link
I've had this monitor for over a year now, hope you can do a followup and put the U2312 to the test as well. You'd definitely be able to get a good assessment on it's improvements over the U2311 (if any) while this review is fresh.