GoKawiilThe Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is the most flexible and capable pro screen I’ve seen to date. It games decently and looks great no matter what it’s asked to do. And it’s less costly than the competition.
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Though the bulk of my reviews are of the best gaming monitors, I like to highlight innovation and advancement whenever possible. Gamers get ever-faster, smoother video processing with new tech like G-Sync Pulsar, but what motivates professionals to plunk down thousands of dollars on a new screen? A trend I’ve observed is the inclusion of a built-in calibrator with fully automated adjustment. I’ve seen these in Asus’ ProArt models, most recently the PA32KCX reviewed here.
That monitor costs over $8,000, but if you want the same level of convenience and are OK with 4K resolution instead of 8K, Dell offers its UltraSharp U3226Q. It’s a 32-inch QD-OLED panel with 4K resolution, 120 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, DisplayHDR True Black 500, industry-standard color modes, and a built-in calibrator. And it can be yours for around $2,600 at the time of this writing. Let’s take a look.
Dell UltraSharp U3226Q Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally Panel Type / Backlight Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED) Screen Size / Aspect Ratio 32 inches / 16:9 Max Resolution and Refresh Rate 3840x2160 @ 120 Hz Row 3 - Cell 0 FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible Native Color Depth and Gamut 10-bit / DCI-P3+ Row 5 - Cell 0 HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision Row 6 - Cell 0 DisplayHDR True Black 500 Measured Response Time (black to white, 1-inch square) 0.12ms Brightness (mfr) 300 nits full field Row 9 - Cell 0 1,000 nits 1.5% window (HDR) Contrast Unmeasurable Speakers None Video Inputs 1x DisplayPort 1.4 Row 13 - Cell 0 2x HDMI 2.1 Row 14 - Cell 0 2x Thunderbolt in/out Audio 3.5mm headphone output USB 3.2 1x C upstream, 3x A downstream, 2x C downstream Additional I/O 1x RJ-45 Power Consumption 25.6w, brightness @ 200 nits Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base 28.3 x 18.7-24.6 x 8.6 inches (719 x 475-625 x 218mm) Panel Thickness 2.6 inches (66mm) Bezel Width Top: 0.35 inch (9mm) Row 22 - Cell 0 Sides: 0.47 inch (12mm) Row 23 - Cell 0 Bottom: 1.18 inch (30mm) Weight 20.9 pounds (9.5kg) Warranty 3 years
That’s a lot of money for a computer monitor, but in the pro realm, the U3226Q is a relative bargain. It gives nothing away to more expensive screens being every bit the equal of any premium mastering monitor I’ve tested. At the core, it’s a QD-OLED panel with 140ppi density, wide gamut color, and 120 Hz. It also includes support for every HDR standard, HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma, and Dolby Vision. OK, there’s no HDR10+. It can emulate any of these with SDR content, which is important to video postproduction when mastering to multiple formats at once.
The color modes conform to industry standards and cover every TV and video spec currently in existence. You get sRGB, Adobe RGB, BT.709, BT.2020, P3 in Cinema and Display formats, and there are six user memories where you can create your own configurations.
The built-in color meter emerges from a little garage at the bottom of the screen when you engage in either auto calibration or validation. You can schedule the activity for after hours and set an interval where the U3226Q adjusts itself, hands off. If you prefer your own solution, the monitor interfaces with Calman’s Autocal function, where you can use any meter and pattern source you wish. You can also create picture modes with traditional OSD controls for gamut, color temp, and gamma.
Pro monitors are rarely good for gaming, but the U3226Q is an exception. It runs up to 120 Hz, which isn’t blindingly fast, but since it’s an OLED, blur is minimal. And you get Adaptive-Sync, which few mastering monitors offer. That makes it ideal for all types of content creation, from videos and TV shows to premium rendered games. And here’s a teaser: you’ll be surprised at its input lag and response results from my tests with Nvidia’s LDAT sensor.
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