Display quality
Use the HDMI cable provided and you can expect crystal clear replication of text and colour. Dell touts the brightness at 270cd/m2, but we only managed to get 218cd/m2. We also measured an average Delta E rating of 2.8, and this backs up the solid colour accuracy.
Image quality is superb, but the glossy coating isn't ideal for office use
Dell has included seven preset modes which help to optimise the display to do everything from reading text to watching multimedia content. Switching between these modes triggers a big difference in how content is displayed. For example, text mode turns up the brightness to full, whereas Movie mode lowers it to 75 per cent and introduces a cool blue tint.
In Standard picture mode brightness averaged out at 177cd/m2 and dropped to 158cd/m2 in Movie mode.
Annoyingly you can't change these settings using the touch screen but need to tap the buttons on the right hand side. This can be a frustrating experience at times and it would have been more sensible for Dell to integrate these options on the screen.
Dell has optimised the monitor for multimedia use by incorporating a front-facing integrated webcam. This comes with a full HD resolution, making it suitable for regular conference calls. With Windows 8 coming with a free Skype client businesses won't need to fork out any additional money to carry out video collaboration.
The only problem we had with the display was the glossy coating on the screen. This makes the display susceptible to glare from overhead lighting, so it's not ideal for use in an office environment. You're also going to have to keep the cleaning cloth handy, as the display is a fingerprint magnet, much like regular tablets.
Pricing
Being one of the first Windows 8 certified monitors on the market, it's obvious this wasn't going to be cheap. With a price of 539 including VAT, the S2340T is typically four times the price of a standard 23in monitor.
The display is optimised for use with Windows 8 devices, and this is software which most businesses will not be transitioning to for the foreseeable future. From a business point of view, this is a massive investment and when we got down to serious work, the touch functionality felt like a novelty purchase rather than a necessity.
Verdict
One of the most flexible monitors on the market, the Dell S2340T gives us a glimpse of what to expect in 2013. It’s easy to set up, and works beautifully well. However, it’s eye-watering price means we won’t be seeing it deployed by businesses before the year is out. Do you really need a touch screen to get the most out of Windows 8 on a desktop? If you're a business user, you will probably spend most of your time within the desktop so the answer is no. Although we can't fault the quality of the monitor, we would struggle to recommend the £500+ investment.
Size – 23in Resolution – 1920 x 1080 full HD IPS Touch compatible – Yes, 10 point multi-touch Brightness – 270 cd/m2 Contrast ratio - 1000:1 Response time – 8ms Viewing angle – 178 degrees Connections – DisplayPort, HMDI, USB 3, Ethernet Speakers – 5 Watt x 2
