Dell UltraSharp U2415
24-inch Computer Display
Buy from Amazon $259.99We receive a small kickback from our partners when you click through and purchase the great gear we recommend. Details
The Best Second Screen For Your Home Studio
Dell UltraSharp U2415
- Don Makoviney
- Last Updated: April 3, 2017
Dell's UltraSharp U2415 is the best second screen for your home recording studio DAW. These come factory calibrated from Dell and look amazing. It also has over a thousand reviews on Amazon putting it near 5-stars, and critic reviews are glowing (see below). They're reasonably priced, well-built, look great, making this flat panel display the one to get.
Prices for Amazon Canada
Prices for Amazon UK
Prices for Amazon Germany
Prices for Amazon Spain
Prices for Amazon France
Prices for Amazon ItalyThe best computer display (I’m trying to avoid using the word “monitor” because, well, you know.) is one that has sharp, crisp colors, and has compatible connectors for your laptop or desktop on which your digital audio workstation is housed.
We really don’t think you need to spend much more than a couple hundred dollars – definitely no more than $300 – unless you have special needs.
We just want a good flat panel display which allows us use our DAW, channel strip, and virtual instruments – having them all laid out before us.
We’re not using it for gaming, watching movies in 1080p or 4k, or photography. This is a dedicated monitor for our studio. (Of course if you are going to be doing that as well, you might want to just go with our main pick anyways, because it’s pretty great.)
It may be tempting to just go with the absolute cheapest, and it will most likely work just fine. But spend a tad more and you can get something with a proven track record, as well as a warranty that could save you big bucks having to buy another one down the road.
Our Pick
Dell U2415
The U2415 has 1920×1200 pixel resolution, which gives it 11 percent more screen space than a 1080p monitor. (That’s great!) It is also completely adjustable – the stand lifts, tilts, pivots, and swivels so it can fit well in the most challenging home studio configuration. It also has five(!) USB 3.0 ports, so you can plug in everything from extra drives, SSDs, flash drives, and even controllers if need be. It also has DisplayPort connections (which are great if you need to connect to standard VGA), and an HDMI port.
It also looks great! The bezel (which is the picture frame around the face of the monitor) is really small, so it looks especially great if you have two of them:
If you are interested in a super technical review, please check out this one at TFT Central.
In a recent discussion about displays for their DAWs, several Gearslutz members discussed the Dell U2415:
I’ve recently bought the Dell UltraSharp U2415.
It’s a 24″ monitor, which is perfect for me. Something bigger would be too big because I’m sitting quite close to the screen. The 1920 x 1200 resolution (16:10 aspect ratio) is ideal for DAW use.
The screen also provides a full range of ergonomic adjustments from the stand; you can tilt it, adjust the height, swivel it side to side and rotate it.
I would definitely buy it again.
Budget Pick
Asus VS239H-P
Easily the best budget pick, if price is your biggest constraint. There are over 800 reviews on Amazon, where it maintains a 4.5 star rating.
The bevel is much larger than our main pick, so you lose some slight screen real estate, and you don’t get all the USB 3.0 ports either. But if you need a display only, this will work, and it’s half the price of our main pick:
Larger Pick
Dell UltraSharp U2715H
The Wirecutter notes:
Dell’s UltraSharp U2715H is the best 27-inch monitor for most people because it has an amazing image quality that beats the competition, an ultra-thin bezel, plenty of display connectors, a highly adjustable ergonomic stand, and a built-in USB 3.0 hub. You simply aren’t going to find a monitor with a better combination of picture quality, price, features, and warranty.
Options For Your MacBook Pro
Apple Thunderbolt Display
We can’t have a display guide without mentioning the great Thunderbolt Display from Apple.
Conclusion
You should also note that if you want to get two monitors for a setup like some of the pictures show above, there is a bracket available for our main pick, you can get for under a hundred dollars, which makes it really simple.
Any of these monitors will work fine. Great, in fact. Figure out what your needs and budget are, and work up or down the scale accordingly.
Happy recording!
Tell Me If There's A Deal For This
The Best Second Screen For Your Home Studio
Dell UltraSharp U2415
Important Specs
| Screen Size | 24 inches |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Aspect Ratio | Widescreen (16:10) |
| Panel Type, Surface | IPS, anti glare with hard coat 3H |
| HDMI Connector | 2 |
| Mini DisplayPort | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 (version 1.2) |
| DisplayPort out (MST) | 1 |
| Audio Line out | 1 |
| USB 3.0 ports (downstream) | 5 at the back, 1 with battery charging |
| USB 3.0 ports (up) | 1 |
| more specs |
Synopsis:
The best second screen for your DAW is the Dell UltraSharp U2415. These come factory calibrated from Dell and look amazing. It also has over a thousand reviews on Amazon putting it near 5-stars, and critic reviews are glowing (see below). They're reasonably priced, well-built, look great, making this flat panel display the one to get.
Budget Pick
Asus VS239H-P
It’s the cheapest good IPS monitor you can get, and the color accuracy of its sRGB preset is far better than that of the vast majority of monitors in its price range.
Sources
-
David Murphy, The Wirecutter, 20160210
The Best 24-inch Monitor“The U2415’s 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution gives it 11 percent more screen space than a 1080p monitor, and its ultra-thin bezel makes its screen feel bigger and look better than monitors with thicker bezels. Its stand lifts, tilts, pivots, rotates, and swivels, so you can put the screen exactly where you need it. It has HDMI and DisplayPort connections and five USB 3.0 ports, giving you more flexibility than most other monitors for anything you do at your desk.”
-
David Murphy, The Wirecutter, 20160113
The Best 27-Inch Monitor“After spending 56 hours researching 33 monitors and testing our finalists, the $549 Dell UltraSharp U2715H is the 27-inch monitor we recommend for most people right now. It has the best picture quality of any monitor we tested right out of the box. It’s the monitor to get if you want a bigger picture and more workspace in Windows or OS X, since its 2560×1440 resolution is ideal for photos, videos, and gaming.”
-
Stijn Geens, Gearslutz, 20150507
What computer monitor do you use for your DAW“I use a Dell ultrasharp 27" IPS 1440P Monitor, it's great for music production. good real estate on the screen. ~ I've recently bought the Dell UltraSharp U2415. It's a 24" monitor, which is perfect for me. Something bigger would be too big because I'm sitting quite close to the screen. The 1920 x 1200 resolution (16:10 aspect ratio) is ideal for DAW use. The screen also provides a full range of ergonomic adjustments from the stand; you can tilt it, adjust the height, swivel it side to side and rotate it. I would definitely buy it again”
-
Simon Baker, TFT Central, 20141022
Dell U2415 Review“Default setup is better on the U2415 thanks to the factory calibration, and Dell have also improved response times and eliminated the noticeable overshoot seen on the older model. All in all this is a better screen than the U2412M and if you're looking for a 16:10 aspect ratio 24" model this is a great all-round performer.”
Important Specs
| Screen Size | 24 inches |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Aspect Ratio | Widescreen (16:10) |
| Panel Type, Surface | IPS, anti glare with hard coat 3H |
| HDMI Connector | 2 |
| Mini DisplayPort | 1 |
| DisplayPort | 1 (version 1.2) |
| DisplayPort out (MST) | 1 |
| Audio Line out | 1 |
| USB 3.0 ports (downstream) | 5 at the back, 1 with battery charging |
| USB 3.0 ports (up) | 1 |
| more specs |
Follow MSCGR
Talk To Us
Did we miss a recommendation? Is there something you'd like to see us review? Typos? Mistakes? If so, drop us a line.