Dell has announced the UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor (U4021QW).

As the name suggests, it's a 40” curved 5K2K monitor with the promise of real-life color and a wide field of view. But with a lack of HDR support, no HDMI 2.1 port, and a limited 60Hz refresh rate, it’s only going to help content creators in the here and now, not standards over the horizon.

As a general workhorse monitor, there’s a lot to like with the UltraSharp 40 Curved. It enjoys an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio that provides a resolution of 5120x2160 pixels for 33% more real estate than previous models. Wide enough to take advantage of picture-in-picture support, this much screen space is sure to benefit content creators looking to maximize their workflow.

Other features include a pair of 9w audio speakers, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, a 10GB USB-C 3.2 port, and five USB-B and A ports.

What I have to scratch my head over, though, is why didn’t Dell include at least one HDMI 2.1 port? Instead, Dell relies on a pair of current HDMI 2.0 ports. One of those ports may support 10-bit color, but with the media world beginning to look toward a post 4K universe, it would’ve come in handy to have the extra data flow for 8K and above.

Dell40inch_2Credit: Dell

By comparison, while not an HDR-supported monitor like Apple’s $6,000 XDR Pro, Dell promises that the U4021QW does provide “true to life” color gamut from 1.07 billion pixels that support 98% of DCI-P3 and 100% of Rec 709 and sRGB, respectively. But sadly, color radiance is hamstrung by the monitor’s 300 nit display. Still, if you’re an editor working in a darkened edit bay, that’s not so much a deciding factor. A colorist, however, will likely find the lack of HDR features a deal-breaker.

Still, at a price tag of $2,100, you can’t expect it to go all out as Apple did with the $5,000+ Pro XDR. And if you’re looking for production-grade color accuracy, that may be the way to go. But if you’re looking for a jack-of-all-trades monitor with plenty of screen real estate and a high-resolution screen that is close enough for YouTube, then the UltraSharp 40 may be the way to go. And at least you don’t have to pay another grand for the stand.

Dell also previewed the smaller sibling UltraSharp 38 Curved USB-C Monitor (U3821DW), which starts at $1,500. 

Latitude9420Latitude 9420 2-in-1 now comes with a 16:10 displayCredit: Dell

There’s also a pair of new Latitude 9000 laptops, the 9420 and 9520, that offer a smart webcam with a “safe shutter” design that will only turn on a user’s webcam if they are actively using video conferencing software. Users also have greater control over their audio with secure mic and mute keys. The idea here is that users can be confident their webcams and microphones will remain secure when not activated by the user.

The Latitude 9000 laptops come in 14” and 15” sizes, starting at $1,950, and will be available later this year. 

Source: Dell

lgmonitorsColor Gradingdell5k5k Monitorces 2021
Editing & Post-Production