The Dell U2412M – Dell’s mystery monitor driver

Update: The U2212HM, U2312HM and U2412M are now available to order direct from Dell in the United States for $279 and $319 and $399, respectively. Limited retailer stock of the 24″ model is also available with a £299 UK recommended retail price with retail price and availability of the 22″ and 23″ models to be confirmed. This release confirms our speculation regarding the 24 inch display being a 16:10, 1920 x 1200 part – the panel used is the new LG LM240WU8-SLA2 which is a 16:10 E-IPS panel. The 22″ and 23″ versions are both 1920 x 1080 resolution 16:9 parts. Our Dell U2412M review has now been published.

According to a driver now available on the Dell support website (dated 2nd May 2011) and subsequent information since received, Dell are preparing to launch the monitor in the not too distant future. This is the eagerly anticipated replacement for the much-loved Dell UltraSharp U2410.

The U2410 was a monitor that many people, including ourselves (see this review) found thoroughly enjoyable to use for both business and pleasure. It proved to be surprisingly responsive, featured a nice stand, touch-sensitive controls that actually worked and a brilliant but equally software-limited broad colour gamut. Unfortunately it was plagued by some issues which made it less than ideal for some users. One of these issues was the broad colour gamut itself, which is poorly supported by current software giving the U2410 a tendency to deeply saturate certain colours. More pressing issues for many people included ‘tinting’ issues across the screen which affected some individual units but not others. The contast of the U2410, in terms of the centrally recorded black luminance and contrast ratio values, also left a bit to be desired. Then there is the highly aggressive matte anti-glare coating which causes a certain ‘graininess’ to the image and dulls colours; although the broad gamut still ensured the image was very much in-your-face.

So really the Dell U2410, whilst an excellent monitor in some respects, certainly left people wanting more and in the case of the colour gamut – perhaps wanting less. What can be pretty safely assumed about the Dell U2412M, given the current and rather apt naming convention, is that it will be a new 24″ member of the UltraSharp family. Like the U2410 it will be an IPS-panel monitor, but a radical departure from the U2410 in the apparent implementation of a standard colour gamut WLED backlight in place of the broad colour gamut CCFLs. The screen coating is expected to remain as per existing UltraSharp monitors – that is to say a generous helping of matte anti-glare. The family will also include slightly smaller members which share these characteristics but will feature a 1920 x 1080 resolution; the 21.5″ U2212HM and 23″ U2312HM. DisplayPort and DVI inputs are expected on all members of the new family but further details are not yet known. Release is expected no earlier than July 2011 with a likely Q3 release.

There was some earlier speculation that Dell may be trying to spread some of Samsung’s PLS love this time with a panel such as the ‘LTM240CL01′. As per the update above a Dell UltraSharp monitor with a PLS panel will not materialise this time around. Once anything more is known about the Dell U2412M the we will bring you more up-to-date information.