Dell’s 32-inch 4K video conferencing screen costs as much as a Studio Display

Dell has finally unveiled the $ 1,599.99 price tag for the UltraSharp 32-inch 4K video conferencing screen, which was previewed at CES (via 9to5Mac). If that price sounds familiar, it’s because Apple’s 27-inch Studio Display costs almost the same amount – only Dell justifies the price with the screen size and its camera sensor, while Apple’s sales figures lean on the still rare 5K resolution.

The Dell Monitor (U3223QZ) comes with a focus on video conferencing, made clear by Dell’s built-in UltraSharp webcam with a 4K HDR Sony Starvis sensor that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help keep you in the frame during a call. This is a bit like the Apple Center Stage feature used in Studio Display and other Apple devices, a similar auto-framing functionality that HP recently implemented in its upcoming Z24m video conferencing monitor.

Image: Dell

You can tilt the camera to different angles without having to move the entire screen (although you could technically, as the screen can be tilted), as well as adjust the field of view to 65, 78 or 90 degrees, depending on how much background you want in the frame. The camera shutter opens automatically when in use and closes when it is not, which means you do not have to remember to close the shutter manually (or slam a piece of tape over the webcam) when you have finished your meeting. In terms of sound, it has dual noise-canceling microphones and two 14W speakers.

The 4K 3840 x 2160 IPS screen has a 60Hz refresh rate with a rather sluggish 8ms response time, which is not the most ideal if you want to play a little on the screen when you are done with the work. It also has a decent set of ports – connect it to your computer or laptop using the USB-C port and you get access to an additional USB-C port, HDMI 2.0 port, DisplayPort 1.4 and five 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen. 2 ports.

Image: Dell

The webcam on Dell’s screen certainly looks to be one of its strengths – Studio Display has a 12MP webcam that struggled with video quality at launch. Although Apple rolled out an update in an attempt to address the issue, it still does not produce the most impressive camera quality.

For Mac users, however, it may not be worth migrating to a 4K monitor when there is already a 5K monitor in Apple’s ecosystem for the same exact price. Plus, many Mac owners prefer monitors that have a 5K resolution, as users tend to encounter scaling issues when using a 4K monitor as an external monitor.

So is Dell’s new monitor the right choice if you need $ 1,599? Maybe not for Mac users, but we will not be able to tell until it launches in July.