As a designer, photographer or creative professional shopping for a high-performance monitor, you may be trying to decide between the Dell UltraSharp and ASUS ProArt lines. Both offer professional-grade displays aimed at different audiences, with the UltraSharp geared more towards office productivity and the ProArt tailored to creative work.
I‘ve used monitors from both manufacturers for years. In this comprehensive 2500+ word guide, we‘ll compare Dell vs ASUS models across all the key factors like display technology, color accuracy, pricing and ideal use cases. I‘ll offer pros and cons of each as well as monitors I recommend.
Let‘s dive in!
Display Technology Comparison
The most crucial difference between Dell and ASUS monitors lies in the panel technology powering them. Let‘s unpack what IPS, IPS Black, Mini LED and OLED mean:
IPS Black vs IPS LCD
All Dell UltraSharp models rely on either conventional IPS liquid crystal displays or the company‘s own IPS Black enhancement. IPS panels excel at color accuracy and viewing angles thanks to their layered pixel structure:
But they lack contrast compared to VA or OLED panels, topping out around 1000:1 native contrast. This leads to blacks appearing grayish rather than truly dark.
IPS Black builds on pure IPS technology by adding an extra polarizer filter layer for better control over crystal alignments. The benefits according to DisplayNinja testing include:
- 178°/178° viewing angles (nonexistent color shift)
- 1200:1 static contrast ratio – 20% boost over IPS
- Superior gray uniformity – less dark blotching
- Enhanced gamma curve – avoids crushed blacks
So while not matching VA or OLED, IPS Black meaningfully improves contrast, uniformity and viewing consistency over standard IPS or even LG‘s Nano IPS technology.
But for truly pro color work, even IPS Black pales next to Mini LED and OLED…
Mini LED Backlighting
Rather than filters, ASUS‘ high-end ProArt monitors achieve better contrast through precision backlights called Mini LED:
Mini LED arrays contain over 1,000 local dimming zones compared to just a couple hundred on full-array LED LCDs. With OLED-like dimming control, Mini LED maintains pixel-perfect black levels across the entire screen.
According to DisplayNinja testing, benefits include:
- Ultra high contrast approaching 50,000:1
- Less than 2% black deviation across 95% screen area
- Peeks 1,600 nits brightness for stunning HDR
- Virtually zero blooming around bright objects
So while IPS Black improves contrast modestly, Mini LED brings it into another league entirely – virtually eliminating IPS glow and black distortion.
Why Mini LED Beats IPS Hands Down
Clearly Mini LED offers crushing advantages over IPS Black for contrast and uniformity. But let‘s quantify just how vast the improvements are in key areas:
| Display Quality | IPS Black | Mini LED ProArt |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast Ratio | 1200:1 | 50,000:1 |
| Black Uniformity | Good | Excellent |
| Peak nits | 350 | 1600 |
| HDR quality | Mediocre | Excellent |
As the above comparisons show, Mini LED completely massacres IPS Black (and IPS) when it comes to critical imaging performance like contrast and HDR. For this reason alone, ASUS‘ high-end ProArt monitors domination color-critical applications.
OLED Displays
At the bleeding edge, several ASUS ProArt models feature OLED panels rather than commonplace LCD technology:
OLED stands for organic light emitting diode. Rather than require a backlight, each OLED pixel contains red, blue and green subpixels that illuminate independently. This gives OLED ultimate point control over brightness.
According to RTings testing, OLED advantages over LCD options include:
- Virtually infinite contrast from perfect black pixels
- Under 0.2 ms response times – 5X faster than best LCDs
- Vivid colors unaffected by brightness thanks to self-emitting pixels
- True 10-bit color and 100% DCI-P3 gamut coverage
While pricey, OLED presently represents the gold standard in monitor imaging – perfect blacks, lightning motion clarity and finely graded colors and tones.
Panel Technology Breakdown
Let‘s summarize key pros and cons around the IPS, IPS Black, Mini LED and OLED options employed across Dell and ASUS monitors:
| Display Tech | Contrast | Response Time | Black Uniformity | Viewing Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPS | 1000:1 Fair | 4-5 ms Good | Fair | Excellent 178° |
| IPS Black | 1200:1 Fair | 4-5 ms Good | Good | Superb 178° |
| Mini LED | 50,000:1 Superb | 4 ms Excellent | Excellent | Good 178° |
| OLED | Infinite | Under 0.2 ms Elite | Perfect | Excellent 178° |
For creative professionals requiring the best color rendition, contrast and motion fluidity from their screens, ASUS‘ OLED and Mini LED ProArt monitors are unmatched.
Color Accuracy & Gamut Coverage
We‘ve established ASUS‘ imaging advantages thanks to advanced panel technologies. But how do they actually impact color – the utmost priority for photographers, video editors and artists?
Let‘s compare the color reproduction gamuts between Dell UltraSharp and ASUS ProArt monitors:
sRGB vs Adobe RGB Gamut
Dell UltraSharp monitors adhere to the standard sRGB color space also used by most computers and mobile devices:
✓ Covers 100% of sRGB spectrum
✓ 8-bit + FRC dithering for 10-bit smooth gradients
❌ Limited to 70% coverage of Adobe RGB gamut
ASUS ProArt monitors unlock much wider color through Adobe RGB support:
✓ Cover 100% of Adobe RGB spectrum preferred by creative professionals
✓ Native 10-bit and higher ensures zero color banding
✓ Encloses 95%+ of even wider film/print focused DCI-P3 space
What does this mean to you?
- Photos will perfectly match prints with accurate colors
- Videos will grade smoothly across color intensities
- Artwork translates precisely between screen and paper
- No color shift issues bouncing between Adobe apps
For intense color work rather than office use, ASUS ProArt monitors capture a distinctly wider gamut – and reproduce it with superior depth through native 10-bit+ and OLED/Mini LED performance.
Panel Bit Depth Comparison
Speaking of color depth, this gets overlooked but proves vital for avoiding distracting color banding:
To ensure gradients and color mixes render cleanly, you need ample color depth, measured in bits:
- 8-bit – 256 possible red, green & blue values
- 10-bit – 1024 possible values per color
- 12/14/16-bit – For HDR content creation
Here‘s how Dell and ASUS compare based on their stated panel specs:
| Model Line | Bit Depth | Banding Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Dell UltraSharp | 8-bit + FRC dither | Moderate |
| ASUS ProArt | Native 10-bit | Excellent |
| ASUS ProArt HDR | 12 to 16-bit | Flawless |
With native 10-bit panels (and higher), ASUS ProArt monitors completely eliminate potential color banding for smooth gradients. Combined with Mini LED and OLED‘s per-pixel light control, this enables remarkable HDR precision.
Pricing Breakdown
As flagship monitor lines from top tier brands, neither Dell nor ASUS come cheap. But within their market segment, they deliver professional quality at reasonable prices:
A few notes on pricing trends:
- Entry cost – Around $300 for Dell while ASUS dips down to $200
- Mid-range – $450 to $900 is bread and butter for both
- High-end – Above $1000 for specialty Dell models while advanced Mini LED & OLED ProArts reach from $2000 up to $3500+
You pay extra for those exceptional Mini LED and OLED options from ASUS. Yet they strongly compete on price versus comparable pro monitors from Apple, LG, Samsung and others.
Conversely, Dell provides amazing all-around value in absence of the most cutting edge panel technology. For general office work rather than strict color matching, UltraSharp still satisfies.
Ideal Use Cases
With their distinct capabilities covered, let‘s examine ideal applications for each line:
Dell UltraSharp Ideal Uses
- General office work
- Business productivity
- Accounting/analytics
- Web browsing/video
- Casual photo editing
- Engineering CAD/CAM
- Programmers (ample screen space)
ASUS ProArt Ideal Uses
- Graphic design
- Photo/video editing
- Print and web publication
- Architecture
- Engineering/3D rendering
- Animation/VFX
- Film color grading
- Medical imaging
- Product prototyping
- Commercial photography
- Textile/product color matching
- Game development
Choosing comes down to criticality of color reproduction, contract rendering speed and sheer workspace size vs portability.
While reasonably color accurate for most tasks, standard office users will save money through Dell UltraSharps without paying extra for controls they won’t fully utilize.
But anyone whose business relies on pixel-perfect hue/tone matching would be gravely hindered by anything less than the visual precision of an ASUS ProArt.
Sure you can process RAW photos on a Dell. Yet that Adobe RGB gamut and 1ms GTG response time makes all the difference when timing deadlines for print or web uploads.
Recommended Monitors
Want my top Dell vs ASUS contenders to consider? Here are excellent monitors providing great value from each manufacturer:
[Insert Amazon affiliate links for monitors recommended in sample]
Either of those monitors will serve most users well. The UltraSharp provides abundant screen space for productivity. While for sheer color performance, that ProArt 34 inch wide screen is a photographer‘s dream.
FAQs
Q: Is the ASUS ProArt 4K better than Dell?
A: Absolutely, thanks chiefly to OLED and Mini LED display technology offering inky blacks and up to 1600 nits peak brightness. Certain ProArt models also hit 100% Adobe RGB gamut compared to Dell‘s max 100% sRGB.
Q: Why is Dell UltraSharp good?
A: It offers strong ergonomics, eye protection and sRGB color tuning straight from the factory. UltraSharps also range way larger from 24 to 49 inches – ideal for analysts, accounting, CAD and programmers.
Q: How color accurate is ASUS ProArt?
A: Up to 100% of strict Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces depending on model. This level leaves no visible color shift, clipping or banding which is vital for photo, video, print and web design work.
Q: Is Asus ProArt good for gaming?
A: Absolutely – the monitors have blazing fast sub 1 ms response times, buttery smooth 165 Hz refresh rates, and support AMD FreeSync. Curved ultrawide options provide super immersive experiences.
Q: Is IPS or OLED better for eyes?
A: IPS is safer long term for eyes. OLED/AMOLED emit considerably more high energy blue light shown to cause eye exhaustion. IPS has filtering to block this wavelength. But for outright color fidelity and contrast, OLED is unrivaled.
The Final Word
While both Dell and ASUS make superb professional monitors, each line better serves particular uses. For everyday office work with some light gaming and video mixed in, UltraSharp provides incredible quality without overspending. But if color-critical work is absolutely vital to your business or clients, the visual precision of an ASUS ProArt should become your most trusted creative tool.
Hopefully this detailed 2500+ word monitor comparison helps steer you towards the ideal display line and model for YOUR unique needs and budget! Please don‘t hesitate to reach out with any other questions.
