Dell U3014 unboxing :)

So, now that I've had more time with the U3014 and U3011, I noticed that white backgrounds on the U3014 definitely seem a little more yellow compared to the U3011...

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U3011 | U3014

I decided to call up Dell to send a replacement U3014... so in the meantime, I have 2 U3014s and 1 U3011...
the replacement U3014 turned out to be more yellow than my first U3014...

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U3011 | U3014 | U3014 (replacement)

I think with a little recalibration, the U3014 would have a proper color temperature, because changing the color temperature on the U3014 seems to get rid of the yellow tint.
I'm thinking this is probably a side effect of the GB-LED being used with 1 primary color (probably the red phosphor) not being "strong" enough?

Will send back the replacement U3014 and keep my original U3014 which is almost perfect.

In the meantime.... here's some 3 x 30" goodness :D :cool:
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Really tempted to get a permanent 3 x 30" setup :rolleyes:
 
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Thanks for all the awesome pics and information.
I have a question as i'm really sure how it works, i've seen the U3014 is a 10-bit monitor and i know that on the ATI website for the 7970 under the "foot notes" section it has this written "Additional hardware (e.g. Blu-ray drive, HD or 10-bit monitor, TV tuner) and/or software (e.g. multimedia applications) are required for the full enablement of some features"

so i'm wondering if this new u3014 has 10-bit and the ati card says 10-bit as well, does this mean you will notice a difference between what the U3011 and U3014 with images side by side and with 10-bit enabled? (i have no idea how to enable this feature)

Link to ATI 7970: http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx#4
 
10 bit color is a realm for photo and video editing professionals, there is no difference in image quality compared to 8 bit for normal use. Furthermore, you can't use 10-bit color with a consumer cards (eg Geforce, Radeon) - 10 bit color only works with workstation Quadro, Tesla, and Firepro cards - as they have special hardware and software to enable it in various software packages such as the adobe suite and what not. With consumer cards you can only use 10 bit color in D3D. And there is no D3D game that uses 10 bit color or even 8 bit color. So if you're buying a monitor specifically for 10 bit color keep in mind that is strictly for professional use and you'll need a workstation card for that. More info here from nvidia:

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answ...-bit-per-color-support-on-nvidia-geforce-gpus

Due to the way most applications use traditional Windows API functions to create the application UI and viewport display, this method is not used for professional applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. These programs use OpenGL 10-bit per color buffers which require an NVIDIA Quadro GPU with DisplayPort connector. A small number of monitors support 10-bit per color with Quadro graphics cards over DVI. For more information on NVIDIA professional line of Quadro GPUs, please visit:
Click to expand...

This also applies to ATI cards. You'll need a firepro card for 10 bit color output. As mentioned earlier 10 bit is only useful for a small number of professional applications.
 
Thanks for the info xoleras didn't realize it 10-bit is pretty much a niche feature.

Another question tho, i'm looking to pick up either the U3011 or U3014 to use specifically for gaming, since they both have similar spec's should i get a u3014 or save myself some cash and get the u3011
 
The main difference is price and AG coating. Well, those are the most readily apparent issues. If you're using this in a home and use windows a lot for non gaming you'll appreciate the light coating on the U3014. OTOH, the u3011 is going to be a lot cheaper than the 3014 as well.

Personally I really like the new anti reflective coating on the 2013 Dell screens. It makes text visibly sharper in dark lighting.
 
xoleras said:
That is IPS glow. There is no way to eliminate IPS glow other than using a super thick, super harsh matte coating which the u3011 actually does use.

Keep in mind that IPS panels have maximum brightness nearly 20 times higher than that of TN or VA panels. This means that IPS glow will happen, but it isn't noticeable in real world use. IPS glow is going to be there on an IPS/PLS panel with semi glossy coating, period - because the IPS panel is blindingly bright, whereas other panel techs are not nearly as bright. The matte coating can offset this somewhat, but a semi glossy coating will not hide it. It doesn't matter though, you would never notice it during real world use unless you are OCD or do a test specifically looking for it.
Click to expand...

This could not be further from the truth. IPS panels have the lowest transmittance rate of the three types which is why they need a brighter backlight to produce the same screen brightness. This is why the dimmer u2410 used twice as much power as the 2408wfp. Its also why ips panels generally have lower contrast ratios. Its definitely noticeable expecially on 30 inch panels on both matte and glossy panels.
 
Really. You talk about brightness and use "contrast ratio" to prove your point.? Your point about power consumption is also incorrect.

Contrast ratio is not brightness. Perhaps you should educate yourself on what contrast ratio actually is: it's the difference between the darkest and lightest image a panel can produce. One limitation of IPS is that the black levels are not as good as CRTs or VA. Using your head to add one plus one, obviously a panel that doesn't have the best blacks will not have an excellent contrast ratio.. I would hope that you understand that IPS doesn't have the best black levels of all available panel types. VAs, plasma and Trinitron/Diamondtron CRT have the best blacks, but those obviously have their own issues. I won't go into all of the cons of VA and TN. Hopefully you understand their specific issues as well. VA does have better blacks - but it is worse than IPS in other areas. Anyway.......Again. Contrast ratio is not maximum brightness. Anyone who has used a glossy IPS panel with a reasonably recent model (eh 2713H) will find white backgrounds unbelievably, blindingly bright. Having compared this side by side with TN and VA myself, the whites are far far brighter on IPS 100% of the time without exception. Period. VA will have better blacks and thus, a better contrast ratio. Two different panel technologies with different pros and cons. IPS is brighter. VA has better contrast ratio. I hope you understand now.
 
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xoleras said:
Really. You talk about brightness and use "contrast ratio" to prove your point.? Your point about power consumption is also incorrect.

Contrast ratio is not brightness. Perhaps you should educate yourself on what contrast ratio actually is: it's the difference between the darkest and lightest image a panel can produce. One limitation of IPS is that the black levels are not as good as CRTs or VA. Using your head to add one plus one, obviously a panel that doesn't have the best blacks will not have an excellent contrast ratio.. I would hope that you understand that IPS doesn't have the best black levels of all available panel types. VAs, plasma and Trinitron/Diamondtron CRT have the best blacks, but those obviously have their own issues. I won't go into all of the cons of VA and TN. Hopefully you understand their specific issues as well. VA does have better blacks - but it is worse than IPS in other areas. Anyway.......Again. Contrast ratio is not maximum brightness. Anyone who has used a glossy IPS panel with a reasonably recent model (eh 2713H) will find white backgrounds unbelievably, blindingly bright. Having compared this side by side with TN and VA myself, the whites are far far brighter on IPS 100% of the time without exception. Period. VA will have better blacks and thus, a better contrast ratio. Two different panel technologies with different pros and cons. IPS is brighter. VA has better contrast ratio. I hope you understand now.
Click to expand...

Look up the power consumption of an IPS panel vs a VA panel. With the same backlight in both the VA would be much brighter. They use brighter backlights in IPS panels to compensate for the low transmittance rate.
 
LimitGTX said:
Thanks for the info xoleras didn't realize it 10-bit is pretty much a niche feature.

Another question tho, i'm looking to pick up either the U3011 or U3014 to use specifically for gaming, since they both have similar spec's should i get a u3014 or save myself some cash and get the u3011
Click to expand...

xoleras said:
The main difference is price and AG coating. Well, those are the most readily apparent issues. If you're using this in a home and use windows a lot for non gaming you'll appreciate the light coating on the U3014. OTOH, the u3011 is going to be a lot cheaper than the 3014 as well.

Personally I really like the new anti reflective coating on the 2013 Dell screens. It makes text visibly sharper in dark lighting.
Click to expand...

This :)
 
blackhand1001 said:
Look up the power consumption of an IPS panel vs a VA panel. With the same backlight in both the VA would be much brighter. They use brighter backlights in IPS panels to compensate for the low transmittance rate.
Click to expand...


The fact that you're correlating power consumption into this equation is wrong as mentioned above. VA panels have worse maximum brightness than IPS, it is for multiple reasons. But they have better blacks and better contrast ratios due to better blacks. Different panel technologies have different strengths. The strength of VA is contrast ratio but worse brightness, viewing angles and color accuracy than IPS. It also only supports low resolution (eg 1080p).
 
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Decided to have another go at the built-in MST hub in the U3014 and despite enabling DP 1.2 on the monitor, AMD Catalyst Control Center doesn't detect the Multi-Stream Transport (MST) capability.

Under "My Digital Flat-Panels"->"Properties (Digital Flat-Panel)", Multi-stream transport capable is "No".

Read up these 2 links from AMD:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticle...ortingDisplayPort12Multi-StreamTransport.aspx

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/DrivingMultipleDisplaysFromaSingleDisplayPort.aspx

I still can't get Catalyst Control Center to detect my U3011 despite using the displayport cables provided by Dell. (All the U3011 does is duplicate the display of the U3014)
DisplayPort Diagnostics doesn't show up either.

Then I came across this:
http://www.rage3d.com/articles/amd_eyefinity_displayport_difficulties/

Not sure if the MST is not working because of the displayport cables or something else...
Arggggh... am at my wit's end :confused: :mad:
 
Zetc, very very few cables are true displayport 1.2 cables... I would say 99% of them are not 1.2.

The only one that I have found with the proper capability is the apple DP cable. It is very expensive. But it is the only one that supports 1.2 properly. There are many, many, many cables that advertise 1.2 support but aren't 1.2.

If you want to push the issue you may want to give an apple DP cable a try. I have found those to be reliable and functional, but expensive.
 
When you hit the power button on the U3014 while on DP, do you get the windows chime that hardware has been disconnected and possibly rearranged desktop when you turn it back on?

I know it's an issue with plug and play with DP, not necessarily the monitor's fault but it drives me crazy on my U3011 and was hoping there was some new fix with DP 1.2 or Dell may have implemented. I know, I could just use a DL-DVI but, I have a 7970 Lightning which doesn't support it. :( First world problems, I know. :(
 
QwaarJet said:
When you hit the power button on the U3014 while on DP, do you get the windows chime that hardware has been disconnected and possibly rearranged desktop when you turn it back on?

I know it's an issue with plug and play with DP, not necessarily the monitor's fault but it drives me crazy on my U3011 and was hoping there was some new fix with DP 1.2 or Dell may have implemented. I know, I could just use a DL-DVI but, I have a 7970 Lightning which doesn't support it. :( First world problems, I know. :(
Click to expand...

What do you need to turn off the monitor for?
 
kevinsbane said:
What do you need to turn off the monitor for?
Click to expand...

It's a common problem caused by off-spec displayport cables. Warm reboots will cause the monitor to not display a picture unless you physically reconnect the DP cable or do a hard power-up of the monitor. Furthermore, nvidia only recently added DP 1.2 support to alleviate the issue in their drivers - I think driver 314.14 added support. Anyway, I've experienced the same issue many times with warm reboots requiring reconnection of a bad DP cable.

You can make the problem go away with an apple DP cable. I don't like apple premium prices but at least they made a correct cable that follows VESA specifications.
 
xoleras said:
Zetc, very very few cables are true displayport 1.2 cables... I would say 99% of them are not 1.2.

The only one that I have found with the proper capability is the apple DP cable. It is very expensive. But it is the only one that supports 1.2 properly. There are many, many, many cables that advertise 1.2 support but aren't 1.2.

If you want to push the issue you may want to give an apple DP cable a try. I have found those to be reliable and functional, but expensive.
Click to expand...
I see... thanks for the info xoleras! Glad to know that it's probably more to do with the DP cable than the monitor itself.
Which reminds me... Actually, I do have an Apple thunderbolt cable! Gonna give it a try now....
 
QwaarJet said:
When you hit the power button on the U3014 while on DP, do you get the windows chime that hardware has been disconnected and possibly rearranged desktop when you turn it back on?

I know it's an issue with plug and play with DP, not necessarily the monitor's fault but it drives me crazy on my U3011 and was hoping there was some new fix with DP 1.2 or Dell may have implemented. I know, I could just use a DL-DVI but, I have a 7970 Lightning which doesn't support it. :( First world problems, I know. :(
Click to expand...
Yup, I get that Window chime on both the U3014 and the U3011...
 
Zetc said:
xoleras said:
Zetc, very very few cables are true displayport 1.2 cables... I would say 99% of them are not 1.2.

The only one that I have found with the proper capability is the apple DP cable. It is very expensive. But it is the only one that supports 1.2 properly. There are many, many, many cables that advertise 1.2 support but aren't 1.2.

If you want to push the issue you may want to give an apple DP cable a try. I have found those to be reliable and functional, but expensive.
Click to expand...

I see... thanks for the info xoleras! Glad to know that it's probably more to do with the DP cable than the monitor itself.
Which reminds me... Actually, I do have an Apple thunderbolt cable! Gonna give it a try now....
Click to expand...

Well, the thunderbolt cable didn't work... not sure if it should work as it caused my PC to hang.

Here's what I got from http://www.displayport.org/faq/:
Q: Where can I buy a DP 1.2 cable? Most of the cables are certified to DP 1.1a.

A: The DisplayPort version 1.2 standard was designed to utilize the Standard Display cable. We did this intentionally to avoid customer confusion. A DisplayPort cable is a DisplayPort cable; EXCEPT if it a “reduced bit rate” (or RBR) cable, which is typically a 15m cable designed for projector applications, and they only support up to 1080P; OR if it is an active cable, which will not support the new HBR2 rate introduced in the DP 1.2 standard.

So a cable that was tested to meet the DP 1.1a requirments also meets the DP 1.2 requirements.

Q: Is Thunderbolt replacing DisplayPort?

A: No. Thunderbolt technology actually leverages DisplayPort to deliver HD video to displays, helping to move media faster and simplify connections between devices. The support of DisplayPort within the Thunderbolt interface further shows the level of commitment towards DisplayPort within the PC industry. DisplayPort over Thunderbolt continues to support existing DisplayPort monitors as well as DVI, HDMI and VGA video output.


Back to square one... nowhere close to getting the MST to work.
Graphics card is a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC.
 
kevinsbane said:
What do you need to turn off the monitor for?
Click to expand...

It's not an Apple...

I might think of a few reasons: save energy, kill the light, etc. etc. I have 3-display setup, but often one or two are turned off. When I'm playing a game, I often have no need for the 3rd or 2nd display.
 
What Apple DP cable are you talking about guys?

You mean their thunderbolt cable? (which works like a mini DP cable... right?)
 
Thanks to the advice of fellow Hardforummer, Rev0, the MST capability of my U3014 is now working!
What we did was to uninstall the current Catalyst Software Suite in my PC, reboot, install Catalyst Software Suite version 13.3 Beta and the MST hub within the U3014 was detected.

MST + eyefinity really rocks!

Once again, thank you Rev0. Your kind offer to help is very much appreciated :)
 
I have ordered the u3014, can someone point me to a cable known to really be dp 1.2 ?

Thanks.
 
Does anyone know if this monitor is capable of displaying 24p-friendly refresh rates, such as 24 Hz, 48 Hz, 72 Hz or even 96 Hz? It's easy to test using e.g. custom resolutions in the NVidia control panel. Thanks.
 
Using the monitor overclocking through nvidia CP, I can get 85hz with the u2713 and 80 with the u3011 if that helps. As far as the u3014...no idea...

I should add that even though I can overclock the screens with the nvidia control panel, it makes absolutely no different to smoothness perception. Even though i've verified that i'm running the higher refresh rate, I just get a ton of tearing and no additional smoothness. Apparently there's an electronics requirement that isn't being met, so it just drops frames above 60.

So i've pretty much gone back to 60hz.. I really don't feel there is any benefit until the screens have the proper electronics to drive the higher refresh rates....
 
I will be using my Titans to push mine and I'll let you know. My U2410 will do 75hz or something max.

(like xoleras I saw no difference so back to 60hz for me)
 
^ You can also use any GTX 600 product with the 314.14 driver or higher to "overclock" a monitor - see caveats above though. I don't overclock my screens even though my monitors can do it.

I don't think it's a well known feature though. Very YMMV thing, let us know how it turns out on the 3014 mbreslin ;)
 
I'm actually interested in 24 Hz and 48 Hz too. Anything that's an integer multiple of 24 will do. As an example, my current monitor (Hyundai W240D V2) actually accepts and correctly displays 48 Hz with no frame drops, repeats or tearing. This "feature" (which was probably not even intended by the manufacturer in my case) seems to be extremely rare though, so I would not be surprised if the U3014 is not capable of doing that.

If the monitor accepts other sample rates but don't display them correctly (e.g. frame drops, repeats, tearing), then of course there's no point in using anything other than 60 Hz.
 
Hi Zetc

Thank’s for the review – you have done some effeort in providing usefull information for those interested in buying a Dell 3014 monitor. But honestly – a lot of the information posted when comparing the old 3011 and the new 3014 is useless for one reason – you haven’t calibrated any of them!
People using calibrators nows that output from a screen varies through its lifetime same goes for colour uniformity.

You cannot assume that just because you set both monitors to 50% lightning screen output should be the same. Same goes for colour issues which you mention.

Whit a monitor in that price range you should buy yourself a calibrator right away especially if you are planning on some serious Photoshop work etc.

Since tftcentral.com has tested the Dell U3014 with good result and not found the issues you mention this should encourage you to buy a calibrator – I’m sure that will be able to eliminate problems like the yellow tint and the spill light you have experienced.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u3014.htm

I have ordered a Dell U3014 as a replacement for my old EIZO S2431W monitor. I very much expect the new dell to be superior in any way because of new and better technologies.

Thanks’ again for you review – next time stick to what you can actually measure.

“I killed the cat” :)
 
Who Killed The Cat said:
Hi Zetc

Thank’s for the review – you have done some effeort in providing usefull information for those interested in buying a Dell 3014 monitor. But honestly – a lot of the information posted when comparing the old 3011 and the new 3014 is useless for one reason – you haven’t calibrated any of them!
People using calibrators nows that output from a screen varies through its lifetime same goes for colour uniformity.

You cannot assume that just because you set both monitors to 50% lightning screen output should be the same. Same goes for colour issues which you mention.

Whit a monitor in that price range you should buy yourself a calibrator right away especially if you are planning on some serious Photoshop work etc.

Since tftcentral.com has tested the Dell U3014 with good result and not found the issues you mention this should encourage you to buy a calibrator – I’m sure that will be able to eliminate problems like the yellow tint and the spill light you have experienced.

http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/dell_u3014.htm

I have ordered a Dell U3014 as a replacement for my old EIZO S2431W monitor. I very much expect the new dell to be superior in any way because of new and better technologies.

Thanks’ again for you review – next time stick to what you can actually measure.

“I killed the cat” :)
Click to expand...
What you say about getting a calibrator is very true, in fact, I did look up the X-Rite Pro calibrator on Amazon as I was contemplating getting one, but at $245 USD a pop, I'll probably toy with that idea for a while longer. Besides, how often am I going to use a calibrator?
Between spending money on a calibrator and buying another 2 more U3014s, I'm more inclined to buy more monitors. More screen estate vs slightly less accurate colours? I'm sure most here would choose more screen estate ;)

Besides, both the U3011 and U3014 are supposed to be factory calibrated, so the comparison of these 2 monitors out of the box would still be good info for the rest of us here who do not own a calibrator.

Some things I am very sure are the facts that:
The U3014 consumes less power (thus producing less heat) than the U3011 at the same 50% brightness, this to me is the biggest plus point because I definitely can feel the heat from the U3011 on my face after extended use of the U3011.
The U3014 has better AG coating than the U3011, text on white background definitely appears sharper.
The U3014 weighs less than the U3011, which is a good thing, who needs a really heavy paperweight right?

Glad that you enjoyed my unboxing thread and informal review. I'll leave the professional review and measurements to sites like tftcentral and anandtech :cool:
 
Yes thanks for your review it definitely helped my decision. (which I'm very glad I made btw) :)
 
I am getting the u3011 over the u3014 because it would be a lot cheaper. After see this page, I have made my mind up. They both are great monitors. I think the colors look better on the older version. plus I like the looks of the back of the old monitor, with that older thick Dell logo and the older stand :)
 
GerardFreeman said:
I am getting the u3011 over the u3014 because it would be a lot cheaper. After see this page, I have made my mind up. They both are great monitors. I think the colors look better on the older version. plus I like the looks of the back of the old monitor, with that older thick Dell logo and the older stand :)
Click to expand...

How much cheaper?
 
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