Valentina Palladino

















Ultra-wide monitors are overwhelming yet impressive to behold, and Dell thinks it has made one that will appeal to all types of professionals. The new U4919DW UltraSharp 49-inch curved monitor nods to the massive gaming monitors made by Samsung, MSI, and others, but it adds a workplace spin while upping the resolution to QHD.

Dell describes the U4919DW as the equivalent of two 27-inch monitors stuck together, and its dual mode cements that comparison. Users can fill the entire screen with their desired programs, or they can split it down the middle so the display literally looks like a beast with two heads—two different screens sitting side by side on a single stand.

While one person could use this monitor and bask in its 5120×1440-resolution glory on their own, Dell designed it to accommodate two people (or two digital work spaces). Its Picture-by-Picture mode lets you connect two PCs to the monitor at once, viewing one machine's content on the right side of the monitor and the other PC's contents on the left. Using Dell's Keyboard, Video, and Mouse feature, one wired or wireless keyboard and mouse can control both PCs as well.

As with all Dell monitors, the company's Display Manager software works with the U4919DW. The Easy Arrange feature will likely be a favorite for anyone using this monitor, because it lets you position open windows next to each other as neat tiles, keeping everything organized and in view. The Auto-Restore feature maintains that order even when you disconnect from the monitor—all of your open windows will be right where you left them when you reconnect.

Let's take a look at the specs: it's a dual 5120×1440 display with a 32:9 aspect ratio and an in-plane switching panel. It can achieve a 60Hz refresh rate, but you'll need the proper graphics card to get it there. The U4919DW doesn't have Nvidia G-Sync or AMD FreeSync technology, so it won't appeal to gamers as much as it will other types of professionals. Instead of Dell Premier color, it has 99 percent sRGB color gamut with Comfort View to filter out blue light.

The U4919DW uses just one USB-C port to connect to your PC. That port supports data, video, and power, and the monitor has a 90W power supply so it can charge up your PC. In addition, it has two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort, five USB-A 3.0 downstream ports, and two USB-A 3.0 upstream ports.

Dell understands that a monitor like the U4919DW will appeal to some industries more than others. Financial programs were the majority of those demoed when I saw the monitor in person, showing how stock brokers and others in the financial sector could use the behemoth to be more productive and multitask better. But Dell's also banking on those in other industries who already know the value of having multiple external monitors. More screen space means more space to think, organize, and produce. Rather than fumbling with two or more monitors, Dell is hoping more people will gravitate to the single, gigantic-monitor experience.

But like all monitors of this size and quality, it comes at a high price. The Dell U4919DW UltraSharp 49-inch curved monitor will be available starting at $1,699 on October 26.