Peripheral connectivity has been an essential part of computing as long as I (one of those self indulgent 35 year old millennials) have been alive. Through the years, USB connections have changed size and shape. Those connections left many cables to be kept in drawers, closets, boxes, and totes rarely to be used but potentially a necessity if we encounter an old external hard drive, printer, or digital camera. We all have our own unique ways to explain the different type of each squarish or rectangular-ish connector when trying to ask our friends or colleagues for a cable. I remember the horror of trying to charge my phone with a micro USB, in the dark, and being unable to “mate” on the first attempt.
Fortunately, we now have USB-C and the days of getting the cable the correct side up 15% of the time when we should have a 50% chance are behind us. With the newest versions of USB-C, you can charge your device, send video, and transfer data all through a single cable. Sadly, there are still many vendors that cling to the now outdated micro USB to my dismay but I see that gradually changing.
One Port to Rule Them All (and a Monitor to Bind Them)
The Dell U2421E monitor would be a pretty lackluster device if it weren’t for the it offered. It has a resolution of 1920×1200 (16×10 ratio)which is average in a world were 1440p monitors are becoming the norm. Its color depth is 8-bit which is pretty average. You certainly are not going to be using it for gaming with its 60 hz refresh rate either. However, this monitor shines for another reason: USB-C connectivity.
In the miserable year of 2020, many people are going remote or mobile and offices are desperately trying to facilitate that need. For a lot of people, this means getting a device like a Surface Pro or a lightweight laptop to replace their normal workstation. The Surface Pro is a wonderful device, but it lacks connectivity unless coupled with a Surface Dock. Unfortunately, these can be a bit pricey at around $150. You would also need two of them to supplement connectivity at your home and office. This is where getting the Dell U2421E comes in.
The monitor has onboard Ethernet, USB(A and C), audio jack, and DisplayPort output that can connect to your device via a single USB-C input port while charging your device. It is difficult to describe how huge of a deal this is as an IT professional! No longer do you need the Surface Dock and its bulky power brick equal to the size of the dock itself. Best of all, USB-C means that the monitor is useful to many different devices including android phones.
Ethernet
As an IT professional, I cannot stress how useful it is to have a physical Ethernet connection especially when dealing with a domain. For the user, it eliminates points of failure while using their mobile device.
DisplayPort Output
With this port, you can connect other monitors to have a multi-monitor setup without the need for a dock or separate adapters.
Audio
The monitor has magnetic connection points for a USB-A soundbar as well as a 3.5mm audio plug.
Other Ports
The Dell U2421E also has a HDMI input port as well as 3 USB-A ports and an additional USB-C port
Nothing is Perfect
USB-C still has some caveats. The consumer must have a cable that meets all of the specifications to get the advanced features out of the port. Things like DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, power delivery, and the fastest data transfer speeds require higher quality cables. To make matters worse, a consumer may not be aware of the quality of cable they are purchasing and become understandably frustrated when features do not work. There is a great article that covers these negatives in detail here. One thing a friend of mine pointed out is the flimsy part of the connection is located on the device rather than the cable which could cause expensive issues. Even considering all of these issues, I believe USB-C is the right path forward and the future of connectivity looks great.
For those interested, the U2421E monitor can be purchased from Dell and Newegg.
Addressing My Bias and a Personal Note
I use Dell computers and hardware at work and use a few Dell products at home. As a company, they have done many things to irritate the crap out of me. I find their choice of mounting legacy soundbars to the monitor stands instead of the monitors themselves a minor hassle. The excuse “the bezels are too thin” is frankly idiotic. Little things like that tend to add up for me. However, Dell does deserve kudos for the choices made with the U2421E monitor and I look forward to more intelligently designed products in the future.
I did not want to consider this a review as I do not have the hardware to properly review monitors in detail. For that, I recommend sites like TFTCentral or RTings.
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