Dell UltraSharp U2718Q: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-26

Summary

Owners most often report red or IPS glow in the corners on dark backgrounds, possible image retention or burn-in, and flickering that can appear even in self-test mode, plus a green tint out of the box that calibration only partly fixes. There are no consumables; power draw is 30 W typical (24.32 W ENERGY STAR), so electricity cost depends on local rate and usage. At the historical used price of $313.95 it is a fair buy for 4K productivity if the panel checks clean, and a weaker buy at the $449-460 new range.

Common problems and fixes

Red or IPS glow in corners on dark backgrounds — reported by multiple owners on Reddit; whether it worsens over time is debated; no documented fix beyond panel replacement, and the Premium Panel Guarantee covers bright pixels, not glow. [8][9][14]
Image retention or burn-in — some owners report stuck images and red corners; an iFixit owner reports a main-board replacement resolved burn-in-like symptoms; warranty coverage is not confirmed. [11][13][14][15]
Flickering — reported even in self-test mode with no input, sometimes persisting after firmware resets and cable swaps; no fix documented; warranty coverage not established. [10][12]
Green tint out of the box — Fstoppers and InPics report an excessive green tint that calibration improves but does not fully remove; not a defect per se. [5][7]
Mediocre black uniformity and visible backlight bleed — RTINGS rated black uniformity mediocre with visible bleed in testing. [3]
PWM backlight, not flicker-free — the backlight uses PWM despite ComfortView; may bother flicker-sensitive users. [4]
No FreeSync or Adaptive-Sync, 60 Hz only — limits gaming use; input lag measured about 9 ms (DisplayNinja) and 14 ms (MonitorNerds). [4][6]

Parts and consumables

Yearly running cost

No consumables, filters or subscriptions. Power draw is 30 W typical (24.32 W ENERGY STAR), so electricity cost depends on local rate and hours used; no annual figure is given in the sources. [1][2]

When it is a good buy

Historical prices: $449 regular and $313.95 used (B&H) at the time of the Fstoppers review; DisplayNinja puts the usual price around $460; the PremierColor UP2718Q was about $1,342 and the BenQ SW2700PT $599. [4][5]

At the used price of $313.95 it is a fair buy for 4K productivity and video if the panel is checked for red glow, retention and flicker.
At the $449-460 new range it is weaker value, since measured contrast and sRGB fall short of claims and HDR is emulated.
Above that range, look at newer 4K monitors unless you specifically need the full ergonomic stand and USB hub.

Alternatives:

Dell UP2718Q (PremierColor) — the better choice when you need wide gamut and true HDR with full-array local dimming, at about $1,342. [5]
BenQ SW2700PT — the better choice for color-critical print work, at $599, with wider gamut than the U2718Q’s roughly 75% Adobe RGB. [5]