Dell's new UltraSharp monitor could be my perfect WFH recommendation

If the Dell UltraSharp U4323QE has made it on to your shortlist of the best 4K monitors, it's going to be because you're after something that's pretty huge. This is a giant 43-inch monitor (well, 42.5-inch on the diagonal, to be precise), and it will take up a significant amount of room on your desk.

This is your classic case of a 4K monitor that excels in certain areas, while at the same time being pretty average in other departments, which I'll get into shortly. It's going to have genuine appeal for some groups of users – especially those 'WFH' – while others will hardly give it a second glance.

We've got plenty more buying advice if you're still considering your options for your next monitor upgrade. As well as reading this review, you might also want to check out our guides to the best monitors for the MacBook Pro and the best monitors for home working.

Dell UltraSharp U4323QE: Price & Availability

The Dell UltraSharp U4323QE is available to buy now from several retail outlets, and at the time of writing is retailing for around £950 / $1,030 – though the widgets embedded on this page will lead you to the best prices.

If you're in the UK, as well as picking up the monitor from Dell direct, you can find it at retailers including Amazon and Currys.

Dell UltraSharp U4323QE review: Design & Setup

If you're going to go for a 43-inch monitor, you're going to have to be prepared for it to take up a substantial amount of space. With the stand, and set to its lowest position, this unit measures 967 x 595 x 256mm, so it's bulky. You can just about get it up and in place without help, but a second pair of hands is recommended.

You can get everything assembled without any tools, which I always like to see: it's all slots and thumbscrews. You've then built a mega monitor with an aesthetic that's minimal and business-like – some would call the design dull, others would say it's streamlined.

There's not a whole lot of stand adjustment available, but small height, swivel, and tilt tweaks can be made. All of which comes in handy.

You've got a plethora of ports to play around with here too. There are 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C port with 90W power delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 support, 3x USB-C upstream ports, and 3x USB-A ports. All the USB ports offering USB 3.2 Gen 2 support. You also get an Ethernet port, plus a 3.5 mm audio port.

It's very comprehensive and speaks to the main appeal of the monitor: as a productivity powerhouse. You can use the Dell UltraSharp U4323QE as a USB hub, or as a KVM switch with several different computers connected.

Everything is managed with a straightforward on-screen menu system, and I like the power button and control joystick position around the lower back right corner – a much more accessible configuration than many monitors.

Dell UltraSharp U4323QE review: Picture & Features

This IPS LCD panel runs a 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) in a 16:9 aspect ratio, and gives you 350 nits maximum brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and 95% sRGB colour gamut coverage.

Gamers aren't going to be too impressed with the 60Hz refresh rate and the 5ms response time, though. You can of course attach this to a gaming PC or a console, but you won't get the best of experiences.

What it's like to actually sit in front of depends on what you're looking at. For getting through some serious work – webpages, documents, spreadsheets, image editing – it's really impressive. Everything is crisp and clear, even if it's not the most vibrant in terms of its colours, so it's hard to quibble with the quality.

For more demanding use cases, like movies or games, the output from the Dell UltraSharp U4323QE isn't quite so good. It's still perfectly respectable, but this isn't the panel to put at the top of your list if you're going to do a significant amount of gaming or want to use it as the basis of a home cinema setup (the lack of HDR is another mark against it there).

I was impressed by the two 8W stereo speakers built into the monitor. It's always better having integrated speakers, just in case you need them, even if you're planning on connecting a dedicated sound system as well. You don't get soundbar quality or anything like that, but it's more than good enough for casual video watching and music listening.

Dell has packed in a bunch of additional features here to further push the appeal of the UltraSharp U4323QE if productivity is your priority. You can, for example, get four separate inputs up on the display at once – so a live feed from a streaming dongle, a laptop, a desktop, and perhaps even a games console too. These inputs can be managed via the Dell Display Manager app.

You also get Dell's ComfortView Plus technology included: an always-on, hardware-based technology that's designed to reduce blue light emissions while maintaining colour accuracy. It's arguable how much of a difference it actually makes, but I certainly found the panel easy on the eyes during my testing.

Dell UltraSharp U4323QE review: Verdict

I like my screens big, so I can get multiple apps and browser tabs up at the same time, and the Dell UltraSharp U4323QE certainly delivers here. As Windows and macOS have both gotten better at supporting larger monitors and snapping open windows to the sides and the corners of a display, this 43-inch scale has real worth.

Having one central monitor to act as a hub for all my gadgets and computers really appeals to me, too, especially if I can get four screens up simultaneously while keeping everything charged. If you agree, rather than thinking that's really more visual input than anyone needs, the Dell UltraSharp U4323QE will seem like a great investment.

I found that this is a monitor that performs well for the tasks that I do every single day: researching products on the internet, writing up reviews, editing images, and checking lots and lots of emails. So if you're after a monitor with high-end picture quality and features for home office work and creative tasks – at a very large size – it's a big success.

Also consider

If it's a 4K monitor you're after, you can find them in a wide variety of shapes and sizes now. Case in point: the 31.5-inch BenQ PD3225U, which excels in terms of the colour and contrast it offers, and is very much aimed at creative professionals.

Then we have the 39.7-inch Philips 40B1U6903CH, which ups the resolution to 5K (that's 5,120 x 2,160 pixels), extends the aspect ratio to 21:9, and includes a curved panel. It's pricier, and again focuses very much on high-end specs and productivity features, but it's very impressive.