Image: Dell
Touchscreens seem to be taking over the laptop world, perhaps mirroring their ubiquity in the mobile space and elsewhere. But it’s still hard to find a touchscreen stand-alone monitor, unless you count all-in-one desktop designs. The latest offering from Dell’s well-regarded P series takes a leap into this wide-open space, offering the popular, laptop-friendly USB-C hub and a touchscreen all in one package. But the touchscreen isn’t just an add-on feature. With a stand that folds down for tablet-like interaction, it becomes the monitor’s centerpiece.
Dell’s 24 Touch USB-C Hub Monitor, P2424HT to its friends, looks barely distinguishable from other Dell displays at first glance. It’s got the thin bezels, the silver-ish base, and a ho-hum 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate on the IPS panel. But push it down a bit and it articulates until the bottom edge is flat on your desk, offering an approximate 30-degree angle for the 10-point touchscreen. It’s a neat trick, especially considering that the stand is barely any bigger than Dell’s normal pack-in stands. It’s reminiscent of the fold-down action of the (much, much larger) Surface Studio. The screen includes a padded bottom for just that function, and cables are routed and protected to make it all work smoothly.
Further reading: Best USB-C monitors 2023: These displays have a hidden talent
Speaking of cables, the P2424HT includes a surprising number of ports. In addition to the usual HDMI and DisplayPort, you get USB-C video and power (up to 90 watts), dual USB 3.2 Gen 1 on the bottom, and another 3.2 port and USB-C port (15 watts) on the side. Those two ports get a nifty pop-up cover for when they’re not being used. There’s also a headphone jack and an RJ45 Ethernet port, which The Verge notes is a first for a 24-inch touchscreen monitor, and the USM ports include KVM multi-machine capabilities. 3-watt speakers fire out of the top, which makes sense if the monitor will spend a lot of time with its butt on the desk.
The monitor is going for $519.99 at launch, which is surprisingly cheap for a touchscreen panel, even if it is on the smaller side. At the moment there aren’t any options for bigger or more high-res panels in this fold-down form factor, but hopefully they’ll be coming soon. For more coverage on the best monitors for every user, check out our 2023 roundup.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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