When asked what makes Dell monitors so different from the competition, it is important to understand that many competitors actually use the same panels and underlying technologies. This means that the panels, the parts that generate the images users see on their screens, is often shared between Dell monitors and monitors sold by the competition. With that being the case, what is it that truly makes Dell monitors unique?

Part of the answer lies not in the actual panels that generate the images consumers see but rather lie in the exterior shells that those panels are attached to. Style is an important factor for many, and a cutting edge industrial look that is frequently updated is certainly chic by nearly any standard. This might seem unimportant at first blush, but there is a method to what appears to be nothing more than cosmetic choices.

First, the use of affordable materials paired with quality components helps keep the price and weight of products and boxing down significantly. Affordability is an easy to understand concept that almost all consumers should understand very well, but many consumer may not give as much attention to the issue of weight as they should. Weight influences the price and size of packaging, shipping and freight costs, and cost of storing and handling products and return. Lower weights make for additional savings that can be passed on to customers which is one more reason that Dell monitors are smartly designed compared to metal clad offerings from the competition.

Of particular note are the company's 30" offerings that handily demonstrate just how their affordability pays off. None of the competition can match the quality and price point of the professional grade 30" monitors simply because of the time and attention that the engineers spend designing affordable monitors paired with the fact that the company is in a position to buy in bulk quantities.

In addition to the weight of the shell on most Dell monitors there are also a few other factors that make them different than some of the competition. Despite being lighter, most Dell monitors tend to have slightly larger rear profiles that are both stylistic and functional. Larger rear profiles allow for additional ventilation and stability, both of which can potentially offer benefits to consumers. There is often also room for additional features such as onboard USB hubs at affordable prices.

Integrated USB hubs are a very useful, especially powered USB hubs that are integrated into some of the mid- and high-end Dell monitors. Since most Dell monitors place at least three or four powered USB ports within easy reach of consumers, those same computer owners are free to place their towers, desktops, netbooks, and/or laptops nearly anywhere they like. Furthermore, laptop and netbook are almost uniformly deficient in USB ports and doubly so in powered USB ports that would otherwise sap critical battery life.

Some Dell monitors are not only stylish, affordable, and pack useful features, some also feature unique panels or panels that are at least uncommon. Examples of this include the company's newer line of high pixel density 27" monitor, their combined ventures with NVIDIA to produce 3D monitors that produce cinema-grade 3D effects, and an entire top to bottom lineup of LED-backlit LCD monitors that are as gorgeous as they are power efficient. With appeal to budding digital artists, gamers, and the environmentally aware respectively, these lineups demonstrate the amazing design and business philosophies of one of the world's leading computer companies at the same time.