LG 27UP850-W vs Dell U2723QE: Best 4K for Mac

Two 27-inch 4K monitors. Both have USB-C with power delivery. Both work beautifully with MacBooks. But one costs $170 more than the other. Let’s figure out if it’s worth it.

The $170 Question

The LG 27UP850-W sits around $300. The Dell UltraSharp U2723QE goes for about $470. Same size, same resolution, both charge your MacBook over USB-C. So what are you paying an extra $170 for?

Three things: the panel, the color accuracy, and the built-in USB hub.

Panel Technology: IPS vs IPS Black

This is the headline difference. The LG uses a standard IPS panel. The Dell uses LG’s IPS Black technology — yes, Dell’s monitor uses an LG panel. IPS Black delivers roughly 2,000:1 contrast ratio compared to standard IPS’s ~1,000:1.

In practice, this means dark scenes in movies actually look dark on the Dell, while the LG shows them as dark gray. Side by side, it’s immediately obvious. On its own, the LG looks perfectly fine — you won’t know what you’re missing until you see the Dell next to it.

For text, spreadsheets, browsing? You won’t notice the difference. For photo editing, video, or just watching movies at your desk? The Dell’s deeper blacks are worth seeing.

Color Accuracy

Metric	LG 27UP850-W	Dell U2723QE
DCI-P3	95%	98%
sRGB	99%	100%
Factory Calibration	No	Yes (Delta E < 2)
HDR	HDR400	HDR400

The Dell comes factory-calibrated with a Delta E under 2 — meaning colors are accurate enough for professional use right out of the box. The LG’s colors are good but not calibrated, so you might want to profile it if you do color-sensitive work.

For most people (web browsing, coding, documents), both look excellent. The difference only matters if you’re editing photos for print or grading video.

USB-C and Connectivity

LG 27UP850-W:

• USB-C with 96W PD (charges your MacBook)
• 2x HDMI
• 1x DisplayPort
• No USB hub

Dell U2723QE:

• USB-C with 90W PD (charges your MacBook)
• 1x HDMI
• 1x DisplayPort
• Built-in USB hub: 5x USB-A, 1x USB-C, 1x RJ45 Ethernet
• KVM switch for sharing peripherals between two computers

The Dell’s built-in USB hub is a genuine selling point. Connect a keyboard, mouse, webcam, and Ethernet to the monitor — then a single USB-C cable from the monitor to your MacBook connects everything. It’s basically a USB-C dock built into a monitor. If you’d rather keep a dedicated dock, our best docking stations for MacBook 2026 roundup covers the top options.

The LG gives you 6 more watts of charging (96W vs 90W). In practice, both charge a MacBook Air at full speed. Neither difference matters for the Air.

Build and Ergonomics

Both monitors offer height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustment. Both can rotate to portrait mode. Both have thin bezels and look professional on a desk.

The Dell has a slightly more premium feel in the stand — it’s heavier and more solid. The LG’s stand works fine but feels a bit plasticky in comparison.

Both are VESA compatible (100x100mm) if you want to mount them on an arm. Pairing either panel with a clean desk setup? Our MacBook Air M4 desk setup guide walks through cables, stands, and lighting.

Who Should Buy What

Buy the LG 27UP850-W ($300) if:

• You want the best 4K USB-C monitor under $350
• Color accuracy is important but not mission-critical
• You already have a USB-C hub or dock
• Budget matters

Buy the Dell U2723QE ($470) if:

• You do color-sensitive work (photography, design, video)
• You want to eliminate a separate USB hub — the monitor IS your dock
• You appreciate deeper blacks and better contrast
• You plan to keep this monitor for 5+ years (the Dell’s quality justifies long-term ownership)

Our Verdict

The LG at $300 is a fantastic monitor. Genuinely. If someone asked us to recommend a single monitor for a MacBook without any other context, we’d say the LG. It does 90% of what the Dell does at 64% of the price.

The Dell at $470 is the better monitor. The IPS Black panel, factory calibration, and built-in hub make it objectively superior. Whether that’s worth $170 more depends on how much time you spend staring at it and whether you do work that demands accurate color.

Neither is a wrong choice. The LG is the smart buy. The Dell is the best buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will either monitor charge a 14” or 16” MacBook Pro at full speed?

The MacBook Air M-series charges fine at 90-96W from either panel. The 14” MacBook Pro is fine at 96W from the LG and 90W from the Dell — you’ll only see slight slowdowns under heavy sustained load. The 16” MacBook Pro officially wants 140W and won’t reach full charge speed from either monitor, though both will still trickle-charge it during use.

Q: Do these monitors run at 4K 60Hz over USB-C on a MacBook?

Yes, both deliver full 4K (3840x2160) at 60Hz through USB-C or Thunderbolt on any M1 or newer MacBook. There’s no display scaling penalty on macOS with either one.

Q: Is IPS Black really noticeable compared to standard IPS?

In a bright room with mostly white content (docs, web, spreadsheets), barely. In a dim room with dark-mode apps or video, it’s obvious within minutes. If you watch movies at your desk, IPS Black is the upgrade you’ll actually feel.

Q: Can I use these monitors with a Windows laptop too?

Both are completely OS-agnostic. USB-C power delivery, DisplayPort, and HDMI all work with any modern Windows laptop. The Dell’s KVM switch is especially useful if you dock both a Mac and a PC.

Q: Do I need HDR or is the HDR400 rating irrelevant?

Honest answer: HDR400 on either monitor is marginal. It technically accepts HDR signals but the peak brightness is too low for the effect to matter. Treat both as SDR panels with a nice feature checkbox.