The key features of the Dell P2421 Monitor are:
This section provides some technical specifications of the Dell P2421 Monitor. For more information, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor.
Panel technology |
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Maximum resolution |
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Viewing angle |
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Contrast ratio |
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Response time |
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Color gamut |
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Color depth |
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Ports and connectors |
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For the best viewing experience, assemble the monitor stand, connect and organize the cables, and set up the monitor ergonomically.
The standard monitor stand is detached when it is shipped from the factory. To learn how to attach the standard monitor stand, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor.
To learn how to set up any other monitor stand or monitor arm, see the setup guide of the product.
Where you put your monitor is almost as important as what model you buy.
To connect your Dell P2421 Monitor to your computer:
For additional product-specific information, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 Monitor.
Dell P2421 Monitor orientation must always be in landscape mode. This includes any wall-mounted monitors, monitors on a stand, or a monitor arm. In a multiple monitor setup, Dell P2421must not be rotated either to 180° (landscape) or 90° (portrait).
When setting up your Dell P2421 Monitor, ensure that the front panel buttons are at the bottom right.
The monitor stand allows you to tilt and swivel the monitor to set the most comfortable viewing angle.
Figure 1: Using Tilt and Swivel on Dell P2421 Monitor.
Monitors that are mounted on a wall or monitor arm must conform to the recommended panel orientation and working angle.
Figure 2: Orientation of Dell P2421 Monitor
Use the buttons on the monitor to access the on-screen display (OSD) menu of the monitor. To access the on-screen display (OSD) menu, press Button 5 (Figure 3) at the bottom of the monitor.
To learn more about navigating through the on-screen display (OSD) menu, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 Monitor.
Figure 3: Dell P2421front panel buttons
Button | Function | Description |
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Button 1 | Power button (with LED indicator) | A solid white light indicates that the monitor is On and fully functional. Blinking white light indicates the power save mode. |
Button 2 | Shortcut key for Preset Modes | Use this button to choose from a list of preset color modes. |
Button 3 | Shortcut key for Brightness and Contrast | Use this button to adjust the brightness and contrast. Minimum is 0 (-). Maximum is 100 (+). |
Button 4 | Shortcut key for Input Source | Use this button to select the input source. |
Button 5 | Menu | Use the MENU button to launch the On-Screen Display (OSD). |
Button 6 | Exit | Use this button to exit the OSD main menu. |
Resetting a monitor to factory defaults can help resolve many video or display-related issues. Reset your Dell P2421 Monitor to factory default settings by following these steps:
Figure 4: Dell P2421Front Panel Buttons
Diagnostic test helps determine if Dell monitor is normal when faced with blank screen, blurry image, flickering or other abnormalities.
Verify that the monitor is working correctly by running a diagnostic test if you experience the following symptoms.
Your Dell P2421 Monitor provides a self-test feature check that allows you to check if the monitor is functioning properly. When the monitor is connected to the computer but the screen stays dark, run the monitor self-test by following these steps:
If the screen remains blank, check the video card (GPU) and computer, because the monitor is functioning properly.
Your Dell P2421 Monitor has an integrated diagnostic tool. Hardware diagnostic helps determine if the screen abnormality issue is with the monitor or the video card on your computer.
If you observe any screen anomalies, you should isolate the monitor by performing the built-in diagnostics (BID).
If you do not detect any screen abnormalities in the diagnostics test, the monitor is functioning properly. Check the video card (GPU) and the computer.
If you notice any abnormalities in the diagnostics test, contact Dell Technical Support for repair options.
During the manufacturing process, it is not uncommon for one or more pixels to get stuck in an unchanging state. Such pixel issues are hard to see and do not affect the display quality or usability. Learn more about Dell Display Pixel Guidelines.
The following table contains information about troubleshooting common display-related issues on your Dell P2421 Monitor.
Alternatively, learn How to Troubleshoot Display or Video Issues on a Dell Monitor or check our Dell monitor self-help guide.
Common Problem | What User Experiences | Possible Solution |
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No Video - Power LED Off | No picture. |
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No Video - Power LED On | No picture or no brightness. |
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Poor Focus | Picture is fuzzy, blurry, or ghosting. |
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Shaky or Jittery Video | Wavy picture or fine movement. |
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Missing Pixels | LCD screen has spots. |
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Stuck On/Off Pixels | LCD screen has bright spot. |
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Brightness Problems | Picture too dim or too bright. |
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Geometric Distortion | Screen not centered correctly. |
NOTE: When using DisplayPort input, the positioning adjustments are not available.
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Horizontal or Vertical Lines | Screen has one or more lines. |
NOTE: When using DisplayPort input, the positioning adjustments are not available.
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Synchronization Problems | Screen appears scrambled or torn. |
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Safety-Related Issues | Visible signs of smoke or sparks. |
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Intermittent Problems | Monitor malfunctions on and off. |
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Missing Color | Picture does not have color. |
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Wrong Color | Picture color is not good. |
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Image Retention from a Static Image Left on the Monitor for a Long Period | Faint shadow from the static image appears on the screen. |
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Screen image is too small. | Image is centered on screen, but does not fill entire viewing area. |
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Image Ghosting | Fast-moving images leave a trail of shadow images. | On certain videos and applications with fast-moving images, imaging ghosting, which appears as a trailing shadow, may occur. Change the Response Time to Fast using the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu. |
No Input Signal when user controls are pressed. | No picture, the power LED light is white. |
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The picture does not fill the entire screen. | The picture cannot fill the height or width of the screen. |
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No Video, No Display | No video when connecting docking, dongle, or Blu-ray DVD players | Because legacy platforms cannot identify or output 1234 x 1234, adjust the EDID to a lower resolution to address this compatibility issue.
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Unable to switch back to native resolution (1234 x 1234) after Picture by Picture is turned off. | Dell P2421 supports Picture by Picture (PBP) mode. Picture by Picture (PBP) mode is 2 side-by-side images with each image that is displayed at 2560 x 1440 resolution. When the monitor is connected to a computer using HDMI and PBP mode is turned off, the monitor may display images at the lower resolution (2560 x 1440) rather than automatically switching to the native resolution (1234 x 1234). |
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Display mode changes from Second screen onlyto Extended modeafter opening and closing the laptop LCD. |
The display mode on your computer reverts to When you close and then reopen the lid on a laptop, the Connecting and Configuring Displays (CCD) feature in Windows automatically reverts the display mode to the last active selection. This behavior is by design in Microsoft Windows. |
Switch to the display mode that you want after you close and reopen the laptop screen manually:
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Monitor blinks twice when connected to computer with Nvidia NVS 310 video or graphics card. | When the monitor is turned-off and back on, the monitor may blink twice. This issue may occur if the computer is using a Nvidia Graphic NVS 310 card and graphics card resolution setting is 2560 x 1600. |
To resolve this issue, manually set the resolution to 2560 x 1440 using the Nvidia Control Panel.
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Monitor has sound icon when Dell P2421 is connected to a laptop using HDMI. | Dell P2421 does not support audio or sound using HDMI. Speakers or headphones must be connected using the audio connector on the computer. |
To resolve the audio icon displaying, update the video or graphics (GPU) driver to the latest version. Learn How to Download and Install Dell Drivers. |
Monitor will not display Blu-Ray video after the monitor is powered-off and powered on. | If the monitor is powered-off and powered-on when displaying the Blu-Ray video, the Blu-ray player may lose the data signal from the system to the monitor. |
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Cannot enable YCbCr color mode on the monitor. | When monitor is connect to the computer using HDMI, the video or graphics card (GPU) controls the YCbCr setting | Disable the YCbCr setting from the video or graphics utility such as Intel HD Graphics Control Panel. |
Monitor will not support the YCbCr color format when a USB-C to HDMI dongle is connected from the monitor to the computer. | Some combinations of USB-C to HDMI dongle and video or graphics card (GPU) are not compatible to support the YCbCr color format. |
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When changing the monitor’s resolution from Windows Display Settings, the image quality may not be good. | Windows Display Settings and the resolution settings on the laptop's video or graphics utility may not be compatible. | Change the resolution using the video or graphics card (GPU) utility such as Intel HD Graphics Control Panel. |
No video when the monitor is connected to a Dell docking station. | The monitor may not receive video signals from the computer when connected to a Dell docking station. | To learn more about how to set up and configure the Dell P2421 monitor with a Dell docking station, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor. |
Light leak from the monitor | The monitor appears to have light leak from the edges in a dark room | This is the normal behavior of the monitor. Dell consumer monitors are tested under 150-lux ambient lighting (similar to typical office lighting). Dell UltraSharp and Gaming monitors are tested with tighter criteria of 70-lux ambient lighting (dimly lit room, but not dark). Learn more about Troubleshooting Light Leakage or Light Bleeding on a Dell Monitor or Laptop LCD Screen. |
Color variation on the corners of the monitor | The monitor appears to have color variation on the corners of the screen | The optimal viewing position for the monitor is from the center of the screen. Dell P2421 monitor uses a curved IPS panel, the corners of the screen may appear slightly yellowish or pinkish, especially when viewing in a dark room. This is normal IPS panel behavior and typically does not affect the overall viewing performance.
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No video when a Blu-Ray, DVD player or PS4 is connected to the monitor using HDMI. | The monitor does not display any video when an external Blu-ray, DVD player or PS4 is connected. | Dell P2421 monitor is factory default set at HDMI EDID with 3 Block (Detailed Timing Descriptor) to support 1234 x 1234 @ 60 Hz. To display a resolution of 3840 x 1080 @ 60 Hz or lower, you must switch the monitor HDMI EDID from 3 Block to 2 Block.
To display 1234 x 1234 resolution over HDMI again, you must switch the monitor back to HDMI EDID 3 Block. Follow Steps 1 and 2, and select Disable. |
Horizontal stripes when watching online videos using Microsoft Movies and TV app, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge. | Unwanted horizontal stripes appear on the video playback window when viewing online videos on YouTube using Microsoft Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge browser. They are also seen while watching online videos using the Movies and TV app. |
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The following table contains information about troubleshooting USB issues on your Dell P2421 monitor.
Troubleshooting USB Issues | ||
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Specific Symptoms | What User Experiences | Possible Solution |
USB interface is not working. | USB devices are not working. |
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High-Speed USB 3.0 interface is slow. | High-Speed USB 3.0 devices working slowly or not working at all |
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Wireless USB devices stop working when a USB 3.0 device is plugged in. | Wireless USB devices responding slowly or only working as the distance between itself and its receiver decreases. |
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USB-C port does not supply power. | USB devices cannot be charged. |
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USB ports on the monitor do not work when the monitor is connected to a computer using USB-C. | If the monitor is powered-off and powered-on too quickly, the laptop will not recognize the system change. |
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Monitor does not wake up using the USB keyboard or mouse that is connected to the monitor. | In sleep mode, the monitor does not receive power to the USB 3.0 ports. | Wake up the laptop using the built-in keyboard or touchpad |
Learn how to view or download the Manuals and Documentation for your Dell Product.
For more information, click to expand a section below.
In Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8 or 8.1, and Windows 7:
To change the resolution using the Nvidia Control Panel:
To change the resolution using the AMD Catalyst Control Center:
Go to the reset to the Dell P2421 monitor to factory settings section of this article or see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor.
The Dell P2421 monitor has two built-in diagnostics that are available:
Self-Test Feature Check - The self-test feature check on the Dell P2421 monitor allows you to check whether the monitor is functioning properly.
Built-In Self-Test - The Dell P2421 monitor has a built-in self-test that helps you identify if the screen abnormality is with the monitor or the video card (GPU) on your computer. When you notice screen abnormalities such as distortion, clarity, horizontal or vertical lines, color fade. It is always a good practice to isolate the monitor by running the built-in diagnostics.
Learn how to run a diagnostic test on the Dell P2421 monitor.
The troubleshooting section of this article provides information about troubleshooting common issues with your Dell P2421 monitor.
This section has troubleshooting steps on how to resolve power issues, video issues, color or clarity issues, distortion issues, horizontal or vertical lines, brightness issues or pixel issues, and so on.
Learn how to access the on-screen display (OSD) menu on the Dell P2421 monitor. For additional product-specific information, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor.
Information about the monitor such as the model number, firmware version, and Service Tag can be accessed using the on-screen display (OSD) menu of the monitor.
Learn how to access the on-screen display (OSD) menu on the Dell P2421 monitor. For additional product-specific information, see the user manual of the Dell P2421 monitor.
Dell P2421 supports DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity with your computer. If the video or graphics card (GPU) on your computer supports DisplayPort 1.2, it is required to change the monitor to DisplayPort 1.2 mode.
Figure 5: Dell P2421 Front Panel Buttons
Dell P2421 supports both HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 1.4 connectivity with your computer. If the video or graphics card (GPU) on your computer supports HDMI 1.4, it is required to change the monitor to HDMI 1.4 mode.
Figure 6: Dell P2421 Front Panel Buttons
For information about the supported orientation to set up the Dell P2421 monitor, see the monitor orientation section of this article.