Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor review: Large and in charge

Best Prices Today: Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor

Back in my day, a 21-inch CRT display was considered gigantic. These days, computer monitors can frequently reach TV-like dimensions—and the Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is among the largest monitors yet. This 52-inch behemoth tips the scales at 40 pounds and ships in a box roughly as large as most 65-inch HDTVs. It also has an enormous $2,899.99 MSRP. So, is it worth the price?

Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor U5226KW specs and features

The star of the show is certainly the Dell Ultrasharp 52’s display panel. It’s not only large at 51.5 inches diagonally but also pixel dense with a resolution of 6144×2560. It’s an IPS Black panel and offers refresh rates up to 120Hz.

• Display size: 51.5-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio
• Native resolution: 6144x,2560
• Panel type: IPS Black LCD
• Refresh rate: 120Hz
• Adaptive sync: VRR compatible
• HDR: None
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 4x USB Type-A 10Gbps downstream ports, 3x USB-C 10Gbps upstream port, 1x Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps upstream ports with DisplayPort 1.4 and 140 watts of Power Delivery, 1x RJ45 2.5GbE Ethernet, 1x USB Type-A 10Gbps downstream, 2x USB-C 10Gbps downstream with 27 watts of Power Delivery
• Audio: 2x 9-watt speakers
• Extra Features: Light sensor, VESA mount
• Software support: Windows 11, MacOS later
• Price: $2,899.99 MSRP

There’s a lot more to the story than the display panel, though. The Ultrasharp 52 has a focus on connectivity that spans a Thunderbolt 4 port, five USB-A ports, five USB-C ports, and Ethernet. It also provides 140 watts of Power Delivery over Thunderbolt 4, a serious upgrade over the more typical 65 to 90 watts.

None of this comes cheaply, however. The monitor has an MSRP of $2,899.99 and is currently sold at that price.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor design

The Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is big. Really big. The 52-inch ultrawide display provides roughly the same total display area as a 48-inch widescreen television though, due to its 21:9 aspect ratio, the Dell Ultrasharp 52 is a few inches shorter and about 5 inches narrower. It measures about 52 inches wide from side to side—that’s over 4 feet! It’s the widest monitor that I’ve ever reviewed, as it’s a few tenths of an inch wider than a 49-inch super-ultrawide like the Philips Evnia 8000 or Dell Ultrasharp U4924DW.

Of course, that means you’ll need a large space to comfortably place the display. My desk has room at over 6-feet wide, but it’s not that deep at 26 inches, so I often felt I was too close to the monitor. You’ll probably want a desk with 30 inches of depth or more. The Ultrasharp 52 is also much heavier than usual. The panel alone weighs 28.5 pounds and the total weight with stand attached is over 40 pounds. By comparison, my 48-inch LG B4 television weighs less than 25 pounds. None of this is a downside, really, but it’s something you should know before you buy.

Despite its size and ultrawide aspect ratio, the Ultrasharp 52 sticks to a subtle 4200R curvature. A lower number means a more dramatic curve, and many super-ultrawide monitors have a curve of 1800R or 1500R. The Ultrasharp 52 seems flat at a glance though the curve is easy to notice on closer inspection. While the subtle curve might not be preferable for gaming, I prefer it for productivity and creative work. A dramatic curve can slightly skew how content looks on a display.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

A beefy stand keeps the Ultrasharp 52’s bulk in check and provides some ergonomic adjustment for height, tilt, and swivel, as well as a couple degrees of slant (meaning the display can rotate a couple degrees in each direction). The amount of ergonomic adjustment is less than normal for a monitor at this price point, though that’s a consequence of the display’s size and aspect ratio. Rotating into a portrait orientation would be comical. Even swivel is restrained to just 40 degrees overall, as the display is so wide that it’s likely to start knocking things off your desk when you move it.

Because of its size, the Ultrasharp 52 has not only a 100x100mm VESA mount but also a 200x100mm and 200x200mm mount option, which is extremely unusual for a computer monitor. You can even order the Ultrasharp 52 without a stand if you want to go straight for a heavy-duty monitor arm or a wall-mount, but this will only save $100.

Build quality is outstanding. Large ultrawide monitors can sometimes feel a bit flimsy, but the Ultrasharp feels rigid and hefty. While I still wouldn’t want to drop it, the plastics didn’t noticeably creak or warp as I handled the display—something that can happen with monitors in this category. That’s good, because the monitor’s high MSRP would make build quality issues difficult to forgive.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor connectivity

The Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is, well, a hub monitor. What does that mean? Put simply, it means it has a boat-load of connectivity. However, contrary to what you might think, it’s actually not all about Thunderbolt 4.

Still, let’s talk about Thunderbolt first. The Ultrasharp 52 has a Thunderbolt 4 port with a 40Gbps data rate. This port also of course supports DisplayPort, so it can be used as a video input (and will work with USB-C sources that support DisplayPort). It also has up to 140 watts of Power Delivery, which is enough to power many Windows laptops and all current MacBook models. That makes for easy single-cable connections to a laptop.

However, the real focus is not on the Thunderbolt input but, rather, what that Thunderbolt port connects to. This is where the hub comes in.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Ultrasharp 52 has a total of five USB-A downstream ports and two USB-C downstream ports. Most of these are on the rear of the display, but two USB-C ports and one USB-A port are in a pop-out module on the lower bezel. The USB-C ports on the front can deliver up to 27 watts of power, which is handy if you want to quickly charge a phone or tablet. The display can drive up to 150 watts of power overall.

In addition to the Thunderbolt 4, these ports can also be driven by three USB-C upstream ports on the rear of the display. That means you can connect the monitor’s ports to up to four devices. A KVM switch is used to switch between them.

A 2.5Gbps Ethernet port can also be found lurking around the rear. This is an unusual, if not entirely unique, feature for a monitor. The inclusion of an Ethernet port means you can bring high-speed wired Internet connectivity to a laptop or other device connected to the monitor.

While the Thunderbolt 4 is really the star of the show in terms of video connectivity, as it also provides connections to the monitor’s many USB ports, you have a lot of other options. The monitor has two HDMI 2.1 ports and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor menus and features

Although it’s meant for work, the Ultrasharp 52 is designed more for day traders than digital artists. Still, it does have a respectable range of image quality adjustments including gamma, color temperature, and color saturation calibration. Though it lacks a built-in or included colorimeter, the range of image quality adjustment available here will be enough to satisfy creatives who work with clients that don’t demand exacting color accuracy and tight conformance to particular color standards.

The Ultrasharp 52 is compatible with Dell’s Display and Peripheral Manager software, which makes it possible to change monitor settings through a desktop software interface on Windows 11 and MacOS machines. The monitor is also compatible with remote management software that allows IT departments to remotely manage options across a fleet of displays.

As mentioned, a KVM switch is included. That’s not at all unusual for a modern monitor, but the Ultrasharp 52 also has an Ethernet Switch Mode, which can be used to switch the Ethernet port’s connectivity along with the rest of the monitor’s connectivity.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The monitor also supports automatic brightness and color temperature adjustment. However, I found that these features didn’t work well. The speed of adjustment between different levels of brightness, or different color temperature modes, was rapid and distracting. I also found the auto-brightness mode was often too bright, and while there is an auto-brightness range setting that seems intended to provide some adjustment, I was never happy with how auto-brightness worked and ultimately turned it off.

Given its many features, you might need to read the Ultrasharp 52’s manual. Fortunately, Dell provides better documentation than most companies. This includes not only the user manual but also a service manual and teardown document with extensive detail, including photographs, that shows how to tear down and repair the display.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor audio

The Dell Ultrasharp 52 has two 9-watt speakers. They provide great volume and a robust sound with good clarity at most volume levels, though distortion can become an issue at the highest volumes. Audiophiles will definitely still want to use external speakers or headphones, but less discerning listeners are likely to be satisfied by the built-in speakers. That gives the Ultrasharp 52 an edge, as many monitors designed for productivity or business have weak speakers.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor SDR image quality

Like many recent Dell Ultrasharp monitors, the Ultrasharp 52 has an IPS Black display. This type of display panel, which is relatively new, boosts contrast when compared to other IPS panel types and retains the technology’s strengths in color performance and brightness. This is mostly good news for the Ultrasharp 52, though contrast remains a concern.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Ultrasharp 52 achieved a maximum sustained SDR brightness of 336 nits. As the graph shows, this is not all that bright for a display in this category, though it’s not dim either.

Even so, 336 nits is more than enough for most situations. It will only seem dim if you’re in a room that lacks light control and has sunlit windows or a lot of artificial light.

In addition, the Ultrasharp 52 has an effective anti-glare coat and matte finish. It does not readily show reflections, which are diffused across the display surface. Also, the display’s subtle curve doesn’t suffer the light-focusing effect that can increase glare on more dramatically curved displays. All in all, it looks bright and readable in most situations.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Contrast is where the Ultrasharp 52 falls short in spite of the IPS Black panel’s improved contrast performance. A measured contrast ratio of 1960:1 is solid for an IPS monitor, and it looks immersive in brighter rooms.

However, using the monitor in a dark room will still reveal the “IPS glow” which is caused by the monitor backlight. The effect is obvious and not uniform across the display, so it can be distracting. To be fair, the Ultrasharp 52’s overall uniformity is better than many ultrawide LCD monitors, but I still noticed a very slight increase in brightness in the lower right side of the display as compared to the left. My colorimeter confirmed this with a maximum brightness variance of 18.2 percent.

You’ll need to ask yourself how you intend to use the monitor. If you want to use it for office and business productivity, or even for less color-critical creative work, the contrast offered here is fine. But if you want to game, or watch movies, you should consider a 45-inch OLED ultrawide like the LG Ultragear 45GX950A-B.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

While the Ultrasharp 52’s contrast is just okay, it does better in color gamut. I found the monitor can display 98 percent of the DCI-P3 and 90 percent of the AdobeRGB color gamut. These figures are slightly behind QD-OLED monitors, which tend to achieve similar results in DCI-P3 and 93 to 95 percent in AdobeRGB. However, the Ultrasharp 52’s color gamut is still extremely broad and provides a vivid, saturated image.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Ultrasharp 52’s color accuracy results are more middle-of-the-road. This level of color error is by no means a problem, but as the graph shows, it’s not at the top of the class.

I noticed that a large amount of the monitor’s average color error came from the grayscale results, so I was not too surprised to find the monitor produced a gamma curve of 2.1, which is slightly off the target gamma 2.2. This indicates that the image seems a bit brighter and more luminescent than it should. It’s tough to notice though, so this isn’t a show stopper. The color temperature was also just a tad off target with a measured default color temperature of 6700K, off the target of 6500K. However, the monitor does have settings for both color temperature and gamma, so it’s possible to come closer to these targets—or whichever setting you prefer.

Sharpness is an interesting conversation. The Ultrasharp 52 has a native resolution of 6144×2560. That’s more than 15 million pixels overall and almost twice as many pixels as a 4K display and results in a pixel density of 129 pixels per inch. While it’s definitely not as sharp as a 27-inch 4K display, the Ultrasharp 52’s pixel density beats the LG 45GX950A-B (123 ppi) and far exceeds most 49-inch super-ultrawide monitors (which typically pack in 109 ppi).

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor HDR image quality

You might be surprised to hear that the Dell Ultrasharp 52 doesn’t support HDR. Most monitors in this price range do, of course, so the lack of HDR is a mark against the monitor.

On the other hand, I respect that Dell didn’t try to stuff HDR into the monitor by ramping up the backlight and calling it a day—a tactic that is common among IPS monitors that claim HDR support.

Still, if you want HDR, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor motion performance

While the Dell Ultrasharp 52 lacks HDR, it does manage to provide a refresh rate of 120Hz. That’s a bit surprising given the monitor’s size and high resolution and it’s certainly good news for motion clarity and fluidity in games.

Still, you shouldn’t get too excited. While it can handle a refresh rate of 120Hz, the monitor quotes gray-to-gray response times no lower than 5 milliseconds. By comparison, the quickest IPS gaming monitors have response times below one millisecond and OLED monitors have response times as low as 0.03 milliseconds. In practice, that means the Ultrasharp 52 will show more motion blur than a display with a lower pixel response time.

The monitor also doesn’t have official support for VESA Adaptive Sync, AMD FreeSync, or G-Sync, though my AMD video card did detect it as an AMD FreeSync display.

Should you buy the Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor?

The Dell Ultrasharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor has a specific audience in mind. It’s targeted at people who want to replace several smaller monitors with a single display or want to expand their overall display real estate. That functionality is combined with lots of connectivity, which is handy if you want to work across multiple devices or need to connect a lot of peripherals.

Those who want a monitor for entertainment will find the Ultrasharp 52 less appealing. It’s not bad in this role, as it at least provides a 120Hz refresh rate and a sharp, color-rich image. However, the monitor’s limited contrast and lack of HDR support are notable downsides. The monitor is also more expensive than OLED ultrawides which, though smaller, have even better image quality.

It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a gigantic display with well-rounded performance and top-tier connectivity, the Ultrasharp 52 is large and in charge.