Dell S2725DC on PS5: 120Hz Works, With a Catch

The Dell S2725DC works with PS5 at 1440p and 120Hz, including VRR, but it does not support HDR. Consider it for a shared laptop-and-console desk; its motion blur makes it a less convincing purchase for demanding action games. RTINGS’ S2725DC testing supports that distinction between compatibility and gaming quality.

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Getting 1440p at 120Hz working

Connect the PS5 directly to the monitor’s HDMI input using the HDMI cable supplied with the console. Sony recommends that cable for the console’s performance features, so there is no reason to buy another before trying it. Select HDMI on the monitor. Sony’s connection guidance also recommends removing intermediate devices when diagnosing a connection problem.

Dell’s manual contains the useful detail: its HDMI preset table explicitly lists 2560 × 1440 at 120.00Hz, with a 497.75MHz pixel clock. This is a documented HDMI timing, rather than a refresh-rate claim that applies only to DisplayPort. Dell describes the connection as HDMI 2.1 using TMDS; that label should not be interpreted as a promise of 4K at 120Hz. Dell S2725DC user guide, pages 16–18

On the PS5:

1. Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
2. Run Test 1440p Output and confirm the pictures you can actually see.
3. Set Resolution to 1440p.
4. Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic.
5. Set VRR to Automatic.
6. Check Information for the Connected HDMI Device to see the capabilities the console detects.

Sony’s test checks combinations of SDR, HDR, refresh rate and VRR. An unsupported HDR result is expected on this monitor; it does not mean the SDR 120Hz connection has failed. Sony’s video-output settings guide

You also need a game with a 120Hz mode. Enabling the console setting does not make every game run at 120 frames per second, and a refresh-rate reading outside supported gameplay does not prove that the monitor is limited to 60Hz.

For games that respect the console’s presets, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets > Performance Mode or Resolution Mode, then choose Performance Mode. Check the game’s own graphics options as well. Sony specifies that these presets apply only to games offering the relevant modes; Performance Mode is not a universal 120fps switch. Sony’s game-preset instructions

Buying it for PS5: the compromise is motion clarity

RTINGS’ console testing reports support for 1080p and 1440p signals up to 120Hz, alongside VRR. Its public findings also describe low input lag but noticeable blur in fast movement. Detailed response-time measurements are locked on the accessible review, so no independent millisecond figure is quoted here. This is a sourced compatibility assessment, not a hands-on test. RTINGS’ independent review

Those findings answer two different buying questions. If you already own the S2725DC, its supported connection modes are a good reason to try it with your PS5 before replacing it. If you are buying specifically to follow fast-moving opponents, accepting a 120Hz signal is only part of what you need: moving objects must remain sufficiently clear to track.

Do not choose the Dell S2725DC for HDR gaming: HDR is unsupported. That is a feature limitation, not something a different cable or calibration setting can unlock. Likewise, do not buy it expecting the monitor to accept a 4K console signal and downscale it; RTINGS reports console input support limited to 1080p and 1440p.

There is another setting worth understanding before chasing the advertised response time. Dell’s 1ms claim applies to MPRT mode. Under Display > Response Time, MPRT requires at least 120Hz, disables FreeSync and can introduce visible flicker. It is not an unconditional specification for ordinary adaptive-refresh gaming. Dell’s response-time documentation, pages 8 and 51

The stronger reason to consider this model is a shared desk: its USB-C input supplies up to 65W to a compatible laptop while carrying video. Leave the PS5 on HDMI and use USB-C for the laptop. Check your laptop’s charging requirements before assuming that connection replaces its power adapter. Dell’s USB-C specifications

That makes the purchase conditional. Office work plus occasional console play is a coherent use case; buying it solely because “144Hz” sounds like a gaming guarantee is not.

When the picture, VRR or sound does not work

If the 1440p test fails or the picture disappears, simplify the connection first. Remove any HDMI switch, capture device or receiver, reseat the cable at both ends, and try another known-working HDMI cable. Sony recommends these checks before treating the console as faulty. Confirm the monitor is still set to HDMI, especially if a laptop is connected too. Sony’s picture troubleshooting

For a problem that appears only during high-refresh gameplay, temporarily disable 120 Hz Output and retest. For trouble after enabling VRR in games without official support, turn off Apply to Unsupported Games. These are diagnostic changes: a stable picture helps identify which feature triggers the failure, but does not establish whether the cable, display or console is responsible. Sony’s video-output guidance

For missing sound, open Settings > Sound > Audio Output. Select the HDMI output and use TV as the HDMI device type for the monitor’s speakers. A connected headset may have taken over automatically; Sony provides both an output selector and a setting controlling automatic switching. Sony’s audio-output instructions

On the Dell, check Audio > Speaker is enabled and raise Audio > Volume. Those controls are separate from choosing the PS5’s output device. Dell’s audio controls

If a direct connection still fails with another cable, test the PS5 on another display and another HDMI source on the Dell. Record which combination fails and whether it happens at 60Hz, 120Hz or only with VRR. Persistent failures then need Dell or PlayStation support to determine whether repair or replacement is appropriate; the documented compatibility alone cannot diagnose an individual faulty unit.