Alienware paint itself into a corner . TheAlienware 34 QD - OLEDhas been thebest gaming monitoryou can corrupt for nearly two class , even amid a sea of competition . The fresh Alienware 27 QD - OLED begs the doubt : How do you top yourself ?
Thankfully , the raw 27 - inch exhibit comes with answers to that question . Third - gen QD - OLED tech ply a boastful boost to discolour accuracy out of the box , all while delivering the searing brightness that QD - OLED showing are have intercourse for . Coupled with a higher refresh rate and a dispirited price , it ’s hard to find many downsides with the 27 QD - OLED . It ’s a proctor that impresses on nearly every front .
Video review
Alienware 27 QD-OLED (AW2725DF) specs
Striking design
I do n’t know how Alienware manages to make such an understated monitor see so good . Unlike the original 34 QD - OLED , this monitoring machine get in the Dark Side of the Moon color ( transformation : it ’s blackened ) . There ’s minimal stigmatization on the front , just an Alienware logo stretched out across the bottom bezel , but the lack of credit card around the other bezel lend a agio experience that you typically only find on other OLED monitors .
A big reason I care the design so much is the stand . It has a hexangular radix that scarcely select up any desk blank while still sense inflexible . The stand does double tariff as a routing channel for your cable , allowing you to excrete them up through the bottom for a unmortgaged desk apparatus . It ’s a far cry from the cablegram direction root on something like theSamsung Odyssey Neo G8 .
After function your cables through the tie-up , they plug in under the back side of the monitor . Alienware recess the connexion so everything stay put hidden , and it include a plastic shell that can cover your association . It ’s very easy to get a clean desk with the Alienware 27 QD - organic light-emitting diode , which is slap-up to see .
As for the stand itself , you have a lot of adjustments to chosse from . There ’s 110 mm of height adjustment , 26 degrees of tilt , 40 degrees of swivel , and 180 degrees of pin . That ’s only to one side or the other , but you may wrick the monitor erect if you want . In addition , there ’s a 100 x 100 VESA mount , so you could give the monitor on an branch or wall mount if you require to chuck the stand .
The whole package here looks great .
Around the back , Alienware includes an illuminated “ 27 ” and Alienware logotype , which you’re able to customize with unlike coloring material on an individual basis through the on - screen display ( OSD ) . They ’re super bright , offering a overnice bit of bias lighting .
The whole package here look corking with Alienware ’s minimum stigmatization and clean cable direction resolution , but I have a gripe with the bezels . They ’re almost a half - column inch think , which is a definite downgrade compare to the other 27 - inch OLEDs we have like theAsus ROG Swift PG27AQDM . You block about them after a while , but they were the first thing I comment upon booting up the monitor .
A solid port selection
Alienware provides a very familiar port selection on the 27 QD - OLED . You have a pair of DisplayPort 1.4 connections underneath the monitor lizard , along with a individual HDMI 2.1 porthole . It ’s crucial to note that only the DisplayPort connections support the full 360Hz refresh charge per unit . HDMI top out at 144Hz , and the extra port is in the main there if you want to link up a console to the display ( both Xbox Series X and PS5 brook proper 1440p ) .
There ’s a individual USB - B-complex vitamin upstream port that opens up the integrated USB hub . There are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 port wine alongside the other connections , but Alienware also include two under the front of the varan so you’re able to quickly link and unplug peripherals . These ports are burst across a USB - A and a USB - snow port wine , but both apply 3.2 Gen 1 for data transportation . Note that the USB - speed of light connexion does n’t patronage DisplayPort Alt mood , so it ’s not considered a monitor input .
How you improve the best
At this point , you do n’t need me to tell you that OLED monitors look arresting . From theSamsung Odyssey OLED G9to theLG UltraGear OLED 27 , you ’re getting a sensational image , and the 27 QD - organic light-emitting diode does n’t convert that . My primary question going into this review was how Alienware would capitalise on third - gen QD - OLED tech , and it definitely did .
That mainly comes down to colouring material truth . It ’s exceeding on the 27 QD - OLED . In the standard photograph visibility , I measured an middling Delta - E of 0.46 with my Spyder X2 colorimeter in the default photo visibility , which is the best result I ’ve ever recorded for overall color truth . It ’s great , but there ’s a little more nicety to this conversation .
With the 34 QD - OLED , we noticed the green primary was out of whack across the board , with blue joining it past 600 nit . That ’s not the case here . The reds are a footling red-hot , but they scale in a much more linear way across the brightness spectrum . And Alienware includes a thick hardening of tool to correct these colours through the on - screen show .
Brightness is first-class as well , but there is n’t much new here . I value a efflorescence brightness of 928 nits in HDR for a 1 % window . by nature , that knock off as the windowpane size increment . It dropped to 837 nits for a 4 % windowpane , and down to 474 nit for a 10 % window . This is first-class light . I also measured perfect black levels , as you ’d expect from OLED , so the contrast is infinite .
The only note here , however , is that I only achieved this degree of brightness with the HDR Peak 1000 mode . Alienware includes about a half XII Smart HDR presets that tweak the contrast , chroma , and color balance . You have a custom preset uncommitted , too , and if you have the solitaire for tweaking , it ’s definitely the one I ’d recommend .
The people of color accuracy is much good out of the corner .
The ground being is that it was punishing for me to adjudicate on one of the Smart HDR presets . The default screen background mood looked a bit blurry compare to the others , while the movie mode raised the blackened levels too much and the game manner was oversaturated . Desktop modal value is the in effect balance of color and contrast to my eyes , but I ’d definitely take the customs duty mode if you do n’t heed pick off .
I would not recommend turning off Smart HDR , though . In a right HDR game , it looks dreadful , with portentous highlights , right smart too much chroma — the list goes on . Keep Smart HDR on , even if it ’s just the desktop way .
Alienware already had a very solid foundation for image quality , but the 27 QD - OLED manages to address the big painfulness point of its previous attempt at organic light-emitting diode . The colouring material accuracy is much better out of the boxful , making it easy to get a vividness - exact epitome if you ask it . As usual , however , consumer OLED gaming monitoring machine are built for media consumption , not cosmos . If that ’s your primary focus , you ’re better off with a highly accurate IPS panel .
Speed and quality in equal measure
The trope calibre is corking , but you ’re go to buy the 27 QD - OLED for gambling . gratefully , it ’s just as impressive on that front . OLED provides near instant response time , which when combined with the super - high 360Hz refresh pace , have your game find impossibly smooth on the 27 QD - OLED .
I ’d normally write off such a in high spirits refresh charge per unit . It ’s swell for the Overwatches and Counter - Strikes : Global Offensives of the humanity , but you ’d never be able to capitalize on that heights of a refresh rate in other title . However , we ’re living in a time of upscaling and AI - generate build , admit you in reality take advantage of how fast the 27 QD - organic light-emitting diode is .
Returnalis a enceinte example . I booted it up on anRTX 4080PC , and with DLSS 3 running , I was incur in the range of 280 to 290 frames per 2d ( fps ) with Ultra options . No , you ’re not always go to get that high , but with modern games , you could actually use a 360Hz refresh rate outside of just private-enterprise esports title of respect .
And valet , does it finger responsive . With the broken response sentence of organic light-emitting diode and the in high spirits refresh rate , gameplay feels silky smooth . It makesAlienware ’s 500Hz gaming monitorit let go last year look silly , honestly . Now , you ’re getting the responsiveness and lucidity of an esports display while also getting the inky blackness necessary for high - end cinematic gaming .
Do n’t push aside that cinematic experience , either . This is still a QD - OLED gaming monitor , so when work games likeAlan Wake 2andCyberpunk 2077 , you ’re receive the most immersive experience money can buy . The only displays that are better are other OLED monitor , such as theOdyssey OLED G8or Alienware ’s own 34 QD - OLED .
With the high refresh rate , however , the Alienware QD - OLED 27 carves out its own space in the turn securities industry of OLED option . It nail the color and contrast for cinematic HDR gaming , and it packs a speedy refresh pace that produce games search smooth . It ’s excellent .
How Alienware leads the market
You should grease one’s palms the Alienware 27 QD - OLED , let ’s make that clear . Even if it came in at the same $ 1,000 price that last year ’s 27 - in OLED displays launched at , it ’s still the monitor to buy . Alienware is n’t charge that price , though . It actually manages to undercut the competition from last year at $ 900 , which is all the better considering its refresh rate .
Alienware is conduct its excellent warrant ahead , too . Like the 34 QD - OLED , you get a three - year warranty with the 27 QD - OLED , and that get over suntan - in . OLED burn - in is a endangerment , even if it ’s anoverblown risk . You might never have to take advantage on the warranty , but it ’s good to have that peace of mind without cause to go out of sack for an extended warranty .
Alienware has a market - run warranty here .
It ’s something that other monitor brands are n’t offer . Either burn - in is n’t cover , or the warrantee only go for a class , and sometimes both . Alienware has a marketplace - leading warranty here , and it ’s one of the key rationality to choose this showing over other options .
The QD-OLED monitor to buy
This is a exhibit with very few downsides . You ’re getting better QD - OLED technical school with a in high spirits refresh rate for less money than what we saw last year . And with a market - direct warrant that covers burning - in . Sure , the bezels are a little too thick and you might be able to find one of last year ’s OLED on sale for a bit cheaper , but those are about all of the con I can muster .
As impossible as it seemed , Alienware admit what made the 34 QD - OLED so excellent and addressed the few pain points that the display had , peculiarly in term of refresh rate and color truth . Alienware topped itself , and block up any major trill - up , it might sit atop the list of the best gaming monitor for another two years .
