Introduction to the Alienware AW2725Q

In 2023, I had the opportunity to test my first OLED gaming monitor, the LG 27GR95QE, for Engadget. The experience was transformative, with the LG screen’s WOLED panel producing deep blacks that made every game look incredible. It was also my first time experiencing HDR gaming on a PC. However, as amazing as the monitor was, it had a couple of drawbacks. It produced text fringing, which made it distracting for productivity tasks, and it flickered when I enabled NVIDIA’s G-Sync smoothing. Despite these issues, I recommended the LG 27GR95QE in my first gaming monitor guide, albeit with some caveats.

A New Standard: The Alienware AW2725Q

Over the past two years, I have considered purchasing an OLED monitor for personal use, but I have held off due to the aforementioned issues. However, I believe I have finally found an OLED monitor that I would wholeheartedly recommend: the Alienware AW2725Q. This exceptional gaming display boasts a 4K resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and nearly flawless image quality across both SDR and HDR applications. What’s more, it’s substantially cheaper than the competition, making it an attractive option for those in the market for a high-end gaming monitor.

Key Features and Performance

The AW2725Q features a glossy coating that accentuates the panel’s ability to produce deep blacks and vibrant colors. In a dimly lit room, the monitor outputs an image that’s almost three-dimensional. The tradeoff with the glossy coating is that reflections are more pronounced. However, with proper lighting, the AW2725Q is equally great for both immersive and competitive gaming, thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms pixel response time. I didn’t notice any blur or smearing, even when my NVIDIA RTX 3070 GPU wasn’t able to fully utilize the display.

Burn-in Protection and Warranty

A few weeks of use is not enough to stress the AW2725Q for burn-in, but the monitor comes with a suite of maintenance features, including a pixel refresh process that can be initiated manually or automatically. The AW2725Q also comes with a three-year warranty, including burn-in protection, which is a notable advantage over some other OLED monitors on the market.

Wrap-up and Recommendation

In conclusion, the Alienware AW2725Q is an exceptional gaming display that has made gaming more enjoyable for me. Its exceptional image quality, fast refresh rate, and reasonable price make it an attractive option for those in the market for a high-end gaming monitor. While it may not be perfect, the AW2725Q is a significant improvement over earlier OLED monitors, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their gaming setup.