Alienware AW2725DF 360 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: OLED for hardcore players

27-inch flat QHD OLED with 360 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400 and wide gamut color.

Reviews
By
published
Alienware AW2725DF
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Image 1 of 3
Alienware AW2725DF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

If you need a super-bright monitor, OLED isn’t there yet. Mini LED is currently the highest output technology, with some screens topping 1,000 and even 2,000 nits. The GP2711 takes this contest with its 633-nit score in SDR mode. The AW2725DF musters 257, which seems low, but this is at a constant brightness. There is no means to turn this off, but that only limits the peak number. Contrast is still unmeasurable, thanks to the zero black level. Pixels are completely shut off when a 0% signal is present. The GP2711 is capable of infinite dynamic contrast, but its native panel measurement is 3,349.9:1, which is a typical VA performance.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Image 1 of 3
Alienware AW2725DF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration lowers the Cooler Master’s score, but the OLED screens are still unmeasurable. This is why you buy an OLED. ANSI contrast also cannot be measured, which is typical of all OLED panels. The AW2725DF is on par with its competitors in this regard.

Test Takeaway: You can’t get better than true black and infinite contrast. OLEDs like the AW2725DF represent the pinnacle of performance in a video display. It isn’t the brightest example, but it is bright enough.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • cknobman
    While amazing I wont buy into an OLED monitor until they are $500 or less.
    Not into spending 900+ on a computer monitor for gaming.
    Reply
  • oofdragon
    HYEAH this is what Im talking about!! When they come out with a 144hz in 2024 I just believe they deserve to lose money and end up selling those at a loss after they gathered dust so long on the shelves that they must give it a brutal discount in order to clean inventory. Make it 240hz minimum or gtfo. Now this 360hz may cost $900 but this is also the price of a GPU to run games on it at 360fps, if gaming is something important for you save for it, work double shifts, buy it and enjoy. I don't think there's much of a noticeable difference from a monitor like this vs a 240hz, there are some pennies tombe saved going for the lower Hz if you insist. My next monitor though.. I want it even 480hz! Lol. Like I'm okay selling my 240hz to get the 360hz and when the 480hz is out I'll sell it again. We are going to die anyways people, if the tech is here let us enjoy it.
    Reply
  • amco_krkic
    cknobman said:
    While amazing I wont buy into an OLED monitor until they are $500 or less.
    Not into spending 900+ on a computer monitor for gaming.
    i agree. Been looking into OLED monitors as after 14 years of gaming on 1080p im now looking to invest into a 1440p monitor. 1440p monitors at 165hz (which i believe is the sweet spot for refresh rate along with the res) are all priced at around £250 $300 on average with fast IPS panels. Now yes OLED compared to IPS there is a big difference in colouring, blackness, contrast etc. but i believe the downsides with OLED panels outweigh the positives when comparing them to IPS/Fast IPS/Fast IPS Nano colour, as with OLEDs you can get Screen burn ins, the cheaper OLED monitor panels are no where near as bright as the more premium priced ones which ruins the whole OLED experience as people in most cases are buying OLED for colours, contrast and HDR so even if you do invest into a cheap OLED monitor the low peak brightness will ruin the experience, and the biggest downside of them all when looking into anything is the price. Down the line i will most likely be looking into an OLED gaming monitor to experience the so called ''New era of gaming monitors'' but ONLY when the companies which are manufacturing the OLED panels invest money into better technology to reduce chances of screen burns, right now im only seeing ASUS who have implented this kind of technology on their OLED panels by implementing a panel heatsink but even then it only reduces the temperature by 5% compared to other OLED panels but even then it is not a significant improvement, and also of course i will not be buying an OLED monitor until they are actually AFFORDABLE.
    Reply
  • amco_krkic
    cknobman said:
    While amazing I wont buy into an OLED monitor until they are $500 or less.
    Not into spending 900+ on a computer monitor for gaming.
    so i just settled with an Alienware AW2723DF monitor :LOL:
    Reply
  • amerelium
    oofdragon said:
    HYEAH this is what Im talking about!! When they come out with a 144hz in 2024 I just believe they deserve to lose money and end up selling those at a loss after they gathered dust so long on the shelves that they must give it a brutal discount in order to clean inventory. Make it 240hz minimum or gtfo. Now this 360hz may cost $900 but this is also the price of a GPU to run games on it at 360fps, if gaming is something important for you save for it, work double shifts, buy it and enjoy. I don't think there's much of a noticeable difference from a monitor like this vs a 240hz, there are some pennies tombe saved going for the lower Hz if you insist. My next monitor though.. I want it even 480hz! Lol. Like I'm okay selling my 240hz to get the 360hz and when the 480hz is out I'll sell it again. We are going to die anyways people, if the tech is here let us enjoy it.

    ...you don't have to run games at 360 hz - you can run them at 120 hz, wich is more than enough, and enjoy the proper colours, contrasts, and blacks.
    Reply