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I have found most OLEDs to be more color-accurate than their LCD counterparts. This is as much a product of their status as premium displays as it is a feature of the technology. The AW2725DF fits into this category with a factory-certified calibration for both full gamut and sRGB color.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
With no visible grayscale errors, the AW2725DF is well within the boundaries of calibration-not-required in its default Standard picture mode. Gamma tracking has minor anomalies at 10-20% and 90%, where the values are slightly light in tone. Thanks to the panel's high contrast, this is hard to spot in content.
I availed myself since the option to calibrate is present in the Custom Color mode. The gain is certainly visible on the chart, but content and test patterns look the same to the naked eye. You can see a nice improvement in gamma tracking with the previous errors now removed. This is pro-level performance.
The sRGB option in Creator mode has visually perfect grayscale tracking but gamma errors at 10 and 90% brightness. This makes some highlight and shadow details look a little flat, but it is a minor issue.
Comparisons
By the numbers, the AW2725DF’s grayscale tracking improves by almost 200% with calibration. Since those values indicate visual perfection, the actual result is insignificant. It looks great and easily meets the standard with or without adjustment. This is how it should be for any premium screen. The AW2725DF fulfills that promise with ease.
Calibration does improve gamma enough to make a tiny visible difference. Tracking becomes tighter thanks to eliminating errors at 10 and 90% brightness, the sweet spots for shadow and highlight detail. It is therefore worth doing. The top three screens all have the same deviation of 0.91%, which equates to a gamma value of 2.18.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
Not only is the AW2725DF very color accurate, but its gamut is also very large. You can see the extra saturation in green and red. Blue is right on point. Only some tiny hue errors in cyan and magenta would inspire me to tweak.
The grayscale calibration I performed in Custom Color mode tightens up those secondaries for a minuscule improvement. This is more about ego than anything else. Ultimately, you’ll be hard-pressed to see any change.
The sRGB option in Creator mode is right on target. There’s a small amount of under-saturation in red, but not enough that you’ll see it. This option is ideal for photographers and graphics pros who need a smaller gamut. I didn’t show it here, but the DCI-P3 option conforms to the cinema standard, which has a 6000K white point, 2.60 gamma, and different saturation targets. It is also accurate enough for professional use.
Comparisons
The AW2725DF’s fifth-place finish in the color test is not a negative. All the monitors here perform at the pro level. At this point in time, you won’t find a bad OLED monitor. They have proven to be color-accurate in my experience so far.
The AW2725DF excels in the gamut volume test, covering over 110% of DCI-P3. I’ve only tested one other OLED with as much color, the 49-inch Asus PG49WCD. Though the other screens come close to 100% and are extremely colorful, the Alienware is just a bit more so. Since it equals or exceeds the rest in other test criteria, the large color gamut is a good reason to choose it over others.
Test Takeaway: The AW2725DF delivers visually perfect color out of the box and has the largest gamut volume of any 27-inch QHD OLED I’ve tested. It meets professional standards for DCI-P3 and sRGB and can be enjoyed without calibration. These reference level results contribute to a stunning image.
Current page: Grayscale, Gamma and Color
Prev Page Brightness and Contrast Next Page HDR PerformanceChristian 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.
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cknobman While amazing I wont buy into an OLED monitor until they are $500 or less.Reply
Not into spending 900+ on a computer monitor for gaming. -
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
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.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. -
amco_krkic
so i just settled with an Alienware AW2723DF monitor :LOL: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. -
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.