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.

Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

There is no better display technology for HDR content than OLED. While some may argue that Mini LED with its higher brightness is superior, a side-by-side comparison will quickly dispel that notion. The infinite blacks of OLED cannot be duplicated by any other means and the AW2725DF carries on this tradition. It switches seamlessly between SDR and HDR and offers six HDR picture modes.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

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

When comparing the six HDR picture modes, I found edge enhancement in four of them that eliminated them from consideration. Of the remaining two, DisplayHDR True Black looked the best peaking at around 460 nits when measuring a 25% window pattern. While the AW2725DF isn’t the brightest OLED out there, it is bright enough to deliver high-impact HDR. Only a Mini LED is significantly brighter.

All the screens, including the Mini LED GP2711, shut off their pixels when displaying a 0% black pattern. This means no instrument can discern the black level. In practice, the Cooler Master is excellent for HDR imagery, but the OLEDs have just a little more punch. No one would be disappointed to have the GP2711 on their desk, but the OLED screens all deliver superlative HDR contrast and depth.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

Image 1 of 3
Alienware AW2725DF
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

I got similar grayscale tracking results when measuring the AW2725DF’s HDR luminance. There are no visible errors. The True Black mode is the best choice because it preserves all shadow detail clearly. You won’t have any trouble spotting enemies hiding in the dark.

The HDR gamut charts show very accurate hue tracking and the slight over-saturation seen in most HDR monitors. While not strictly accurate, it gives extra punch to HDR images that no one will complain about. The AW2725DF’s extra gamut volume shows up in the Rec.2020 chart. It covers more of that gamut than any other OLED except the Asus PG49WCD.

Test Takeaway: There has yet to be an OLED that I don’t like for HDR. The AW2725DF, like its competition, was made for high dynamic range content. Alienware has done a precise job tuning color, grayscale, and luminance tracking in the True Black mode to create a reference-level display. In practice, the image is literally jaw-dropping. Don’t be seduced by Mini LED’s high brightness. OLED is still the king of contrast.

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