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.

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

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After reviewing many OLED monitors, I’m starting to see a pattern. There isn’t a bad one in the bunch. Admittedly, this is a simplification because, currently, OLEDs are all part of the manufacturers’ premium lines. You won’t find one in the budget category, so it’s no surprise they’re all good. Blacks will always be perfect because the pixels turn off completely, meaning contrast will always be tremendous. Unless improperly configured, this will universally be true.

The separators then come down to refresh rate and color gamut volume. While some may say peak brightness is a decider, I disagree. If an OLED panel can top 400 nits for highlights, it is bright enough. Then it is how much speed and color can you afford? If you can spend $900 on a 27-inch gaming monitor, the Alienware AW2725DF delivers the most color and the fastest refresh rate of any example.

Alienware AW2725DF

(Image credit: Dell)

With over 110% coverage of DCI-P3, the AW2725DF beats the next most colorful 27-inch OLED by 10%. That’s a difference you can see with the naked eye. That color is accurate for both DCI-P3 and sRGB with no need for calibration. And selectable gamuts increase versatility for both gaming and productivity.

OLEDs make more of a given refresh rate than an LCD because they don’t need overdrive or strobing to achieve perfect motion resolution. 240 Hz is enough to completely eliminate motion blur but 360 delivers a little quicker response. If you’re looking for every advantage, the AW2725DF’s extra Hertz are worth paying for.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

As a premium product, the AW2725DF includes every bell and whistle. Even though it’s priced accordingly, you’re getting everything needed for great gameplay and more. The only things I missed were internal speakers and an analog headphone jack. But with plenty of USB-C headphones available, it’s easy to plug into the convenient port in front. You can also enjoy the AW2725DF’s premium build quality. It will certainly last through many years of use.

I can’t overstate how good desktop OLED monitors look and feel. They are a revolution in display technology, and I can’t imagine a reason not to buy one. The Alienware AW2725DF is one of the best small screens yet and receives my highest recommendation. If you have the budget for a premium monitor and are limited in space, definitely check it out.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

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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