Ahead of CES, Alienware announced a new 25-inch gaming monitor with enough speed to satisfy even the most competitive gamers. Due out this spring for $499, the Alienware AW2521HF will be available starting March 11 and come with a 1ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate. The latter is as fast as it gets with gaming monitors as of yet, although both Asus and Acer have announced gaming laptops with 300Hz displays. Not surprisingly, to maintain that speed, the AW2521HF’s resolution is kept at 1920 x 1080.
To fight screen tearing, Alienware is taking no chances and delivering the monitor with both FreeSync, for AMD graphics card users, and G-Sync Compatibility for those running Nvidia graphics.
That’s enough speed to match the best gaming monitors currently available, but Aliewnare isn’t stopping at silky smooth gameplay. While many fast monitors rely on TN technology, this upcoming display will use IPS, which is known for offering better color quality and better viewing angles than TN. The AW2521HF is said to cover 99% of the sRGB color gamut.
The monitor has a nearly borderless frame on three sides and a new stand with markers for making easy up and down adjustments and a slim legs that can conveniently slide under your gaming keyboard, saving you desk space and (potentially) allowing you to get real close and personal with the monitor.
An easily accessible knob on the side for navigating the menu completes the premium feeling. Meanwhile, heat is handled by vents at the top, bottom and back of the display.
For those concerned about the style of their gaming setup, the AW2521HF will only be available in the color pictured - what Alienware calls Dark Side of the Moon. The company told us that this is because the display was designed in conjunction with the Team Liquid professional eSports team. But there's also RGB lighting on the stand and the alien head logo around back if you'd prefer some more color. You can make those lights react to your game or shine your favorite hue via AlienFX software.
And tweakers will be happy to know that the monitor’s on-screen display features customization menus and gaming-friendly options, like a frames per second counter.
The AW2521HF will start at $499 when Alienware beams it down this spring.
