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Will we ever see the limit to how fast a monitor can refresh? Alienware’s promotional video talks about the limits of human perception, and after spending time with a 500 Hz monitor, I’m starting to see what that means. While it’s easy to say, “you can’t have too many frames per second,” there will be a point where higher rates won’t make a visual difference. I thought that might be true when 360 Hz monitors first appeared on my desk. However, I can now say that 500 Hz does make a visual improvement.
The AW2524H is clearly better than the 360 Hz screens I’ve reviewed. It’s not a huge difference, but when you’re going for every possible ounce/milligram of performance, this monitor delivers it. I didn’t see a big jump in motion clarity since 360 Hz is already fast enough to eliminate any need for blur reduction, overdrive or Adaptive-Sync. But with sustained frame rates over 450, the control response is quicker and better. Movement is more natural and efficient. It absolutely provide a competitive edge.
It would be easy to finish this review with, “The Alienware AW2524H runs at 500 Hz, what more do you need to know?” But it is much more than just a fast monitor. With greater color saturation and tremendous HDR contrast, it delivers a better image in all scenarios than any 360 Hz display I’ve reviewed. Since you’re looking at nearly double the price for that 500 Hz, I’m glad Alienware has made an effort to improve image quality. You’re getting a better picture all around.
The final consideration for purchasing an AW2524H are its system requirements. To explore its full potential, a PC with an RTX 4090 and a fast CPU is an absolute must. I only managed around 200fps with an RTX 3090 running Doom Eternal at full detail. With that system, a 500 Hz monitor is wasted. But if you’ve already spent the money on a bleeding-edge PC, the AW2524H is the way to maximize its potential. You can buy a high-end 4K screen and pack in the pixels, but the fastest you’ll go is 240 Hz if you buy Samsung’s Neo G8.
The Alienware AW2524H is a next-level gaming experience when paired with the proper hardware. Gamers seeking the highest possible frame rates should definitely check it out.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
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.
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cknobman Its cool and all but only 25 inches?Reply
Just too small for me, really wish there was at least a 27 inch or better yet a 32. -
Friesiansam 500Hz is pointlessly fast and, it's clear from the test results, the panel is not fast enough to keep up.Reply -
helper800
Soon panel technologies will push its flaws past what humans can perceive, that is a good day in my book. I long for the day that motion blur, IPS glow, text fringing, pixel density, and many more are all solved by one monitor. That will be the day I get a new monitor.Friesiansam said:500Hz is pointlessly fast and, it's clear from the test results, the panel is not fast enough to keep up. -
cristovao In a 10 meter room, light fills 30.000.000 times per second, so i don't think 500 or more frames in a monitor is going to break past human perception anytime soon!Reply -
helper800
I dont know what you are talking about. What are you trying to say? Humans cannot perceive 30,000,000 "fills" of light. Please elaborate.cristovao said:In a 10 meter room, light fills 30.000.000 times per second, so i don't think 500 or more frames in a monitor is going to break past human perception anytime soon! -
usertests Required reading:Reply
https://blurbusters.com/blur-busters-law-amazing-journey-to-future-1000hz-displays-with-blurfree-sample-and-hold/
Inputs include a single DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1... The HDMI ports are limited to 240 Hz but include VRR for consoles.
How exactly do you get 1080p 500 Hz? The DisplayPort using Display Stream Compression? -
s997863 I’ve been reviewing monitors long enough that occasionally, I have a “remember when” moment. Remember when all monitors refreshed at a fixed 60 Hz?
Remember when you opened a Geforce2 control panel on a CRT monitor and got refresh choices up to 120Hz? -
helper800
Settings to lower the bandwidth include; color subsampling, bit depth of those colors, and DSC are options to increase data throughput for a higher refresh rate. 4k is 4 times the resolution of 1080p and we have 4k monitors that are 144hz+. You can simply quadruple the hz on a 4k monitor and apply it to 1080p to see what is possible for peak hz throughput at 1080p. 4 times 144 is 576. So getting to 500hz or 480 without an OC on the monitor at 1080p is very doable even at 4:4:4 chroma, and 8 or 10 bit color, with or without DSC is my guess.usertests said:Required reading:
https://blurbusters.com/blur-busters-law-amazing-journey-to-future-1000hz-displays-with-blurfree-sample-and-hold/
How exactly do you get 1080p 500 Hz? The DisplayPort using Display Stream Compression? -
blacknemesist
The neo G8 does 4k@240hz with only DSC so 480hz 1080p seems to not even need any type of compression for dp1.4helper800 said:Settings to lower the bandwidth include; color subsampling, bit depth of those colors, and DSC are options to increase data throughput for a higher refresh rate. 4k is 4 times the resolution of 1080p and we have 4k monitors that are 144hz+. You can simply quadruple the hz on a 4k monitor and apply it to 1080p to see what is possible for peak hz throughput at 1080p. 4 times 144 is 576. So getting to 500hz or 480 without an OC on the monitor at 1080p is very doable even at 4:4:4 chroma, and 8 or 10 bit color, with or without DSC is my guess. -
Sleepy_Hollowed I would personally would like it to be ultra wide, but it is what it is, this is the ultimate 1080p standard monitor for gaming anyways.Reply