Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Review: Contrast and Color for Days

The Alienware AW3423DWF is a 34-inch 21:9 QD-OLED gaming monitor with 3440x1440 resolution, 1800R curvature, HDR 1000, extended color, Adaptive-Sync, 165 Hz and infinite contrast.

Reviews
By
published
Alienware AW3423DWF
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Dell)

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.

To compare the AW3423DWF’s performance, I’ve included two other OLEDs in the group, the Alienware AW3423DW and Gigabyte Aorus FO48U. The AW3423DW is nearly identical to the review subject but has a 175 Hz refresh rate and G-Sync certification. Functionally though, it is the same monitor. The FO48U is a 48-inch flat panel. The other displays are 34-inch ultra-wides – Monoprice 42772, AOC CU34G3S and BenQ EX3410R. 

Pixel Response and Input Lag 

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

Image 1 of 2
Alienware AW3423DWF
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The AW3423DW has a slight advantage in response time with its 5ms result. The DWF refreshes in 6ms, which makes only a subtle difference. Compared side-by-side with a 165 Hz LCD, the AW3423DWF looks smoother to the eye. This is due to its method of refresh, which is faster at a sub-field level. So, you’ll get a better experience from a 165 Hz OLED versus a 165 Hz LCD.

The AW3423DWF takes the win for overall input lag with an impressive 27ms result, 4ms quicker than the next-best Monoprice. This monitor is quick with a capital Q. It kept up with everything I could throw at it during fast battle sequences. Motion resolution was always exemplary, with no hint of stutter, and Adaptive-Sync worked flawlessly.

Viewing Angles

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

OLED panels have superb viewing angles where the image changes little at 45 degrees to the sides. You can see only a tiny reduction in brightness, maybe five percent, and no difference in color or gamma. The top view is slightly washed out but still free of color shift. The AW3423DWF is very shareable.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

My AW3423DWF sample had visually perfect dark field uniformity. Since OLED black levels are too low to measure, I used a 10% brightness pattern. No anomalies were visible, and color was equally perfect from edge to edge. White fields were free of artifacts and had no variation in brightness or color.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor: A 2022 Guide

MORE: How to Choose the Best HDR Monitor

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.

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • SpadeM
    What FW version did this ship with?
    Reply
  • s1aver
    Great now I really don't know which to get. The input lag is better than the AW3423DW but EOTF in HDR 1000 which tracked perfectly for the AW3423DW, for the AW3423DWF is a mess.
    Reply
  • ssj3rd
    Is 10 Bit with 165hz (DSC) possible now? And not a word about the Fan(s)/Cooling/Noises?
    Reply
  • ikernelpro4
    s1aver said:
    Great now I really don't know which to get. The input lag is better than the AW3423DW but EOTF in HDR 1000 which tracked perfectly for the AW3423DW, for the AW3423DWF is a mess.
    input lag doesn't exist, get over it.
    Reply
  • anonymousdude
    SpadeM said:
    What FW version did this ship with?

    Updateable firmware and the first update supposedly only affects the fan, so all results should be valid here.

    ssj3rd said:
    Is 10 Bit with 165hz (DSC) possible now? And not a word about the Fan(s)/Cooling/Noises?

    No DSC. Also no 10 bit 144hz like the DW had in its supported resolutions weirdly enough. So if you want that you'll have to use a custom resolution though I have seen people having trouble getting that working. 10 bit 120hz is confirmed to work as a custom resolution though.
    Reply
  • kiniku
    "Alienware, like its parent company Dell, ships its monitors in sustainable packaging where most of it is recyclable." I've been holding out on buying a $1000.00+ monitor until now. that sold me today.
    Reply
  • s1aver
    anonymousdude said:
    Updateable firmware and the first update supposedly only affects the fan, so all results should be valid here.



    No DSC. Also no 10 bit 144hz like the DW had in its supported resolutions weirdly enough. So if you want that you'll have to use a custom resolution though I have seen people having trouble getting that working. 10 bit 120hz is confirmed to work as a custom resolution though.

    DWF has a higher pixel clock this why it can only 120hz. If 144hz at Displayport 1.4 HBR3 limit by 103% so even custom res would kick you to 8bit at 144hz. If account lag and response the DWF is probably faster at 120Hz than DW at 144Hz. Though like I mentioned above bad HDR 1000 EOTF tracking on DWF vs the DW is a deal breaker for me. Hopefully they fix via firmware update.
    Reply
  • PsychicAnomaly
    Something doesn't make sense, how is there a 7ms difference between dw and dwf when dw has under 5ms signal processing time (source:TFT)
    Reply
  • s1aver
    Can you guys test the HDR 1000 EOTF with source tone mapping enabled( game>console>and source tone map in the monitor controls ) and see if fixes the EOTF tracking? Ppl are suggesting it does but no one has actually tested it. Please confirm. Thanks
    Reply