Background information
The big monitor preview 2024
by Samuel Buchmann
The AW3225QF follows the 4K trend. However, Alienware's new OLED monitor differs from its competitors in one key respect - and already has a price tag and a specific launch date.
A number of OLED monitors with identical key data have already been presented at the CES electronics trade fair: 32-inch diagonal, 4K resolution, 240 hertz frame rate. Now Alienware is also joining in, but stands out from the crowd in one aspect. The AW3225QF is curved, with a curvature of 1700R. Alienware's second monitor is the 27-inch AW2725DF.
In addition to Alienware, many other manufacturers have also presented new monitors for 2024. Click here for the big overview:
For the AW3225QF, Alienware is the fourth manufacturer to use the new QD OLED panel from Samsung. It has an improved subpixel structure, which, together with the higher pixel density, should reduce colour fringing - previously one of the disadvantages of QD OLED technology. The full-screen brightness is around 250 nits. Alienware specifies the peak brightness as 1000 nits.
The AW3225QF is compatible with Nvidia G-Sync and VESA AdaptiveSync. The monitor is said to cover a full 99 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space - with an average Delta E of less than 2. This value describes the deviation of the colours from their target. Values below 2 are excellent for gaming monitors. There are no surprises when it comes to the connections: Two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4. The image signal cannot be transmitted via USB-C.
A price has finally been announced for a screen of this type: the AW3225QF will cost 1199 US dollars at launch. It will be available in the USA from 11 January and in Europe at the beginning of February. The price is not as high as many had feared. It should be a good indicator for the remaining 32-inch OLEDs with 4K resolution.
Alienware's warranty is also interesting: the manufacturer is liable for burn-in damage for three years. The risk of such warranty cases should be low. The long-term tests by the portal "Rtings.com" show only minimal image retention on QD OLED monitors after eight months of CNN continuous operation. In everyday use, it will probably take longer than three years before burn-in becomes a problem - which does not mean that it could not still occur in the long term.
Alienware's second monitor also makes use of Samsung's current QD OLED range. The AW3225QF has a diagonal of 27 inches, a resolution of 2560 × 1440 pixels and a frame rate of 360 hertz. These are the same specifications as Samsung's own screen with the same panel: the Odyssey OLED G6.
In contrast to its big brother, the AW2725DF is not curved. It also doesn't support Nvidia G-Sync, but AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. If you're confused by all the sync terms, I recommend you watch this video from the YouTube channel "Monitors Unboxed". In short, it hardly matters these days which protocol a monitor supports - no matter what graphics card you have.
Connections? One HDMI 2.1, two DisplayPort 1.4 and a couple of USB-A ports if you want to use the monitor as a hub. The recommended retail price in the USA is USD 899; the AW2725DF will be available in Europe at the beginning of February. <p
My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.