Bottom Line
The Dell AW2725Q is an excellent HDR gaming monitor. While it doesn’t have as many features as the more premium models based on the same panel, it offers just as good image quality and performance at a lower price, which is the option that many gamers will prefer.
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q is a 27″ 4K 240Hz gaming monitor based on Samsung’s QD-OLED panel.
It’s available at a lower price than the alternatives with USB-C (DP Alt Mode), DP 2.1 and KVM, so it’s a great option for those who don’t need those features!
Image Quality
The Dell AW2725Q has a 26.7″ viewable screen with a 4K UHD resolution, which results in a high pixel density of 166 PPI (pixels per inch). As a result, you get plenty of screen space with sharp details and text.
Further, thanks to QD-OLED’s wide 99.3% DCI-P3 color gamut, dedicated sRGB and DCI-P3 emulation modes with Delta E < 2 factory calibration, 178° wide viewing angles and true 10-bit color depth, the monitor is also exceptional when it comes to professional color-critical work.
The high pixel density in addition to the panel’s square-shaped triangular subpixel layout completely eliminates previous issues with fringing on small text and fine details!
The Dell AW2725Q monitor delivers stunning HDR image quality due to its infinite contrast ratio with per-pixel dimming, resulting in true blacks, while its peak brightness of 1000-nits for small < 3% APL (Average Picture Level, white window test size) provides vivid and punchy highlights.
The peak brightness for 100% APL (full-screen white) is 250-nits, so the screen can get bright enough under normal lighting conditions. If you plan on using the screen in a particularly bright room (facing a big window without curtains or under studio lighting), you may want to consider a mini LED display instead.
There are two main HDR modes: DisplayHDR True Black and HDR Peak 1000.
As is the case with all QD-OLED monitors, the DisplayHDR True Black mode is more accurate, but it’s limited to around 450-nits. The HDR Peak 1000 modes can reach up to 1000-nits, but larger APLs will have a bit lower brightness, so it’s up to you which mode you prefer.
We recommend the HDR Peak 1000 mode for punchier highlights.
For best accuracy, make sure that Source Tone Mapping and Console HDR Mode options are enabled (even on PC). The Dell AW2725Q also supports Dolby Vision for compatible games.
Performance
The Dell AW2725Q has a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, which provides you with a huge boost in motion clarity as opposed to the standard 60-75Hz displays, and a small but noticeable increase in responsiveness in comparison to ~144Hz.
You also get low input latency of around 2ms, making for imperceptible delay between your actions and the result on the screen.
Besides the infinite contrast ratio, the main strength of OLED panels is the instantaneous pixel response time speed, which completely eliminates ghosting behind fast-moving objects, making it ideal for fast-paced games.
VRR (variable refresh rate) is supported as well with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible certifications, as well as HDMI 2.1 VRR support.
As is the case with all OLED panels, there is some minor VRR brightness flickering in dark scenes of games with fluctuating frame rates (and in some loading screens and in-game menus). It’s rare and subtle, so you can just disable VRR in the affected titles.
The main downside of OLED panels is the risk of image burn-in. When displaying an image with bright static elements for extended periods of time, there’s a chance those elements will become permanently visible as an afterimage.
If you play varied content, this shouldn’t be an issue and Dell even offers a 3-year warranty that covers burn-in.
There’s also the Pixel Refresh feature, which activates automatically every 4 hours of use (or when the monitor goes into standby mode, after over 4 hours of use), that helps prevent burn-in and temporary image retention.
Sadly, Dell doesn’t have some of the more advanced OLED care features that other manufacturers offer, such as proximity sensor, automatic screen saver, pixel shift, logo luminance adjustment, etc.
Features
There’s a directional joystick for quick and easy navigation through the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, as well as a dedicated power button on the bottom bezel of the screen.
Besides the typical image adjustment tools (brightness, contrast, color temperature), the Dell AW2725Q also has some advanced settings, such as gamma (from 1.8 to 2.6), sharpness, 6-axis hue/saturation, aspect ratio control (16:9, 4:3, auto resize) and automatic input detection.
Useful gaming features include:
- Dynamic crosshair overlays – change color depending on the background
- Dark Stabilizer – improves visibility in dark scenes
- On-screen timers
- Refresh rate tracker
- Alienvision – places a rectangle on the screen with improved visibility in night scenes, thermal color palette or zoomed-in image
The monitor also supports Picture in Picture, Picture by Picture, AlienFX RGB lighting (customizable colors and patterns for the power button LED and the Alienware logo at the rear of the monitor) and a low-blue light filter mode.
Finally, you can download the Alienware Control Center software and make all your OSD-related adjustments in the desktop application using your keyboard and mouse.
Design & Connectivity
The stand of the monitor is robust and offers height adjustment up to 110mm, -5°/21° tilt, +/- 20° swivel, +/- 90° pivot and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.
The screen has a semi-glossy finish, which makes the image more vivid as there’s no graininess associated with matte anti-glare coatings.
However, the screen is also more reflective and since there’s no polarizer, blacks are raised when hit by direct lighting. As long as there’s no light directly pointed at the screen though, this won’t be an issue.
The Dell AW2725Q has a cooling fan instead of a heatsink. While it’s inaudible, we prefer passive cooling since fans can fail over time.
Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports (with CEC support, one with e/ARC and Dolby Atmos), one upstream USB type B port, three downstream USB 3.0 type A ports and one USB-C port with 15W Power Delivery (but no DP Alt Mode). There’s also no audio jack.
While the monitor doesn’t have DisplayPort 2.1, DP 1.4 with DSC is enough for 4K 240Hz 10-bit with visually lossless compression.
Price & Similar Monitors
The Dell Alienware AW2725Q price ranges from $750 to $900, which makes it the most affordable 27″ 4K 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor.
The ASUS PG27UCDM with DP 2.1, USB-C (90W PD, DP Alt Mode), KVM, Dolby Vision and BFI goes for $1,200, the MSI MPG 272URX with DP 2.1, USB-C (98W PD, DP Alt Mode) and KVM goes for $1,100 and finally, there’s the ASUS XG27UCDMG with USB-C (90W PD, DP Alt Mode), KVM and BFI for $1,000.
| Dell AW2725Q | ASUS XG27UCDMG | ASUS PG27UCDM | MSI MPG 272URX | Samsung G81SF | |
| Screen | Glossy | Glossy | Glossy | Glossy | Matte |
| Dolby Vision | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| USB-C (PD) | N/A | 90W | 90W | 98W | N/A |
| KVM | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| DisplayPort | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| Cooling | Active | Passive | Passive | Passive | Passive |
| BFI | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| Advanced OLED Care | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price (MSRP) | $900 | $1100 | $1300 | $1200 | $1300 |
These prices can also vary by region, so you can pick between these models according to your preference of the features and design.
For more information and options concerning the best OLED and mini LED gaming monitors, check out our dedicated best HDR monitors buyer’s guide.
Conclusion
Overall, the Dell Alienware AW2725Q is an excellent gaming monitor. It doesn’t have as many features as the other variants, but it’s more affordable, which makes it the perfect option for those who don’t need USB-C, KVM, DP 2.1 or BFI.
Specifications
| Screen Size | 27-inch |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (Ultra HD) |
| Panel Type | QD-OLED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 240Hz |
| Response Time | 0.03ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive-Sync | FreeSync Premium Pro, G-SYNC Compatible, HDMI 2.1 VRR (48-240Hz) |
| Ports | DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1 |
| Other Ports | 3x USB-A, USB-B, USB-C (15W PD) |
| Brightness (3% White Window) | 1000 cd/m² |
| Brightness (100% White Window) | 250 cd/m² |
| Contrast Ratio | Infinite |
| Colors | 1.07 billion (true 10-bit) 99.3% DCI-P3 |
| HDR | VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black, Dolby Vision |
| VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
The Pros:
- Infinite contrast ratio, decent peak brightness, wide color gamut
- Dolby Vision support
- Instant response time
- Plenty of features, including VRR up to 240Hz
- Fully ergonomic design, USB hub
The Cons:
- Risk of burn-in (though covered by 3-year warranty)
- No advanced OLED care features, DP 2.1, KVM or USB-C with DP Alt Mode
