Alienware announces the AW2725DF and AW3225QF (worlds first 4k 240hz and worlds first 1440p 360hz QD-OLED monitors - launches January 2024)

[Darren1967]

A good review but it is yet another one that does not mention how VRR performs with FreeSync and G-SYNC on this display. I did see mention of 'No flickering' on the check box chart shown near the end but it just had a "~" mark next to it (not sure what this supposed to mean and the reviewer made no mention of that box anyway). Considering these are marketed as "gaming displays" it just surprises me how few reviews actually mention VRR. At best, you are told that the monitor supports VRR (G-SYNC or whatever) as listed from the specs but nothing about how it actually performs.

 

[malccy]

I have been waiting for the Monitor Unboxed video for the AW272eDF so that I could decide between this and the similar MSI model. I have now placed my order for the Alienware model (already feeling a little bit of buyers remorse, as have never spent this much on a monitor before).

Would someone please be able to post (or link to) a good setup and settings guide for the monitor? (apologies if this has been asked before). I am new to HDR and OLED, and am presently just using a 5-year-old 27" IPS 144hz monitor.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Darren1967]

I have been waiting for the Monitor Unboxed video for the AW272eDF so that I could decide between this and the similar MSI model. I have now placed my order for the Alienware model (already feeling a little bit of buyers remorse, as have never spent this much on a monitor before).

Would someone please be able to post (or link to) a good setup and settings guide for the monitor? (apologies if this has been asked before). I am new to HDR and OLED, and am presently just using a 5-year-old 27" IPS 144hz monitor.

Thanks in advance.

I am not sure there is one, nothing that I've found, as the monitor is too new and most YouTube sites have only reviewed it not posted the best settings. RTINGS.com have not reviewed it yet and while TFTCentral have reviewed it they have not posted the best settings for it yet.

My suggestion is to use either Standard or Creator > sRGB for SDR content and HDR Peak 1000 for HDR.

You will have to get used to manually switching between SDR and HDR modes *BEFORE* you launch the game or app as Windows does not do this automatically, unfortunately. Windows Key + Alt + B is a handy shortcut for turning HDR on and off but make sure you have the Gamebar enabled so you can see the notifications that tell you when HDR is on/off.

 

[malccy]

Thanks Darren1967 for reply. Should I do the HDR calibration thingy in Windows still and have heard different opinions on VRR, G-Sync etc. Is it better to not have VRR on/G-sync?

 

[Brok]

So I've updated the firmware to the latest version, for HDR should I have Dolby Vision set to OFF and HDR Peak 1000 set in Smart HDR? Thanks!

 

[Darren1967]

Thanks Darren1967 for reply. Should I do the HDR calibration thingy in Windows still and have heard different opinions on VRR, G-Sync etc. Is it better to not have VRR on/G-sync?

Yes. I did. Download the app from the link under HDR settings then run it while HDR Peak 1000 is enabled. Save the colour profile down and then it should be automatically used whenever HDR content is being displayed.

If you do decide to use HDR True Black 400 instead then you would obviously need to re-run the HDR app and then select that colour profile once you have saved it down.

 

[Baddass]

So I've updated the firmware to the latest version, for HDR should I have Dolby Vision set to OFF and HDR Peak 1000 set in Smart HDR? Thanks!

For PC usage then yes, turn DV off and use the Peak 1000 mode for HDR, otherwise it detects ALL HDR content as DV and the tone mapping will be off. sending of DV content from windows and a PC is a real pain right now, and there's not much content that supports it anyway so safer to leave it off

if you're using an external device that supports DV content, and you want to use that mode, you'd need to re-enable it on the HDMI input and the screen should then intelligently select either the HDR10 mode or the DV mode depending on the content being sent by the device.

 

[SpudMaster]

I have been waiting for the Monitor Unboxed video for the AW272eDF so that I could decide between this and the similar MSI model. I have now placed my order for the Alienware model (already feeling a little bit of buyers remorse, as have never spent this much on a monitor before).

Would someone please be able to post (or link to) a good setup and settings guide for the monitor? (apologies if this has been asked before). I am new to HDR and OLED, and am presently just using a 5-year-old 27" IPS 144hz monitor.

Thanks in advance.

I'm using the monitor in creator mode with sRGB colour profile and gamma at 2.2. Black level set to 1. I've tried standard and custom modes with adjust colour levels but they all look too oversaturated me and everything becomes cartoon mode. Creator gives the most accurate colours but some people do like cartoon mode
Using HDR Peak 1000 for hdr content.

 

[clone]

Whats involved with a screen rma as ive found a fault on mine.

 

[Darren1967]

Whats involved with a screen rma as ive found a fault on mine.

I believe that Dell will send the replacement and then take away the faulty one when they deliver the new one.

Sorry to hear that your monitor is faulty? What is the fault?

 

[Darren1967]

RTINGS.com have posted their early access review of the AW2725DF: https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/alienware-aw2725df

Unfortunately, I cannot read this as I do not subscribe and at $10 for just a month subscription I don't think I will be bothering either. Hopefully, it will go live to everyone else within a week.

 

[clone]

I thought I had a dead pixel but only noticed it today as its so small when I was cleaning the screen for the first time and it's a chip, I'm very careful with my pc items and I know it was not me.

 

[malccy]

I'm using the monitor in creator mode with sRGB colour profile and gamma at 2.2. Black level set to 1. I've tried standard and custom modes with adjust colour levels but they all look too oversaturated me and everything becomes cartoon mode. Creator gives the most accurate colours but some people do like cartoon mode
Using HDR Peak 1000 for hdr content.

Received mine today and very impressed. Have done settings the same as yourself but cannot find the Black level setting you mention (do you mean 'dark stabilizer'?). Also, have you left Sharpness on the default 50% or changed it? One other thing, have found in Win 11 that HDR looks the same as when it is on or off - is this right?

 

[SpellowHouse]

Whats involved with a screen rma as ive found a fault on mine.

Just tell them and they will send another, and at some time arrange collection of the broken one.

 

[SpellowHouse]

I thought I had a dead pixel but only noticed it today as its so small when I was cleaning the screen for the first time and it's a chip, I'm very careful with my pc items and I know it was not me.

Is it a small area of high reflection? A little bigger than a pixel?

 

[SpellowHouse]

A good review but it is yet another one that does not mention how VRR performs with FreeSync and G-SYNC on this display. I did see mention of 'No flickering' on the check box chart shown near the end but it just had a "~" mark next to it (not sure what this supposed to mean and the reviewer made no mention of that box anyway). Considering these are marketed as "gaming displays" it just surprises me how few reviews actually mention VRR. At best, you are told that the monitor supports VRR (G-SYNC or whatever) as listed from the specs but nothing about how it actually performs.

I wish Microsoft would sort out the sub-pixel compensation.

 

[SpudMaster]

Received mine today and very impressed. Have done settings the same as yourself but cannot find the Black level setting you mention (do you mean 'dark stabilizer'?). Also, have you left Sharpness on the default 50% or changed it? One other thing, have found in Win 11 that HDR looks the same as when it is on or off - is this right?

Yeah sorry I meant black stabiliser. Couldn't think what it was called when I was at work earlier. I find having it at on brings out the detail in shadows over the the default 0 setting but any higher and you don't get true blacks. I haven't touched the sharpness so must still be on the default.
There should be a difference in Windows when hdr is enabled, it's the reason we have to enable it before viewing hdr content because windows doesn't look right with hdr on. Enable HDR Peak 1000 on the monitor and press Win+alt+b and your should get a notification saying hdr is enabled. Failing that search hdr settings and enable manually

 

[malccy]

I think I may not be noticing the HDR due to having it on auto in Windows 11. I had it already set to Peak 1000.

From what people have been saying I was a little worried about flickering, but so far i've not seen any. The only 'not so good' thing i've seen so far is a few jaggies in a cut-scene in COD Vanguard, which never had on my previous lcd monitor. Overall, though, i'm delighted by the monitor and the qoled technology.

 

[Kirby Wurm]

Hmm, tempted by this but torn as to whether I go 27" or 34" ultrawide. I have some to mull it over as my PC is hooked up to the TV while I'm having a warm room added on the back of the house.

The 32" is nice but not sure I want the extra GPU strain of 4K long term (1440p looks surprisingly good on my TV but I doubt the scaling will be as good on a monitor when I'm sitting a lot closer).

 

[clone]

Contacted customer service and they said I need to go through tech support, god knows why it's not broken.