I just tested the new Alienware 34 QD-OLED gaming monitor — and I'm in love

Tom's Guide

7 days ago

The Alienware AW3423DWF popularized QD-OLED technology for gaming displays and has long been in our best gaming monitors list. Its successor, the Alienware AW3425DW, has everything that made the original great, along with several key updates. The fact that it costs $799 only makes this device more irresistible.
As before, you get a lovely 1800R curved panel with an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio. Now, the new monitor sports a flat stand that takes up less space than the previous model's triangle stand. It also looks gorgeous thanks to its 'interstellar indigo' chassis.
Performance-wise, the AW3425DW can run at a smooth 240Hz refresh rate, which is a nice upgrade from its predecessors' 165Hz. Response time is now faster at 0.03ms, which is perfect for fast-paced first-person shooters or twitchy RTS games. Combine that with the sharp 1440p resolution and vivid colors, and you get a superlative gaming experience.
Though I wish the Alienware AW3425DW had brighter HDR, that's about the only qualm I have with an otherwise incredible gaming monitor. For what it offers at such a relatively low cost compared to its competitors, the AW3425DW is an absolute winner. Find out why in my full review.
Alienware 34 AW3425DW
Price
$799
Display
32-inches
Resolution
3440 x 1440
Aspect ratio
21:9
Refresh rate
240Hz
Response time
0.03ms
Panel type
QD-OLED
Ports
1x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI, 1x USB-A, 1x USB-B, 1x USB-C
Dimensions
32.05 x 14.23 x 4.38 inches (without stand)
Weight
17.95 pounds (with stand)
The Alienware AW3425DW is just about the perfect gaming monitor thanks to its sleek design, vivid picture quality and smooth gaming performance.
The Alienware AW3425DW retains some aspects of its predecessors' design while updating others. This makes for a monitor that not only looks great but is practical for both gaming and everyday work.
As before, the panel's 1800R curvature does an excellent job of immersing you in whatever games you're playing. I prefer this panel over the LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B's more aggressive 800R curved display. The 21:9 aspect ratio helps games feel more cinematic and gives you more space for apps and windows.
Except for the iconic Alienware logo on the back, this monitor is free of embellishments. The logo has AlienFX lighting if you want the AW3425DW to have a little more flair. The panel measures 32.05 x 14.23 x 4.38 inches, and the whole thing weighs 17.9 pounds with the stand. That's not exactly small and light, but it's also not difficult to set up and move around.
Instead of V-shaped legs, this monitor now has a flat stand that takes up considerably less space on your desk, allowing more room for the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mouse. The stand's shaft has a cutaway for cable management, which helps keep your desk tidy. Sure, the stand is now somewhat boring, but it makes keeping the monitor on your desk less cumbersome. And if that doesn't work for you, you can mount the monitor on your wall via the VESA mounts on its back.
Like the previous model, you can raise or lower the screen across a span of 4.3 inches along the stand's shaft. You can also tilt it backward -5 degrees or forward up to 21 degrees. The screen also swivels 20 degrees both left and right. Tilting and swiveling the display to your preferred viewing angle is as seamless as before.
You get a decent number of ports on the back. This includes a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort, one USB-A, one USB-B, and a lone USB-C port. There's an OSD (on-screen display) joystick near the ports, and you can use it to enter and navigate the monitor's display settings.
The QD-OLED panel is the star of the show here. It delivers excellent contrast between dark and light elements, while the 1800R curvature keeps you immersed and focused. Combine that with the vivid colors and 21:9 aspect ratio, and you get a spectacular gaming experience. And don't worry that this isn't a 4K display, as everything looks gorgeous at 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. Trust me, your eyes won't be disappointed.
I tested Doom: The Dark Ages and Cyberpunk 2077 on the AW3425DW and marveled at how amazing they appeared. This monitor generally delivers oversaturated colors, which makes the holograms and neon signs in Cyberpunk 2077 really pop. The 21:9 aspect ratio also ensures demons don't get the drop on me in Doom: The Dark Ages.
Alienware AW3425DW
HP Omen Transcend 32
LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B
sRGB
199.2%
187.6%
149.4%
DCI-P3
141.1%
132.9%
105.8%
Delta-E
0.24
0.29
0.31
Our lab tests confirm my anecdotal testing. In its standard display mode, the AW3425DW produces oversaturated colors (sRGB and DCI-P3), along with good color accuracy (Delta-E). The HP Omen Transcend 32 tends to deliver more oversaturated colors in its standard mode, but the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B has more accurate colors.
The Alienware AW3425DW has 11 display modes, which is five more than the previous model. There are modes dedicated to game genres like FPS, RTS and Sports. The monitor also has a Creator mode, which has better color accuracy for video and photo editors. Except for the latter, the modes are only slightly different from one another, depending on their function.
The AW3425DW performs like a dream thanks to its smooth 240Hz refresh rate and fast 0.03ms response time. These are both upgrades from the 165Hz and 0.1ms of the previous model. Compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync also helps deliver smooth gaming performance.
For my testing, I had the AW3425DW connected to the Alienware Area-51, which is a bad-ass gaming PC packing an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU and 64GB of RAM. Though you don't need such a powerful PC for the AW3425DW, having a beastly rig that can run games at high frame rates doesn't hurt.
I reviewed Doom: The Dark Ages on a PS5 Pro, where the game tops out at 60 frames per second. I immediately felt the difference when playing it at around 230 fps on a monitor with a refresh rate to match. Not only was I playing better, but I also didn't experience a hint of screen tearing or choppiness. If there was any input lag, I didn't notice it. Needless to say, the AW3425DW performs phenomenally.
The Alienware AW3425DW has the same basic interface as its predecessor. As before, the UI features a black and grey background along with blue and white lettering. This is where you'll find the display modes and a bunch of settings to adjust the lighting and more. There's a lot to sift through, but the clean UI makes it easy to find what you need.
The OSD joystick used for sorting through menus is very responsive and easy to reach. It has a nice rigidity despite being so small.
The Alienware AW3425DW has just about everything you'd want from a gaming monitor. However, it suffers from an issue that's typical for OLED monitors.
If you've read any of my OLED gaming monitor reviews, you'll know my main complaint is their relatively dim HDR modes. While the AW3425DW has vivid colors and sharp picture quality, don't expect overly bright HDR.
Alienware AW3425DW
HP Omen Transcend 32
LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B
Nits (brightness)
227 (standard) | 270 (HDR)
245 (native) | 241 (HDR)
255.8 (standard) | 262 (HDR)
In general, the AW3425DW delivers around 250 nits of HDR brightness across 100% of the screen. That's still good enough for everything to come across clearly, but it's not super bright overall. But to its credit, the panel can hit around 420 nits of brightness on 10% of the screen, which means you'll see good contrasts on brighter elements.
This monitor's HDR brightness is not a deal breaker since it's in line with other OLED gaming monitors. That said, it would have been nice if the panel got a little brighter than the competition.
The Alienware AW3425DW is a spectacular update to its predecessor. It retains the same excellent picture quality as before, but now has better performance and a more streamlined design. The fact that it only costs $799 is simply icing on the proverbial cake.
However, if you're looking for a more affordable monitor with brighter HDR, the $599 Alienware 27 4K Dual-Resolution is a solid alternative. Similarly, the $729 LG UltraGear 45GR75DC is another great option if you want a larger 45-inch curved gaming monitor.
Minor complaints aside, the Alienware AW3425DW is a superlative gaming monitor for just about anyone. If you don't want to break the bank on a monitor to pair with your PC or console, you won't go wrong with the AW3425DW.