The new Alienware 34 QD-OLED showed why an ultrawide is just better

The Alienware 34 QD-OLED is a certified legend, even among the best gaming monitors. It was the first mainstream QD-OLED gaming display, bringing the tech that debuted on TVs into the world of gaming monitors. The AW3425DW continues that legacy.

It’s another 34-inch QD-OLED, just updated to meet the needs of an evolving monitor market. Alienware bumped the refresh rate to 240Hz, which is a welcome change given the proliferation of frame generation technology, and it’s using a new QD-OLED panel; one that’s solved the majority of issues plaguing the first generation. More important than both, however, is the fact that Alienware significantly cut the price. The AW3425DW isn’t just a great gaming monitor. It’s one of the best gaming monitors you can buy right now.

Alienware sent us the AW3425DW for review. It had no input on the contents of this article.

Alienware 34 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW)

A gorgeous panel backed up by an unbelievable price, the Alienware AW3425DW is the ultrawide display to buy if you want the best.

Pros & Cons

• Fantastic color coverage and accuracy
• Cheaper than the competition by at least $100
• One of the best gaming experiences money can buy

• Extremely limited USB hub
• No KVM switch

Alienware AW3425DW pricing and availability

Alienware has been very aggressive with its gaming displays this year, and the AW3425DW is no different. It clocks in at $800, and that’s before the frequent discounts Alienware applies to its range of monitors. Even at $800, Alienware is undercutting the competition. Corsair offers this same panel in the Xeneon 34, which clocks in at $1,200 normally and $900 on sale, while MSI offers MPG 341CQPX, which comes in at $900 if you can find it in stock. Gigabyte has its MO34WQC2 that’s currently on sale for $700, but it normally runs over $1,000.

Regardless of the way you slice it, the AW3425DW comes in at an excellent price.

Although QD-OLED tech has an edge this generation in color performance, LG Display also has a 34-inch panel available at 240Hz, which is available through the LG UltraGear 34 OLED. It’s WOLED, which trades some color for extra brightness this generation, but you’ll drop $1,300 on that monitor. Similar to the AW2725Q, the AW3425DW strictly undercuts the competition. That’s a great thing for an OLED display right, as the market continues to become more competitive. Alienware is getting ahead of that competition by pushing prices down.

A familiar design with missing ports

The USB hub could be a lot better

The AW3425DW looks great. It’s a familiar design that Alienware has tweaked slightly over the past several generations, and the AW3425DW benefits from all the adjustments Alienware has made. Unlike the original 34 QD-OLED, the AW3425DW comes in black. It also features a monolithic stand, as opposed to the two-point diagonal stand featured on the original model. As usual, you’re free to ignore the stand completely and mount the monitor on an arm using the VESA 100x100mm mount.

You can run your cables through a routing channel cut into the middle of the stand. It does a great job hiding your cable bulk after you plug everything into the bottom-facing inputs. Alienware includes a generous cutout for the ports at the back of the monitor, so you shouldn’t have any problem fully hiding everything from a USB connection to a bulky DisplayPort cable.

Unfortunately, you won’t be hiding any USB cables behind the AW3425DW. Alienware includes a small USB hub with a single USB-A port and USB-C port, both of which support up to 5Gbps. They’re both located under the front lip of the monitor, though. There are no USB ports next to the monitor inputs. It’s disappointing how limited the USB hub is here, not only in the few ports and their placement, but also the lack of a KVM switch and only 15 watts of power delivery on the USB-C port.

The inputs aren’t anything special. You get dual HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4 input. They sit alongside a USB-B connection, which you’ll need to connect to your PC if you want to use the USB hub built into the monitor. Connecting this cable also allows you to use the Alienware Command Center software. It’ll give you access to basic monitor controls like your picture preset, brightness, and contrast settings, which you’d otherwise need to adjust with the four-way joystick and on-screen display (OSD).

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One of the best QD-OLED panels I’ve tested

I had high expectations, and the AW3425DW crushed them

This is a gorgeous panel. The standards are already extremely high for an OLED display, and even then, the AW3425DW offers some of the best color I’ve seen out of an OLED display. You’re getting exceptional color coverage and accuracy straight out of the box, as well as solid brightness. QD-OLED as a technology still takes a backseat to WOLED when it comes to peak brightness, but the AW3425DW can still easily clear 1,000 nits when looking at highlights in HDR.

Starting with color, the performance is exceptional. This is a wide gamut display, so you’re getting 100% of sRGB and a gobsmacking 99% of DCI-P3. The display also managed 94% of AdobeRGB, which is one of the larger color spaces available. Even top-notch OLED displays usually only reach into the high 80s. Color accuracy is fantastic, as well. With the Standard mode that the monitor defaults to, you’re getting a color error of just 0.49. That’s some of the best performance I’ve seen out of a monitor, even by the high standards of OLED.

Brightness in SDR isn’t going to blow anyone away, however. I had no issue combating reflections in a bright room with the monitor set to SDR, even with the glossy finish on the AW3425DW. Still, I measured a peak brightness of just 252 nits in SDR, even with a tiny 1% window. Thankfully, this panel is capable of far higher brightness when you switch to HDR.

Alienware includes several HDR modes with the AW3425DW, which is calls SmartHDR. A peak brightness mode is available, and in that mode, you can see how the panel performs above. With a 1% window, the display easily clears 1,000 nits, and it even maintains most of that performance up to a 5% window. Of course, the brightness drops significantly at larger window sizes, but full-white brightness nearing 300 nits is nothing to sneeze at.

Even with sky-high expectations, the AW3425DW managed to surprise me. It really shouldn’t, given how well Alienware has tuned its last several OLED releases, but the AW3425DW managed to stand out with its exceptional color coverage and accuracy. Alienware may be undercutting the competition with this display, but it doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of image quality in the process.

Ultrawide is the best way to play games

Assuming you’re willing to deal with a few small hurdles

I used an ultrawide monitor for years, and the AW3425DW reminded me why. This format is great for gaming. It has issues, which I’ll get to throughout this section, but the wide field of view afforded by a 21:9 aspect ratio goes a long way in immersing you in games, and that’s true in everything from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Marvel Rivals. Combined with the excellent image quality of the AW3425DW, the searing refresh rate, and the near-instantaneous response time, you’re getting a top-shelf gaming experience.

Before getting ahead of myself, you’re getting all the certifications on the AW3425DW. Alienware has gathered the trifecta of variable refresh rate certifications with G-Sync Compatible, FreeSync Premium Pro, and AdaptiveSync, and it squared away a DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 certification, as well. All of these certifications don’t make a monitor better, but I still appreciate it when brands like Alienware go out of their way to back up their marketing claims.

You get great HDR and VRR support, but the most important element of the AW3425DW for gaming is the 240Hz refresh rate. The previous Alienware 34 QD-OLED topped out at 175Hz, so the jump to 240Hz is welcome alongside the panel improvements with this generation of QD-OLED panels. That extra refresh rate doesn’t go to waste, either. From Lossless Scaling to FSR 3 and 4 to Nvidia’s new DLSS Multi-Frame Generation, there are a ton of options to saturate a 240Hz display. It’s quickly becoming the new standard for gaming monitors, and I’m glad we have a high-end OLED option with a 240Hz refresh rate in the ultrawide category.

When you’re able to get the ultrawide wings, there’s nothing that can top a 21:9 display. Thankfully, this format has been around for a while, and most game developers know that. In modern games, you’ll seldom come across a big AAA release that doesn’t support a 21:9 aspect ratio. Still, there are exceptions. Elden Ring, for example, doesn’t natively support a 21:9 aspect ratio, nor do the recent Resident Evil games. Tools like Flawless Widescreen, Special K, and game-specific mods can unlock 21:9 support, but you’ll still run into at least a handful of games where 21:9 isn’t natively available.

I don’t mind dealing with a couple of hurdles for the trade-off in immersion, but it’s something to keep in mind regardless. Although a 21:9 display is more immersive when it works, it can quickly break your immersion when the screen snaps back to a 16:9 aspect ratio when you open a menu or trigger a cutscene.

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Warranty and burn-in prevention

Alienware is one of the best brands on the market when it comes to support

Alienware set the standard for warranty protection with the original 34 QD-OLED, and this updated model carries that torch forward. Like most OLED displays these days, Alienware offers a three-year warranty on the AW3425DW that covers burn-in. It’s included with the display, so you don’t need to spend anything extra to cover your monitor for the full three years. If you need to replace your monitor, Dell will send you a new one, and you can send your old one back. I’ve actually gone through this process myself, and I was set up with a new monitor within a couple of days of putting in a warranty claim.

The goal is to prevent burn-in in the first place, though. To that end, Alienware includes a graphite sheet at the back of the panel to help dissipate heat, along with an “enhanced anti-burn-in AI algorithm.” Unlike a display like MSI MPG 272URX, Alienware doesn’t expose its burn-in mitigation features through the on-screen display. You’ll be prompted to perform pixel cleaning every few hours of continuous use, but otherwise, features like pixel shifting and taskbar detection are handled in the background.

With the AW3425DW (and all Alienware OLEDs), the main thing to focus on is your panel health rating. Through the OSD, you’ll see a panel health color that notes how long it’s been since you refreshed your panel. As long as you try to keep your panel health in the green, you shouldn’t have issues with burn-in. Or, at the very least, you shouldn’t have issues within the first three years.

Although you don’t have as many burn-in mitigation features compared to a monitor from Asus or MSI, Alienware has consistently demonstrated that it takes the burn-in issue seriously. You shouldn’t have issues with burn-in with the AW3425DW, and if you do, Alienware has probably the best monitor warranty available right now.

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Should you buy the Alienware AW3425DW?

You should buy the Alienware AW3425DW if:

• You want immersive gaming experiences and productivity prowess in equal stride.
• You have a room relatively clear of direct light.
• You’re willing to sometimes jump through ultrawide hoops when playing games.

You should NOT buy the Alienware AW3425DW if:

• You need USB-C input and high power delivery.
• You connect several external accessories to your monitor.
• You have a lower-end PC.

If you’re in the market for this panel, the AW3425DW is undoubtedly the display you should buy. It focuses on the basics, offering stellar image quality and a price that’s too good to ignore. Combined with the standard slew of certifications you’d expect out of a high-end display and a generous three-year warranty, it’s hard to argue with what Alienware is offering.

There are a few trade-offs, most notably in the USB hub. You not only have low speeds and only a couple inputs, but the USB-C port is also limited to just 15W. Higher-end displays come with a USB-C input, along with a hub that works across a KVM switch. That’s a missed opportunity on the AW3425DW, but also a fair compromise given its price.

Alienware 34 240Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW)

A gorgeous panel backed up by an unbelievable price, the Alienware AW3425DW is the ultrawide display to buy if you want the best.