The Bottom Line
Pros
- 360Hz refresh rate
- Incredible colors
- Gorgeous aesthetic
- Immersive gaming
Cons
- USB-C port lacks DP Alt mode for video
- Weak power delivery via USB-C port
Should you buy it?
AvoidConsiderShortlistBuyIntroduction & Specification Details and Close-up
Dell's gaming arm, Alienware, is really making its mark with its QD-OLED gaming monitors. Today, we have another model under the microscope - the AW2725DF, a 27-inch 1440p (QHD) gaming monitor that offers a blisteringly fast 360Hz refresh rate on a gorgeous QD-OLED panel.
It was only recently that I highly recommended Alienware's 32-inch 4K variant of this same QD-OLED panel. Now we have the little brother version, which, by its size and specifications, is aimed more at competitive gamers. The AW2725DF comes with a $799 price tag, which means it's competing with MSI's popular MPG 271QRX, which is also priced at $799 but is limited to 240Hz.
Alienware has really separated itself from the competition with AW2725DF, and as a result, it has pushed the 1440p gaming monitor specs to what I now consider the peak. The AW2725DF offers everything a competitive gamer could want in a gaming monitor, but Alienware has made some notable concessions that may be deal-breakers for some buyers. It should be noted that all QD-OLED gaming monitors at this size and generation of panel will perform similarly, which means buyers are choosing between what inputs are available on the back of the monitor, aesthetic design, and any proprietary OSD software.
Specifications
Close-up
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Design
The AW2725DF uses the same extremely sleek and aesthetically pleasing shell as the AW322QF, Alienware's 32-inch 4K at 240Hz variant, but in black instead of white. As I mentioned in the AW322QF review, this housing is my favorite out of the stack I have reviewed so far, and if I were to boil down the reason why I enjoy it so much, it would have to be the sleek, closed-back, minimal look. Unfortunately, I would have liked to see Alienware release the AW2725DF in a white and black variant. While the black is still quite nice, I believe the white steps things up a notch, especially when considering the complete lack of white-colored gaming monitor variants available on the market.
Keeping to the physical design of the AW2725DF, Alienware's housing provides a very premium feel to the display, which leads me to say the build quality of the AW2725DF is very strong. Throughout my testing time, I didn't notice any creaks, loose parts, or physical design problems that could result in a point of critical failure. The back of the monitors features two LEDs - one for the Alienware logo and the other for the number 27, which refers to the size of the AW2725DF. Just like I mentioned in the AW322QF review, the massive LED number on the back of the monitor may have zero utility to the owner of the monitor, but it does fit and add to the overall aesthetic, which means I'm here for it.
The stand has a quick-release mechanism for easy attaching and detaching the display from the stand. As for the stand, Alienware has placed some branding down the spine of the stand and has opted for a hexagonal-shaped single foot. I'm thankful Alienware has chosen this stand design for the AW2725DF as a forked-footed stand would have knocked it down a few points as those stands run the risk of gamers with low mouse sensitivity accidentally colliding with the feet of the stand while doing sweeping mouse movements.
This can be a particular problem for competitive first-person shooter gamers who are known to bring the display close to them for better sight of the enemy. Considering that the AW2725DF is a 27-inch gaming monitor, a size aimed at competitive gamers, I'm glad to see that Alienware has opted for this stand choice. Great work here, Alienware.
Keeping to the back of the monitor, Alienware has equipped with the AW2725DF with a variety of connectivity options: 2x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB 3.2 Type-B upstream port, 2x USB 3.2 Type-C downstream port, and 1x USB 3.2 Type-A downstream port. The inclusion of the HDMI 2.1 port means the AW2725DF is perfect for current-gen consoles that push titles up to 120FPS.
MSI's MPG 27QRX, a 1440p 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor priced at $799, offers 90W PD charging and was something I thoroughly enjoyed using throughout my testing time as I was able to charge all my power banks, smartphones, and laptops. I like how Alienware has chosen to put USB-C and A ports directly under the Alienware branding on the front of the display. This enables easier access to the ports and is something I would like other gaming monitor manufacturers to pick up on.
Unfortunately, in this case, the USB-C port doesn't offer great charging capabilities and is more so designed for data transfer at a maximum of 5Gbps. Considering its price, I would have liked to have seen at least 45W available via this USB-C port, as that would be enough to charge most devices such as smartphones, laptops, and power banks.
Panel Breakdown
The panel housed within the aesthetically pleasing shell of the AW2725DF is everything you would want out of a QD-OLED panel. Alienware is using a third-generation QD-OLED panel, which made substantial improvements to text fringing compared to second-generation QD-OLED panels, and the AW2725DF is a prime example of that.
Even at 111ppi, text-based workloads were a breeze on the AW2725DF, and thanks to the QD-OLED pixel technology, the color was absolutely incredible. All OLED panels have an incredible contrast ratio, as each individual pixel is capable of turning off, which provides true blacks and deep, rich, and vibrant colors. The AW2725DF is probably the most impressive 27-inch QD-OLED panel I have come across during my time reviewing gaming monitors, as the colors right out of the box are exceptional.
However, suppose you want to make some manual tweaks to the AW2725DF. In that case, users can navigate through the OSD options via the multi-directional joystick located right under the Alienware branding on the front of the display. Alienware has a clean OSD layout that enables easy navigation to commonly sought-after options such as brightness, HDR and presets. As with all OLED panels, users need to be mindful of light source placement as the "anti-reflective" coating for these displays typically still produces some form of glare on the panel. This glare increases the brightness of pixels and diminishes one of the best aspects of OLED panels, the deep blacks. Place independent light sources behind the OLED monitor, and for the best viewing experience, cut out all lights entirely.
The incredible color paired with the 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time makes the AW2725DF's panel an unrivalled product in this specific gaming monitor monitor size.
Performance
As with all of my gaming monitor reviews, I like to test the monitor I have under the microscope in a variety of different games to see where it would best perform and, therefore, what type of gamer would benefit most from purchasing that specific monitor. I tested the AW2725DF in the following titles: Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, League of Legends, Black Myth: Wukong, The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Age of Empires IV, Age of Mythology, Counter-Strike 2, and Deadlock.
Throughout my testing time I picked up very quickly the AW2725DF performs best in first-person-shooter titles, or titles that can take full advantage of the monitor's 360Hz refresh rate. With that being said, the AW2725DF simply ate up any game I threw at it, providing incredible visuals through popping colors, a complete lack of motion blur, zero tearing, and no noticeable ghosting problems.
First-person-shooter titles such as Overwatch 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Apex Legends really made the AW2725DF shine. I can confidently say the AW2725DF would be a perfect monitor for a gamer who wants to combine visual fidelity with high refresh rate gaming.
Final Thoughts
So, should you buy the AW2725DF? If you are in the market for the best 1440p gaming monitor when it comes to raw gaming performance, the AW2725DF is the best option out there, beating the likes of MSI's MPG 271QRX at the same price.
A gamer considering purchasing the AW2725DF wouldn't be too worried about any connectivity options on the monitor for data transferring or charging, as those options are minimal. Instead, a gamer would just want as much gaming performance as possible and an aesthetically pleasing display. For $799, the AW2725DF will cover those bases, and it outperforms competing displays at the same size and price point.
Moreover, I believe the AW2725DF will be best enjoyed by a competitive gamer who can take advantage of the 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. These two specifications can really make a difference to an in-game experience, particularly in fast-paced competitive titles. However, if you are a gamer who flexes between multiple titles, such as RPG or RTS games, the AW2725DF will provide an incredible gaming experience in those as well. But, if you play those types of games more, I would recommend saving a little more and picking up a 32-inch OLED gaming monitor, as they are simply the jack-of-all-trades for OLED gaming.
Alienware has really knocked it out of the park with the AW2725DF, as it is now the best-in-slot 1440p OLED gaming monitor on the market.