Product: Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor - AW2721D
Type: Gaming Display (27”)
Price: $1349.00 RRP
Availability: Out Now
Link: dell.com/en-au/shop/alienware-27-gaming-monitor-aw2721d/

The QHD resolution of 1440p is slowly becoming the new norm, and in fact for those serious about high-end PC gaming it’s become the go-to resolution when looking for a new display. As a resolution, the QHD sweet spot fits in nicely with the most common screen-size found - 27-inches. Naturally, there’s a lot more to a display than resolution and size. And even though the new Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor ticks both of those boxes it adds a few others that make it fall well in truly into that premium region we associate with the brand.

Where, in addition to the space-age aesthetic that offers a clean and stylish look that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than something from the Alienware range, you get excellent colour accuracy, brightness, and HDR support on a Fast IPS panel. Plus, G-Sync Ultimate and a refresh-rate of 240 Hz perfect for high-end competitive gaming. Hitting close to 240-fps in 1440p is possible across a number of titles, even though that might sound like a stretch.

When paired with one of the latest GeForce 30 Series GPUs (namely something in the RTX 3070 or RTX 3080 range), the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor comes alive. Add in some NVIDIA Reflex action and the results are impressive. And that extends to stuff beyond breaking the 144 Hz barrier.

Looking Good

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When it comes to hardware designed and marketed as “for gamers” we often make assumptions on what the design will ultimately look like. Prominent angles, chunky and sturdy supports, black with rainbow-coloured RGB accents. In recent years Alienware has carved out its own slice of the hardware design-space thanks to the clinical UFO-like white of its devices, stuff that not only features prominent yet subtle angles but rounded accents and lighting that is best described as Alienware Blue.

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Even though the new Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor ticks both of those boxes it adds a few others that make it fall well in truly into that premium region we associate with the brand.

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It’s the sort of aesthetic that jumps out at you but still remains stylish enough to bridge the gap between what you’d consider “for gamers” and for real runway style.

The Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor continues this trend with a sturdy and solid base that results in something larger than you’d expect for a 27-inch display. But, minimal once it’s all set up and plugged in. The almost bezel-free look allows the display and image to take centre-stage and on that front the HDR-600 certified IPS panel results in some impressively bright images with 98% DCI-P3 colour coverage resulting in a vibrant look and feel no matter the content. To take full advantage of the 240 Hz you’ll need to use a DisplayPort connector (the HDMI here is only 2.0 so it’s capped at 144 Hz) but with the addition of G-Sync Ultimate certification you’re getting the absolute best version of NVIDIA’s VRR tech -- and silky smooth performance no matter the frame-rate.

Up until recently G-Sync Ultimate certification was limited to displays that required a minimum of HDR-1000 so on that front even though the HDR-600 here is bright for a PC display it does fall short of something you’d get in the TV space. A small concession that also highlights some of the limitations of the IPS panel, namely it being edge-lit so dark scenes tend to suffer. That said the image quality here is excellent, with out-of-the-box calibration hitting the 98% DCI-P3 colour space making it suitable for content creation. Weirdly though, even though this is more than sRGB the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor doesn’t feature an sRGB mode for those used to that.

A View to Remember

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The Fast IPS panel that makes up the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor not only results in it being able to sport a fast 240 Hz refresh rate, but it does so with response times kept low with little in the way of error. The viewing angle here is also wide so onlookers get the benefit of its vibrant look and feel too. When testing the display we did so across a wide range of games including Horizon Zero Dawn, DOOM Eternal, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and competitive fare like Rainbow Six Siege and Call of Duty.

Maximum Resolution: QHD 2560 x 1440

Size: 27-inch

Panel Type: Fast IPS

Refresh Rate: DisplayPort: 240 Hz, HDMI: 144 Hz (G-Sync Ultimate)

Response Time (GTG): 1ms

Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Native)

Brightness: 450 cd/m²

Weight: 6.3 kg (without stand)

The Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor certainly hits all the marks you’d want for a high-end display in this price-range. Great colour accuracy paired with a high-refresh rate and great response times that also extends to input latency. Being IPS there are the obvious drawbacks that come with the tech, namely contrast and black levels not up to VA-panel levels but the benefits tend to outweigh that sacrifice. The panel here definitely makes a great case for high-speed IPS panels becoming the norm, where you get a crisp vibrant image that doesn’t smear or ghost or otherwise buckle under the pressure.

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The Fast IPS panel that makes up the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor not only results in it being able to sport a fast 240 Hz refresh rate, but it does so with response times kept low with little in the way of error.

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As a stylish bit of kit, the Alienware brand brings a certain level of expectation so it’s great to see the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor live up to it in both style and performance. As a QHD offering, and one of those rare displays that goes beyond 200 Hz you might be wondering if you can tell the difference between a game running at 144 Hz versus something at 240 Hz.

A couple of years ago we might have said ‘probably not’. But in switching between the two at regular intervals to get a proper sense of what 240 Hz brings to the table and it's clear that the results are, well, clearer. So to speak. In the end it’s hard to fault the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor, outside of the edge-lit design and overall IPS contrast-level issues you’d find on any display of this sort, it’s an impressive display. And one that looks good whilst looking good.