Alienware AW2725QF Review

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Two “native” resolutions. One screen. Will it ever work? We’ve seen plenty of attempts at dual-mode panels, most recently in the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE . But while LG has had plenty more to stand out from the crowd, including LG’s latest 4K OLED technology, the modern Alienware AW2725QF leans into its dual-mode status a bit more decidedly.

It’s a 27-inch 4K IPS monitor that runs at up to 180Hz in UHD mode. Make no mistake, this is a very high-spec panel. But it doesn’t have full local dimming or any other really groundbreaking feature. Apart from, of course, the dual-shizzle mode.

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In basic terms, what Alienware is doing here is the same thing that other dual-mode displays do, namely double the pixels. In other words, you double them vertically and horizontally, causing the quartet of pixels to act as one.

Of course, 4K is exactly four times the resolution of 1080p. So you get a 1080p display where each “native” pixel is made up of four smaller pixels. In other words — boom! — you have “native” 1080p and you can exploit higher refresh rates. In this case, the Alienware AW2725QF hits 360Hz in 1080p mode, a significant step up from 4K’s maximum refresh rate, with the attendant benefits in terms of response and latency.

AW2725QF Specification

(Photo source: Future)

Screen size: 27 inches
Resolution: 3840×2160
Brightness: 450 nits SDR, 600 nits HDR
Color coverage: 95% DCI-P3
Response time: 0.5ms GTG
Refresh rate: 180Hz (4K) / 360Hz (1080p)
HDRs: Display HDR 600
Characteristics: Dual-mode 4K / 1080p, IPS panel, HDMI 2.1 x2, DisplayPort 1.4, USB hub with 3x USB-A and 1x USB-C
Price: $599 | 530 pounds

In principle, this all makes sense, and means you no longer have to interpolate a 1080p image onto a 4K pixel grid while rendering 1920×1080 pixels on a 3840×2160 pixel grid. What’s more, if you analyze the structure of any individual pixel on a current, standard flat panel display, you’ll find that it’s itself made up of many subpixels. So how native is native?

With that in mind, you might think, great, well done, this alternate 1080p mode should be the same as a real 1080p panel. Indeed, accessing the 1080p mode is quick and straightforward, even if it does resync the monitor with the computer.

But from there, it gets even more complicated. The main issue is that subpixel structure matters. Font rendering in Windows, for example, deals with pixels at the subpixel level to produce the smoothest, sharpest text possible on any connected display.

More precisely, Windows renders assuming three subpixels—red, green, and blue, and in that order. On a dual-pixel display, you actually have two rows: red, green, blue, red, green, blue. Well, you have that in an IPS display like this Alienware. OLED panels arrange their subpixels differently—and this also varies between panel manufacturers—which only compounds the problem.

Either way, in compact, this difference in subpixel structure affects image quality. As does the shape and spacing between pixels. For any given panel size, a true native 1080p pixel tends to be a bit softer and rounder, and certainly has more space between itself and the next pixel.

(Photo source: Future)

As with the LG OLED monitor, you won’t mistake it for a regular 1080p panel.

When you start with a much denser 4K pixel grid and then combine four pixels into one, the space between each resulting pixel is narrower, and the edges and shape of the pixels are sharper. Put all of these together, and the net effect is that a 4K panel with double the pixels that supports an alternative “native” 1080p will never look exactly the same as a panel of the same size that is Actually 1080p.

However, this does not automatically mean that a dual-mode monitor will look worse. It’ll just be different. With all that convoluted pixel/subpixel babble in mind, what does this 27-inch 4K monitor look like when running in its 1080p alternate mode? Like the LG OLED monitor mentioned above, you wouldn’t mistake it for a conventional 1080p panel.

Compared to the LG, the results are a bit more crisp and pointed. That’s both a good thing and a bad thing. It means this monitor avoids the slightly gentle and blurry look of the LG. In game, it actually looks quite good most of the time. In fact, you often forget that this isn’t a true native 1080p panel.

The Alienware AW2725QF combines four pixels from a 4K grid into one pixel for 1080p mode. (Photo Source: Dell)

However, some graphics do pick up on the pixel-doubling approach. This is most noticeable in fine detail. A common example is grass and other leaves with fine lines. At 1080p they can look awfully gritty and pixelated, think of what it would be like to run an upscaler like FSR at its lowest quality setting and you’ll get the idea.

Returning to the Windows desktop, it becomes even more obvious that you’re not looking at a true native panel. While the relatively gigantic gaps and rounded edges of a typical native pixel soften the image a bit, this dual-pixel display is sharper and less forgiving. You might say that doesn’t matter, since the dual-mode feature is really only intended for gaming.

(Photo source: Future)

Overall, it’s an intriguing and worthwhile feature, but definitely not a killer. If you’re really, really solemn about competitive online gaming and achieving the lowest possible latency, you’ll probably still want a dedicated high-refresh-rate display. But for everyone else, it gives you a very useful option to boost your refresh rate when you’re in fast-and-furious fragging mode without compromising image detail and pixel density the rest of the time.

Speaking of the rest of the time, we forgot to discuss how this Alienware AW2725QF looks as a regular 4K panel, which is actually how it will usually be used. In compact, it is, for the most part, really pretty.

This is probably the fastest IPS panel I’ve ever seen.

The core color calibration in SDR mode is great, and the panel is super crisp and radiant, as you’d expect from 450 nits of peak SDR. Even more impressive is the response. This monitor is blazing rapid.

You get three different levels of pixel overdrive to speed up response. The fastest mode has a bit of overdrive and ghosting. But the other two are just really rapid. In fact, this may be the fastest IPS panel I’ve seen. It’s certainly up there with the best, and rapid enough that I’m not sure the theoretical advantage of OLED panels when it comes to response translates into a terribly obvious subjective difference.

However, where the OLED panels kill this monitor is the HDR performance, contrast, and black levels. The Alienware AW2725QF is HDR 600 certified, but it is only edge-lit, rather than offering full panel dimming. So, a lot of airy shines through the panel, and the contrast is relatively indigent compared to OLED.

(Photo source: Future)

To be clear, this monitor is no worse than any similar IPS panel. But once you see OLED, displays like this have very obvious shortcomings in these areas, there’s just no getting around it.

Of course, as a 27-inch 4K monitor, the pixel density is fantastic, with everything being super pointed and detailed. The 180Hz refresh rate in 4K mode will also be plenty for most gamers in terms of response and latency. All of this means that this is a really good all-round gaming panel.

(Photo source: Future)

The only other catch worth mentioning is the lack of USB-C connectivity, and therefore no single-cable option for laptops. There is a USB-C port on the bottom front bezel, but it’s only for a USB hub, which requires a separate cable. Oh, and there’s no audio output, for example for headphones.

Buy if…

Want two monitors in one: The dual 4K/1080p feature isn’t perfect. But it’s the best effort yet.

Don’t buy if…

If you want 4K gaming: If dual mode isn’t your thing, there are cheaper 27-inch 4K IPS gaming monitors available, though few are as rapid.

Is this all fine and dandy for a gaming display? Probably. Certainly, USB-C’s power limitations mean you can’t fully charge a gaming laptop with a USB-C cable. At the same time, USB-C would still provide a more versatile display, allowing you to share that panel between a gaming desktop and a laptop. Plus, with USB-C, you simply have more options. Who knows what you might want to do with this monitor in the future, and at this price, USB-C really should be a no-brainer.

Yes, the price. For a regular 4K gaming panel without full dimming, the Alienware AW2725QF is definitely exorbitant. It’s tough to say whether it’s worth paying extra for the dual-mode feature. It’s a very nice panel even without dual-mode, it’s powerful and very, very rapid. So the overall value proposition is reasonable. But if you’re not interested in 360Hz 1080p mode, you can get a similar experience for a lot less money.

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