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Alienware AW2725Q 4K 240 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: Serious value and high performance

27-inch 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and wide gamut color

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Alienware AW2725Q
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The AW2725Q supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision with automatic signal switching. HDR10 has six additional picture modes, and Dolby Vision must be toggled on in the OSD.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

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Alienware AW2725Q
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The AW2725Q has HDR brightness on par with its competition and employs variable brightness to reach a higher peak than SDR. The Dough and Asus panels push their panels a bit harder when measuring 25% windows but, in all cases, the brightest highlights will get to around 1,000 nits. This test was run in True Black mode. There is a preset called Peak 1000, but it is no higher in peak output. It alters the EOTF curve to make highlights more focused, but it clips some detail in the process.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

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Alienware AW2725Q
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

True Black mode is the best choice for all HDR10 content. Grayscale tracking is without visual flaw as all errors are below 3dE. No calibration is necessary here. The EOTF tracks almost perfectly with a soft transition to tone mapping at 60% brightness. This is the correct value for the AW2725Q’s measured black and white levels. It means that all detail remains visible across the full tonal range.

The AW2725Q’s gamut tracking is a textbook example of accuracy. All six colors remain on their hue lines with just slight oversaturation in red, magenta and blue. This is one of the best charts I’ve seen to date. In the BT.2020 test, the AW2725Q stays on target with slight oversaturation before running out of color at 90% red, 75% green and 95% blue. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The AW2725Q offers HDR contrast on par with competitors but stands above in its color and EOTF accuracy. You won’t need to tweak HDR game menus to see all the detail when playing titles like Doom Eternal. Color is rich and vibrant, and intra-image contrast is superb. It is one of the best HDR monitors I’ve reviewed.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • MoxNix
    Way too expensive for what's a relatively slow refresh rate these days. The Alienware 27 inch 360 Hz 1440p monitor is a far better value.
    Reply
  • mihen
    For Oled, refresh isn't a question of if the panel can do it. It's a question if the cable can do it. It's a 2160p verse 1440p difference.
    Reply