Alienware AW3423DWF Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor – 34-inch Quantum Dot OLED 0.1Ms 165Hz 219 Curved Display, 99.3% DCI-P3 Color Gamut, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro – Black : Electronics

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best UW size in my opinion

If you want a single ultrawide for both gaming and productivity I feel this is the best size, and there’s not a lot of options. 34″ is too small, and 49″ have wasted space on the sides.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Just perfect

Can’t imagine going back to not having this monitor. It is amazing

5.0 out of 5 stars

I love this monitor

It’s expensive, but it was worth it. Picture is awesome. I love gaming on this.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Amazing Monitor

I was heavily debating whether to go with OLED or an IPS option (even Mini LED), but I’m glad I jumped on this when the price dropped to $900.Some people have commented on the monitor’s fan noise, I haven’t noticed noise at all with other ambient noise going on and using my headset, so not an issue for me. No dead pixels I can notice either, thankfully. My unit came with scratches on the screen despite the panel coming with some padding to protect the panel. While others noted the same issue, many decided to keep their unit as it’s not an issue while using the monitor. Plus, getting a new unit may present other issues like dead pixels. So ‘playing the lottery’ on this may not be worth it for you. There are also concerns with Dell’s warranty, and Dell simply has a bad reputation with support (and sales) – too big for their own good type of thing. So I’m being extra careful with the pixel refresh it prompts every 4 hours, by doing it manually before a gaming session. Hopefully, no burn-in or issues that warrant seeking Dell’s RMA process.Other than that, some reviewer outlets have pointed out the panel’s gloss or reflective coating as an issue, but I quite like it. I don’t have my monitor too bright (custom cinematic settings) and I’m enjoying the colors and wide viewing angles. It’s a pleasure to game on. Highly recommend it if you’re willing to take the risk, which is sad to say at this price range.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best monitor ever

I was a little nervous reading the reviews about the monitor arriving scratched etc and my monitor box did have some damage on the corners. Not a fan of the bubble wrap they put on the screen but when I took it off there was zero damage so I was relieved. This monitor next to my old IPS monitor and it makes my old high end IPS monitor look like crap. I’m definitely sold on OLED even if they don’t last quite as long as other panel types.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Truly wonderful monitor.

In short. If you require a monitor that shows as close to true colour as possible, this is the one for you.The colour rendition is second to none. As a photographer, I’m now wondering why I didn’t purchase this monitor when it first came out. Most importantly, true black is true black, and the colours are true to life.There is only one “Con.” You really need to run the “Pixal Refresh” every 4 hours. (You get an on-screen warning) It takes 6 minutes, but you can also set it to run when the screen goes into sleep mode. This ensures that the monitor stays healthy.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Monitor

I got this monitor and have been using it almost daily for months. I had no shipping or out of box issues. The picture is clear with great colors. I use it to play games and when I work from home. All in all a great purchase.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Super duper monitor!

This monitor is amazing. It’s no OLED, but video/games look amazing. The stand is very good. The whole monitor has some back lighting. Easy controls. No issues with dead pixels or anything like that. Needed a bit of color adjustment out of the box, but very easy to do.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Incredible picture and smoothness! Not without minor annoyances…

Upgraded from a 5 year old Acer 34 inch, and holy cow I didn’t realize what I was missing. The colors, brightness, and smoothness of this monitor are absolutely phenomenal. I do a lot of sim racing and FPS games where a high refresh rate and good response speeds are important. This monitor absolutely delivers on those fronts. I also use my display practically all day every day for work, and this monitor is fantastic to work on. You may want to turn the brightness down a bit to avoid eye strain, but I’ve had no issues in several weeks of use.I was a little worried about the glossy panel, but so far glare and reflections haven’t been a problem at all. The cable management in the back of the monitor is quite nice in my opinion, and I love having a few extra USB ports to work with. I’m also fond of the configurable lighting. Mine has a wall right behind it, so gives a little bit of ambience when it’s dark.I have only two minor complaints, and these have been mentioned in other reviews:- Fan noiseIt’s minor. Most of the time if you’re doing anything on the machine – especially gaming – you’re not going to hear it. It is there, but it’s very faint. Sometimes mine does this annoying thing where one of the fans spins up and down, up and down for a few minutes. That makes it was more noticeable, but over time I’ve gotten used to it. It’s a minor downside for all the positives that this display brings.- OLED Panel Refresh warningA message pops up every 4 hours of use and asks you to do a pixel refresh now or allow it to do so when the monitor goes on standby. For the price of this thing, most people are probably going to want to follow this routine to ensure the panel lasts as long as possible. I’m a little afraid to just turn it off for fear I won’t take care of the panel properly. However, this notification can be *very* annoying if it pops up in the middle of a critical point in your game! This is easily the most annoying thing about the monitor, but as with the fan noise – over time I’ve gotten used to it, and I’m not worried about it being manageable over time. If you turn this off, the panel will still do the pixel refresh automatically when the monitor sleeps every 4 hours of use.Overall an amazing display. Mine arrived quickly and without a single dead pixel. My jaw literally dropped when it fired it up the first time, and it dropped again during my first gaming session. If you can deal with some of the downsides of an OLED display, this monitor is very much worth a look. I love mine!

10 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

10 Months with the AW3423DW

Usage and Experience:The AW3423DW has primarily served as my gaming monitor, accounting for about 70% of its usage, with the remaining 30% dedicated to web browsing and other tasks. Over the year, I’ve logged approximately 700 hours of gaming, which might be on the lower side for hardcore gamers but is substantial enough for a comprehensive review.Burn-In Concerns:One of the major concerns with OLED panels for me was burn-in. Thankfully, during regular use, I’ve yet to observe any burn-in artifacts. I’ve been diligent in allowing pixel-refresh and setting my screensaver a black screen after 30 seconds of no use so user experience may vary.Firmware Issues:My unit, being from the first batch, came with the m0b101 firmware, which unfortunately has its share of bugs. A significant drawback is the lack of user firmware updates, meaning I can’t access the improved m0b102 version without sending the monitor back to Dell.HDR Gaming Experience:The QD-OLED panel shines brightest when it comes to HDR gaming. The visual quality is a significant step up from previous IPS LCD monitors I’ve used. Bright highlights in games consistently hit around a thousand nits, making for a truly immersive gaming experience with Returnal and Death Stranding being some of my favorites to experience it.Notable Issues:Several issues cropped up during my 10 months with the AW3423DW:1. Input Lag: While I didn’t find this to be a major concern, competitive gamers might feel differently.2. Lack of HDMI 2.1: As someone who primarily uses DisplayPort, this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, but it’s worth noting for those who might want to connect their PS5 or other current-gen consoles.3. SDR Brightness: The monitor’s peak SDR brightness of 240 nits is adequate for most users, but those in brighter environments might find it lacking.4. Fan Noise: The fan can be audible during quiet moments, which can be a minor annoyance but never bothered me.5. RGB Subpixel Layout: The non-standard layout can affect text clarity during desktop use and is not ideal for professional design work or photo editing.6. Screen Coating: The biggest gripe I had was the screen coating, which affects the monitor’s performance in brighter environments.Conclusion:All in all I love this monitor having come from an IPS panel. The Alienware AW3423DW QD-OLED monitor offers a stellar HDR gaming experience, but it’s not without minor flaws. While I would still recommend it to high-end monitor shoppers, especially those keen on HDR gaming, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons being that there’s a new model available.

13 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

WQHD Giant

Since there are completely different models mixed in with these reviews, I’ll just clarify that this is for the 38″ AW3821DW.You might have noticed a price increase (no more discount) around late Jan 2024? Dell stopped selling this around Jan 17th/18th so get it while you can if you’re looking at it, because Dell isn’t carrying them for sale anymore. I called them shortly after the product vanished from their site to ask if a newer model was replacing it but no news, and so far nothing near the 38″ range.I bought this display to replace my older 34″ AW3418DW… crazy right? Not really, as it’s a jump from 1440p WQHD to 1600p WQHD, 8bpc@100hz to 10bpc@120hz color, newer G-SYNC, twice as many USB ports, 4ms to 1ms response, 34″ to 38″, an active warranty, and a much improved stand. I’m absolutely blown away by this monitor compared to my old one.Some things to consider:-Make sure you can push the added resolution of 1600p in WQHD format, something like a 30-series has no issues with this.-Run the display at 120hz, not 144hz, so you can enable 10bpc color depth, and enable Full dynamic range. These options appear in your GPU control panel, likely under the resolution settings.-Enabling HDR is up to you, I’ve read mixed reviews about it, something to do with the edge-lit local dimming being not great.-These are my personal Brightness/Contrast and RGB settings right now after reading through a few posts: Bri-36%, Con-75% || R-87%, G-87%, B-95%My gripes? Very few, I get some light bleed on the bottom corners, but it’s not really noticeable unless I start viewing it at weird angles in a dark room. I honestly also wish the screen were a little larger because at 1600p you could get away with a solid 40″ screen. It would definitely make it more of a jump from the 34″ models for anyone looking to upgrade.Also of note, the monitor will install its control panel app once connected. I found this really shady as a power-user, but understandable if any non-technical person were installing the display. It’s mostly used to control the RGB on the display, however that can all be manually controlled via the monitor’s menu just fine. The software can be removed and it won’t install again on its own from what I’ve seen.

6 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Great monitor for gaming, but weird controls

I won’t get into the specifics on the quality of this monitor, because several other reviewers have already done it… probably better than I could Bottom-line, it’s a really good 21:9 ultrawide LED gaming monitor that does everything it advertises.The one drawback — and the reason for four stars — is the location of the little “joystick” knob you use to access the bulk of the controls. It’s on the back of the monitor, on the right-hand side… not the bottom of the bezel like almost every other monitor. (The power button is on the bottom… why not put the other buttons there, too?) It’s also 4-5″ up from the bottom. I have a multi-monitor setup, with monitors to the right and left of this one. So, when trying to access this control, to switch inputs (between my PC and laptop), or for any other control, I have to go from under the monitor to the back and awkwardly reach up to press the joystick inward to access the menu. Then, hand still all awkward, move the joystick, up, down, left, and right to navigate the controls.Is this a specialized issue that applies specifically to me? Kind of, but I figured it’s worth mentioning for anyone who may want to use this in a multi-monitor setup… You probably don’t want to have a monitor to the right of it.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Absolutely incredible.

Just not really any other way to put it. From the overall design of the monitor itself, to the picture quality, to the built in safety features to prevent any damage to the panel, this display is just killer.[Some gripes I have]Firstly the packaging it came in, though good, needs serious improvement. Primarily the wrapping it comes in leaves bubble wrap stains on the display which looks abysmal and though some reports claim they were never able to get these markings off their panels, mine came off with just a bit of screen cleaner and a good wipe.I also dislike that there’s no ability to personally upgrade the firmware. This results in having to buy an entirely new panel if a better firmware becomes available and that’s a bit asinine with how expensive this display is.The blacks aren’t super good if you’re in a bright room due to problems with ambient lighting, which could take away from the enjoyment you get from the display, so it’s, in my opinion anyways, most enjoyable in a darker room which is primarily where Im using it.No HDMI 2.1 which is extremely disappointing as this hurts the ability to use this monitor in its full capacity on a gaming console. That doesn’t affect me however because I have an LG 55 inch oled for just such the occasion and primarily pc game. Fortunately for me.The ultra wide aspect of this display has been.. an adjustment period as well. Although overall the quality of this is, as aforementioned, incredible, it’s worth pointing out that it takes a lot of adjusting if you’re coming from your typical 16:9 displays and you’ll see this primarily in things like watching YouTube videos, movies, and in some video games. You especially notice the difference in one of my worst examples, the game Hell Let Loose. I absolutely cannot play it in 21:9 whatsoever. Just cannot. It’s so stretched out and hideous looking that it almost made me nauseous. And that sucks primarily because that’s one of my favorite games, and 16:9 leaves black bars on the sides of the game which isn’t a huge deal but I digress. So expect not all your games to look ideal to you when getting this and potentially having to compromise.[Praise and tips]Frankly I just don’t have anything short of absolute praise for this display. I’ve found the best experience to be sitting back a few feet from my desk with a controller, or my wireless mouse and keyboard upon my lap-table. I personally use HDR 400 true black over the HDR 1000 option because it truly, in my opinion of course, looks insanely better, darker, significant and more atmospheric this was especially true in the modern warfare 2 campaign.Overall I’m greatly enjoying this display, I hope it lasts me a very long time as I baby it about as much as someone could possibly recommend babying an OLED. I personally use brave browser with the darkreader extension, use windows dark theme, a Screensaver after 2 minutes of not being at my desk, I hide my Taskbar, and I make sure that in any games there’s no static red anywhere. I absolutely love that after four hours of use on this panel, when shut off it’ll do an automatic pixel refresh. Now that doesn’t mean this panel is susceptible to any burn-in whatsoever, it is an oled panel after all..but with a lot of TLC and awareness of what you have on your display, the likeliness of it burning in is about as likely as a meteor striking your house and even if SOMEHOW you do everything I recommend and it still burns in, well Dell has your back with a three year warranty. Just make sure you register it on their website when you get the display. However, and I cannot stress this enough whatsoever, this display, much like any oled display, is probably not the ideal choice if you’re somebody who works from home and sits infront of their computer for an asinine amount of time. This is pretty much ideal for gamers who game for long periods of time where stuff is happening on the screen constantly.Again though, Im loving this display, it has been nothing short of a game changer for me and leaves me excited for the future of oled monitors. I’m in no rush to upgrade my pc to a 4090 an 13900k to game in 4k 120fps, and as an owner of both a 4k oled and now this, there really isn’t that HARDCORE of a noticeable difference imo and this is perfect for my current pc specs. Couldn’t be happier, couldn’t rate this higher, trust me you’re going to want this badboy when it comes back and isn’t being scalped for 1600.

57 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Jack of All Trades (AW2725DF)

So I got this monitor as an upgrade from a 1080p 360Hz IPS Alienware, snagging it for $650 on sale. It’s truly a “jack of all trades” that excels in both competitive and casual gaming. You get OLED’s phenomenal image quality with deep blacks and vibrant colors that make games like Red Dead Redemption 2 look great. At the same time, it offers near-instant response times and super-clear motion clarity, which is great for competitive FPS. The 1440p resolution and high refresh rate make spotting enemies easier, and aiming feels natural.With new 480Hz OLED variants hitting the market, you might wonder about the refresh rate. I haven’t tested anything above 360Hz, but I’d imagine there’s a subtle yet tangible difference. However, if you can find this monitor at a good price, the balance of features still makes it a solid pick, especially since newer tech often comes at a premium.The build quality is nice, with some RGB on the back that can be customized (or turned off). While I didn’t use the stand, it appeared to be of decent quality. The monitor itself is sleek and doesn’t scream “gamer,” which I like. It blends well into an office setting, though you can tell it’s a premium product even from a distance. There’s a slight purple-ish tint to the coating, and if there’s light in the background, it doesn’t reflect the best, which can impact image quality and blacks slightly. Be mindful of light sources if you get this monitor. It’s also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but it comes with a cloth that works well for cleaning. On the plus side, there’s a 3-year burn-in warranty. I can’t speak on Alienware/Dell’s customer service as I haven’t had to deal with them, but the peace of mind is nice.The monitor does have quirks, mostly related to the OLED panel. You’ll need to run a 5-minute pixel refresh every few hours to prevent burn-in. This isn’t particularly invasive but can cause some anxiety during long gaming sessions. Brightness has been perfectly fine for my dim room setup at 95%, but if you play in a brighter room, you might want to reconsider. As someone who was initially worried about brightness, I’ve found it to be fine. The HDR implementation is good, offering both HDR 1000 and HDR “True Black” (400) modes. You can switch between these directly from the OSD, with HDR 1000 working best in darker games and True Black being better for desktop use and brighter titles.There are some minor text clarity issues due to the QD-OLED subpixel layout, though adjusting ClearType and OSD sharpness helps. You can’t use DLDSR/DSR above 240Hz due to DSC requirements, but these are minor inconveniences rather than deal-breakers. For settings, I’d recommend the “Creator” mode preset and enabling 10-bit color. The monitor also includes features like customizable crosshairs and a dark stabilizer. However, the dark stabilizer is less effective on this OLED panel compared to traditional LCDs due to OLED’s true blacks.Overall, if you can catch this monitor at a decent price and don’t mind some OLED-specific quirks, it’s worth the premium for anyone wanting a single monitor that can do it all. You don’t really sacrifice much with this monitor. Just do your research on OLED technology and its characteristics before pulling the trigger. While the improved image quality and color make the quirks worth dealing with, it’s important to know what you’re getting into.

2 people found this helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars

Beware of the fan noise

While the monitor looks great and if you have headphones or audio on it’s amazing, be aware that it has fans and they are very audible. And since they are closer to you than your PC, most likely, you will be keenly aware of them on all the time. They never turn off. Whether the monitor is on or off or asleep, they are on and they are loud.

2 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Amazing display

5/5. If you’re on the fence, this monitor is worth it. Not only it has great colors and quality but also has a 3 year warranty that covers OLED burn in. Yes, it’s not 240hz like the LG and Asus, but let’s be real, y most people’s PC are not going to pull 240hz at 3440x1440p.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

TOP TIER

This monitor looks absolutely amazing. Ive barely had it for a day but I gamed on it for maybe 6 hours and didn’t have eye strain at all. 10/10 recommend

5.0 out of 5 stars

Outstanding Visual quality with this Panel

I replaced an older, SDR Alienware monitor with this screen. It is by far the best quality monitor I’ve personally used. The range of colors and the depth of the blacks on display is truly remarkable to behold. If you have the system with the horsepower to really take advantage of the high refresh rates you will not be disappointed. Great for gaming, working, and basically any day to day computing activities that you’ll encounter. Personally, I find that the 3440×1440 resolution is the perfect sweet spot between high resolution and high refresh rates. Movies and games look amazing.

2 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Gorgeous Beautiful Gaming Monitor

This is the second time I have purchased this monitor. The first time I purchased this monitor and played on my Playstation 5 the game didn’t go full screen there was still black bars on both sides Even playing on the Nintendo switch I black bars on both sides. I heard there was no support at this time. Year later playstation had a big update supporting 1440 bought the monitor again same results black bars on both sides and included screen shots as well. If you can see past those black bars! This monitor is definitely worth getting plus it’s an OLED monitor which brings out the beauty. Just disappointed in the black bars with no options to make the game go into full screen.

4 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

I.N.S.A.N.E.

I was worried about the price tag and being underwhelmed by the cost:performance. Assuage your fears and snag this baby up or suffer from an extreme case of FOMO.I switched from an idea display 27″ – model G27Q. This monitor blows it out of the water in every conceivable way. Hell, it blows it clean out of the atmosphere. It’s zero contest.Setup is a breeze. Three pieces that snap together and a single key-screw on the base for tightening the neck into place. Just be cautious, the case it comes in is rather massive and weighs a decent amount, 30-40 pounds I reckon.The color gamut is absolutely stellar. Truly beautiful. No pictures can do this thing justice, it has to be seen in person. I paired it with a 6950XT and thanks to FSR quality preset can tear through just about every single game thrown at it. FreeSync compatible btw, despite the Nvidia Gsync label plastered on the base foot.It has a beautifully blue back-lit plate with a clever design that allows for generous cable management which feeds through a hollow corridor accessed at the bottom of the base. But be mindful of where your pc is placed, power cable is on the right hand side and display adapters are on the left hand side, so adjust your desk ergonomics accordingly.Also, this puppy is incredibly BRIGHT right out of the box, but in a good way. Movies and shows look absolutely incredible–I never knew Rick and Morty could be this vibrant and rich. HDR was already activated out of the box for my unit, but you may need to fiddle with the OSD to activate yours. Speaking of OSD–this one has a streamlined, luxurious look. I’m so used to Chinese jank menus on my cheap budget monitors that the OSD and setup wizard alone made me feel spoiled before I even started testing the display.I had no nausea issues with the curvature and adapted to it immediately; talk about unparalleled immersion. I finally understand what all the hype about curved displays is now. I don’t think I can go back to a flat display after this–too washed out and basic.The Quantum OLED hypetrain is real. Hop on. It’s built like a freaking tank and it looks absolutely phenomenal fidelity wise. Take the plunge, you will be overjoyed that you did. Treat yourself to one of the finer things and don’t look back!! 5/5 AAA++

25 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Alienware software can cause problems

I bought this monitor and loved it but immediately had issues with it not going into Standby mode (by not automatically going into Standby mode it wasn’t automatically launching the pixel refresh). As soon as the monitor would attempt to go into Standby mode it would immediately turn itself back on. I researched and messed around with my machine (Windows Updates, firmware updates to motherboard, powercfg changes, uninstalling Alienware Command Center) for several weeks before deciding to return the monitor. Once I got it packaged back up I plugged in my old Alienware AW3418DW and realized my old monitor was now displaying the same issue. After doing some more looking I found that Alienware Command Center had a Windows service running even though I had uninstalled the software. I disabled the AWCC service and suddenly my old monitor would go into Standby correctly. I unpacked the new monitor and got it set back up and sure enough it now goes into Standby mode without issue. Thankfully I was able to reverse the return and keep the monitor, but the unneeded Alienware software is just pure garbage. Hopefully this review saves someone the headache I went through.

2 people found this helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars

Great monitor with annoying issues

The monitor’s picture quality is great. I love playing games on this thing. Style of hardware looks really nice on my desk if you care at all about that sort of thing.The issues:The absolute most annoying thing, there is pixel refresh function that pops up every 4 hours. It almost has a mind of its own to pop up at the most inconvenient times it seems, at all times! If you play for 3h 58m and shut it off, two minutes after you start it back up it will throw it in your face. And don’t think you might use the “do it during stand by function” and get out of the annoyance that easily. It will refresh on standby then pretend it never happened when you come back and ask you again. Alienware REALLY dropped the ball on this one.The screen surface is made of some very strange material. It is extremely hard to clean and at the same time you MUST be gentle. You can use the velvetiest of cloths to clean this thing, you go a bit too rough it will leave a permanent marks on the screen. Luckily I learned that lesson on the far corner where it’s not too noticeable.This one I’m not too sure if it’s because of my PC or the monitor. But every once in a while the screen will become possessed, turn off on its own, then will struggle to find a signal. The power button light will cycle between standby and connected (without the screen turning back on) and stay in that loop until I unplug the monitor from the wall and plug it back in. This doesn’t happen too often though, still haven’t found a fix so it’s wonderful every time, especially when it happens during work meetings (yes that happened, I could hear everyone but was totally blind lol)Anyway. No idea why you read all the way, but buy at your own risk. REALLY good picture quality with really annoying personality traits. Sort of like a really hot girlfriend who never stops talking, it kind of evens out.

4 people found this helpful