OLED is increasingly becoming the new standard for video enthusiasts seeking the best picture quality, but the prohibitive prices of reliable consumer-grade OLED monitors have prevented widespread adoption of the technology. This is where Dell comes to save the world with its new product. Alienware AW2726DM This monitor is priced well above the $350 price point.
And price is the biggest advantage of this new AW2726DM monitor. Those specs may not wow tech enthusiasts, but they're at least what you'd expect from a monitor that costs around $500 USD. Alienware's historically strong build quality, stylish design, and 3-year burn-in protection make the AW2726DM the perfect entry-level OLED.
I've been using the AW2726DM for about a week now, and I'm happy to report that it's quickly become my favorite PC gaming display. It's incredibly responsive, sharp and vibrant, and while it doesn't put 4K OLED TVs to shame, it's definitely a close second. And every time I remember that it's so cheap, my love for it grows even more.
Dell's new OLED Alienware monitor is worth the price of admission
There are several OLED monitors in the Alienware product line, so just to clarify, here are the quick and simple specs for the new AW2726DM.
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26.5-inch OLED screen (glossy finish)
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HDR compatible
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2560×1440 resolution
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240hz refresh rate
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0.03ms latency
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AMD FreeSync Compatible
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2 HDMI ports (up to 120hz refresh rate)
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(1) DisplayPort 1.4 port (for full 240hz refresh rate)
For $350, you can get a 1440p OLED monitor with HDR and up to 240 frames per second. Even at face value, this is a pretty good price. Three different input ports make the monitor very versatile, especially if you want to switch between PC and console on the same display. Sure, the HDMI port is limited to 120 FPS, but this makes it suitable for current-generation consoles, whose monitors typically don't exceed 120 FPS in the first place.
The AW2726DM also comes with a surprisingly premium mount. It's height adjustable, swivelable, and swivels 360 degrees, putting it miles ahead of the pre-packaged mounts included with most other budget monitors. When paired with the slim, discreet design of the display itself, the entire kit creates a sleek, discreet silhouette that will blend in well with almost any desk setup. Nonetheless, I still converted the AW2726DM to my swivel arm mount. The pack-in mount is great, but there are better options available, especially if you have a multi-monitor setup.
AW2726DM is compatible with VESA mount.
AW2726DM performs like a dream
Most non-passionate gamers are probably most familiar with OLED through portable devices like the Steam Deck OLED and Nintendo Switch OLED. While these devices have fantastic displays, they are nothing compared to a decent OLED gaming monitor like the AW2726DM, which has to be seen to be believed. The combination of OLED screen, HDR, and 1440p resolution provided an instantly impressive viewing experience with just a click of the desktop. But of course we had to adjust the speed of the display and we did this with the following games:
- cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra settings, RTX medium, 98 average FPS)
- deadlock (High settings, average FPS 80)
- Resident Evil 4 Remake (Max settings, RTX Max, average FPS 70)
- Forza Horizon 6 (High settings, RTX off, average FPS 101)
- Max Payne 3 (maximum settings, average FPS 125)
- sea of stars (max settings, 240+ FPS)
I've tried to spread it out pretty widely, from pixel art, previous generation, indie games to the latest cutting edge AAA titles. Overall, the gameplay was smooth, crisp, and colorful. OLED's dark blacks worked wonders no matter the visual style of the game. The AW2726DM model I tested is not compatible with NVIDIA G-Sync, which may be of interest to some, but I found it didn't make much of a difference. Even with V-Sync disabled across the board, I didn't experience any screen tearing at all. On the plus side, the gameplay experience was consistently and reliably smooth, which was a pleasant surprise. I half-expected that other shoes would outperform the other shoes thanks to the sharp and colorful picture quality, but that never happened.
There are a few issues that keep the AW2726DM from being perfect, the most important of which is brightness. With an OLED screen, you should expect lower maximum brightness than an LED screen, but this monitor only has a maximum brightness of around 200 nits. This is hundreds of times lower than leading OLED gaming monitors and considerably lower than leading OLED TVs. If you're in a dark room, this won't make much of an impact, but if you like to hang out in a space with natural light or a lamp nearby, you may have a hard time seeing darker images. This problem is further exacerbated by the monitor's glossy finish. Glossy screens are generally preferred, but they are more reflective than matte screens, making glare worse. It also makes removing stains much easier. Conveniently stores microfiber cloths.
Also, in a perfect world, I would like to use this monitor with smaller bezels. The bezel width of the AW2726DM is approximately 1.2 cm, which is almost twice the bezel width of an almost 7-year-old IPS monitor. It's an incredibly small complaint, but considering the low-profile design of the rest of the monitor, the bezel size is like a minor blemish on a beautiful face. It also reminds us of the 26.5-inch screen diagonal, which may feel a bit tight to some.
But ultimately, it feels almost foolish to raise these criticisms. The AW2726DM will certainly impress anyone looking to make the jump from LED or 1080p displays. I think this is the main target audience because the price is low. Honestly, considering the quality of this monitor, $350 makes absolutely no sense. Especially in difficult global economic times where PC component pricing is harsh, the AW2726DM is a godsend. This is one of the latest examples of gaming hardware being either underrated or over-delivered.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is available for $349.99 from Dell's website. GameRant was provided with a unit for this review.
