Dell Alienware AW3225QF Review - I'm Keeping It
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2024
- ➡️ Amazon link: geni.us/iUjbJ
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➡️ Awards explained: pcmonitors.info/recommended-b...
➡️ OSD video: • Dell Alienware AW3225Q...
➡️ Fringing article: pcmonitors.info/articles/qd-o...
➡️ '4K' UHD experience article: pcmonitors.info/articles/the-...
➡️ VRR flickering test: forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/q...
➡️ Dolby Vision Extensions: apps.microsoft.com/detail/9pl...
ICC profiles are not used in the review and may not be optimal for all units, but are included below if you wish to try them out.
➡️ ICC profile ('Test Settings'): pcmonitors.info/icc/Dell%20Al...
➡️ ICC profile ('Creator, sRGB'): pcmonitors.info/icc/Dell%20Al...
A review of the Dell Alienware AW3225QF. A 240Hz 3840 x 2160 '4K' UHD QD-OLED with fairly subtle curve. HDMI 2.1 support is included alongside Adaptive-Sync for AMD FreeSync and Nvidia 'G-SYNC Compatible' (officially certified - pcmonitors.info/wp-content/up.... A highly vibrant and immersive experience for both SDR and HDR.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the "Amazon link" above.
Introduction: 0:00
Refresh Rates & Scaling: 02:38
Features & Aesthetics: 05:45
Subpixels & Calibration: 12:26
Contrast & Brightness: 19:42
Colour Reproduction: 26:04
HDR (High Dynamic Range): 33:11
Responsiveness (General): 57:21
Responsiveness (VRR): 01:03:00
Conclusion: 1:06:57 - Věda a technologie
➡ Amazon link: geni.us/iUjbJ
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the "Amazon link" above.
Introduction: 0:00
Refresh Rates & Scaling: 02:38
Features & Aesthetics: 05:45
Subpixels & Calibration: 12:26
Contrast & Brightness: 19:42
Colour Reproduction: 26:04
HDR (High Dynamic Range): 33:11
Responsiveness (General): 57:21
Responsiveness (VRR): 01:03:00
Conclusion: 1:06:57
It doesn’t show on Amazon UK do you know when it will be available?
@@CurleeToesAppreciate the interest, but I'm afraid not. It's common for Dell to hold Alienware flagships like this as exclusives on their own site for a few months before supplying to additonal retailers.
It doesn’t show on Amazon Canada do you know when it will be available?
@@orvilleswearing334 Afraid not. As usual for flagship Alienware monitors it'll be available from Dell directly for a little bit before reaching Amazon.
I ordered mine from Dell on March 21st coming April 16th :)
One of the best and unfortunately also most underrated channels on YT. Thanks for another great review!
Yes, it is true. Maybe if this channel were more funny, it would be more popular (I don’t mind the presentation; for me, it’s excellent), but most people demand excitement, a lot of entertainment.
@@socialreport2836 also not everyone has 1 hour to watch a video about monitor on the channel they see for the first time.
Yup, I make content I enjoy in the style I like and don't chase the algorithm. This does reduce the potential audience (monitors + very detailed and long videos = a niche within a niche), but it is sustainable and I appreciate the community I generate from it here. 🙂
No disrespect there is still one guy and in my opinion he is the most accurate reviewer on yt for tv’s and monitors search for it. HDTVTest 👍🏼 still this is also an great review
Indeed the best Monitor channel on CZcams. I love the way everything is described in detail. That's why im i'm subscribed since years.
I wish one day this channel will have 300k +++ subs . top reviews always, calm and no bullshit❤
I wanted to subscribe after 3min of the video, but I was busy watching it for 1h10min more. If anyone is in need of some good information, then this might be the best source for it. What a great channel. Hope you keep yourself busy with other upcoming oled monitors as well.
Great to see, glad you appreciate all the information. 😄
so, have you subscribed or not?
@@Xpert45Definitely did, It just took me 1:14:00 to do it. Still trying to decide what monitor to go with. the new 34" samsung seems like a good one, but I am kinda hoping for someone to bring out a good 38" option
Great in-depth review as always! Your effort is much appreciated.
Thanks for another comprehensive review! I love that we're getting proper OLED options on the desktop.
I recently got this monitor and love it. I wanted a flat screen, but was tired of waiting for the MSI or Asus versions to come in stock. The curve doesn’t bother me at all. Going from a good IPS to QD Oled was a huge jump. The only downside so far is my other monitor now feels washed out by comparison.
I've got a hunch I'll end up buying this monitor myself! Thanks for the great review...and greetings from Europe!
this video has been a godsend, especially the part on the scaling into 1440p, Thank you so much!
Glad you liked it!
"I'm keeping it" says it all. Thanks for another amazing review!
Great work. Really appreciate your passion and effort in showing to the world your findings.
Superb review. A keeper for sure. I am tempted to buy it even though I prefer and already own a QD UltraWide.
Thanks for being the only reviewer to acknowledge and demonstrate the VRR flicker issue. Another typical OLED problem that would be good to demonstrate is the vertical banding visible during horizontal camera panning in dark game scenes - particularly in games that use elevated blacks. Callisto Protocol, Cyberpunk, Alan Wake, etc.
I haven't observed anything OLED-specific of that nature so I'm not sure what you're describing there. Vertical banding could be related to high frequency low amplitude oscillation of the backlight. Or just vertical banding due to alternating darker and somewhat brighter shades and there being less perceived blur to mask eye movement on an OLED. Or possibly you're describing a DSE (Dirty Screen Effect) phenomenon which IS quite common though not unique to OLED - and as covered in the conclusion not an issue on this one.
vrr
isn't that present only with g-sync enabled?
@@urkent4463VRR = Variable Refresh Rate. So G-SYNC is an example of that, yes.
@@PCMonitors Sorry for the late response. I was referring to poor uniformity on dark colors such as a 5% gray field. Most OLED TVs and monitors will show darker or lighter gray streaks running up and down the screen instead of a uniform gray across the whole panel. Such uniformity issues become very obvious when panning camera in many dark games like the examples I listed. This OLED issue is rarely mentioned by anyone but HDTVtest and Rtings. Hopefully more awareness will push display manufacturers to improve in this area. Thanks.
@@jackw9568So that's DSE, which I do assess and where applicable (some VA and OLED models) cover and demonstrate. I didn't have an issue with it on my unit, as mentioned in the conclusion. 1:09:07.
Good tidbit about the sharpening if using 1440p scaling. I’ve never owned a 4k monitor and this will be my first one. Can't wait!
Very informative video,thank you!!!
This is the perfect monitor for me - I was able to get it for $952 with various CC credits and cashbacks.
Lol the fuck. I'm a little jealous but I have been gaming on it since it came out
Thanks for the info
Thank you for your review! Also really cool to see that you test scaling, show default resolutions, really in-depth stuff that I don't see getting featured in other reviews! On the topic of scaling, if you send the monitor a signal with a custom resolution like 3200x1800 it doesn't support it and you get letterboxing (like with 1080p 240Hz)? You can always use GPU scaling, but that probably has some issues with DSC and 240Hz as well, right
Yeah, custom resolutions are complicated due to DSC. Which is why Nvidia Control Panel doesn't even allow creation of them on monitors like this with DSC active. But if you use CRU or an alternative means to create them there will be restrictions.
@@PCMonitors ah ok, thanks! For nvidia gpus, you can actually activate the old Image Sharpening menu instead of the new Image Scaling. It requires a small edit in the registry. This older technique also comes with Lanczos as the scaling filter, so it's pretty great. Does this perhaps work instead? I never had a DSC monitor so I unfortunately can't test :/
Finally a serious and passionate Reviewer.
Awesome review man
It’s been great so far!! Few little things still need to be fixed but the first update did help
What about the 27 version or 32 msi?
@@mjregan88 I only have experience with the 32 inch AW, forgive me
I own this monitor. Insane review
finally an honest review that talks about vrr flicker. subscribed 🤙🏽🤙🏽
Nice review and hello there battlefield player 😁
Great video!
Cyber truck pulling a raptor engine, The geeky shit I love. Alienware AW3225QF coming next week. Great review
I returned my PG32UCDM. I wanted to love it but it was just too dim. Any bright scenes just looked so dim. It looked incredible when playing in a darker environment but any snow maps or sunny days looked really unnaturally dim.
Looking forward to your thoughts on pg32ucdm vs this monitor and other equivalents. I still need to replace my Predator X27 but the brightness is fantastic. Maybe i will have to wait for pholed?
Yeah it's difficult to compare the X27 with the OLEDs because their strengths are in very different areas. Bright scene HDR performance is definitely better on the X27. But the colour reproduciton, responsiveness and HDR performance where darker shades dominate is much better on the QD-OLEDs. The differences between the QD-OLEDs themselves are far subtler and I'd generally recommend going with the one that's cheapest in your region. So far they all look pretty solid.
Appreciate the long format detailed review. Wanted to ask though, are the qd oled magenta raised blacks similar in magnitude compared to the AW3423DWF? Or have they improved it?
It has been very slightly improved, but as a previous owner of the AW3423DW I can't say the difference is at all dramatic. I did some side by side testing and the screen surface looked extremely similar in most cases and I'd say the size difference accounted for a lot of screen surface behaviour difference I might've observed.
@PCMonitors thank you for your input! The raised blacks drove me insane since I was unable to control my room's ambient light, so I ended up selling my AW3423DWF. Also have you noticed the qd oled TVs tend to perform quite a bit better compared to the monitor versions with this issue?
I don't have experience with the TV side, but the panel technology and lack of outer polarizer is the same and based on testing from RTINGS etc. it seems to suffer to the same degree. It could be more about the size and curvature of the screen.
Very nice Video! Is there any content planned for the Asus PG32UCDM?
No, won't be looking at that model. Just this one and the MSI version planned for now.
I watched the whole video. Very nice! Now i would be wating for a pg32ucdm 1 hour review by you, many of us are aming to buy it.
Appreciate the interest, but no plans to review the ASUS I'm afraid. Will be reviewing the MSI version (which is better value than the ASUS in the US) and don't intend to review 3 models using the same panel, especially when performance seems so similar in most respects.
@@PCMonitorsokay, a man can dream. I was thinking about pg32ucdm since there is a graphite layer and fully passive heatsink - it could be better in the hdr due to not that aggressive abl and by having some extra brightness in the sdt mode.
Thank you for your hard work.
@@ALFGamingTVYou're welcome! According to Monitors Unboxed and TFT Central testing, the ABL behaviour for HDR is very similar. But yes as usual for ASUS OLEDs with 'Uniform Brightness' enabled more stable brightness for SDR. The MSI is also passively cooled (graphene film), though they don't market as aggressively as ASUS. 🙂
I was thinking to buy this monitor for the upcoming PS5 Pro that will be available later this year.
For now, i will continue to enjoy my very aging ps4 pro playing 60Hz games
It will be quite the upgrade when the time comes!
Recently bought a aw3423dwf, loving the hdr peak 1000 mode but in some games, like battlefield 5, cyberpunk in daylight or other bright games, abl makes it almost unusable. Enabling source tone mapping helps in some games (like ghost of tsushima) but the dimming is brutal, is there a solution? Maybe a firmware update?
Do you always play in peak 1000 mode?
How do you find those scenes with the 'DisplayHDR True Black 400' style setting(s)? The ABL behaviour is there due to power limitations with the technology, it's not going to change with a firmware update. The 'DisplayHDR True Black 400' mode is more accurate with its PQ tracking and will show what the panel can technically do in terms of brightness in such scenes. If you still find things too dim that's truly the ABL behaviour you're observing, if not then it's because of the over-dimming of mid-tones with the 'HDR Peak 1000' setting.
I think i am going to buy this. I want it primarily for gaming, and my GPU cant push this screen, but i will be upgrading my GPU when the next generation of GPU's comoe out.
I bought a 4080 super when it came out to push this thing.
Is there something similar with a more normal aspect ratio/ full 4k resolution? Preferably not curved.
Similar or better anti-reflection coating.
Edit: Disregard that. Amazon UK is directing me to the wrong monitor model which has a weird widescreen resolution. Looks like they don't have this one. Why is it so hard to find a decent OLED monitor in the uk!?
Thanks
Great video I'm looking for a monitor for my PS5 would you recommend this one or one of the other one's coming out this year?
I think this monitor gives a very nice experience even if you just consider it limited to 120Hz. And that's what you'd get on the PS5. There aren't any models coming out this year that would provide a superior experience, really.
Thanks for the quick reply I will pick one up soon.
It's interesting that you mention that the VRR flickering isn't as bad as on WOLED. I saw a comparison between LG's new 32-inch WOLED and the Samsung G80SD (QD-OLED) and the VRR flickering was more noticeable on the QD-OLED.
When you say "a comparison" - in what context? If you mean based on a synthetic test (like the VRR flickering test or the way RTINGS tests this) then don't put too much weight into that. It's a very artificial testing scenario and VRR flickering can vary in intensity and how potentially noticeable it can be depending on the exact fluctuations occuring. I found it slightly less noticeable during normal gameplay in various scenes on this model compared to various WOLED models I've tested, but I wouldn't say it's a huge difference... It can also vary between individual models - so either way I can't claim QD-OLED > WOLED for VRR flickering.
In my experience talking to people who have tested or used various OLED monitors, VRR flickering is generally just something you're sensitive to and will notice (regardless of which OLED you're looking at) or you won't. Or you might notice it and not find it bothersome. The only model I've used which I'd say has any real edge in this respect for 'normal gaming' is the AW3423DW and that's because of some compensation performed by the G-SYNC module. But for some people even that level of VRR flickering is annoying.
@@PCMonitors czcams.com/video/pTLDrVMgzzQ/video.html
Interesting. As I said it depends on the exact model so I don't think it's right to bundle together "QD-OLED" and "WOLED" but rather consider the model itself. I also find cameras poor at reflecting what your eyes see in terms of flickering. I've observed very similar situations on Cyberpunk where the camera will detect very small gamma changes which aren't observed by eye. And even in the VRR flickering test it's picking up fluctuations at parts of the gradient or in ways your eyes just don't perceive flicker. I'd also stress that the monitors in that video you posted are set up very differently - the poster of the video states in a comment: "Samsung was in its sRGB clamp mode, I had to put the WOLED in FPS preset to raise gamma so it doesn't look so dark on camera. The FPS preset doesn't clamp to sRGB so its oversaturated." Nonetheless, I still got the impression they generally observed stronger VRR flicker on the QD-OLED he tested than on the WOLED (though I don't know how close his calibration was when he observed them and how much of this he was just modifying for the sake of the video).
Now I don't know if the Samsung G80SD is just particularly poor in this respect, but the pretty much constant low level flickering detected by the camera may not be observed at all by eye. It's usually the sudden and more significant brightness fluctuations ('obvious flicker') which is more troublesome and I tend to notice that more on WOLED models than on the AW3225QF. That certainly doesn't mean all QD-OLEDs vs. all WOLED models and depending on sensitivity to flickering and your room lighting, smaller and more frequent fluctuations could be an issue.
Either way, I will be more careful in future reviews to try not to generalise the VRR flicker levels of QD-OLED vs WOLED or perpetuate those kinds of thoughts. Going back to the AW3225QF, I doubt there will be many people who would find it fine for VRR flickering but find a 240Hz WOLED obnoxious in that respect. Nor the other way around.
Edit: Further thoughts shared here - forum.pcmonitors.info/topic/qd-oled-vs-woled-vrr-flickering/.
Just for anyone on the fence about it. There is a 10% discount if you add any cheap 1$ cable to cart.
Disclaimer: not sure how long this will last as well this is on US site. Not sure if it’s same way internationally.
I am disappointed you are missing my favorite part of your reviews for this one. I am wondering how the interpolation/scaling is on this monitor for non 4k resolutions. How does it handle 1080p content? Does it do nearest neighbor upscaling or is it bi-linear like monitors usually use?
You're missing it, the review isn't! It's even timestamped.
You had done a fantastic review on the PG32UQX which I own. Is it worth replacing it with one of these QD OLEDs? The haloing is the main weakness of the PG32UQX but I am concerned that if I replace it I would miss its brightness and HDR performance. Also, I use my monitor for (office) work a lot so I am still not sure that getting an OLED makes sense. It would be great to get your view.
Yeah, both models have distinct strengths in HDR. I can't guarantee no 'burn-in' for heavy productivity usage, either. Though I use QD-OLEDs myself (AW3423DW for a few years, now swapped to this one) without issue, including for a fair bit of productivity. I make sure the screens turns off (via Windows power management) after 3 minutes of inactivity and I use a dark taskbar and desktop theme, but don't take additional precuations - aside from making sure it runs the scheduled cleaning cycles. I treat it largely like I would an LCD. I personally think it's worth the risk given the warranty coverage and obvious strengths in other areas.
Thank you! I really think your reviews are the best btw. People can make a fully informed decision to buy or not any particular display based only on your review because of the amount of detail and thoughtfulness you put into them, consistently covering and clearly demonstrating all possible considerations (rather than just transmitting overall impressions). Consumers need this level of detail before forking out such amounts of money for devices that are meant to be used on a daily basis and for a significant amount of time. Keep up the brilliant work!
Thanks - I appreciate the feedback and glad to see the detailed reviews are helpful!
Did you replace the PG32UQX?
@@DrakonR No, I use it for work as well as gaming, I would not be comfortable yet working on an OLED for hours on end as I do on the PG32UQX, I would be too scared of burn in. Also I own an LG C1 which I use as a second monitor so, for games that would look poorly on the PG32UQX because of blooming, I can always switch to the C1. So it would not make much sense at the moment for my use case, not to mention financially. And there is always the brightness of the PG32UQX which is fantastic, like bright daylight scenes in HDR feel like you are actually outdoors.
Not that it affects the performance in any way, but I forgot to mention this model is officially 'G-SYNC Compatible' certified by Nvidia - pcmonitors.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AW3225QF-G-SYNC-Compatible-certified.png.
Is that only in DP? HDMI 2.1 isn't detecting gsync in Nvidia control panel.
I am considering this or the Asus one. Buuuuuut have not decided yet. Main concer is that i sometimes play 30fps games (Old console games) and on OLED as far as i know 30fps should not look soooo goood, versus lcd because of the fast response time of the OLED versus LCD.
Yes, OLEDs have very little perceived blur from the pixel response element to mask a natural 'juddering' you'd see from such frame rates. Whether this is actually bothersome or not is very subjective, though. Probably have to see for yourself, I wouldn't give up on the QD-OLED experience based on something you may not have an issue with.
@@PCMonitorsThanks, yea i think i would order from a place with a gooood return policy, haha.
Regarding the VRR flicker, have you tested whether there is any perceivable difference if connecting via DP 1.4 or HDMI 2.1? I have read that HDMI 2.1 can help but wanted to hear your experience. Thanks
I noticed it in much the same way with HDMI 2.1, though testing with that was quite brief. I will test this again more exensively when I get a chance.
I have now tested this extensively and can confirm VRR flickering was no different using HDMI 2.1 vs. DP 1.4. The monitor is only 'G-SYNC Compatible certified' via DP - which makes no difference to how it performs, but means the technology is only active by default via DP. It's possible somebody was using HDMI 2.1 without actually activating VRR and thought it was active, if they observed a significant difference in (or indeed no) VRR flickering.
@@PCMonitorsthanks for following up. Have you noticed if limiting the refresh rate to 120 helps with flicker? Might be an option if playing a single player game where you can't max out the refresh rate anyway.
@@lsik231l VRR flickering is reduced if fluctuations are reduced. So if limiting your refresh rate does that then great. But if your frame rate doesn't pass 120fps either way, it won't make a difference.
@PCMonitors great! Really appreciate you investing your time on this! I recently got the monitor and so far really do love it. I ended up using DP as I found using hdmi caused random artifacting that I read was a problem but only if refresh rate was set at 240hz. 120hz eliminated artifacting at least with my monitor.
I'm happy with my 27" 1440p LG oled now
yea it has some rough edges
But subpixel isn't an issue for me, and I read documents a lot
I run VRR off for virtually everything - as the majority of games just don't fully support it properly
And I also watch movies/tv from quite far away so I don't think a curve would work for me
4k didn't appeal I have no issues running games at 1080p - and still do for competitive games
I also don't use HDR at all
The big thing for oleds is running windows in high contrast mode
And running a 16-235 -> 0-255 post resize shader in your video player to force deep blacks on videos - this lets you watch something old like star trek voyager AND have the uniforms etc. rendering in full deep black, instead of having that glowing black
I also make use of vivid mode from certain videos and tv shows like sci fi that really benefit from the extra pop
Is this the best oled for text clarity? I need an oled that I can do productivity on . How is the MSI?
I don't know if its the BEST
but I have absolutely no issues running it for like 50% of the time I'm just doing text based stuff
and thats with zero work arounds of effort
apart from using windows high contrast mode which is amazing on oled and a must to do
I also have an AMOLED panel for my laptop and have zero issues with it either @@mjregan88
what about the vrr flicker? i get sometimes random flickers with gsync in full screen only and a good dp cable.
This is covered in the review.
Hi, how long was delivery? I’m looking to get this monitor but the est delivery time is mid April, I live in the uk.
If that's their estimate that's their estimate. It entirely depends when you order and how their demand and supply curves are shaping out. Mine came slightly before estimated, but I ordered it as soon as it was available.
I seen it does not support free sync premium pro, if I have AMD, should I look for a monitor with that feature installed like MSI ?
Honestly - it makes no difference to the experience, it's just a certification used for marketing purposes. Actually sometimes being 'FreeSync Premium Pro' certified can be a negative as it sometimes causes the monitor to use a separate and usually worse-calibrated HDR pipeline.
I see the monitor is G-sync certified, how well would it perform with a AMD card and freesync? Considering one, but on the fence
It should give a very similar experience, both technologies use Adaptive-Sync and the certification is just marketing.
Hey, I am running my games on a 7900xtx. Will I be able to utilize freesync while play in hdr1000/tb400? Because I can't wrap my head around dell offering a 4k hdr flagship without official freesync premium pro support
Yes. 'FreeSync Premium Pro' is just a confusing AMD-specific certification which sometimes involves its own 'HDR pipeline' - this just makes a few tweaks to the HDR experience (not usually good ones). You do NOT need FreeSync Premium Pro or even any specific FreeSync certification to use HDR + VRR with an AMD GPU, so your experience will be similar to an Nvidia user here.
I have AW3423DW and was wondering if it's worth it to upgrade to this monitor. Does the monitor appear much smaller than AW3423DW? Is the picture quality better?
You should watch the review, at least the conclusion.
I'm considering this monitor, but I would like to clarify one thing: how does the ~250 nits figure relate to the brightness you'll get in SDR games and video? If 250 nits is the value for a white area, then will a light blue area (e.g. the sky in a game) put out less than 250 nits? Or will the display notice the content has lower luminosity and turn up the brightness so that the sky is at 250 nits? Put another way: if I normally game on a monitor adjusted to 500 nits white-rectangle-brightness (which is too bright for desktop, but good for daytime gaming), then if I switch to the AW3225QF, will my games look 50% dimmer?
Yes, it's the brightness of white and any deeper shade will have a lower brightness. That's the maximum brightness that any shade will appear on the monitor (it's the same way on any monitor, regardless of panel technology). Games won't necessarily look 50% dimmer, though, because perceived brightness involves a lot more than just measured white luminance. For example the screen surface and exceptional consistency plus exceptional contrast of this model works in its favour to enhance perceived brightness, in the right lighting.
@@PCMonitors Thanks for the clarification. I thought maybe ABL would make the difference between a white rectangle and the sky a bit smaller, but I guess those new OLEDs don't use ABL anymore. When I got the AOC Q27G3XMN (mostly due to your review), I realized I like ~70% brightness for daytime gaming, which is ~400 nits white-rectangle brightness. I tried setting 45% brightness to simulate a QD-OLED (I used a light meter app to estimate that 45% brightness puts out about 250 nits on white) and while I can see everything just fine, I find the image much duller and less lifelike. I am flabbergasted by this, because I've always pooh-poohed high brightness on displays for ergonomic reasons. Turns out what's too bright for desktop use can be too dim for gaming/video use!
What type of machine was used to drive this monitor for the review?
Tks for the review, great detail and delivery!
Nothing too spectacular. Windows 11 PC with RTX 3090 GPU, i7 12700K, 32GB RAM.
Not a fan of the curve but otherwise it’s nice. Cant decide between 27 Alienware or 32 MSI
Got the 2k version, best monitor I’ve owned. My 27” LG OLED is for sale lol
What made you get that over 32 or the 27 MSI?
I usually sit and game at 1.2m from my 65 inch Sony A95L qd-oled tv, which can reach 1500 nits on 1% window and 1300 nits on 10% window. I wonder how drastic the brightness reduction will look to my eyes if I switch to these 32" qd-oled monitors instead. I've always liked to play games on monitors more due to the closer distance (which allows me to see more details I feel) and much higher pixel density (which I hope can compensate for the blurriness of taa/dlss), but peak brightness figures seem very disappointing compared to bigger tvs.
the only time you notice it is when your doing like browsing or office stuff
and its actuall nice cause you don't burn your eyes out when some app/website that doesn't have dark mode lights up
DLAA and a low or off ansio looks best imo
I was actually asking the same question. I use LG g3
Tough to say for sure, but I suspect the closer viewing distance will help provide a suitable perceived brightness and 'pop' which won't disappoint compared to your TV.
@@PCMonitors thanks for the reply. Are the color gamut/volume on these monitors also worse compared to tvs? I wonder why. They have gen 3 qd oled panels while tvs only have the gen 2.
@@vmd1293The tuning seems to be slightly different, perhaps. DCI-P3 is similar, ~99% for both. Adobe RGB and Rec. 2020 is also slightly lower on this one compared to the PG49WCDM I looked at. Visually there's very little difference you'd notice, though. Different software and devices can measure a slightly different gamut, but all of the QD-OLEDs (TVs or monitors) are ~80 - 85% Rec. 2020 so within fairly similar range really.
Apparently this and the 27" model have a 10% off deal if bought with an accessory through dell. Does anyone know if this deal is available outside the US?
Don't believe it is, seems to be a current US only promotion.
Can you speak to Desktop option and how that works as it relates to PC settings and Dell Display Manager app color tab.
"Desktop" is just another preset of the monitor, briefly covered in the "Best Settings" video - czcams.com/video/N8k03ZM_BvY/video.html. Dell Display Manager isn't specific to this model and not covered in these videos. Though is briefly touched upon in the OSD video - czcams.com/video/ZYfIYV4LqQI/video.htmlsi=hxjHUHA95SX39SG_&t=1406.
@@PCMonitors hmmmmm. I guess im looking for deep dive summary table of nits and color accuracy like you did for creator and standard as it relates to your PC settings. Like comparing your findings for the creator mode and Hdr with leaving standard and toggling display settings in PC settings (brightness, HDR on/off ICC changing system profiles).
On Display manager side. I would like to see if application mode and dynamic sync works with this model.
@chevonpetgrave4991 Right, you're looking for something reviewers don't realistically have time or inclination to cover. It's not practical or particularly useful to take measurements using every preset - they typically make a few (sometimes undesirable) changes to the image or are so similar to the standard or default setting that they aren't worth exploring. The presets I focus on are selected for good reason. The impact of the full native colour gamut and how it impacts the image, which is extremely important, is explored in the review. As are the characteristics of the only SDR presets which don't use that gamut (Creator Mode colour space settings). Display Manager is software which is available for a range of monitors and isn't a core aspect of the monitor itself or its performance.
Totally get that. I guess I waskibg conversafionally not for a reviee video.
In testing the viability of these for a color managed editing workflow that depends on high contrast ratios high peek brightness and specific black levels which this monitor checks off at a reasonable price.
Just wanted to pick your brain on what I would be getting myself into workflow wise. Fom my research on another dell monitor ultrasharp series I envision using the Dell Display Manager to control auto sync icc profiles with the system. Making sure any monitor profile is sycned with what the system is outputting is critical for working in davinci resolve. I do it manually (first from my system settings and then have to do the same on display osd) on my lame monitor now. But ben q and dell have series that will match the counterpart automatically when you either switch on the osd end or system settings end. Additionally based on the application you’re in you can even switch as you open a new app to jump into a new color space and sync all in one move (open the application).
I was going to go the ultra sharp rout for price for features but saw that this monitor does oled and hdr. At first i was like. Oh thats a gaming monitor it probalby doesnt have that capability to work with display manager. But when i saw in the spec sheet that it is compatible, i stsrted to wonder what is possible. That’s where im coming from for some contex😂.
Yeah, that makes sense. Well it definitely works with Dell Display Manager and as far as I'm aware associated features should work. The ICC profile switching section of DDM was shown in the OSD video, it's definitely accessible.
45:50 this might sound like a bunch of copium, but actually we might benefit from abl more than we lose. sure, in a fully lit and sunny room, fullscreen 1000nits would be rad. but at night, this would result in a flashbang whenever you look at the sky or play in a snow covered landscape like this battlefield example. on my current monitor, benq ex2780q, i have BI+ enabled for this exact reason. 400 nits hurts my eyes when i use my pc at night for gaming and even more so for productivity
I don't personally find bright-dominant scenes overwhelming on Mini LED solutions which will raise brightness much more than on this model. Even there the whole scene is not at a high brightness, it's just certain sections of it. Because of the contrast you could also argue that smaller bright highlights (which QD-OLED presents with very high brightness) surrounded by darkness are more impactful or potentially uncomfortable to look at. Everyone has their own sensitivity to brightness though, I think multiple options with different brightness levels is the best approach.
I don't like the representation of HDR on models like the EX2780Q without local dimming (or with very ineffective local dimming) because the whole scene is flooded and everything is raised up more than it should be, not just the brightest elements. I don't think the experience is really comparable to a 'proper' HDR experience even if just considering viewing comfort.
@@PCMonitorsinteresting, i have no reference to actual hdr monitors, apart from my evo oled tv, so i can't comment on that. however, i ordered the aw3225qf as soon as i finished your review :) can't wait to finally have a look at content in 4k and hdr when on the computer *_*
Ahead of you on this one. I adore this monitor.
Is the VRR flickering very noticeable during normal gameplay?
As noted in the video, it's very subjective and depends on the scenario and how much for frame rate is fluctuating. I don't find it bothersome - I do on some VA models for example where it's stronger and I'd sometimes even want to disable VRR simply because of the flickering.
@@PCMonitors I see. Thank you.
Mine just came in. I dunno how to fix it from looking so dim. I thought OLEDs was known for its bright vibrant colors
You might be used to bright monitors and may need to adjust to a more limited brightness level. Or try to. It's also worth working on room lighting if you can, perhaps that's too bright.
How does this compare to the Samsung S90C tv?
I want to know as well
i'm a bit lost, does that mean that the monitor wont be able to do 3840*2160 @240hz with a display port cable?
Does what mean that? 3840 x 2160 @240Hz via DP is specifically shown at the beginning of the 'Refresh Rates & Scaling' section: 2:40
@@PCMonitors i'm sorry for not being clear enough. The sentence at 3:03 "if you use hdmi you get up to 240hz" sounds to me as if you cant get 240hz on dp. Sorry for that one sir. Just wanna make sure before i buy something :D
It's a long video, it's easy to miss or misinterpret bits so no worries.
Hello guys it seems that this monitor has some issue about compatibility with few nvidia gpu when its connect with hdmi 2.1, do you know this ?
It was fine with our RTX 3090, not sure what the issue would be (if there is one). Maybe something Dell needs to work out with Nvidia if so. But PC users can use DP 1.4 without issue anyway, so I don't see the problem.
the curve seems way more aggressive than in real
Yes, I agree and that's a good point. I actually recorded a piece where I said it was exaggerated on the video. And you can see this odd 'pincushion' effect in the centre. But I edited this out (didn't mean to cut so much from the edit of that section).
do you prefer curve or flat for home office?
Per the review the reasonably subtle curve was not a particular issue for me either way, but it's subjective.
Any curve at this size is a no go for me
YES, you show Nvidia supported resolutions and color modes, the other channels DON'T, and it's unnacceptable!
Can the vrr flicker be fixed in firmware updates?
I wouldn't hold your breath for that. It's inherent to OLED panels and it seems no manufacurer (panel or monitor) has worked out how to do this.
I wish i had the money to buy this. Damn.
Hi if someone has a budget graphics card like a rtx 3050, say approx 60fps gaming with VRR disabled, would there be a lot flicker?
It depends how stable the frame rate is, not specifically how low it is. The main problem you'd notice there would be if it frequently dips below and rises above the LFC boundary (so it's dipping below perhaps 55fps and rising above that).
@@PCMonitors Thanks for replying, exciting times for pc monitors ahead
how is it motion clarity speed wise vs the asus 540hz tn 1080p monitor ?
Assuming you're actually running at 540fps, the ASUS should have an edge overall because of much lower perceived blur due to eye movement. Might be some transitions where the OLED would have an edge simply due to the visually instantaneous pixel responses vs. slightly below optimal for some transitions on the ASUS, though.
@@PCMonitors any plans to review the dual mode 4k @ 240hz and 1080p @ 480hz oled lg monitor that releases next month ?
@@ployth9000 Probably not as it's an LG and they don't have a functional UK PR department. Can't really justify purchasing that one myself at the moment.
@@PCMonitors ok well what about the samsung odyssey neo g9 57 I have been waiting for either you tftcentral or monitors unboxed to review it I have been using it and enjoying it but would be nice to see more people reviewing it.
@@ployth9000 Same applies to Samsung I'm afraid, not easy to work with. And that's beyond the size limit of screen I'd generally consider reviewing.
Can we get link of that wallpaper?
If you ask nicely.
@@PCMonitors please :)
Here you go, enjoy! backiee.com/wallpaper/nature/54336
Quite an effective anti-reflective coating but this purple glow is making me sad.
Why is this monitor so much more costly compared to the Msi 321upx 32" oled?
It isn't in the UK and Europe. Not sure why they priced it as they did in the US, but it is what it is.
4K resolution on all these new OLED 32 inch monitors are not native 4K?? 4:40
Back up a bit and you'll see I was showing and talking about 2560 x 1440 (QHD) which is not the native resolution of the monitor. So what I'm saying is when the AW3225QF is running 2560 x 1440, it's softer than a monitor that has a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 and is the same size.
@@PCMonitorsso if i was to buy this, you could set in game resolution to 1440p?
@@bledarrm7976Sure, it will run up to the monitors highest resolution, so anything the game supports up to that. There are differences in performance for different resolutions though.
@@PCMonitorsi mean a 1440p Video does look better on 4k than on 1440p. thats for shure
1440p pixel density in particular resolution is a joke to 4k
I could not live with the monitor curve on a 16:9 screen... What is the purpose of the curve on a 32inch 16:9 screen ?
Because it's "cool" and the kids love it! But as I say in the review, it's pretty subtle. Draws you in a little bit, can aid immersion slightly. But personally agree the curves are best kept to ultrawides. On 16:9 they're either subtle and have limited effect (like this) but could still be annoying to some on the desktop... Or they can be too steep and annoying a lot of the time.
@@PCMonitors thanks for the answer... this is my first pass on the review... I'll see it a second time and there may be other questions :D
agree, (subtle) curves have their place, but not on a 32" (imo). I will say I am on a 42 C2 and I *definitely* miss the slight curve my old 34" ultrawide had...
I would say by 99% i am sure this was done by dellineware in 32 inch format for marketing purpose only. To stand above the crowd and having +1 reason to sell it as a gamer monitor. It is good thing since you have a lot to chose from -like the chosen one pg32ucdm, but if you can get this for 800-900$ compared to 1300$ asus, with 3 years advanced warranty, i would say curve in not important then 😂
I wish all monitor had the option to not get it with the stand, such a waste of money paying for something you will never use and ofcourse it either site in a wardrobe or goes in the bin....
Wallpaper link?
Which wallpaper?
Should I get for a console gamer
Could still give a really nice experience. Basically as shown but limited to 120Hz maximum (and generally lower frame rates - depends on game). So a lot of excellent image quality characteristics to enjoy, still.
This Monitor or Asus ROG Swift OLED 32 UCDM?
Would depend on pricing in your region and your preference for the curve and aesthetics, really. They're both excellent performers.
@@PCMonitors in Germany 1499 Euro for Asus Rog
Does this monitor have BFI?
No, as covered in the review it doesn't.
@@PCMonitorsdamn what a shame
That VRR flicker stress test program thingy didn't really mean anything to me. I would've liked to have seen the flicker demonstrated as it would appear in a video game.
As I said, it can and does appear in games at various points. It's impossible to show you on camera how it would appear by eye and much more difficult to show in game than using that test. The test is simply to demonstrate the phenomenon. In practice the flickering is very subjective and scenario dependent - it depends on the fluctuations occuring, the shade makeup of the scene and your own sensitivity. So demonstrating it in a game wouldn't be any more helpful or insightful than this test in my view. Still, I'll keep it in mind for future reviews (which will include QD-OLEDs) and can maybe show it for a loading screen or something as well.
mine will not connect via USB tried everything
What are you trying to do via USB, specifically?
How does it looks in movie ?
Very much the same as in games, which are explored in great subjective detail here. That's under SDR at least - refer to the HDR section for discussion on 'Dolby Vision' vs 'HDR 10' as it applies to movies.
@@PCMonitors What if streaming movies like very compressed, F2 Movies for instance ? I can only find Alienware 4k OLED monitor. No Samsung and LG.
The monitor doesn't "filter" the content in any special way. Unlike TVs monitors don't include 'denoise' filters etc... So it entirely depends on the content. You still benefit from the exceptional contrast and colour performance, even if you see some compression artifacts in places. The gamma tracking on the monitor is good and it masks these artifacts 'appropriately' with the '2.2' standard in mind. It also offers alternative gamma settings if you wish to mask them more.
@@PCMonitors Ok noted. What is the difference between this alienware 4k OLED as oppose to TV 4k OLED for movies in general ?
The TV can add a lot of processing and filtering (per my previous reply), the monitor shows things more as intended. But both monitors and TVs have various settings that can be configured to make things more or less "as intended".
Ask the manufacturer to make bezelless monitor to setup multi monitors for gaming....
That's not possible at the moment. The panel needs at least some bezel to help keep everything else in place and offer a degree of protection.
@@PCMonitors at least on the left right side bezel
@@antayudi5428Still not possible, you can't just protect or sandwhich together at the top and bottom.
@@PCMonitors it will be possible with micro LED monitor in near future, not with OLED monitor....is it true?
@@antayudi5428 No.
oled has pwm dimming, it makes me feel sick using lower brightness
It doesn't have PWM dimming, but as covered in the responsiveness section they use high frequency low amplitude oscillation. The brightness fluctuations are far smaller than traditional PWM, but I'm sorry you're sensitive to that.
mmhhh got mine just yesterday and - who would have known - much better at night compared to my Omen x27 LED's at night which 'dimscreen' couln't dim as good as on OLED. may you set it higher in brightness ans dim it via software?
Should I buy a Dell for $1158 out the door or the MSI for $1012 out the door!!! PLEASE COMMENT PEEP! I want to know what people think
Alienware for the better warranty
If it only was flat would be perfect.
abolutely not
found myself in a pleasure chatting in twitch fullscreen, cause the edge is nearer
also the curve is kinda perfect or better cause the side of the panel are same distance to the eyes as the middle of the screen
@@urkent4463 not for me. currently i have curved 32" and did not get used to distortions in three years. Color uniformity is a joke on bend screens.
On curved OLEDs that's not a factor. And how steep is the curve on your 32" LCD? 1000R perhaps? Nothing like this Alienware.
Can you explain the hotkey functions in the menu?
I went from a 1440p aw3423dwf ultrawide to the 1440p 360hz aw2725df qd oled monitor. And I am abit itchy to try this 4k AW3225QF monitor. I basically am using it during the day for work with office 365 applications and gaming in the evenings and night time playing Counterstrike 2.
Am using a rtx 4070ti at the moment and getting about 400 to 600 fps on 1440p in cs2. If I do get this 4k monitor, I am sure my fps will take a hit down but I believe will still be able to hit at least 240hz for cs2 on a 4070ti in 4k. Question is, if I run cs2 on 2560 x 1440 on this monitor, u mention in the video that the scaling still looks ok with 70 percent sharpness, so do u think that will serve my purpose of using this as a 4k productivity monitor in the day and using it running on 1440p for cs2 when I game? I mean I can run cs2 in 4k as well just that 1440p surely gives me more fps for a smoother game play.
I think it's probably a good mix for what you want to use it for, maybe keep hold of your AW2725DF in case it doesn't work out but give it a go and see for yourself?
had the same issue, the 360 is nice but not workable regarding text fringe for work tasks.
i just swapped to the aw322 and the text fringe is gone. i can finnaly do some work and game on one monitor:)
@@Gates-Tech for me personally i am currently using the AW2725DF for work stuff and it looks fine for me. Same as when i was using the AW3423DWF ultrawide qd oled. works perfectly fine for me for work and the extra real estate space on the ultrawide helps with split screen. Only reason i am itching to get AW3223QF is just for fun hehe..
i guess my eyes are not susceptible to text fringing. Even on the older gen 1 qd oled panel on the ultrawide, i cant see it at all.
it's still not have certified nvidia driver maybe after release it will fix the flickering a bit? Gsync is dealbreaker for me, how actually bad flickering is? Or should I just take neo g7 and wait other 1-2 years for better panels?
It is 'G-SYNC Compatible' certified already and was at time of review - pcmonitors.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AW3225QF-G-SYNC-Compatible-certified.png. This certification has nothing whatsoever to do with fixing the OLED flickering, because as far as I'm concerned Nvidia can't. Even their AW3423DW (G-SYNC module) exhibits some VRR flickering. The flickering is very subjective and scenario dependent, it's explained the best I can in the review. It depends on the fluctuations occuring, the shade makeup of the scene and your own sensitivity. The Neo G7 has the issue, by the way - refer to our review. This is a much better monitor, I'd suggest you just try it and see for yourself instead of worrying about something that may not be an issue for you.