The Alienware AW3225QF is the monitor to beat this year with its exclusive specifications and jaw-dropping performance. It’s currently the only 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor in the market, plus it packs impressive specs like a 240Hz refresh rate and the latest connectivity standards. It is pricey, but it may just be the best gaming monitor money can buy right now.
Alienware AW3225QF Specifications
- Screen Size: 32 Inches
- Resolution:3840 x 2160 UHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: QD-OLED
- Refresh Rate: 240Hz
- Response Time: 0.03ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1500000:1
- Brightness: 1000 cd/m2 (HDR Peak)
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot– Nol
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 DSC x 1, HDMI 2.1 x 2, USB 3.0 x 2, USB 3.2 x 3, USB-C Downstream x 1, USB 3.21 A Downstream x 1, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions With Stand (WxHxD): 28.17″ x 22.94″ x 12.04″
- Weight: 13.23 lbs (Panel Only)
Design and Features
The Alienware AW3225QF has the Lunar Light aesthetic, which always comes with the brand’s flagship models. The monitor has a matte white over black finish with some RGB lighting at the back and on the power button. The display is bezel-free, but it still has a discrete bottom strip and inner borders like most modern displays.
The unboxing experience isn’t glamorous like with some Razer or Asus products, but everything is in good order. All the accessories are neatly laid out once you open the box, so you can build the stand and readily insert it into the cabinet to bring the whole thing out. Assembly is a breeze since it’s tool-free, so it’s not going to be an origami-level struggle to get this thing running.
The box includes cables for power, DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1, and USB upstream. You also get a tiny Alienware box with stickers and documents, a cleaning cloth, a monitor stand, a calibration report, and a setup guide. It’s interesting to note that the HDMI 2.1 cable is marked as a high-bandwidth model that works great for 4K 120Hz, so we recommend using that for the PS5 or Xbox Series X instead of a cheapy one you can get at electronics stores.
We’d like to comment on how light this giant monitor is versus the recent models Dell sent us, such as the U3224KB. We needed a hand truck for some of their models, but this package can easily be carried like a briefcase with one hand. This is all thanks to the QD-OLED panel, which eliminates a lot of heft since it doesn’t have a backlight.
The Alienware AW3225QF’s control layout is simple enough to use since it has a joystick that has been relocated to the middle. It’s just under the Alienware nameplate on the bottom bezel, so you can easily reach it with minimal effort. The power button is separated and illuminated, so you won’t accidentally power down the display.
The Alienware AW3225QF has a modernized connectivity layout, but it’s still, in a way, limited by Nvidia’s G-Sync technology. You get DisplayPort 1.4 DSC, two HDMI 2.1 slots, and a trio of USB 3.2 ports for accessories. Other high-end devices would offer more, but most G-Sync Ultimate monitors are laid out this way.
Alienware also designed extensive cable management channels for this monitor. The chassis has a concealed chamber for the I/O, which has enough space for you to tuck the cables in neatly. They exit out of a passthrough hole and go into another in the stand, allowing users to make their setups extra neat and tidy.
It’s a small feature, but we like a brand that takes note of small details like this to make a product more functional and desirable instead of simply adding aesthetic stuff. However, it’s a bit difficult to put the cover back in once the cables are in there, so you have to neatly pack them and use cable ties to keep them in place.
You also get a convenience hub next to the joystick for easy access to data transfers and phone charging. You get a USB-C and USB-A port on it, so you don’t have to overturn the monitor to connect an accessory. There are no speakers with this model, but that’s fine, too, since it deserves a decent headset to enhance its immersive qualities.
Display and Performance
The Alienware AW3225QF boasts a 32-inch curved QD-OLED glossy panel with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 0.03ms response time. Its brightness output is listed at 1000 cd/m2 peak, while its contrast is, of course, infinite. This model is VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black certified, meaning it is capable of better HDR performance than the other monitors that have the VESA ratings.
Another thing that makes this model special is its 4K resolution, which makes it more desirable than the last slew of QD-OLED monitors. Most of them are limited to 1440p, so gamers who want the top-end can finally get their endgame monitor. It is easy on the eyes because of its size, so objects are not too sharp to warrant the need for scaling or downgrading the resolution.
The Alienware AW3225QF fired up instantly after a few seconds when it was first plugged into our testing-slash-gaming PC. We like that it has a panel health status on the overlay, indicating that the slightly more fragile panel is free from OLED-related issues. It doesn’t have USB-C, which would have made it more flexible, but that’s not a dealbreaker.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Alienware AW3225QF is slightly curved, unlike the other 16:9 OLEDs in the market. It is not as pronounced as the radius on the 45-inch QD-OLED models, so images won’t appear distorted. It’s great for all-around use, so it’s a good investment in this regard alone.
The Alienware AW3225QF covered 100% sRGB, 96% of Adobe RGB, and 93% of P3 for stunning color in games and movies. What’s more impressive is its default accuracy, which had a deltaE average of only 0.45 without touching any of its settings. It is rare to see a monitor with a score like this coming from the factory, especially in the gaming market.
Calibrating it with our Calibrite Display Plus did not do much since the dE average went up to 0.9. However, almost every shade was under 0.5 except for blues, which had an error of 1.7 to 1.8, effectively raising the average. The bottom line here is that calibration isn’t necessary unless you want to maintain the panel’s fidelity for long-term use in color-critical work.
The QD-OLED panel’s maximum brightness reached 200 cd/m2 in SDR, but it peaked at 1089 cd/m2 in HDR scenarios. It’s not too bright, but that’s preferable for OLED panels unless it’s rendering complex imagery. Its contrast is infinite, so black backgrounds are inky and convincing enough to make you think that the monitor is turned off.
Panel uniformity for the test sample did not have any major issues, although the sides had a slight variance of 7 cd/m2 compared to the center. We know it’s not a uniformity defect since both the left and right corners had the same differences, so it’s probably caused by the curved display. Note that this can change with every unit made due to tolerances, so there might be some worse samples out there.
Pixel response time is near perfect since OLEDs do not have to deal with transitional delays caused by backlights. The screen was perfectly clean and artifact-free during our testing with MW3, so it’s highly suitable for competitive play. There was also no noticeable fringing on our end, so the new QD-OLED variants seem like they have solved this prevalent issue.
The Alienware AW3225QF is a G-Sync Ultimate monitor, but it’s still compatible with FreeSync, unlike the older G-Sync monitors in the market. VRR is crucial for this model since it is very demanding on your GPU. Its input lag is very impressive at a little over 1ms at 240Hz, so there is virtually no delay to be felt while gaming.
Thoughts on the Alienware AW3225QF
It is early into 2024, but we already have our favorite monitor that stands as the one to beat in almost every aspect. The Alienware AW3225QF QD-OLED’s panel imaging qualities, coupled with Alienware’s tuning, are just impeccable, and the resulting output is stunning. The monitor itself is excellently designed, so we dare say that it is worth the money even when it’s bought at full price.
Our only complaints would be its lack of USB-C video inputs and of course, the steep price. This beast costs well over a thousand dollars, but we’re too impressed by it to say that it is impractical. The Alienware AW3225QF is indeed the endgame monitor we all wished for these past couple of years, and we think that it will be a while before something can challenge its greatness.
Pros:
- Fantastic Colors and Contrast
- Infinite Contrast and Superb HDR Performance
- Functional and Attractive Design
- First 4K 240Hz QD-OLED
- Glossy Panel for Stunning Color
- Very Fast and Responsive
Cons:
- Expensive
- No USB-C
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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