Alienware makes gaming laptops and desktops, sure, but the line I enjoy looking at most is its QD-OLED gaming monitors. They're immensely popular after being the first to market in 2022; they're generally well-rated, and they're usually competitively priced.

One of the most popular Alienware gaming monitors is the AW3425DW, and it has now received a significant update for 2026. Dell let me get my hands on the new AW3426DW ultrawide monitor early so I could get a true feel of what it's like, and I'm here to share my thoughts on whether or not it's worth a buy.

Dell had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the Alienware AW3426DW cost?

The AW3426DW launched at $799.99 — which is the same price at which the last-gen AW3425DW made its debut — and it's also launching at £709 in the United Kingdom.

It's worth noting that the older model is currently sitting at $649.99 after a $150 discount, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that price drop stick around now that the new model is here.

Here's a closer look at the specs that make up the Alienware AW3426DW.

A generational upgrade for Alienware's iconic ultrawide

Compared to the older AW3425DW model we reviewed favorably last year, there are several standout improvements in the new AW3426DW.

The main change arrives for the Quantum Dot-Organic Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED) panel. It's using Samsung's new fifth-gen Penta Tandem tech that was revealed earlier this year, which the company says has twice as long a lifespan as well as 1.3 times better brightness. Text should be easier to read, and there are improvements to dark colors in bright ambient light. More on that below.

Alongside the higher brightness, the monitor now has an anti-reflective coating to better combat glare. And, finally, the refresh rate has been raised from 240Hz to 280Hz.

What I like about the Alienware AW3426DW

From a purely design standpoint, the Alienware AW3426DW hasn't changed much compared to the AW3425DW. Its case has a pleasant Interstellar Indigo color scheme, with minimal interruptions on the back panel.

An Alienware head logo is off to the left of the stand, and there's the secondary AI logo on the other side. These logos are surrounded by venting, altogether offering a clean look.

For a bit of extra jazz, the Alienware head has customizable lighting. The same applies to the monitor's power button on the bottom edge of the casing.

The front of the monitor features Alienware branding, and that's basically it. Bezels are nice and slim, and the rounded stand seems like a perfect pairing.

On that note, the stand is plenty sturdy. It doesn't offer much rotation (this is an ultrawide, after all), but there's enough tilt and swivel to keep me happy. If I were keeping the screen, it'd go onto my MSI dual-arm VESA mount thanks to 100x100mm compatibility.

All OSD settings are controlled with a single joystick. There are a ton of menu options to play around with should you want to tweak the picture, and the monitor includes quite a few presets for different tasks and gaming styles. You can also change shortcuts for easier control.

Smart HDR, Dolby Vision, refresh rates, and much more are all customizable. You can choose how the monitor handles multiple inputs. And, for those who game and work on the same screen, I'm happy to report that the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and Picture-by-Picture (PbP) features work flawlessly.

The older AW3425DW's OSD menu, or "Command Center," had issues with freezing and closing randomly, but I've not seen those issues in the newer AW3426DW model.

How is the Alienware AW3426DW's color and brightness?

Thanks to the new fifth-gen QD-OLED panel, Alienware's flagship line of ultrawide gaming monitors has never looked better.

One of the biggest complaints about the older model was that black colors often appeared purple when in a bright room. That's been significantly improved here, and it seems that no matter how much light is falling on the screen, dark colors remain dark.

This latest model includes a new anti-reflective finish that Dell says reduces glare by up to 30%. I can't test for that precisely, but I can say that the only time I had issues with glare was in a sun-drenched room with direct light hitting the screen. If you're in an office or a gaming room, you should have no issues.

It also helps that brightness has gone up from a 250-nit cap to 300 nits. Whereas the AW3425DW tested for roughly 252 nits of brightness, I saw the AW3426DW hit 330 nits in SDR, and it goes up to about 1,300 nits with HDR enabled. This additional brightness pushes its HDR certification up to VESA DisplayHDR 500.

You can see for yourself the brightness, color, contrast, and white point ratings in the above chart that I pulled from my SpyderX Pro colorimeter.

Color reproduction has actually improved slightly compared to the previous generation. Whereas we previously tested for 97% P3 and 94% AdobeRGB coverage, the new model hits 99% and 95%, respectively. It otherwise remains at 100% sRGB.

Is Alienware's AW3426DW good for gaming?

Thanks to a curved panel, an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, a 3440x1440 resolution, a 280Hz refresh rate, and a 0.02ms response time, the Alienware AW3426DW is an outstanding gaming monitor.

The resolution hits the sweet spot for most gamers, and once you go ultrawide, you'll find it's very hard to go back to a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 280Hz refresh rate has plenty of ceiling for high-end performance hardware, and it's fast enough that you shouldn't mind using it for competitive titles.

Because it's an ultrawide with room for (at least) three separate windows, it's also great for productivity. Text is easier to read with this generation of QD-OLED panel, and you might be surprised at how crisp everything looks if you're coming from an older model.

What I dislike about the Alienware AW3426DW

There's not much to dislike about this monitor from a display quality standpoint. But there are some drawbacks you should know about before buying.

The port selection is notably a bit lacking. There's no 3.5mm audio jack (and no built-in speakers), and for data, there's just USB-C (15W) and USB-A, feeding off an upstream USB-B port.

Video inputs include dual HDMI 2.1 with Fixed Rate Link (FRL) for uncompressed 4K@120Hz gaming, but the single DisplayPort is 1.4 standard with Display Stream Compression (DSC). Some newer monitors are shipping with DP 2.1 with less compression, and I'd say it only really matters for enthusiasts.

Should you buy the Alienware AW3426DW?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're looking for a competitively priced ultrawide gaming monitor featuring fifth-gen QD-OLED tech.

✅ You have a gaming PC that can handle a 3440x1440 resolution and that can make use of a 280Hz refresh rate.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're a competitive gamer who mostly plays at a 16:9 aspect ratio.

❌ You just want a QD-OLED ultrawide and don't care about the generation (go with the AW3425DW from last year that's now usually cheaper).

I loved my time with the Alienware AW3426DW, and it's something I'll recommend to anyone who's searching out a new QD-OLED ultrawide for gaming.

The 280Hz refresh rate is perfect for most people, the fifth-gen panel is better than ever, and the overall design is sleek and balanced.

Although some might complain that the port selection isn't generous enough or that the RGB lighting is lacking, others might not mind those drawbacks nearly as much.

And considering how many perks the monitor has, it's easy to see why this line of monitors from Alienware is so popular. I have to return the review sample, but the AW3426DW is at the top of my list for when it comes time to upgrade.

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When Alienware announced a $349 QD-OLED gaming monitor earlier this year, I noted that it would almost certainly become one of the most popular options out there, assuming it met its budget promises. Until the AW2726DM, most OLED gaming monitors were somewhere around $500 when not on sale.

Eager to test it out myself, I got hold of a review unit that's now been front and center on my desk for nearly a month. I've been using it for gaming, of course, but also for some photo editing and general work during the day.

Here's what you need to know about the Alienware AW2726DM before you buy it yourself.

How much does the Alienware AW2726DM cost?

The biggest draw to the Alienware AW2726DM is the thin $349.99 price tag. No deals or discounts are required to land that price, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that it could one day drop lower.

For comparison sake, the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q, which uses the same Samsung panel as the Alienware, normally costs about $500 but often drops to $400.

The next most affordable QD-OLED gaming monitor at Dell, the Alienware AW2725D, costs $500.

Here's how the two Alienware monitors compare to help give you an idea of what you're working with.

Dell supplied Windows Central with a review unit of its Alienware AW2726DM. It had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

A sleek, straightforward design to match the budget pricing

Unboxing the Alienware AW2726DM, I was immediately impressed with how thin and light it is. It's just 1.65 inches at its thickest point, which is gathered toward the middle of the display's venting and stand/VESA mount base.

The stand attaches to the monitor with included screws, a clunkier approach to the usual clip-in method I'm used to. The stand is fairly basic, but it does have decent swivel, tilt, height, and rotation abilities.

After testing the stand, I attached the monitor to my VESA 100x100mm desk mount without issue.

It's a sleek monitor for sure, but that's partly due to a lack of a few features you often find in more premium monitors.

For one, there are no built-in speakers. Instead, there's a 3.5mm audio jack easily reached on the bottom of the display. I don't know anyone who uses built-in monitor speakers when gaming anyway, but I do miss them a bit for work purposes.

The other missing element is RGB lighting. The back of the monitor has just a plain Alienware logo; no throbbing light ringing the stand, no underglow. You get it. It might feel plain for some gamers who need a lot of light, but I appreciate that it can fit into a professional setting.

One missing feature I think more people will miss is a USB hub. I'm not talking about a full-blown Thunderbolt dock like some premium monitors include. Instead, the Alienware AW2726DM offers just two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4.

The monitor arrives with AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync. Although it's not officially certified for NVIDIA G-Sync, it is compatible, and I had no issues using it with my RTX GPU.

HDMI 2.1 and DP 1.4 capabilities in the Alienware AW2726DM

The monitor's HDMI 2.1 ports support up to 120Hz VRR on consoles, and they include HDCP 1.4/2.3 protection standards. It also supports HDR.

For PC gamers, you'll want to stick with DisplayPort 1.4 (also with HDCP 1.4/2.3 protection standards). It delivers support for the full 240Hz refresh rate, and it includes HDR support and Display Stream Compression (DSC).

All monitor controls stem from one joystick

The AW2726DM doesn't come with a remote or a ton of buttons on the monitor itself. Everything is controlled from one joystick on the rear right side of the panel.

On-screen display quick settings are straightforward. You can quickly adjust brightness and contrast, as well as volume for the 3.5mm audio jack. A Game Enhance mode can be toggled for extra on-screen overlays, and you can choose from 10 different picture presets.

Inside the full menu are a few more customization options, allowing you to change what each shortcut on the joystick does.

In terms of OLED care — always important when there's a risk of burn-in — the monitor has a Pixel Refresh feature that's enabled by default.

A gorgeous QD-OLED picture for a lower cost than the rest

Alienware's AW2726DM is using a Quantum Dot (QD) OLED panel made by Samsung, and judging by TFT Central's ever-useful QD-OLED generation chart, it's from the 2024 era.

Is that a bad thing? Not really, especially at the asking price. Though you might miss out on higher HDR True Black ratings and higher refresh rates, what the Alienware AW2726DM actually delivers is more than enough for the average gamer.

A 2560x1440 (QHD) resolution covers more GPUs than 4K, and it has a sizzling 240Hz refresh rate to keep up with more powerful performance hardware. As usual with OLED, the screen offers a speedy 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time.

I don't have a tool that can accurately measure input lag, but I can say that after many hours of fast-paced FPS gameplay, what input lag might exist is not noticeable.

Does the Alienware AW2726DM have good color and contrast?

OLED displays are notoriously good at delivering deep contrast. At a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio, the AW2726DM is no different. Blacks are actually black, whites are actually white, and there's no backlight bleed to spoil the picture.

I tested stock color reproduction using my SpyderX Pro colorimeter and found 100% sRGB, 95% AdobeRGB, and 98% P3, all excellent results that will come in handy, especially if you're using the monitor for work during the day.

Is the Alienware AW2726DM bright enough?

Dell advertises 200 nits maximum brightness with SDR content, and measuring with my colorimeter, I found that the value checks out at 215.2 nits. That's slightly lower than other OLED panels from the same generation, but again, you need to keep cost in mind.

HDR10 support is included despite the monitor not having any HDR certification, and the monitor climbs to roughly 400 nits when enabled.

Is it bright enough for use in an office? Absolutely. An anti-reflective finish does a lot of lifting when the sun is behind me, but I don't find it too distracting even when gaming.

Burn-in is always a scary possibility when you're dealing with OLED. As I mentioned, the monitor has a Pixel Refresh feature enabled by default, and Dell offers a respectable three-year warranty covering burn-in.

Should you buy the Alienware AW2726DM?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You currently have a VA or IPS gaming monitor and want to upgrade to OLED without overspending.

✅ You have a gaming PC powerful enough to take advantage of a QHD resolution and 240Hz refresh rate.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You already have an OLED gaming monitor you're mostly happy with.

❌ You have extra money to spend and want to grab some of the high-end features missing from the AW2726DM.

If you have $350 set aside for a new 27-inch gaming monitor, my easy recommendation is the Alienware AW2726DM. I don't know of any other QD-OLED display selling at this price, and although the AW2726DM isn't perfect, it's going to absolutely rock your world if you're coming from IPS or VA.

Color and contrast are superb, the QHD resolution works for a lot of gamers, and a 240Hz refresh rate is good for competitive titles or casual gaming.

I've got to hand it to Alienware; the AW2726DM sets a new standard for affordable QD-OLED gaming monitors, and as long as you're OK with some of the drawbacks, you'll have a great time.

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Alienware is continuing its new trend of breaking into budget markets, something I first saw with the Alienware AW2726DM QD-OLED monitor that launched on April 14.

Whereas the affordable OLED gaming display arrived at a cool $349, the new Alienware 15 gaming laptop makes its debut at a similarly modest $1,299. It's available now at Dell.com, and it's configurable with AMD or Intel processors.

For a gaming laptop bearing the Alienware badge, that's not a bad price at all. The next cheapest option, the Alienware 16 Aurora, starts at $1,639.99. I often see it on sale, sometimes for as little as $1,199, but these opportunities are fleeting.

Assuming Dell will put the new Alienware 15 on sale from time to time, it could be a great way to jump into portable gaming without overspending.

Returning to the $349 AW2726DM QD-OLED gaming monitor for a moment, I'll admit that I was a bit skeptical of its quality. However, now that I'm testing it for an upcoming review, I'm confident Alienware can deliver an enticing gaming laptop in the budget range.

How does the new Alienware 15 compare to the Alienware 16 Aurora?

The Alienware gaming laptop family now consists of the new Alienware 15 as a budget option, Alienware 16 Aurora and 16X Aurora as mid- and upper-mid-range options, and Alienware 16/18 Area-51 as premium options.

Based on how close the prices between the new Alienware 15 and 16 Aurora can be (especially with discounts), I took a close look at how they compare. I hope this can help you make the right choice.

The gallery above shows how the new Alienware 15 has gone with a different chassis design. There's no rear thermal shelf, with the lid's 180-degree hinges instead sitting at the very back of the laptop's base.

Other than that, the keyboard (with number pad) and mechanical touchpad are quite similar. One difference to note is that the Alienware 15's lid and base are made from polycarbonate, while the Aurora 16 swaps polycarbonate for aluminum on the lid.

I put together this spec table to cover most of the other differences.

Performance hardware is practically the same, and I'll wait until independent reviews emerge to see how the new Alienware 15 handles cooling. The Aurora 16 does offer an RTX 5070 GPU option at 115W, whereas the Alienware 15 tops out at an RTX 5060 (80W).

Because it has a larger chassis, the Aurora 16 has larger battery options. It also weighs about a half-pound more.

And as for the display, the Aurora 16's QHD+ option at 120Hz might be the better choice if you're a creator, especially with 100% sRGB coverage. The Alienware 15's display has a lower FHD+ resolution with a pretty dismal 62.5% sRGB coverage.

Alienware 15 vs. Alienware 16 Aurora: Which should you buy?

I'm not making any final statements until we can get our hands on the new Alienware 15, but as I mentioned, the fact that Alienware's new budget QD-OLED monitor is so good instills a lot of confidence that Dell will get this new laptop right.

What I can say is that the Alienware 15 is looking like a better option for those who generally use an external display. It seems like a lot of the price difference might have been made up in that area, alongside the more affordable AMD Ryzen CPU options.

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Alienware's QD-OLED monitors are sought after by many PC gamers for their exceptional color and contrast, not to mention their premium performance. However, they don't usually come cheap, leaving a large tranche of PC gamers looking for more affordable options.

Dell recognized this market gap and has decided to fill it with the new Alienware AW2726DM. It's a 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor with a 2560x1440 (QHD) resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and FreeSync Premium support.

Those are some tasty specs for any monitor, but the key here is that it arrives with a $349.99 price tag. You can pick it up now directly from Dell.com or from BestBuy.com. Is this the new best way to land QD-OLED on a budget?

How does Alienware's new QD-OLED gaming monitor compare to other budget gaming options?

Alienware's new AW2726DM is easily the most affordable QD-OLED gaming monitor currently available. The next most affordable option is the Alienware AW2725D at $549.99, notably pushing the max refresh rate up to 280Hz with a few other differences.

Here's how the monitor specs compare.

Alienware cuts costs by about $200 by removing official G-Sync Compatibility certification, dropping panel brightness and refresh rate just a bit, and removing some of the ports.

👉 IPS LCD vs OLED vs NEO LED vs tandem OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is the best display?

Regardless, the 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time, paired with a QHD resolution at 27 inches, should be a huge hit for PC gamers who want to take the QD-OLED plunge for incredible color and contrast.

Elsewhere, AOC's Q27GAZD is a 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor with QHD resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, G-Sync compatibility, and a $379.99 price tag at Amazon.

Windows Central's take on Alienware's new budget QD-OLED gaming display

QD-OLED display tech is a superior version of OLED that leans into quantum dots (microscoping molecules that produce color when hit with light) to improve brightness levels without harming the exceptional color and contrast associated with OLED.

Having more monitors take advantage of this tech is always a good thing, but they've traditionally been priced too high for the average PC gamer to take advantage.

That's been slowly changing over time, and the fact that a big name like Alienware — which offers a three-year warranty with burn-in protection — is introducing a more affordable option shows how OLED is slowly becoming the new norm across the PC gaming industry.

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Dell's Alienware gaming laptops are some of the best that we've tested and reviewed here at Windows Central, and the flagship models were recently updated to include Intel's Arrow Lake-HX Refresh processors.

These "Plus" chips, including the Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus and Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, give the Alienware 18 Area-51, Alienware 16 Area-51, and Alienware 16X Aurora a respectable power boost not only for gaming, but also for creators and professionals who work and play on the same PC.

The refreshed laptops are available to purchase now with the new Plus chips, and some of the older models are currently enjoying sizable discounts at Dell.

Intel clocks the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus as delivering roughly an 8% gaming boost at 1080p compared to the Core Ultra 9 285HX. If you're coming from an older PC, say with a Core i9-12900HX chip, Intel says you can expect roughly 62% better performance.

These "Plus" chips also bring support for Intel's Binary Optimization Tool (IBOT), which essentially increases performance by reordering unnecessary steps of compiled machine code. Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson has a deeper explanation (and some testing) of IBOT in his Core Ultra 7 270K Plus review.

👉 Best gaming laptops in 2026

It's also well worth noting that the 16X Aurora is now available with an NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU; it was previously locked to the RTX 5060 and RTX 5070 mobile cards.

It's not just performance hardware that got an upgrade, either. Alienware's 16-inch laptops now have the anti-glare OLED display option that was teased at CES 2026.

Windows Central readers and writers are fans of Alienware laptops

The Alienware brand has been around for a long time, and it's a name that many associate directly with PC gaming. We asked if our readers were interested in these new PCs for 2026 when they were announced, and the response was very positive.

Former Windows Central reviewer Zachary Boddy is also a fan of the Alienware 16X Aurora after testing and reviewing the last-gen model. Boddy remarked:

"The Alienware Aurora laptops target the mid-range with great all-around performance and a practical design, and the more powerful 16X makes some smart upgrades to justify its added cost. For the budget-conscious PC gamers that still want a quality device, the Alienware 16X Aurora is absolutely worth consideration — just don't expect perfection in every category, like the keyboard or speakers."

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CES 2026 is going strong in Las Vegas this week, where many of the biggest tech companies are announcing their latest products and services.

Now, Alienware, Dell's gaming sub-brand historically noted for its high-end focus, has revealed its 2026 hardware lineup, and there are some surprises.

As expected, Alienware is refreshing its flagship gaming laptop line, but it's also adding a new AMD processor to its current Area-51 desktop. What's more, the company has surprisingly announced two brand-new laptops — an entry-level gaming laptop and an ultra-thin gaming laptop.

Here's everything Alienware announced at CES 2026:

All Alienware CES 2026 announcements

• Alienware Area-51 Desktop — This 80.5-liter flagship gaming desktop was already available with Intel processors (as seen in my Alienware Area-51 Desktop review), but this year, Alienware is adding AMD processors to its configuration options, up to Ryzen 7 9870X3D with 3DV-Cache technology. It offers up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB dual-channel DDR5 RAM, and up to 4TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD to create a truly beastly gaming desktop.
  • Available February 2026, pricing TBA.

• Alienware 16 Area-51 Laptop — This flagship RGB gaming laptop offers a few different configuration options, including the new Intel Core Ultra 200HK processors, the top NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs (5070 TI, 5080, and 5090), up to 64GB DDR5 RAM with two memory slots, up to 2TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD, and a 96Whr lithium ion battery. It also features a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) Anti-Glare OLED display that supports G-Sync and reaches up to 240Hz, and a speedy 0.2ms. Consumers also have the option of choosing Alienware's CherryMX mechanical laptop keyboard, which I fell in love with as seen in last year's Alienware 16 Area-51 Laptop review.
  • Available Q1 2026, pricing TBA.
• Alienware 18 Area-51 Laptop — This 18-inch RGB gaming laptop builds upon the 16-inch model to offer even more premium features. It offers the new Intel Core Ultra 200HK processors, up to RTX 5090, up to 64GB dual-channel DDR5, and up to 2RV NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD. The 18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) display supports G-Sync, up to 300Hz, and 3ms. Buyers also have the option of configuring it with Alienware's CherryMX mechanical laptop keyboard.
  • Available Q1 2026, pricing TBA.

• Alienware 16X Aurora — This gaming laptop puts more of a focus on power efficiency and offers a design that blends in with non-gaming settings. It can be configured with Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX, 7 255HX, or 9 275HX CPUs, with the choice of an RTX 5060 laptop or 5070 laptop GPU. There are two memory slots, and it can be configured to have up to 64GB DDR5 RAM and up to 2TB NVMe M.2 Gen 4 SSD. The 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) anti-glare OLED display is HDR ClearMR9000 certified, supports G-Sync, and supports up to 240Hz and 0.2ms.
  • Available Q1 2026, pricing TBA.

• New Ultra-Slim Gaming Laptop — An official name and final specs have yet to be announced, it seems, but this will be a slim 17mm-thin gaming laptop available in 14-inch and 16-inch variants. Alienware says it's designed "for people who want the best balance between game performance, creative projects, and portability."
  • Launch date and pricing TBA.
• New Entry-level laptop — Once again, we don't know the official name or final specs of this gaming laptop, but it is specifically designed as a more affordable entry-level gaming laptop. Alienware states it balances "performance, portability, and price." Just don't expect it to be nearly as powerful as the Area-51 Laptop line.
  • Launch date and pricing TBA.

It's interesting seeing Alienware introduce a more affordable gaming laptop and a lightweight gaming laptop to its hardware lineup. This marks a notable shift from its usual mid-to-high-end focus. But I'm definitely not complaining. If anything, it's good to see more purchasing options come to market for us all to choose from.

What do you think about Alienware's 2026 lineup? Are you interested in getting any of these devices? Tell us about it in the comments.

Alienware isn't well known for its budget offerings, but with the Alienware 16 Aurora starting at just above $1,000 (and often dropping below with sales), the Dell-owned brand is making an effort in 2025.

I have both the 16 Aurora and the upgraded 16X Aurora in my office, and I've been using them a fair amount. While Alienware hasn't suddenly become the undisputed champion of value-driven gaming laptops, both of these devices more than earn my recommendation for those minding how much they drop on their next machine.

The Alienware 16 and 16X Aurora stellar overall performance wrapped in a classic "Alienware" design, with a range of simple-to-understand prices and configuration options. HP and Lenovo should watch out.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Dell. Dell and Alienware had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

My Alienware 16X Aurora (AC16251) review

Design ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Both Alienware Aurora laptops make use of the brand's "Interstellar Indigo" color, a deep blue hue that I personally love. Both laptops also boast similar, rounded designs with rear- and side-mounted venting and ports, a protruding thermal shelf on the bottom, and Alienware's iridescent logo on the aluminum lid.

At first glance, you may be hard-pressed to tell the difference, and that's a positive for the entry-level Alienware 16 Aurora. The more expensive sibling does transition to a slightly more refined, all-aluminum chassis, though, and features a single-zone RGB-lit keyboard compared to the standard white backlight of the regular 16 Aurora.

While both laptops get two USB Type-A (5GBps) ports, an RJ45 Ethernet port (mounted on the side instead of the rear, for some reason), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a USB Type-C (10GBps) port with DisplayPort 1.4, the Alienware 16X Aurora upgrades the second USB Type-C port for a more powerful Thunderbolt 4 port.

All of these differences make sense. The Alienware 16 Aurora still looks good and enjoys great build quality, but the 16X Aurora is a little better in a variety of ways that make it undeniably more premium. I just wish these laptops were a little less chunky, especially that abnormally thick display lid.

Display ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just like the design, the Alienware 16 and 16X Aurora share much on the display front — but the 16X enjoys some notable upgrades.

Both laptops are equipped with a 16-inch, 16:10, 1600p IPS LCD panel with great responsiveness and color reproduction, but the 16X Aurora enjoys a faster 240Hz refresh rate (the 16 Aurora is limited to 120Hz), better color accuracy (hitting 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut on top of 100% of sRGB), and a higher max brightness (500 nits compared to just 300).

Both displays look good, but the Alienware 16X Aurora clearly has the upper hand. My only real criticism here is that this display's contrast ratio is barely average, even for an IPS panel, which you may notice when playing video games with a wider dynamic range or lots of dark scenes (like horror titles).

Performance ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Performance is everything for a gaming laptop, and the Alienware Aurora devices certainly do not disappoint. The configuration I tested the most was the 16X Aurora with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, which retails for $1,999.99 at Dell.com.

It should come as no surprise that this laptop runs well, but its strengths really lie in CPU performance and thermal management. The Alienware 16X Aurora, especially, can squeeze a lot of power out of its HX-series chips, and does an excellent job preventing throttling over time — even in its overclocked "Overdrive" performance mode.

I will say, those fans can get loud at full throttle, but the Alienware Aurora at least isn't constantly fluctuating the fan speeds. It's a consistent drone... but you may occasionally hear the fans roar to life when the laptop is closed and sleeping, which isn't uncommon for a Windows machine.

• Forza Horizon 5 — 113 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled)
• Gears 5 — 105 FPS (Ultra preset, 1600p resolution)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 — 94 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Performance, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation disabled, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — 57 FPS (Ray Tracing: Ultra preset, 1600p resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution Transformer Model set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation disabled, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled)

When it comes to gaming, that CPU performance is especially noticeable in games like Gears 5. You don't have to pay this much to get around this level of performance, but the Alienware 16X Aurora is remarkably consistent, and that's a big plus. Its one weakness is that no configuration can be equipped with more than 8GB of VRAM — but that's due to NVIDIA's limitations, not Alienware's.

Battery life ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gaming laptops rarely impress when it comes to endurance, but the Alienware 16X Aurora actually exceeded my expectations (slightly). I still wouldn't describe this as an all-day machine, but the 16X Aurora can go a little further than a lot of other gaming laptops, draining 16% of its battery after an hour looping a generic Microsoft Office workload and 20% of its battery after an hour looping an HD video with default and balanced settings.

If you enable "Stealth Mode" by pressing the dedicated button in the function row, the Alienware Aurora laptops can go even further by disabling keyboard lighting, silencing fans, and more. It's a simple but clever feature for a gaming laptop, and it's not unreasonable to get a full day's use out of these devices if you're careful about it. Bear in mind that this was with the most power-hungry CPU/GPU combo you can get, so more affordable configurations will likely fare even better.

If you do decide to push this hardware to the max, like with gaming, don't hope for more than an hour or two of playtime, and expect to lose around 25-33% of your performance.

Keyboard & touchpad ⭐⭐⭐½

The Alienware Aurora laptops feature a tenkey number pad, which is somewhat unique in this day and age. Some people will value that addition, but the trade-off is that this keyboard does feel cramped thanks to its smaller keys.

Key travel also feels soft and shallow. I won't go so far as to say this is a bad keyboard, but it's certainly my least favorite of the laptops I've tested in recent memory. It's simply fine. I do like this layout overall, though, especially the inclusion of three customizable macro keys in the function row.

The touchpad is solid. It's smooth and responsive, uses Microsoft Precision drivers for gestures, and doesn't feel cheap. I'm not expecting a haptic touchpad in any gaming laptop, so this is good enough.

Software & AI ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Alienware Aurora laptops come with Windows 11 preinstalled, but don't have the hardware to be full Copilot+ PCs, so they're not on the cutting edge of Microsoft's software (depending on your feelings, that also means like artificial intelligence bloatware).

There are some preloaded Dell programs and unwanted third-party bloat, but for the most part, the Alienware Aurora laptops feel clean and ready to go. Stability was also excellent for me, which I've not been able to say about some older Alienware laptops. A big part of that is the Alienware Command Center software, which has truly come a long way and now feels reliable, intuitive, and feature-packed.

Everything else ⭐⭐⭐½

When it comes to everything else, Alienware didn't make any major mistakes. All Alienware Aurora configurations come with Wi-Fi 7 support, for example, and I never had any issues or complaints with wireless performance or reliability.

The dual, bottom-firing 2W speakers are basic in quality, but they're usable. The base 16 Aurora's 720p front-facing camera gets upgraded to 1080p with the 16X Aurora, but both are just fine for video conferencing. The more expensive sibling does also get Windows Hello facial recognition, though, which the entry-level 16 Aurora lacks.

I do wish the Alienware 16X Aurora, at least, enjoyed an upgraded speaker system, but both laptops hit all the basics for this price range.

Alienware 16X Aurora review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want a capable, reliable gaming laptop without breaking the bank.
• You like having a clear upgrade path if you want to spend more.
• You want a powerful gaming laptop with better than average endurance.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You want the absolute best performance-per-dollar possible.
• You need a great keyboard and don't care about the tenkey number pad.

The Alienware 16 and 16X Aurora laptops are really good lower-to-upper mid-range gaming laptops, but what most impresses me is the clear and reasonable divide between the two.

The Alienware 16X Aurora gives you more premium build quality and better ports, a faster and brighter display, superior CPU performance and greater memory/storage options, and a better camera with Windows Hello facial recognition — straightforward upgrades that pick up right where the standard 16 Aurora's pricing leaves off.

To summarize, I recommend both of these laptops and find the Alienware 16 Aurora to be a worthwhile budget option. If you're willing to spend around $1,600 or more, the 16X Aurora is a fantastic upgrade. Alienware did a great job bringing the fight to the Lenovo Legion 5 16 and HP OMEN 16.

If you're interested, you can find the Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250) from $1,099.99 at Dell.com and the Alienware 16X Aurora (AC16251) from $1,649.99 at Dell.com. I'd also look out for sales, because I've seen the former drop below $1,000 and the latter drop below $1,500.

The holidays are quickly approaching, and while you might be tempted to wait for November's Black Friday and Cyber Monday to pick up big-ticket items, Dell is hosting an early holiday sale with discounts too large to ignore.

Alienware's brilliant QD-OLED gaming monitors are receiving a lot of attention, especially with up to $350 in discounts on top models. I've also included some laptop deals that are too good to miss — up to $450 off!

These deals are only available for a limited time, so be sure to check them out before they're gone.

Dell's Early Holiday Deals: Quick Links

• See all of Dell's Early Holiday Deals | Laptops, desktops, monitors, accessories, gaming, and more
• Top monitor discounts at Dell's Early Holiday Deals | Up to $350 off
• Top laptop discounts at Dell's Early Holiday Deals | Up to $500 off

Best monitor deals at Dell

Quite a few Alienware monitors are on sale at Dell, and I've pulled the four with the biggest discounts right here. My top pick is the Alienware AW2725DF, a gaming monitor that received a full five stars in our review.

That score is thanks to the incredible QD-OLED display with perfect color and contrast, blazing 360Hz refresh rate that will keep up with even the most powerful PC hardware, and peak 1,000 nits with HDR enabled.

A $300 discount drops it to just $599.99, but only for a limited time. If you're looking for something different — whether pricier or more affordable — keep scrolling for more options.

Best laptop deals at Dell

Dell's early holiday sale also encompasses laptops, and the best discounts I've spotted are on the Dell 14 Plus and Dell 16 Plus.

These laptops, which many will know as "Inspiron" from before the major Dell rebrand, provide a great balance of features, build quality, and performance without a high price tag.

The top deal is on the Dell 14 Plus, which drops to $649.99 from the usual $1,099.99 at Dell. It's an AI PC and a Copilot+ PC thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU with 47 TOPS NPU, and it has a sharp 2560x1600 resolution. A 1TB SSD is a nice bonus, especially at this price.

If you need a larger screen, be sure to have a look at the Dell 16 Plus, which is also on sale.

High-end gaming monitors used to be gargantuan devices with massive price tags. Over the years, manufacturers have managed to pack premium gaming features into smaller displays.

Unfortunately, prices have not shrunk in proportion to display size options — at least if you pay full price for your gaming monitor. Right now, you can save 24% on the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor.

That deal brings the device within a few dollars of its lowest price ever, saving you $218.76 on a 4K gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time.

This device stacks up well against the best gaming monitors thanks to its combination of 4K resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 0.03ms response time. Its 99% DCI-P3 color accuracy also earned it high marks in our Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor review.

The design and feature set of the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor allowed Dell to set the retail price lower than competing monitors. In exchange for looking a bit plain and forgoing some specific features, the monitor delivers great value.

You won't get integrated speakers, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a built-in webcam, or KVM support in this monitor. What you will get is an excellent combination of high-end specs at an affordable price.

Speaking of the monitor at full price, our Zachary Boddy said, "Dell made a fantastic monitor here, and it stands out even more because it undercuts a lot of its competition in price, and it's actually reliably available to purchase."

They explained that those who value image quality and performance over "luxury" features will likely accept the tradeoff.

But now, the monitor is near its lowest price ever. Thanks to a 24% discount, the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor costs $680.81.

That discount was slightly larger earlier today, suggesting the price may continue to fluctuate or the deal could end soon.

The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor uses Quantum Dot OLED and has a 166 PPI pixel density.

"In layman's terms, this monitor is ridiculously sharp. Text, images, whatever you want to display — it'll all be as crisp as a fresh chip," said Boddy. "Of course, the selling point of this 4K panel is that you also get a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time."

The best PC games will appear smooth on the display thanks to its support for the three major adaptive sync standards: NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and VESA AdaptiveSync.

While the screen is clear and responsive, it is not as bright as some other options. That's the tradeoff you see when you get an OLED display. The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor can reach a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, but that only occurs in small areas of the screen at any given time when HDR is enabled.

OLED displays can develop burn-in as well, which makes the three-year warranty for the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor especially welcome.

While this is a focused gaming monitor that skips some of the fancier bells and whistles seen on other displays, it has RGB lighting that shines through the Alienware logo (note that the images in this article have external lighting).

The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor also has a stand with a toolless design that's easy to put together and that can be rotated 90 degrees.

Earlier this year at CES 2025, Dell announced that it was reviving the Area-51 desktop gaming PC. The legendary PC, which debuted more than 25 years ago, went on a brief hiatus but returned with an overhauled design.

Part of that new design was a promise from Dell that the Area-51 was coming back with the potential for easier DIY upgrades, options for cutting-edge performance hardware, and a new cooling method.

Now, thanks to Adam Savage's "Tested" YouTube series, we have an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how the Area-51 keeps its cool using a positive pressure design.

Dell's Area-51 cooling and noise claims, as tested, aren't far off

Savage, who many of you probably know as the co-host of the legendary Discovery Channel show "Mythbusters," has been publishing videos on the Tested YouTube channel since about 2010. Topics are all over the place, ranging from medieval suits of armor to PC tech.

Published July 23 is a deep dive into Alienware's method behind cooling in the Area-51 desktop PC. It's no secret that the video is sponsored by Intel and Alienware, but there's so much information and solid proof here that it's far from a fluff piece.

To give you a primer for the video, it's worth mentioning that Alienware designed its new Area-51 PC with a positive pressure design (which has fans push air into the system) rather than a negative pressure design (which has fans pull hot air out of the system), as is far more common in custom PCs.

This leads to a lack of rear exhaust fan — I remarked on this when covering Dell's initial Area-51 announcement, noting that Dell made claims about 25% more airflow with 45% less fan noise.

As it turns out, those claims aren't far off, if at all. Windows Central Editor Rebecca Spear recently reviewed Alienware's Area-51 after spending months with the PC, and in the review, she noted:

"Best of all, the desktop stays quiet even when running graphically intensive games. My decibel meter only ever measured a peak of 38.4 dB, which is comparable to light rain. That's basically just a step above a light whisper."

Despite the quiet cooling, the PC came nowhere close to overheating, and that was with an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU inside.

A behind-the-scenes look at Dell's gaming PC testing process

Thanks to Savage's latest Tested video, we now have a much better understanding of how Dell arrived at this design.

Travis North, Dell's Senior Distinguished Thermal Engineering Technologist, might have the coolest job I've ever seen. Savage spends a lot of time with North in the video, going over how Dell tests airflow in its PCs.

In the case of the Area-51, which has two 120mm fans on top, two 180mm fans on the front, and two more on the bottom, over top of the PSU, it all comes down to airflow and pressure. As North states:

"This approach, from the math, the physics, basically minimizes any of the losses, and it gives us the capability to push all the air flow down the channel and actually pre-charge the GPU fan with pressure."

It's revealed that Dell uses the same sensors as the airline industry uses to measure airspeed, but here they're used to test static pressure rather than airflow. As is pointed out in the video, high positive pressure inside a PC case doesn't necessarily mean the PC is being cooled properly.

It's air flow that actually cools a PC, but by measuring pressure inside the case, Dell's technicians can analyze whether or not air is flowing through the right areas.

Savage notes that the back panel of the PC has room for more cutouts than there are in the final product. As North explains, the rear panel sort of acts like a valve; more holes would cause recirculation of hot air.

A lack of cutouts towards the bottom of the rear panel also benefits the GPU's cooling, which is the main focus in the Area-51 — the CPU cooling is already handled with a water-cooled AiO radiator.

When pressed about the overall process to optimize cooling, North remarks, "Three months, 30 simulations, and I can tell you, a ton of work." That is, of course, after the engineers have already come to what seems like a final solution on paper.

Things get more technical thereafter, with North demonstrating how velocity, area, and cubic feet per minute (CFM) pressure are measured using a flow bench.

With the Area-51 connected to one end of the flow bench, where it creates its own pressure using system fans, another fan on the other end of the flow bench is enabled to pull air.

Somewhere in the middle is where pressure is measured using "inches of water." One inch of water is equal to 1 PSI (yes, I had to look that up). With an array of digital and analog sensors along the line, it's revealed that the Area-51 is capable of 172 CFM of airflow pressure.

As Savage puts it, "That's huge!" North responds, "The 172 CFM is probably a little bit overkill in this particular case, but it's about longevity. What can we do to ensure that parts are going to live for a long time?"

North explains that it's all about flexibility and longevity. Dell's aim to make the Area-51 more upgradeable than ever has to account for future hardware that may require more cooling.

And because the system can run cooler than it needs to, every little component inside — capacitors, VRMs, etc. — should reasonably have a longer life.

👉 Related: Top 5 desktop PC case features that I can’t live without — and neither should you

These points are reiterated in the second part of the video, in which Savage speaks with a couple of Dell's lead engineers. Tim Graham, Lead Alienware Architect, posits:

"This system is designed for stuff that doesn't even exist yet. For much higher wattage cards. When we first started this one, the 450W card didn't even exist. And we were designing for a 900W [card] and above."

After many years, Dell is finally close to offering a user-friendly pre-built PC

As a longtime custom PC builder, I've traditionally been hard on Dell's previous Alienware desktop designs. From proprietary parts to wacky case designs that seriously get in the way of any tinkering, I wasn't shy about calling out the issues.

👉 Related: Best pre-built gaming PC in 2025

The new Area-51 isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer than ever. Gone are the proprietary motherboard designs — although you'll still need to buy a separate "motherboard adapter bracket" if you want to drop in a non-Alienware board — and form-over-function cases.

The biggest issue now, in my opinion, is pricing. A quick look at Dell's official site shows models starting at $3,049.99. It doesn't take long to throw together a similar build on PCPartPicker, with Core Ultra 7 265 CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD, that costs about half that much.

There's a huge variety of different gaming headsets in the industry right now, ranging from more basic and budget-friendly options to premium offerings with large suites of nifty features and even larger price tags. During big sales like Amazon's annual Prime Day event, though, you can get many of the latter for far less than usual, and this year, the Alienware Pro Wireless gaming headset — one I've been using daily since reviewing it — is down to just $141.99 at Amazon.

That's still quite a bit of money, but it's incredibly affordable for a headset of its caliber. And compared to its usual price of $230, it's nearly a full $100 off — a colossal discount, and easily one of the best I've seen during "Prime Week."

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

The headset I use every day — here's why I love it

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is the third entry in a new "Pro" line that Dell introduced for its gaming brand last year, with its release following the arrival of the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse. Those two peripherals were fantastic, and the headset is no different — something I quickly realized once I started testing it for my review.

As I wrote then, it's "so good it's dethroned my favorite from Razer," which was a Razer Kaira Pro I bought early in 2024 for wireless use while gaming on PC. Since then, it's remained the headset I reach for every day, whether I'm enjoying my favorite games or listening to music during work hours.

There's a ton to love here, but the thing that stands out the most about the Alienware Pro Wireless is the quality of its audio — something I'm glad to be able to say about a headset. Speech comes over the detachable microphone crisply and clearly, and while there's noise cancellation you can toggle if you're playing in a particularly noisy environment, I find that the mic excellently blocks out background sounds without it. You also have the option to use mic monitoring if you'd like to listen to yourself speak for volume control.

The speakers, meanwhile, have a wide 20-40KHz range and are powered by potent 50mm drivers. The soundscape they deliver is extremely rich and balanced across lows, mids, and highs, but also incredibly clean and free of any muddy distortion. Notably, the headset can also get surprisingly loud compared to others I've used, which is something I enjoy taking advantage of during particularly grandiose and epic moments in-game (or for jamming out to heavier music genres).

In terms of other features to take advantage of, there's full support for Dolby Atmos spatial audio as well as active noise cancellation (ANC), though the headset's ANC is fairly mediocre and struggles to block out sounds louder than a fan. This ultimately doesn't bother me since I dislike ANC because it gives me headaches, but it's something to keep in mind if you enjoy using it.

Design-wise, the Alienware Pro Wireless is superb, and sports a highly adjustable and cushioned headband along with memory foam leatherette earcups that rest gently on your head. And while the headset's fit is snug, it's also very light at 315g (0.69lbs) and breathable, too. I routinely wear it all day long while working and gaming; in fact, I'm listening to music with it right now. Aesthetically, it's got a minimalistic "Lunar Light" white colorway with a silver Alienware logo on the earcup exteriors; there's a "Dark Side of the Moon" black option, too, but it's not on sale for Amazon Prime Day.

Onboard controls include a mic mute, volume wheel, and an ANC button, along with a power switch and a slider for switching between connecting via a USB dongle or Bluetooth (the headset also works over a wired connection when plugged in and charging). Battery life is high with an average of about 70 hours in my experience (Dell advertises 75), though you'll only get about 30 hours before needing to charge if you use ANC.

Ultimately, the Alienware Pro Wireless is one of the best headsets I've ever used for PC gaming, and picking it up while it's nearly $100 off is a massive steal. Just don't get it expecting it to work with Xbox consoles, however, as it's unfortunately not compatible.

Amazon's Prime Day and the competing sales events from other major retailers are proving to be a great time to pick up a new laptop.

If you're a gamer, one of the best deals I've found so far comes from Alienware. One of its new 16" Aurora models is currently $400 off at Best Buy, beating the price of even Dell's official site.

That drops the price on a model with a Core Ultra 7 240H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and 120Hz QHD+ display to just $1,099.99. No Amazon Prime membership required, and Best Buy looks like it will ship it promptly.

All of NVIDIA's latest advancements in one affordable gaming laptop

Dell's Alienware brand is synonymous with PC gaming, and the lineup recently underwent an overhaul.

Reintroduced earlier this year was the Aurora 16, a mid-range gaming laptop with strong performance and a sleek design that's a far cry from Aurora models of the past.

Dell wanted to make a 16-inch gaming laptop that could fit more easily into a backpack, and it achieved it with the Aurora 16 that measures just 0.60 inches at its thinnest point.

The PC has dual USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) ports, dual USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) ports, HDMI 2.1, a 1GbE LAN port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, plus it has Wi-Fi 7 for fast and reliable internet.

That's especially important for PC gamers who are streaming from the cloud or playing online, but you will need a Wi-Fi 7 router to take full advantage. The cheapest model I could find is currently enjoying a 33% discount; that drops TP-Link's BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 router down to $79.99 at Amazon.

Turning back to the laptop, its performance hardware includes one of Intel's latest mobile chips, the Core Ultra 7 240H. It's a 10-core chip with a Turbo frequency up to 5.2GHz, making it a great match for the GPU.

NVIDIA's RTX 5060 Laptop card is on board, delivering all of NVIDIA's latest DLSS 4 enhancements, including Multi Frame Generation (MFG).

While some gamers still aren't completely sold on the "fake frames" afforded by MFG, I've been having a grand ol' time watching my frame rates go up with hardly any effect on fidelity.

👉 Related: 'Fake' frames? Who cares when a game looks this good — DOOM: The Dark Ages tested with NVIDIA's Multi Frame Gen

While the 8GB of VRAM in the RTX 5060 isn't going to set you up as well for the future as one of the higher-tier NVIDIA cards, there's no way you'll find something with an RTX 5070 Ti for this price.

The laptop also features 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM that can be upgraded after purchase, but that should hold over well for the future as it is. It also comes with a sizable 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD with plenty of space for your favorite games.

And, finally, the display. It measures 16 inches and has a 2560x1600 resolution to match the taller 16:10 aspect ratio. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it manages about 300 nits of brightness.

While this is by no means the most powerful gaming laptop out there, it's a whole lot of performance for the discounted asking price. If it's not quite what you're looking for, be sure to have a look at my larger roundup of the best Prime Day laptop deals, including several gaming models.

One sign of a truly great device is when reviewers keep coming back to it. That’s the case with the Alienware AW2725DF. After testing other displays, our Rebecca Spear always returns to this monitor.

The best gaming monitors are often quite expensive. To get high-end specs such as competitive-level refresh rate and response time, you usually have to pay a premium. While the Alienware AW2725DF isn’t exactly a budget monitor, a $280 discount makes it significantly more affordable.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

Here's makes this such an awesome gaming monitor

The Alienware 27 360Hz QD-OLED is easy to recommend. Even at full price, the gaming monitor received a 5/5 in the value category of our Alienware AW2725DF review.

Occasionally, devices will earn a 5/5 overall when reviewed. It is exceptionally rare to see any item earn a perfect score in every single category. Even 5/5 overall reviews usually have a 4.5/5 in a category or a small complaint from the reviewer.

That was not the case with the Alienware AW2725DF. For value, design, and its display, the monitor received perfect marks across the board.

This Alienware accessory ticks the boxes you need for an excellent gaming performance. Its 26.7-inch QD-OLED screen has a 360Hz refresh rate, a 0.03ms response time, and reaches 1,000 nits of brightness.

The only thing it lacks is NVIDIA G-Sync support, so if your gaming PC has an NVIDIA GPU, you'll have to look elsewhere to get the most out of your gaming PC.

The panel of the Alienware AW2725DF has high color accuracy, producing 100% of sRGB, 95% of Adobe RGB, 98% of P3 during our testing.

The monitor is easy to assemble without any special tools, and it features a cable management hole on the back.

While managing cables behind the monitor, you’ll also find a generous range of ports. An HDMI 2.1 port and two DisplayPort 1.4 connections are there to connect to your gaming PC or other device. The monitor also has three USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port for connecting the best PC gaming accessories.

When researching for this piece, I reached out to Spear to make sure the Alienware AW2725DF has aged well. Not only did Spear recommend it, she said it’s one of her favorite monitors of all time and that she always returns to it after testing others.

PC gamers could argue all day about the "perfect" resolution and refresh rate combination on gaming monitors, but I've rarely seen any appeal in the extremely high-end options. For me, 2560 x 1440, also known as 1440p, is an ideal middle ground that bumps you over "Full HD" (1080p) without going to a GPU-stressing 4K (2160p).

Ever since I reviewed the Alienware AW2723DF in March 2023, I've never been tempted by anything else. Sure, it can push its refresh rate above 240Hz (up to 280Hz), but I generally keep it at the former for desktop use and cap most of my games around 144 FPS anyway. Now that Amazon is selling the Alienware AW2723DF for $393.99, just before Amazon Prime Day, it's easier than ever to recommend (if you have a Prime membership).

• Shop all Prime Day deals at Amazon

"I'm something of a USB hub myself"

Part of the reason I kept the 27-inch AW2723DF as a permanent fixture on my monitor arm is its wealthy selection of ports, including a USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub. Essentially, I can leave a collection of USB dongles in the underside of this monitor, hidden from view, and have a single cable connected to my PC to handle it all.

I have two receivers for a work mouse (Logitech MX Master 2S, my beloved) and a gaming mouse (Logitech G305 Lightspeed, I am a simple man) connected behind there, along with a USB-A to USB-C cable that connects whatever I feel like. It's usually hooked up to an official Xbox Series X|S controller, but it works with anything else. Too convenient, especially with the slide-off panel.

I know it sounds unusual to shower so much praise on a monitor stand that I eventually removed, but Alienware really deserves its flowers on this one. Yeah, the feet are big and encroached too much on my older desk (it would be fine with my replacement), but it's almost too easy to adjust this thing vertically, and it doubles as a cable management solution.

600 nits is almost comically bright, and I haven't felt a reason to crank the brightness anywhere close to its max. Then again, I generally keep my monitors in an area free of glare and direct natural light, so it doesn't necessarily need to be that bright in the first place. It's nice to have, if you're gaming in a well-lit room.

Otherwise, the DisplayPort and HDMI port pairing works well to have my Xbox Series X hooked up alongside my PC, ready to switch when inspiration strikes. However, being an IPS panel, you won't get the same lush experience with dark scenes in games or videos as you would on an OLED equivalent, and it can look a little washed out in extreme darkness. It's never been bad enough for me to care in the long run, but it's worth mentioning.

Again, I'm still a fan of monitor arms

I've had the gigantic Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop (2025) set up in my house for the last two months.

I can't tell you how many times I've caught myself smiling at the smooth frame rates and excellent performance while playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and several other games during that time.

There were also several times that I found myself mesmerized by its gorgeous RGB lighting.

While the Alienware Area-51 Desktop definitely is a powerhouse that can handle the latest graphically intensive games with ease, it does have a few areas that could be improved upon.

Here's everything you need to know about it, as well as how it stacks up to other pre-built gaming PCs.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Dell. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Dell resurrected its Alienware Area-51 line as its flagship gaming desktop and offers several configuration options for you to choose from.

The review unit I received features an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K GPU, RTX 5090 GPU, 64GB RAM, and 2TB SSD. The 80-liter chassis came with a 1500W Platinum-rated ATX12VO power supply, a 360mm Liquid-Cooled CPU, and has a tempered glass door for viewing the internals and ample RGB lighting.

As expected with a flagship gaming desktop, this one isn't cheap. The lowest configuration has a starting price of $3,249.99 at Dell, but it can go as high as $6,709.99 for the most premium options. The configuration I reviewed has a $4,999.99 MSRP.

I knew the Alienware Area-51 Desktop (2025) was going to be big, but it wasn't until it arrived that I really took in its grandeur.

The moment I set it on the kitchen table, my curious cat jumped up to investigate. Seeing that her eyes only made it about halfway up the towering 80L frame, highlighted its massive size even further.

Since it weighs 76.1 pounds, my husband and I had to work together to move it into my office and get it set up. There was no way that my desk was going to be able to handle the weight, so we placed it on the floor on top of a flat piece of wood for stability.

If you buy this desktop, get a friend to help set it up, and remember to lift with your legs!

CONFIGURATION TIP: As always, the RTX 5090 is the top-of-the-line graphics card for the current generation, but it doesn't score all that highly above the RTX 5080, so you can save some money by just getting the RTX 5080 instead.

Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop — What's in the box?

In addition to the massive gaming desktop, the box contains a wired keyboard, a wired mouse, a Wi-Fi antenna, a power cable, and manuals.

With all of this included with the purchase, all you really need to start gaming is one of the best gaming monitors and either a good gaming headset or external computer speakers.

That said, I do recommend ditching the included wired keyboard and mouse in favor of one of the best gaming mice and best gaming keyboards. That's what I did to have better response times and lower latency.

Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop: Why I love it

By default, the computer's RGB matches the color scheme of whatever game you're currently playing. For Cyberpunk 2077, the lights turned yellow. For Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation, they turn white, but this can easily be changed.

One of the first things I did after setting this desktop up was go into Command Center and customize the seven different RGB lighting areas.

I was absolutely dazzled when I first changed all of the areas to the rainbow preset. The large, oval light bar near the front is particularly beautiful.

As well as I tried, my pictures really didn't do the vibrant lighting justice.

However, the colorful lighting becomes too distracting for me whenever night falls, so I end up reducing RGB brightness and choosing calmer colors like red or purple. The lights can also all be turned off from within Command Center, except for the blindingly bright white "GEFORCE RTX" text on the GPU.

Insanely fast frame rates and smooth performance

As I mentioned previously, gaming on this desktop was fantastic and always made it possible to enjoy extremely high FPS (frames per second).

I had this desktop connected to the Alienware 34 QD-OLED AW3425DW gaming monitor, which can reach up to 240Hz and has a 0.03ms response time, so all of my digital adventures looked absolutely impressive with some of the best ray tracing I've seen yet.

Even when games are set to their most intensive graphics settings, they usually average around 100FPS (frames per second) or higher, and this looks amazing in person.

As an example, I put Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset and turned on both Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction, and the desktop still managed an average of 97 FPS.

While it wasn't always instant, I found myself looking forward to seeing the reflections on the cars I drove or in the puddles of water I passed.

• Cyberpunk 2077 — 97 FPS (Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction enabled, 1440p resolution, 240Hz, V-sync disabled, Intel Xe Super Sampling 1.3 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider — 213 FPS (Highest preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled)
• Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation — 153 FPS (Normal preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled)

After gaming on it, I then ran this desktop through several benchmarks to test the performance of its various components. The Area-51 Desktop excelled in terms of SSD read and write speeds, as well as overall system performance.

While the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU (central processing unit) scored as highly as expected and offered solid performance, it is a little strange for this desktop to have an Intel Core Ultra AI processor rather than a more powerful non-AI one, which is more typical for gaming.

Meanwhile, the RTX 5090 proved to be powerful in GPU (graphics processing unit) testing, but it scored lower than two RTX 5090 L gaming laptops, which isn't great to see.

One of the things I love about this desktop is that it's absolutely packed with ports. When it comes to connecting a monitor, the desktop offers one HDMI 2.1 port and three DisplayPort 1.4 ports.

The top and back of the tower also offer a smattering of several connections, including Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB-C ports, USB-A ports, a LAN RJ45 port, a headphone jack, and a microphone jack. With this setup, I didn't have any problem finding a place to plug in any of my accessories.

A desktop so quiet, I sometimes forgot it was there

This desktop keeps itself at a great temperature, thanks to the many fans and wide vent areas. Using my thermal camera while stressing the CPU and GPU during different tests, I found that the hottest part was, expectantly, around the CPU, which only ever peaked at 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

Best of all, the desktop stays quiet even when running graphically intensive games. My decibel meter only ever measured a peak of 38.4 dB, which is comparable to light rain. That's basically just a step above a light whisper.

To protect the internals, there is a mesh dust filter that lines the top and side vents, where those large hexagonal openings are. It won't prevent everything from getting through, but I've personally seen that it has stopped cat hair and larger specs from falling inside the desktop I used.

Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop: A mixed bag for upgradeability

Alienware has improved some upgradability aspects with this desktop, but has also put some potential new barriers in some people's way.

It only takes a few seconds for me to open either of the desktop's side panels. The process simply involves me removing a back screw, rotating a dial, and then pressing in a button for the panel I wish to remove.

With the Area-51 Desktop, Alienware has ditched its proprietary motherboards and power supplies, turning to more standardized ATX sizes instead. The power supply is still a "rather chunky boi", though, that runs along the bottom of the chassis.

I initially hoped that this change would mean that it would be easier to upgrade the motherboard and other computer parts that connect to it, but this isn't completely true.

The thing is, this motherboard is still specially made for the Area-51 Desktop, so you'll need to purchase an “AlienFX board cable conversion kit” for $34.99 at Dell if you want to swap out for a third-party motherboard down the road.

This Area-51 Desktop has three SSD slots in various places, each under a heatsink, so you can add a ton of storage, if desired.

However, there are only two memory slots, which feels laughable compared to the other slots and high-end specs on offer. That said, when I reached out to an Alienware rep, I was told this was an intentional design decision that trades off memory speed for memory capacity.

To be fair, the two memory slots do hold up to 64GB of RAM, which should be more than plenty enough for most folks. It's just not as convenient as having more slots that could take smaller (and more affordable) capacities.

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You want a powerful gaming desktop with plenty of configuration options and RGB customization
  • Every game I played on this desktop ran extremely smoothly ,and I loved how I could get the lights to look just the way I wanted. If you don't want a desktop that's quite this intensive, you can easily configure exactly what you need from Dell's website.

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You're looking for a gaming desktop with more upgradability options
  • Due to the special motherboard and only having two memory slots, upgrading this desktop is a little trickier than with some other desktops.

While it could be improved upon, the Alienware Area-51 is a very impressive titan of a desktop with plenty of configuration options to choose from.

I absolutely love how quietly it runs and the smooth frame rates it provides me while I play Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and other graphically demanding games.

The wide range of ports and the RGB customization made it easy for me to connect my various accessories and get the desktop looking just the way I wanted it to.

It would be nicer if this desktop didn't need a kit when swapping out to a third-party motherboard, and I know some people would prefer to have more memory slots, so hopefully we see those changes in future iterations.

In the end, this is a great gaming desktop to go with if you're looking for a premium option that will offer smooth performance and look good while doing it.

• Back to the top ⤴

I've tested dozens of gaming monitors over the last few years, and Alienware consistently impresses me with its fantastic offerings, so I'm always excited to check out the company's new displays.

Typically, you have to spend a pretty penny if you want to get a 34-inch, curved OLED gaming monitor with extremely smooth motion clarity, excellent visual quality, and other conveniences.

That's why I was so surprised when I saw that the new Alienware 34" QD-OLED AW3425DW sells for hundreds of dollars less than its predecessor while still offering one of the best gaming experiences you can get.

It does away with some unnecessary features to keep the cost down compared to competitors, but that's part of what makes it the ideal premium option.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Dell. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

The Alienware AW3425DW is the successor to the Alienware AW3423DWF that my colleague Zachary Boddy reviewed. This newer offering provides several improvements, including a higher refresh rate, faster response time, higher HDR brightness, and a $300 lower price point.

There are also some tradeoffs, which I'll get into later.

A quick look around online retailers will show you that 34-inch Curved OLED gaming monitors with up to 240Hz refresh rate, fast 0.03ms response time, and 3440x1440 resolution are typically priced anywhere between $899.99 and $1,399.99.

As such, seeing that this Alienware AW3425DW is only selling for $799.99 at Best Buy makes it one of the cheapest premium options on the market from a trusted company (Alienware is Dell's gaming sub-brand).

While it doesn't have as many features as some monitors (no built-in speakers, a small range of ports, and limited RGB), it still has all of the features you actually need for high-end gaming.

Plus, most built-in speakers on monitors aren't that great, so you'd likely end up using a gaming headset or external computer speakers anyway. So, this keeps the cost down while letting you use the monitor the way you likely already intended to.

Alienware 34" QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW) — What's in the box?

Upon opening the Alienware AW3425DW box, I found the adjustable stand, the square base, an HDMI 2.1 cable, a DisplayPort 1.4 cable, a USB-B cable, the power cable, manuals, and a microfiber towel. This gives you everything you need to connect to a compatible computer right out of the box.

Alienware 34" QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW): Why I love it

Thanks to its toolless assembly, it only took me about five minutes to get this monitor set up.

The base connects to the stand via its built-in screw, and then the stand just has to be pressed into the back of the monitor until there's a click. From there, it's just a matter of putting the monitor on the desk and connecting the cables.

When looking at gaming monitors, it usually gets pretty boring looking at the usual sea of black, gray, and occasionally white monitor casings. That's why I love this dark blue monitor design so much.

It still looks subtly gray or black in some lighting, but it has a bit more color to help it stand out more from other options. I hope this is just the start, and Alienware eventually releases several other monitor colors for its various monitor lines.

The small base and adjustable stand are other huge highlights for this display design. I can tilt, swivel, rotate, and adjust the display up and down until I get it to just the right position.

The base is very sturdy and doesn't take up as much room on my desk as some other gaming monitors I've tested.

Of course, where this monitor really excels is with its stunning viewing experience.

Excellent motion clarity and visual quality

While this gaming monitor was connected to the Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop (review incoming), I played several games, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur's Gate 3.

Each time, I was drawn in by the crisp details, beautiful color range, excellent contrast, and extremely smooth motion clarity. Plus, the option of using SDR or HDR helped me get the exact look I wanted.

To get a more detailed read on the monitor, I pulled out my colorimeter to measure its color gamut, brightness, and contrast.

Alienware states that the monitor produces 99.30% of DCI-P3. While it was able to reach an impressive 97% in my testing, it never actually hit 99% of DCI-P3 on any of its preset modes. Still, that's a very good result.

The Alienware AW3425DW is VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certified, which means it offers a great dynamic range and contrast. It proved this by achieving true 0.00 black in my contrast testing.

As is expected with OLED displays, that means it turns its pixels off completely when displaying black, so dark parts of images actually look black instead of gray, like with some other display types.

While in SDR, the monitor managed to reach a max brightness of 254 nits, which is a typical result for QD-OLED displays.

When in HDR, the monitor manages to measure at a peak of 974 nits, which is one of the brightest results typically seen for QD-OLEDs.

A joystick at the bottom center of the monitor makes it easy to go into the OSD (on-screen display) to adjust preset modes, brightness, and other settings. Of course, if you'd prefer to control these settings using your mouse, then Alienware's Command Center is another option.

While reviewing this monitor's predecessor, we pointed out that Command Center often made the monitor worse and made it difficult to even get to many of the settings. I didn't experience these same issues while using the AW3425DW, so they seem to have been resolved.

Command Center could definitely be improved upon, but it does have a relatively simple layout that allows me to quickly adjust the two RGB areas (the power button and the Alien icon on the back), change brightness and contrast, choose a preset mode, use HDR, change the refresh rate, select an input source, configure PIP/PBP, and turn on Alien Vision presets, if desired.

My biggest issue with Command Center is that it occasionally freezes and shuts down while I'm using it, which is ridiculous considering I was using one of the latest Alienware monitors and Alienware Desktops, so it should be compatible.

Alienware 34" QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW): What needs to improve

Given what Alienware was going for when designing this monitor, there isn't anything bad about its performance or features. However, I will say that you should be aware of the tradeoffs you get for the lower price point.

When it comes to ports, this monitor's range is rather limited. Display-wise, there are two HDMI 2.1 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4. It would have been nicer if there were a USB-C display port as well.

Outside of that, there is a USB-B port that must be connected to your computer for there to be power at the USB hub, which provides a USB-C and a USB-A port at the bottom of the monitor.

To keep this lower price, the newer monitor has fewer USB-A ports, does away with the headphone jack, and has fewer RGB areas. These aren't huge problems since you can connect your accessories to your computer or use a hub station if needed.

If you're a big RGB person, you'll likely be disappointed by the two small RGB lighting zones that are comprised of the Alien icon on the back and the even smaller power button on the bottom right of the display.

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You want a premium monitor but don't want to pay too much for it
  
  Most gaming monitors of this caliber sell between $900 and $1,400, but this one gives you all of the main features you really need to enjoy high-end gaming while keeping the cost lower than most competitors.

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You specifically want a monitor with a headphone jack or USB-C display port connectivity
  
  To reduce the price of this display, some features were omitted, including a headphone jack and USB-C display port. If you're one of the few people who really needs these connections on your display, then this monitor might not be a good choice.

I've been absolutely blown away by the Alienware 34" Curved AW3425DW Gaming Monitor during my few weeks with it.

It offers crisp detail, with excellent contrast and true black to make the vibrant HDR color gamut pop while playing my favorite games. Plus, the high 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and G-Sync create buttery smooth motion clarity with no tearing.

If that wasn't enough, this monitor is extremely competitively priced compared to other monitors of a similar caliber. As long as you're okay with having fewer USB-A ports and no headphone jack, it should serve you very well.

• Back to the top ⤴

Last year, I was blown away by the astounding performance of the Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop (as seen in my Alienware m16 R2 review).

So, when I saw that the gaming laptop line had been rebranded back to its resurrected Area-51 naming convention this year, I knew I had to check the new offerings out. I was certain that the 16-inch would be a good laptop; I just wasn't sure if Alienware was going to be able to improve too much on the previous model.

Boy, was I wrong.

I've spent the last few weeks using the Alienware 16 Area-51 AW30 Gaming Laptop as my main PC gaming station. I was already expecting insanely smooth performance, but the new Cherry MX keyboard with RGB touchpad has elevated this laptop from amazing to incredible.

I don't know how I'll ever go back to a regular keyboard on a gaming laptop after this.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Dell. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

When it comes to premium gaming laptops, there are plenty of brands to choose from, but Alienware is one I highly recommend from the bunch.

In case you didn't know, Alienware is Dell's gaming sub-brand, and it's been making reliable devices for gamers like you and me for 29 years.

The Area-51 16 gaming laptop has several configuration options to choose from and has a starting price of $1,999.99, but can sell for as high as $6,099.99 if you decide you want to go with the Cherry MX mechanical keyboard, the highest-end RTX 5090 L, a whopping 64GB RAM, and enormous 12TB SSD capacity.

Compared to similar premium gaming laptops, this one has a very competitive price. As an example, the starting price is roughly $1,000 cheaper than the Razer Blade 16.

It's easy to obtain an Alienware Area-51 16, either by configuring your own gaming laptop right from Dell's website or buying one of the few pre-configured options at major tech retailers like Best Buy.

If possible, I highly recommend buying the configuration I reviewed, which has the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, NVIDIA RTX 5080 L, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. This configuration sells for $3,399.99 at Dell.

MONEY SAVING TIP: I recommend going with the RTX 5080 L over the RTX 5090 L. Their performance is closer than you might expect, but the 5080 doesn't cost as much.

Alienware 16 Area-51 Gaming Laptop: Why I love it

There's a lot to say about this laptop, so I'll just dive into the part you're probably most interested in: Outstanding performance.

It feels like an understatement when I tell you that the Alienware Area-51 16 is the best gaming laptop I've ever used, but it seriously does offer the smoothest gaming sessions I've ever had.

Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and other PC games have run buttery smooth on this gaming laptop, each hitting at least an average of more than 117 FPS (frames per second), even when graphics settings were pushed to the max.

As an example, even with Cyberpunk 2077 set to its Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset with Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction turned on, the laptop managed to hit an average of 118 FPS.

I expect nothing less from the follow-up to the m16 R2 gaming laptop.

• Ashes of the Singularity — 157 FPS (Normal preset, 1080p resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, V-sync enabled)
• Cyberpunk 2077 — 118 FPS (Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, Path Tracing and Ray Reconstruction enabled, 1600p resolution, 120Hz, V-sync disabled, Intel Xe Super Sampling 1.3 set to "Auto," frame generation disabled)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider — 183 FPS (High preset, 1080p resolution, V-sync enabled)

As you'd expect with a gaming laptop, the fans do kick on quickly when running more intensive games. Using my decibel meter, the laptop measured 47.6 dB when held near my ear as I was sitting in front of the laptop. When placed right next to the vent, the decibel meter detected as high as 61.8 dB.

The laptop also does a good job of keeping itself cool and running efficiently. It peaked at 122 degrees F (50 degrees C) above the keyboard and 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) at the back vents. The areas I usually have direct contact with never got hot to the touch.

When I eventually ran a bunch of benchmark tests on this gaming laptop, I was unsurprised to find that it regularly scored higher than many of its competitors (as seen in the following graphs).

What's more, game visuals have looked stunning, with gorgeous motion clarity, crisp details, a high 120Hz refresh rate, and a fast 3ms response time on this IPS display.

In my color testing, it produced 100% of sRGB, 88% of AdobeRGB, and 97% of P3, which isn't the best we've seen, but is still very respectable for an IPS panel.

When it comes to loading and saving times, the SSD offers really fast read and write speeds. As an example, this laptop was able to transcode a 4K version of Tears of Steel in under 19 minutes (1,129 seconds). Some other laptops have taken up to 45 minutes to do the same thing.

As is to be expected with a gaming laptop, this one does not have the best battery life, with it tapping out around four hours and eight minutes when doing typical office tasks.

However, when actually running a graphically intensive game like Cyberpunk 2077 with the screen around 200 nits brightness, it only lasts around an hour and 13 minutes.

But then, you don't usually expect to play unplugged on a premium gaming device like this one.

A beautiful design that doesn't look out of place — Finally, some color on a laptop chassis

One of the things I love about the Alienware Area-51 16 is its "liquid teal" (blue) coloring on the lid and chassis. It's subtle enough that the laptop might look black in certain lighting. I just wish the thermal shelf were the same color rather than being black.

It's nice to see a more saturated color on the lid, other than the overly used (and variously named) shades of grey, black, and white that are so common on other laptops.

The Alienware Area-51 16 is more like a portable desktop than it is a gaming laptop, as is evidenced by the wide range of ports available.

I didn't have any issues finding places to plug in my various accessories or a monitor, thanks to the two Thunderbolt 5 ports, the HDMI 2.1 port, and three USB-A ports. It also has an SD card reader and headphone jack to meet your other needs.

I've fallen in love with the mechanical keyboard, and it's ruined other laptops for me

Finally, to the part of this review I've been dying to write about the most. The Area-51 16's CherryMX mechanical keyboard offers the most satisfying typing experience I've ever had on a laptop.

There's something about the clicky sound and the slight amount of pressure required to press the keys down that keeps me coming back for more. They're also very responsive and great for gaming. I don't know how I'll ever go back to a non-mechanical keyboard laptop after this.

Of course, the RGB lighting on this keyboard (and other parts of the laptop) is fantastic as well.

There are five customizable RGB areas on the Area-51: The keyboard, the two fans, the touchpad, and the thermal shelf behind the display.

I was able to choose the specific effects as well as hues from the color wheel, separately for each of these areas, including each individual key.

This is the first RGB touchpad I've ever seen, and I can honestly tell you that setting it to the "Rainbow Wave" mode made me gasp. It looks incredibly beautiful in person.

One of the things I love about Alienware gaming laptops is that they also include a Stealth mode button, which instantly turns off all distracting RGB and changes the keyboard to white backlighting for when you're in a more formal setting and don't want to draw attention to yourself.

Alienware 16 Area-51 Gaming Laptop: What needs to improve

While I can gush about the Alienware Area-51 16 for hours, there are a couple of things that I hope to see improved in later versions of this laptop.

First off, the Copilot key is much wider than it needs to be for some reason, and makes the spacebar look really small. Everything is perfectly usable as is, but it just doesn't look that great.

Secondly, I was surprised that this premium gaming laptop doesn't provide the option for an OLED display.

Like I've previously said, the IPS panel used is very good, but OLEDs are typical for premium gaming laptops, and an OLED panel could help game visuals pop better. If you're already spending this much for a high-end gaming device, you might as well get all of the best options you can.

✅ You should buy this if ...

• You want one of the very best gaming laptops on the market
  • Anyone who wants to play the latest AAA games to their best advantage will be served well by this laptop line. There are plenty of configurations to choose from to fit your gaming needs and budget. I also cannot stress how satisfying it is to use the CherryMX mechanical keyboard.

❌ You should not buy this if ...

• You specifically want a gaming laptop with an OLED panel
  • While the IPS display on the Area-51 16 offers great color, contrast, and crispness, it's odd that a superior OLED screen isn't a configuration option for this gaming laptop.

I can easily recommend the Alienware Area-51 16 as one of the very best premium gaming laptops on the market right now. It's priced competitively against similar devices, offers insanely smooth gaming performance, has the option for a mechanical keyboard, looks sleek, and has some beautiful RGB zones for you to customize.

It would have been better if there were an OLED panel option instead of just the IPS display. That said, this screen still offers extremely smooth motion clarity, crisp detail, and decent color.

All in all, this is the RTX 50-Series gaming laptop I recommend most.

• Back to the top ⤴

NVIDIA will finally release its Arm-based APU, according to a report in the United Daily News. The chip is expected to ship inside a new Alienware laptop in either the final quarter of 2025 or in early 2026.

The rumored chip is said to deliver comparable gaming performance to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 mobile GPU while consuming only a bit more than half the power.

Leaks and reports about that APU have swirled for months, but we now have details about a device that will reportedly be powered by the chip. Our Cale Hunt explained how the APU could change gaming laptop design forever.

In short, the APU would make it possible to create thinner laptops that deliver comparable power to bulkier systems, all while using less power. Laptops powered by the APU would also have better thermals and require less space for cooling.

NVIDIA is reportedly working with MediaTek to make the APU.

United Daily News states that the APU will feature "a customized Arm architecture CPU," but it is unclear if the CPU cores of the chip will be designed by NVIDIA or Arm.

Our colleagues at PC Gamer shared Apple's M series processors as a point of comparison. Apple uses its own designs for those chips and has become an industry leader by doing so.

Regardless of who makes the APU, chips built on ARM architecture offer several advantages over x86 processors, though there are also notable drawbacks.

👉Related: APU, CPU, and GPU — what are the differences?

Power efficiency is a major benefit delivered by Arm-based chips. That fact is highlighted by Snapdragon-powered PCs, but the power efficiency should also be apparent on Arm-based chips made by NVIDIA, MediaTek, or any other company.

The main downside of Arm-based processors is that systems powered by those chips can run into compatibility issues. Microsoft's Prism technology is better at emulation than its predecessors, but there are still some games and features that do not play nicely with Arm-based PCs.

The topic of game compatibility and Arm-based chips came up when a job listing led some to believe the next Xbox would run on Arm.

Up to this point, Qualcomm has been the only company to make Arm-based chips for laptops. If NVIDIA releases its own Arm-based APU, that could persuade game developers to optimize titles for any chip built on ARM architecture.

If the rumored APU ships, it would push gaming laptops to new limits. United Daily News said the chip provides "the same level of performance as a 120 W RTX 4070 notebook" but does so while using just 65 W of power.

What is an APU?

APU stands for "accelerated processing unit." They have been around since 2011, but you may not have run into the term unless you've used or studied certain types of devices.

APUs are CPUs with integrated graphics. By combining the CPU and GPU on a single die, chipmakers can increase efficiency.

The first APUs were made by AMD, and that company is still closely associated with the term. For example, the AMD Ryzen 8700G is an APU designed for desktops. AMD's Z1 Extreme is a mobile APU seen inside gaming handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.

APUs are also available in laptops. AMD's Ryzen AI 300 processors are the latest generation of mobile chips.

Even the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 gaming consoles have APUs.

One thing that the above APUs have in common is that they are from AMD. NVIDIA releasing an APU for gaming laptops would mark a major shift in the industry. The rumored chips would also break ground by being built on ARM architecture rather than x86.

Despite Dell only reviving the Alienware Area-51 lineup earlier this year, the Alienware Area-51 gaming desktop is already on sale. Right now, you can get the model with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 for $400 off.

That discount brings the price of the gaming desktop to $4,049.99. That is a large chunk of change, but considering the RTX 5080 Founders Edition costs $999, just over $4,000 is a reasonable price to pay for one of the best pre-built gaming PCs.

Dell brought back the Alienware Area-51 lineup earlier this year at CES. When making the Area-51 gaming desktop, Alienware prioritized upgradeability, which is a welcome change to the proprietary components of the past.

You can open the 80L case of the Area-51 gaming desktop with a quick-release side panel. The spacious case makes repairs easy. It’s not the most compact design, but that’s for good reason.

The motherboard of the Area-51 gaming desktop uses the standard ATX shape, though it disappointingly only has two UDIMM slots, which limits future RAM upgrades.

The internals from NVIDIA's next-gen RTX 5000 family of GPUs and Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 lineup are the latest on the market and should handle the best PC games easily.

One concern with the Area-51 gaming desktop is that there are more affordable ways to get similar specs in a PC. While that is true, I'd argue it's the tradeoff you pay for getting a prebuilt system over building your own.

The Area-51 gaming desktop offers a sleek design, cutting-edge specs, and the confidence that it’s configured to perform out of the box. The PC's $400 discount is a welcome surprise given the device just launched last month.

In the last year, large 32-inch monitors have been all the rage in the high-end sector thanks to 4K, 240Hz OLED panels.

Now, we're seeing that technology come to smaller screens, so gamers don't have to compromise on performance to get the 27-inch monitor that many consider the ideal size.

The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor is among those premium displays, and it offers an incredible visual experience with top-notch gaming performance.

Dell made a fantastic monitor here, and it stands out even more because it undercuts a lot of its competition in price, and it's actually reliably available to purchase.

The trade-off? This is a very focused gaming monitor, eschewing most of the luxury features you may find in other high-end displays to achieve that lower price point. Those who believe image quality and performance are all that matter will likely be willing to accept that compromise, though.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Dell. Dell and Alienware had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Alienware AW2725Q review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A high-end, 27-inch gaming monitor that uses a 4K, 240Hz QD-OLED panel.
• Who is it for? Those who want the best combination of color accuracy, sharpness, responsiveness, and smoothness in a monitor without worrying about the extra features.
• How much does it cost? You can buy this monitor for $899.99 at Dell. You can also find the AW2725Q for $899 at Amazon.
• What did I like? The sleek and intuitive design, phenomenal image quality, and excellent gaming performance.
• What did I not like? The lack of premium features, the shortage of ports, and the low max brightness.

• Back to the top ⤴

Alienware AW2725Q review: Specifications

In the box, you'll find the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725Q), its two-piece stand, the power cable (this monitor has an internal power supply), a 1.8m DisplayPort cable, a 1.8m HDMI cable, a 1.8m USB Type-B to USB Type-A cable, and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

• Back to the top ⤴

Alienware AW2725Q review: What I like

Some may describe the Alienware AW2725Q as "plain looking," but I personally admire the new AW30 design language on full display here.

This "Interstellar Indigo" color is muted but beautiful, and the AW2725Q is a lovely mixture of curves centered around its prominent 360-degrees ventilation. Subtle RGB lighting in the Alienware logo and power button add a hint of color.

More importantly, this design is practical. The setup process is toolless, with the two-piece stand clipping effortlessly into the back of the monitor.

ASUS is still the champion when it comes to supporting monitor arms and mounts with its ingenious VESA mounting bracket, but the AW2725Q does at least support the 100 x 100mm standard.

Even if you don't mount the AW2725Q, I'm a fan of this stand. It's sturdy, compact, and premium feeling, a rare combination. The cable management solution is also basic but effective, with plenty of space for all your connected cables.

You don't give up any adjustability, either. 90-degrees pivoting, 110mm leeway in height, tilt and swivel support, you get it all.

Of course, the real star of the show is that Quantum Dot OLED display. 8,294,400 pixels contained within a 26.7-inch diagonal leads to what Alienware claims is an "industry-leading" 166 pixels-per-inch density.

In layman's term, this monitor is ridiculously sharp. Text, images, whatever you want to display — it'll all be as crisp as a fresh chip. Of course, the selling point of this 4K panel is that you also get a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time.

The AW2725Q really ticks all the boxes for even the most demanding of gamers, and its performance really is astounding. The near-instantaneous response time and infinite contrast of OLED displays make them especially well-suited for gaming, and this latest generation is the best yet.

Support for all three major adaptive sync standards (from NVIDIA, AMD, and VESA) gives you plenty of flexibility to take full advantage of your gaming setup, too.

Visually, though, this is a fantastic screen. Colors are vibrant and saturated without sacrificing accuracy, and indeed this monitor delivers 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, exactly as Alienware promises with its factory calibration.

Alienware also lets you switch between a great selection of different display presets, including "Creator Mode" profiles tailored to specific professional color gamuts. The "Standard" profile will be perfect for most, though, with a punchy and consistent image across content types.

If you want to tweak your monitor's settings, the joystick for controlling the On-Screen Display (OSD) is very conveniently placed on the bottom edge of the AW2725Q, and Dell's OSD is quite clean and easy to navigate.

You also get a handful of additional USB ports for one of your devices, with a total of four: two USB Type-A ports on the rear of the monitor, and a third USB Type-A port and a single USB Type-C port aligned on the bottom edge.

I can at least appreciate the convenient placement of ports and the 15W Power Delivery of that one Type-C port.

All three of your display inputs are the latest standard, too, fully supporting the AW2725Q's 4K, 240Hz panel and all its features, including low latency and variable refresh rate.

Both of the HDMI 2.1 ports feature Consumer Electronics Control (CEC), and one even boasts eARC, allowing you to connect high-end audio setups (including with Dolby Atmos support) through a single cable.

The Alienware AW2725Q is admittedly incredibly overkill for any current-gen console with its 240Hz refresh rate, but those HDMI ports guarantee you'll get the best out of your console. With the Xbox Series X|S, you can also take advantage of Dolby Vision HDR support.

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Alienware AW2725Q review: What I don't like

I'll get the obvious out of the way: this is an OLED display, so the weaknesses of many other OLED monitors are shared by the AW2725Q.

For one, that means a noticeably low max brightness of less than 300nits. Even accounting for the higher perceptual brightness of OLED, that's just not high enough. This monitor can peak at 1,000nits, but that's only across incredibly tiny areas at a time for HDR (and isn't enough to secure this monitor a higher HDR rating from VESA).

The anti-reflective coating on the display also doesn't do a great job actually warding off reflections, exacerbating that weakness.

There's always the risk of burn-in, too, as well as concerns with how well OLED displays age over long periods of time. But Alienware does cover the AW2725Q with a 3-year standard warranty that includes burn-in coverage, remote diagnosis, and next-day replacement shipping.

As an aside, this monitor does appear to use Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) for dimming, which means the screen flickers at a fast rate to maintain consistent brightness. The PWM used here doesn't seem nearly as aggressive or prominent as I've seen in some displays, but those with high sensitivity to PWM in OLED displays may still struggle with eye fatigue or even headaches.

There's no denying that this is a premium gaming monitor, costing well above what most people tend to pay, and the vast majority of that cost is purely the incredible OLED panel at its center.

To achieve a slightly lower price point than its competitors, Alienware also stripped out some premium features. Like many other gaming monitors, it's also missing other features that — while maybe not as used by gamers — can be very useful to some.

That includes an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness and color temperature adjustment, a proximity sensor to support Human Presence Detection (HPD) features for AI PCs, a built-in webcam or integrated speakers, and Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) support for controlling multiple PCs.

Sure, there is Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and Picture-by-Picture (PbP) support, but that's not the same as full KVM. It wouldn't matter anyway, though, since the AW2725Q doesn't even feature a USB Type-C input with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, so you won't be able to connect a lot of modern laptops without an adapter (and you won't get charging or access to the USB ports).

Speaking of USB ports, I wish there were a few more, but the logic here is likely: no USB Type-C input = no KVM = fewer USB ports = lower price tag.

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Alienware AW2725Q review: Also consider

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Alienware AW2725Q review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You prefer 27-inch monitors
• You want the best combo of resolution, refresh rate, and response time.
• You don't want to spend more than $1,000 on an OLED monitor

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You value extra features like KVM support
• You need a very bright monitor

OLED gaming monitors have gotten much better at the high-end and much more accessible in the mid-range, with the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor sitting right at the entry to the former.

The 4K resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and 0.03ms response time is the absolute best you'll find in any high-end gaming monitor, and the OLED panel offers an incredible viewing experience on top of that.

Throw in an attractive, practical design and a retail price hundreds less than comparable monitors, and the AW2725Q starts to look like a pretty good deal. Well, at least relative to other high-end monitors — you're still paying a premium for OLED.

That being said, you can see where Alienware cut corners, aiming to offer a pure, focused gaming monitor. That means dropping premium features and cutting down on the number of extra ports you're given, and those who use their PC for much more than just gaming may not be able to accept that compromise.

At the end of the day, though, this is one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. And you can buy it, since it's actually reliably in stock. The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725Q) is available for $899.99 at Dell.

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Alienware's Area-51 gaming PCs have been around for ages, but they were briefly on a break. That changed when Dell announced the Alienware Area-51 gaming desktop, Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop, and Alienware 18 Area-51 gaming laptop.

As was the case with the Area-51 hardware of yesteryear, the new desktop and laptops have high-end specs that go toe-to-toe with the best pre-built gaming PCs and best gaming laptops.

Our Cale Hunt already covered the new Alienware Area-51 PCs when they were first announced. I'll recap them below, but the big news here is that you can now buy the devices through Dell.

Alienware Area 51 gaming desktop

Dell made upgradeability a priority for the Area-51 gaming desktop. That's a welcome focus since proprietary components have made upgrades difficult in the past.

The 80L case of the Area-51 gaming desktop can be opened using quick-release side panels and has enough space inside for easy repairs and upgrades.

The motherboard of the Area-51 gaming desktop uses the standard ATX shape, but that motherboard only has two UDIMM slots.

In terms of processing power, the Area-51 gaming desktop leads the pack of pre-built PCs, featuring NVIDIA's next-gen RTX 5000 GPUs and Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 desktop chips.

Several configurations of the Alienware Area-51 gaming desktop are available through Dell's website. Somewhat surprisingly, one of them is already discounted.

The Area-51 gaming desktop with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is $400 off. That brings the price down to $4,649.99.

That's still a premium price, of course, but every bit of savings helps.

For those seeking top-tier performance, an RTX 5090 configuration is available for $5,499.99.

Alienware Area 51 gaming laptops

The Area-51 laptops are also available starting this week. Both the 16-inch and 18-inch models can be ordered through Dell.

The new laptops have rounded aluminum chassis and an improved design for thermals. With up to 280W of power between the CPU and GPU, these laptops currently offer the best performance in their class.

The bottom of the new Area-51 laptops features a glass panel, allowing you to see the internals.

Both new Area-51 laptops are powered by NVIDIA's next-gen mobile GPUs and up to Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX mobile CPUs.

My absolute favorite gaming monitor, the Alienware AW2725DF that I reviewed, is currently $300 off at Dell when you use code AW27300 at checkout, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an awesome new display.

This discount brings the price down from $899.99 to just $599.99 at Dell. Plus, shipping is free, so it's a really great deal.

Why I'm obsessed with this gaming monitor

I test dozens of gaming monitors each year, but I've been in love with this one ever since I conducted testing for my Windows Central Alienware AW2725DF review.

In fact, I get sad whenever I have to take it down to review another monitor because I love it so much. It's my go-to.

I've previously written about how my husband involuntarily gasps when he sees me using this gaming monitor because it is so beautiful to look at. These days, he and I have to take turns using the display because we both want to game on it.

So what makes the Alienware AW2725DF gaming monitor so good?

To start things off, this monitor doesn't require tools when assembling. It only took a couple of minutes to set up.

All I had to do was connect the stand to the base and turn a built-in screw to connect them.

Then, I simply pressed the top of the stand into the back of the monitor until I heard a click. From there, it was just a matter of situating it on my desk and plugging in cables.

Since this monitor provides me with a healthy range of ports, I can easily connect my computer and other devices to it without feeling limited.

Some gaming monitors have a really wide base that can take up way too much room on a desk, but that's not a problem with this sturdy hexagon shape. Plus, I can tilt, turn, lift, lower, and rotate the screen to get it to a good position.

When it comes to image quality, hues and contrast look absolutely stunning on this 2560 x 1440p display and help bring video game visuals to life with impressive detail. The QD-OLED panel even produced a very impressive 100% of sRGB, 95% of Adobe RGB, and 98% of P3 in my color gamut test.

Then, of course, there's the insane eSports-level 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time that provide buttery smooth motion clarity during my gaming sessions.

When connected to a gaming laptop or desktop with an AMD GPU (graphics processing unit), I can also take advantage of AMD FreeSync to eliminate screen tearing. It just looks absolutely beautiful in person.

Being able to get this amazing $899.99 monitor for $300 off is a fantastic deal and one I recommend taking advantage of if you're in the market for a new gaming monitor.

Just make sure to put the AW27300 code in at check out to get this display for just $599.99 at Dell, and with free shipping, too.

Alienware is one of the most iconic brands in PC gaming, and it hasn't slowed down under Dell leadership. In fact, Alienware seems to be spreading its wings, covering more price ranges with its products.

With seven new monitor announcements (or releases, in some cases), there seems to be a monitor for everyone — whether you want to pay $250 or $900.

Of course, the attention is going to be focused on the two resting at the top of the heap, the cream of the crop. Alienware is continuing to heavily invest in QD-OLED.

That means availability for the 27-inch, 4K, 240Hz gaming monster Alienware announced at CES 2025, but it also means a long-awaited update to one of Alienware's most successful and beloved curved, ultrawide displays.

The return of the QD-OLED, ultrawide king

First, we have the follow-up to the Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF), one of the first monitors I reviewed.

That monitor hasn't just been hugely successful to write about at Windows Central, it's also one of Alienware's most popular fan-favorites, and really kicked off the company's interest in QD-OLED technology.

Now, we finally have a successor, and there's a lot of good stuff here. First, let's cover what hasn't changed: you're still getting a 34-inch, WQHD (3,440 x 1,440) resolution display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, an 1800R curve, and Quantum Dot OLED technology.

However, Dell completely redesigned the monitor with its new "AW30" design language, which honestly does look very slick in the exclusive "Interstellar Indigo" colorway.

The display has been upgraded, too, raising the 165Hz base refresh rate to a significantly faster 240Hz, upgrading to HDMI 2.1 for improved display output, and adding NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility on top of the existing AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync support.

All that, and the starting price has actually come down. No, not down from its predecessor's original retail price, but its lowered price. The Alienware 34 Ultrawide QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW) is expected to arrive on Apr. 29, 2025 for $799.99 at Dell, which is $100 less than the two-year-old monitor it's replacing.

A new contender arrives with unbeatable sharpness

Next, we have a monitor we already knew was coming... But is now actually here.

The Alienware 47 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725Q) is part of the latest generation of QD-OLED panels, taking the stunning 4K, 240Hz technology we saw debut in 32-inch screens last year (like the HP OMEN Transcend 32 I reviewed) and down-sizing it to 27-inches.

That means a class-leading 166 pixels-per-inch (PPI), so this display is ridiculously sharp while also achieving peak gaming performance with its ultra-fast refresh rate and negligible 0.03ms grey-to-grey (GtG) response time.

You're looking at the same AW30 design language as before, as well as the same suite of enhancements like HDMI 2.1, a redesigned On-screen Display (OSD), NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, and more.

Alienware is also upgrading its efforts to care for your OLED panels, with built-in graphene sheeting for heat dissipation, cooling fans, AI for making instant, minute adjustments to voltage and other elements, and a three-year advanced warranty that covers burn-in.

The Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor is available as of today (Mar. 4, 2025), and is retailing for $899.99 at Dell, dropping below the $1,000 barrier we've come to expect these high-end OLED displays at.

Don't forget the other five monitors Alienware announced

The fun doesn't stop there. Alienware actually announced five other monitors today, using a combination of VA, IPS LCD, and OLED technologies to deliver a wide range of features, specs, and price ranges.

From the most affordable to the most expensive (apart from the flagships detailed above), here's the quick breakdown:

• Alienware 25 320Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2525HM) — A "Fast IPS LCD" panel, this monitor prioritizes raw performance above everything else. It's for the aspiring esports professional that needs the highest framerates they can accomplish at the lowest price, with a 25-inch, FHD panel coming in at a crazy 320Hz.
  • Available Summer 2025 for around $249.99 at Dell
• Alienware 27 IPS LCD Gaming Monitor (AW2725DM) — Part of a trio of 180Hz gaming monitors, this display uses a 27-inch IPS LCD panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio, QHD (1440p) resolution, and a very attractive price point.
  • Available Mar. 6, 2025 for around $269.99 at Dell
• Alienware 32 Curved VA Gaming Monitor (AW3225DM) — The second of the trio, this monitor is also QHD and 180Hz, but bumps up to a 32-inch, curved VA panel that does sacrifice some image quality but gains enhanced contrast in exchange.
  • Available Mar. 6, 2025 for around $319.99 at Dell
• Alienware 34 Ultrawide VA Gaming Monitor (AW3425DWM) — Finally, we have the ultrawide option of the trio, with an 18:9, 34-inch VA display that still boasts a 180Hz refresh rate, except at a wider WQHD resolution.
  • Available Mar. 6, 2025 for around $399.99 at Dell
• Alienware 27 280Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725D) — Alienware is bringing QD-OLED down to a lower price point with this monitor, which boasts a 27-inch, QHD (1440p) display set to a lightning-fast 280Hz. You still get all the benefits of QD-OLED and Alienware's suite of OLED care features, but for less than the other offerings.
  • Available Summer 2025 for around $549.99 at Dell

A good collection with something for everyone

It's great to see Alienware refine its ability to cater to different price points, balancing features and performance to offer something for everyone. This is a good range of monitors, and many may become quite successful for Dell.

I know which two interest me the most, of course, and I actually already have the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor in for review. Before I can begin testing it, though, I have to finish my review of the Dell Thunderbolt 4 hub monitor I'm using right now.

Fortunately, Dell is giving me some time to work through the reviews I already have on my plate before the curved QD-OLED successor we've all been waiting for shows up on shelves.

What do you think of this new Alienware lineup? Do you think you'll have an extraterrestrial display on your desk next?

Alienware's m18 R2 is one of the best gaming laptops on the market, especially when you add high-end hardware that can easily tackle any title on the market with ease. It's a laptop we've tested and reviewed here at Windows Central, so rest assured I'm not attempting to peddle a subpar gaming PC that's only attractive because of its discounted price. This is the real deal.

Dell's monster flagship gaming laptop usually costs about $2,800 for this specific configuration, which includes an Intel Core i9 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4080 Laptop GPU. However, it's currently $500 off at Amazon, bringing the price down to $2,299.99. That's a better price than you'll find anywhere, including Dell's official site.

Forget the RTX 5080. Alienware's m18 R2 is powerful enough for most gamers.

With NVIDIA's poorly received RTX 5000 launch that saw the new GPUs sell out in seconds, I know that many gamers are wondering how to navigate the current hardware landscape with several generations of GPUs available. Do you wait and hope to get your hands on a desktop RTX 50-series GPU? Do you spend large on an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 laptop? Or do you save some money and buy an RTX 40-series system that's enjoying a discount?

If you're keen on the last option I listed and want to grab a great laptop at a discount, this Alienware m18 R2 deal is probably looking too good to pass up. A $500 discount isn't minor, matching many of the best sales I usually see during major events like Prime Day and Black Friday. I poked around to try and find a better deal on the Alienware m18 R2 elsewhere, but it looks like Amazon has this one sewn up.

It's important to note that the NVIDIA RTX 5080 Laptop GPU is expected to offer a more significant improvement over its predecessor than the desktop counterparts. I urge you to check out Senior Editor Ben Wilson's RTX 5080 review, which includes important metrics for the desktop GPU. However, just because the mobile RTX 5080 is faster than the mobile RTX 4080 doesn't mean the older card isn't worth buying.

The RTX 4080 Laptop GPU is still a monster piece of hardware with the ability to run just about any modern game to the built-in display's limit. Intel's Core i9-14900HX CPU is also impressive, boasting 24 total cores, 32 threads, and a 5.8GHz max Turbo frequency. The best part, at least for enthusiasts who enjoy tweaking their system, is that HX-series chips can be overclocked with something like Intel's Extreme Tuning Utility.

Is Alienware's m18 R2 gaming laptop right for you?

As one of Dell's flagship gaming laptops, the Alienware m18 R2 comes packed with premium features that you don't often find in cheaper laptops. I'm talking primarily about the CherryMX mechanical RGB keyboard, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, IR sensor for Windows Hello, and a generous mix of ports (including dual Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and many more).

Don't just take my word for it: Windows Central Editor Rebecca Spear tested and reviewed the Alienware m18 R2, giving it a Best Award and 4.5 stars in the process. Here's what she has to say about the keyboard:

"I could honestly drone on and on for hours when it comes to how amazing the mechanical Cherry MX ultra-low profile keyboard feels. From the moment that I first pressed down on one of the Alienware m18 R2's keys, I fell in love. These linear switches react very quickly with little coaxing from me, which means they relay in-game demands very fast. There's also the option to go with a less expensive RGB backlit M Series keyboard if you want to save some money."

The laptop's display does not have an OLED panel, but it's hard to knock the specs beyond that omission. It's an 18-inch screen with a 2560x1600 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, NVIDIA G-SYNC, and 100% DCI-P3 color. It tops out at about 310 nits of brightness, but as long as you aren't playing outdoors it shouldn't pose a problem. Here's what Spear has to say about the Alienware m18 R2's screen:

"From the moment I first laid eyes on the display, I knew that the m18 R2's IPS screen provided excellent picture quality and motion clarity. Colors come through vibrantly, everything looks crisp, and game visuals are extremely smooth. The 18-inch IPS QHD+ (2560 x 1600) display offers a 3ms response time with the option of going between a 60Hz or a 165Hz refresh rate. On top of that, G-Sync reduces lag and stutter."

Finally, performance should be nothing less than stellar. The Core i9-14900HX CPU, RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, and 32GB of DDR5 RAM come together to crush any game on the market. Spear tested Cyberpunk 2077 — one of the most demanding games out there — on the laptop, noting:

"After getting a personal feel for m18 R2 performance, I switched gears and ran some benchmark testing. One of the first tests I ran was the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark, where I put settings at the default Ray Tracing low. The laptop managed to average a whopping 116 fps. Encouraged by these excellent results, I upped the graphics settings to Overdrive then proceeded to turn on DLSS, Path Tracing, and Ray Reconstruction. Even with these far more demanding settings in place, the Alienware m18 R2 didn't flinch. It provided an extremely impressive average of 87 fps, which is beautifully smooth to watch. That's incredible and shows just how powerful this laptop really is."

While attending CES 2025, I was able to check out gaming handhelds coming to the market this year, including the newly announced Lenovo Legion Go S as well as new MSI Claw and Acer Nitro Blaze devices.

This experience reminded me that back during CES 2020, Dell showed off its concept Alienware handheld, known as Project UFO (two years before the Steam Deck's majorly successful launch in 2022). Since then, PC gaming handhelds have grown in popularity. There has been a lot of talk about UFOs over the past couple of months, but the Alienware UFO hasn't been sighted or even mentioned. This is especially odd when you consider how much work Dell put into the concept handheld.

Although the exact specs of Alienware's Windows concept device are unknown, it did feature a light-colored casing with a built-in kickstand, detachable controllers, offset joysticks, an 8-inch display that could reach 720p, bumpers, triggers, a D-Pad, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack. It even had an accessory that connected to the detachable controllers, turning them into a more traditional gamepad, similar to what a similar accessory does for a pair of Nintendo Switch Joy-Con.

Based on comments made by Aundrea Rosenbaum, public relations/investor relations, it seems like Dell did more for Alienware UFO than it typically does for devices in the concept stage. “[W]e've incorporated a lot of community feedback and stuff into this anyways we usually do that after product becomes productized...I think it's kind of cool because we're actually going to be able to take that same kind of feedback and incorporate it now just before we make those decisions so it's staying with the same kind of morals and values that we've had, and just bringing people in a little bit earlier” (thanks, Tom's Guide).

The fact that Dell put so much extra effort into this device while it was still a concept made it seem like a market release was imminent, and that just makes its absence that much weirder.

It has been five years since the Alienware UFO concept handheld was shown at CES, and in that time, Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, various AYANEO handhelds, and several other portable gaming devices have come onto the market. What's more, many of these companies have already released mid-generation refreshes. However, there's still no sign of Alienware UFO. PC handhelds have gotten decently popular over the last three years, so why hasn't Dell moved forward with this concept project?

I don't know what Dell's strategy is here, but I can see a number of possible reasons why this computer manufacturer hasn't released its own handheld yet. First off, it's possible that the company is waiting for competitors to hammer out handheld issues like cooling efficiency, performance, and battery life before fully jumping into the market themselves with a more refined offering.

The problem with waiting to enter the market is that this allows competitors to make a name for themselves among users. As far as I can see, Valve, ASUS, and Lenovo currently offer the best PC gaming handhelds out there. These companies have been able to build brand loyalty among users as a result, which is something Dell (and thus Alienware) is missing out on.

Of course, it's also possible that Dell dropped the project entirely, figuring that a gaming handheld wasn't worth pursuing at this time. After all, it's hard to break into a market when there is already another device grabbing people's attention. So maybe Dell decided that Valve and then ASUS already had a corner on the market that was too hard to contend with.

But, honestly, given how popular Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally have been, it would be silly for there not to be an Alienware handheld competitor. That's especially true when you consider that Dell is one of the biggest computer manufacturers, and it has already done a lot of work creating a concept handheld device.

If Dell wants to get into the gaming handheld action, it really needs to enter the market soon with a unique device that stands out from competitors. With the new AMD Ryzen Z2 chips on the horizon, putting this latest handheld processor into a portable Alienware device could be a good starting point.

As we've seen from CES this year, other manufacturers are already finding ways to make their handhelds special. With the Legion Go S, Lenovo has announced the first non-Steam Deck handheld to officially run SteamOS. Acer has announced a truly massive 10.4-inch Nitro Blaze 11 handheld. MSI's latest Claw models are still some of the only AI PC handhelds out right now. Dell just needs to find its own angle.

Alienware's Area-51 pre-built gaming PC is one of the first that I can recall drooling over as a youngster. It's now been more than 25 years since it first appeared on the scene, and after a brief hiatus, Dell has resurrected the brand in desktop and laptop form.

As it was in the past, Dell reaffirms that its Alienware Area-51 desktop is the best that the company has to offer. Indeed, I was excited to see mention of much easier DIY upgrades, improved airflow despite a lack of a rear exhaust fan, and cutting-edge performance hardware.

Pre-built PCs from Dell are notoriously difficult to upgrade compared to a system you build yourself; standard parts are often sacrificed for style, and I usually recommend Alienware desktop PCs to those who don't plan on making any future upgrades. Dell is looking to change that with the new Area-51, but some design choices remain confusing.

Alienware's Area-51 now uses more standard parts, but some design choices leave me baffled

Dell says that "upgradeability is an integral part of the Area-51 customer experience," and I can see that's mostly true. The massive 80L case has quick-release side panels for easy access, and the roomy interior has ample space for your hands and the tools they hold.

Rather than use proprietary components that aren't easy (or are impossible) to swap out in future upgrades, Dell made the change to industry-standard components in a number of notable areas. It's unclear exactly what brand of RAM, storage, fan, PSU, etc. are in use — leading me to believe it will be Dell's own OEM stuff — but Dell promises that there won't be any surprises when it comes time to upgrade.

It's even going so far as to place QR codes inside the chassis that point to how-to upgrade videos and cleaning tips. Something I always appreciate is removable dust filters; there are three in the Area-51, a definite boon for pet owners.

After years of custom shapes for Alienware motherboards, the Area-51 is leaning into a standard ATX shape. It's an Alienware-branded board, and there's not a lot of info to work with, but I do know that it has a 14-phase power design, a single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (alongside two PCIe 4.0 x4 slots), and ... two RAM slots?

This is the point where I began scratching my head, wondering if somehow I was mistaken. But no: this flagship, best-of-the-best gaming PC has a motherboard with two UDIMM slots. Introductory models start with a 2x8GB setup and can be expanded to 2x32GB from the factory. A lot of users are only going to use two slots anyway, but not offering the option for four at this level of PC specs is confusing.

Dell says you can swap out the motherboard for something else, but it does require you to purchase separately an AlienFX mounting kit. It's unclear why you can't just drop in a different ATX board as you would in a custom build.

On to brighter news, the Area-51 desktop will be available with NVIDIA's next-gen RTX 5000 GPUs as well as Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 desktop chips. The CPU is liquid-cooled by either a 240mm or 360mm AiO radiator, and the system runs on up to a 1,500W Platinum PSU.

Looking at the product images, it's evident that the PC lacks a rear exhaust port. Dell says it was able to eliminate the spinning blades thanks to a new positive pressure design that naturally sees hot air escape out the back of the PC. Dell says this feature allows for 25% more airflow compared to old models, which in turn drops system noise by 45%. This will be a very interesting aspect to test ourselves when we get our hands on the PC.

The Area-51 desktop is expected to launch in Q1 2025; the launch config is expected to hit $4,499. There will be cheaper models available after launch, for which Dell has yet to confirm exact pricing.

Dell expands and updates more of its gaming hardware at CES 2025

The Area-51 desktop is hogging a lot of the spotlight, but it's well worth noting that new laptops sharing the name are also on the way. Alienware has 16- and 18-inch Area-51 laptops to show off, expected to launch in Q1 2025. Prices will start at about $1,999, running up to about $3,199 for a high-end model.

Both models have a rounded aluminum design that harkens back to Dell's past gaming laptops, with a completely redesigned thermal architecture to keep the monster performance hardware cool. Dell says it can reach up to 280W of total power between the CPU and GPU, which isn't bested by any other gaming laptop on the market.

The bottom of the laptop has a clear glass window to show off the internals, the fans have RGB lighting, the touchpad lights up, and AlienFX lighting is evident in the rear thermal shelf that also houses the bulk of the ports. The laptops are powered by NVIDIA's next-gen mobile GPUs and up to Intel's Core Ultra 9 275HX mobile CPU.

If you're wondering what sort of display to pair with the Area-51 desktop, Dell also announced the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor. It joins the existing selection of top-rated QD-OLED gaming screens, this time with what Dell is calling "the world's highest pixels per inch in any OLED or QD-OLED monitor." For those counting, a 4K resolution at 27 inches comes out to 166 pixels per inch.

Perhaps more surprising is the monitor's speed. Despite the 4K resolution, the screen boasts a sizzling 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time, making it suitable for competitive gaming.

Beyond that, it offers G-Sync compatibility, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Dolby Vision certification, with the ability to quickly switch between full sRGB or DCI-P3 color modes depending on the task (or game) at hand.

Dell expects the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED to enter the market in March 2025 starting at $899.99.

Three of the highest-rated wireless PC gaming accessories that have ever passed through the hands of Windows Central experts are all at their best price ever for the remainder of Cyber Monday — and it's even a matching set. The entire Alienware Pro line is discounted, with the mouse available for $109.99 at Dell, the keyboard available for $139.99 at Dell, and the headset available for $199.99 at Dell.

Seriously, PC gaming accessories don't get much better than this trilogy, and these prices have never been lower. Oh, and you can choose between white and black designs.

🔥The hottest Cyber Monday deals🔥

• 💻HP EliteBook 14 (Ryzen 7 PRO) | $589 at HP (Save $2,333!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 🖥️Geekom AR12 Lite Mini PC (Intel N100) | $169 at Amazon (Save $30!)
• 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $27.99 at CDKeys (Save $12!)
• 🎮Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme) | $484.99 at Amazon (Save $215!)
• 💻Surface Pro 11 w/ keyboard (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $450!)

💽More last-minute Cyber Monday deals💾

• Best Buy: Save up to 50% with Cyber Monday savings
• Walmart: Hurry for huge Cyber Monday savings
• Target: Score new and online-only deals
• Dell: Lowest PC prices of the year during Cyber Monday
• HP: Save up to 75% on selected doorbusters
• Lenovo: Save up to 68% on select doorbusters
• Newegg: Cyber Monday 2024 — It's our time to shine
• Razer: Loot like a legend with Cyber Weekend specials
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Cyber Monday deals on practically everything

One of the most cohesive PC gaming accessory packages

It's no secret that Razer currently dominates my desk, despite using products from all sorts of companies, but one brand in particular has put up the biggest fight. Alienware's new "Pro" line of gaming accessories represent an incredible leap forward compared to the company's previous efforts, with a wireless gaming mouse, keyboard, and headset that all earned near-perfect review scores from Windows Central.

I reviewed two of those products, and can personally attest to their incredible design, performance, and overall quality. They're good enough that I'm genuinely sad I couldn't complete the review trilogy, as my colleague is the one who reviewed the headset. For the remainder of Cyber Monday, they're all at their lowest price ever, too. It seems the PC gaming gods are watching out for us.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse I reviewed is a mouse of focus, commitment, of sheer willpower. That is to say, it absolutely nails the fundamentals and leaves everything else behind. This mouse is super light and beautifully built, is endlessly reliable on a wireless connection, and offers top-of-the-line performance. It also helps that this is still one of the smoothest mice I have ever used. The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse is available for only $109.99 at Dell, a $40 discount.

I also reviewed the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard, the counterpart to the mouse — like its sibling, the keyboard was designed in tandem with over 100 esports gaming athletes. This compact, 75% keyboard is gorgeous, with some of the best per-key RGB lighting I've seen. It's also perfectly designed and offers a comfortable, responsive, and reliable typing experience (you can swap out those keycaps and switches, too). The second same as the first, the keyboard is wholly focused, but you do get tri-mode connectivity with Bluetooth on board. The Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard can be had for only $139.99 at Dell, a $60 discount.

Finally, there's the Alienware Pro Wireless ANC Gaming Headset... which my colleague Brendan Lowry reviewed. I'm envious, because Alienware completed the trifecta with a bang. The headset is the most premium of the three and leaves behind the "simple but perfect" theme of its siblings, packing in a ton of features. You get a wireless PC gaming headset with Bluetooth connectivity, integrated touch controls, active noise cancelation, high-end sound quality, and a capable microphone with AI background noise cancelation. It's expensive and there's no Xbox support, but that's less of a concern when the Alienware Pro Wireless ANC Gaming Headset is only $199.99 at Dell, a $30 discount.

Dell has a long list of discounted laptops, monitors, accessories, and PCs for Black Friday, but the sale wraps up today as we head into Cyber Monday. Gamers are no doubt focusing on Alienware desktops, and the Aurora R16 — Dell's latest refresh — is made for those who don't want to build their own PC.

Nearly all Alienware R16 models are on sale at Dell a day after Black Friday, with prices starting at just $1,199.99 after a $400 discount. That'll get you an Intel Core i7-14700F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Not bad at all.

The most expensive config comes out to $3,699.99 after a $995 discount, landing you a Core i9-14900KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, 64GB of RAM, and a 4TB SSD. There are nine other discounted models to shop that fit in somewhere between these two PCs, and I can offer some buying advice to help you pick the right one.

November 30, 2024: Dell's Alienware Aurora R16 is still on sale a day after Black Friday, but the timer runs out today. — Cale Hunt

🔥The hottest Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals🔥

• 🎮Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme) | $472.97 at Amazon (Save $227!)
• 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $27.99 at CDKeys (Save $12!)
• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• ⌨️Surface Pro Flex Keyboard | $279.99 at Best Buy (Save $70!)
• 🖥️Beelink Mini PC (Ryzen 5) | $279 at Amazon (Save $70!)
• 📺xScreen for Xbox Series S | $159.99 at Amazon (Save $40!)

What you need to know before buying the Alienware Aurora R16

Dell's pre-built gaming PCs are, if nothing else, uniquely designed. The latest case from Alienware is unlike any other on the market, with RGB lighting, quiet cooling, and a small plastic window to view the internal hardware.

The PC has lots of ports, including USB-C on the front and back of the case, and it's easy to get inside with a removable side panel. It looks great from the outside, but inside is where things start to get a tad silly.

Dell's inclusion of a proprietary motherboard and PSU makes for an unconventional layout, and anyone who wants to keep their PC updated beyond RAM and storage might want to shop elsewhere. The iBuyPower Slate 8 Mesh I recently reviewed, for example, uses standard parts, making for a much easier upgrade path.

The Alienware Aurora R16 will find a better home with PC gamers who want a system that works out of the box and doesn't require much interaction. Don't care for fiddling around inside a PC case? Just want a ton of power and a great look? This is the right choice.

🍁More great Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals🦃

• Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
• Amazon: Constantly rotating sales on everything you can imagine
• Walmart: Major savings on practically everything
• Target: Live deals on a huge range of products
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, accessories, and more
• HP: Save big on laptops, desktops, accessories, and more
• Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on all PCs, monitors, accessories, and more
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories, components, and more
• Razer: Discounts and free gifts for Razer hardware, gear, and more
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live

Which Aurora R16 configuration should I buy?

With so many different Aurora R16 configurations on sale, I don't blame you for searching out some extra buying advice.

The cheapest model available is down to $1,199.99 after a $400 discount. It just so happens to be the configuration I recommend for most gamers who want strong performance even at 1440p, as it boasts a Core i7-14700F CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It's liquid-cooled with a 500W Platinum PSU.

A nice mid-range compromise currently comes in at $1,799.99 after a $400 discount. The model has an overclockable Core i7-14700KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. It too is liquid-cooled but bumps the PSU up to 1,000W Platinum.

If you're really feeling rich, a model with Core i9-14900KF CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is down to $2,499 thanks to a $700 discount. Liquid cooling and a 1,000W Platinum PSU are on board.

Dell has 11 Aurora R16 models discount on Black Friday, and these three configurations are only my general recommendations. Even if you don't see what you need here, check Dell's website for other models and time-limited price drops

Until recently, Razer was my go-to brand for gaming headsets, as I extensively used and subsequently fell in love with the Razer Kraken Ultimate, Razer's Kraken V3 line, and the Razer Kaira Pro while PC gaming. This October, however, Dell's gaming-focused Alienware division put out a headset so good it made me stuff my Razer options in closet storage: the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset.

Positioned as a premium offering for folks after top-notch sound, mic quality, comfort, and wireless performance, it hit shelves with a sizable $229.99 MSRP. Thanks to Black Friday, though, it's gone on sale for the first time and is currently available for just $199.99 at Dell — a sweet 13% off the original asking price.

🔥The hottest Black Friday deals🔥

• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Ryzen Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Surface Pro 11 (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $300!)
• 📺HP Curved Ultrawide (34-inches) | $299.99 at Best Buy (Save $180!)
• 💽WD_Black Xbox Series X|S Card (1TB) | $99.99 at Best Buy (Save $50!)
• 🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired | $39.99 at Best Buy (Save $30!)
• 💽WD_BLACK M.2 2230 SSD (2TB) | $179.99 at Best Buy (Save $60!)

🍁More great Black Friday deals🦃

• Best Buy: Big savings on video games, accessories, and more
• Walmart: Early savings on practically everything
• Target: Live deals on a huge range of products
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, accessories, and more
• HP: Save big on laptops, desktops, accessories, and more
• Lenovo: Doorbuster deals on all Lenovo PCs, monitors, accessories, and more
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories, components, and more
• Razer: Take advantage of free shipping for a limited time
• Samsung: Holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more are live
• Amazon: Constantly rotating sales on everything you can imagine

Why I recommend the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset

Dell's new "Pro" headset complements the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse and Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard released earlier this year and completes the division's 2024 accessories trifecta. As I wrote in my review of the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, it's "the best wireless gaming headset I've used in years," even surpassing my favorites from Razer such as the Razer Kraken V3 Pro HyperSense and the Razer Kaira Pro.

There's a ton to love about this headset, but the thing that ultimately drove me to use it over Razer's offerings is its stellar microphone. One of my few gripes with Razer headsets is that their mic quality tends to be "just OK," but the unidirectional mic on the Alienware Pro is hands down the best one I've ever used. It picks up my voice loud and clear without fail, and I value that a lot considering I spend most nights gaming with my friends over a Discord call. Its AI noise cancellation is a bit aggressive, but you won't have to worry about the mic picking up background noise if you turn it off; in my experience, it's done a great job of blocking it out passively.

Audio quality, too, is phenomenal, with the Alienware Pro featuring 50mm graphene-coated drivers that deliver a rich, yet balanced soundscape with a huge 20-40KHz frequency range. Lows, mids, and highs all sound fantastic with the headset, and folks who like things loud will be impressed with its steep maxed-out volume. In many ways, the speakers seem and feel considerably more powerful than recent Razer headsets even though they lack the latter's HyperSense or Sensa HD Haptics motors.

The overall fit of the headset is a little snugger than the roomy Razer options I've grown accustomed to, but it also feels lighter on my head — a tradeoff I'm ultimately indifferent to. Adjustable headband length and plenty of flex with the headband itself ensure the Alienware Pro can fit heads of all shapes and sizes, while soft memory foam leatherette earcups rest gently against the skin and allow for all-day gaming with zero discomfort whatsoever. I prefer Razer's thick, airy cushions a bit more since they're cooler and more spacious, but the Alienware Pro's comfort is almost completely on par.

Design-wise, Alienware opted for something of a minimalist approach with the Pro Wireless Gaming Headset, eschewing flashy RGB and bright colors in favor of a sleek and simple rounded chassis with a "Lunar Light" white or "Dark Side of the Moon" black colorway. The headset itself is built well and features several useful onboard controls, including a volume wheel, mic mute toggle, a toggle for active noise cancelling (ANC), a power button, and a switch for swapping between 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth. Both methods of wireless connectivity have worked flawlessly thus far, and I've been able to get very close to the advertised max battery life of 70-75 hours with ANC off before needing a charge. Note that you have the option of using the headset with a wired connection if you need to for whatever reason.

My only real issues with the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Headset are that it lacks Xbox console compatibility and has pretty mediocre ANC, but these things don't bother me too much since I rarely play on my Xbox anyways and dislike ANC in general. You may want to consider one of the other best PC gaming headsets out there if these drawbacks bother you, but if you don't mind them too much, you'll love using this one (and love saving $30 on it while it's only $199.99 at Dell, too). I haven't gone back to one of my Razers for a single day since I was sent my review unit, and I don't think I ever will.

When it comes to gaming monitors, Alienware is one of my all-time favorite brands to use. Dell's sub-brand typically produces extremely good-quality panels and offers extra conveniences and features that make their displays a competitive choice on the market.

Over the course of the last week, I've been using the Alienware AW2725QF Gaming Monitor for both work and gaming. It stands out from other options since it's dual-modes allow it to behave like both an average gaming monitor and a far nicer eSports offering.

But is it a good buy? Here's what I've learned about it after running it through tests and playing various games on it.

• See Alienware AW2725QF at: Dell
  

This review was made possible thanks to a review unit provided by Dell. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

Alienware AW2725QF: Price and specs

Pricing & specifications highlights

• This unique monitor provides you with two viewing modes at the push of a button — either 4K @ 180Hz or FHD @ 360Hz.
• The monitor supports G-Sync, but an AMD FreeSync configuration seems to be on the way.
• It costs more than other IPS monitors, but it's very well priced considering its specs and unique features.
• Value rating: 4/5

When it comes to gaming monitors, Dell's gaming sub-brand, Alienware, is usually my go-to. This company produces excellent displays that are not only durable but look very classy. What's more, they usually offer a lot of convenient features and some fun RGB.

In the case of the Alienware AW2725QF, this 27-inch IPS monitor offers a pretty unique feature — dual-mode gaming, which basically makes it acts like two different gaming monitors. With just two button taps, you can choose to play titles with up to 4K @ 180Hz or else at FHD @ 360Hz.

Due to this special dual-mode feature, this is not a budget gaming monitor by any means, and it costs more than other IPS panels out there. However, it does come with many other conveniences (like 0.5ms response time, NVIDIA G-Sync, HDR600, and a highly adjustable stand). When considering all of this, the Alienware AW2725QF is very well priced, selling for just $599.99 at Dell.

I've looked around at common online retailers, but at the moment I have not seen this monitor selling anywhere else. However, it looks like an AMD FreeSync-only configuration is coming soon for $549.99 at Best Buy. So, if your PC has an AMD GPU, that will be the version to get.

Alienware AW2725QF — What's in the box?

When I opened the Alienware AW2725QF box, I found the monitor, a hexagonal-shaped base, an adjustable stand, an Alienware sticker, an energy manual, an illustrated set up guide, a power cable, a DisplayPort cable, an HDMI cable, and a USB-B to USB-A cable. In other words, it supplies you with everything you need to get hooked up to your laptop or desktop.

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Alienware AW2725QF : Assembly and design

Setup and design highlights

• You don't need any tools to assemble the Alienware AW2725QF, and it can be set up in a couple of minutes.
• The base is very sturdy, and the stand can be adjusted to help you get the best viewing angle.
• Many gaming monitors look like they're trying too hard, but this one looks good in both formal and casual settings.
• A healthy port selection makes it easy to connect all of the devices and accessories you need.
• While not the slimmest bezel out there, the display looks really nice overall.
• This monitor doesn't have built-in speakers, nor does it have an audio jack.
• Design rating: 5/5

I was able to get the Alienware AW2725QF assembled in roughly two minutes or less thanks to the fact that the process doesn't require any tools. All I had to do was attach the stand and base together using the built-in screw and then press the stand into the monitor back until I heard a click.

After that, it was just a matter of setting it on my desk and plugging in the necessary cables. I threaded the wires through the stand's built-in cable tidy hole to keep things a bit more organized, but they were still very visible, so you might want to take advantage of some cable management accessories.

I love that the stand allows for height adjustment (between two or six inches from the desk). That combined with the ability to pivot the stand, tilt the monitor, or rotate the screen makes it very easy to get the display in a perfect angle for my needs. It's worth noting that this display cannot be rotated to portrait orientation, since the wide screen will hit the desk before rotating that many degrees. However, most people only intend to use a gaming monitor in landscape orientation, so this is to be expected.

I've tested quite a few gaming monitors here at Windows Central, and something I especially like about Alienware is that it offers bases that are sturdy without taking up a ton of room. I don't know how many times I've had to shift accessories or devices around on my desk to make room for a gaming monitor's base, but that's not a problem with the AW2725QF. Plus, I know that the display will hold at the exact angle I leave it at without wobbling.

Another thing I really like about this Alienware gaming monitor is that it looks good in both formal and casual settings. It has a gaming vibe and some fun RGB on the backside without looking like it's trying too hard (like some other gaming monitor brands out there). While it doesn't have the slimmest bezel I've ever seen, the monitor looks classy, overall. I'll talk more in-depth about screen quality later in this review.

You might have noticed that there's a strange button on the top left side of this monitor. This is a built-in headset stand. If you push this button in, it pops out, and then you can pull the plastic and extend it so that it is long enough to hold your headphones. While not a necessary feature at all, it's a small convenience that can be nice to have.

There is also a good range of ports on this monitor to help me connect any devices or accessories I might need. Most of these ports are found on the backside, and they include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, a Kensington lock, three USB-A ports, a USB-C port, a USB-B port, and the power port. Note that the USB-C port and one USB-A port are hidden on the bottom side of the monitor, and they're easy to miss. Just make sure to connect the USB-B to USB-A cable between the monitor and your PC, and then you'll be able to use all of these connections.

While we're already talking about this area, the power button is found on the far bottom right of the monitor and the OSD (on-screen display) button is found in the bottom center of the monitor, but I'll talk more about that second one later.

The AW2725QF does not have built-in speakers, but that's not a big deal. Most gaming monitors that do come with speakers have horrible audio quality, so you'll just end up wanting to use one of the best gaming headsets or external PC speakers anyway. However, since the AW2725QF doesn't have an audio jack, you'll either need to rely on a wired connection with your PC or else use a wireless headset.

Alienware AW2725QF: Picture quality

Picture quality highlights

• The great color range helps games, shows, programs, and websites look really good on this monitor.
• Contrast is good when HDR is turned on, but isn't the best in SDR.
• It can get plenty bright, peaking at about 500nits in SDR, but only reached around 320nits in HDR.
• NVIDIA G-Sync and the dual-modes help me get the perfect motion clarity for the type of games I'm playing.
• You just have to hold the OSD button down for two seconds in order to switch modes.
• Display rating: 5/5

This monitor offers a fantastic viewing experience whether you're playing a competitive game or a single-player adventure. I played a few different titles while testing this Alienware AW2725QF gaming monitor, including STALKER 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and Baldur's Gate 3. In each instance, I swapped between viewing modes and took advantage of NVIDIA G-Sync to help eliminate tearing for better motion clarity, and the result was phenomenal.

To switch between 4K @ 180Hz or FHD @ 360Hz, I simply hold down the OSD button for two seconds and then press in the button once to agree to the switch. Note that you'll always want to close out of your programs before swapping, since this can mess things up. Additionally, you have to go into Windows settings in order to change the refresh rate: Right click Windows desktop → Display settings → Advanced display → Choose a refresh rate from the drop-down menu.

I also used a colorimeter to run a few tests on this monitor. In a color gamut test with the screen on Standard mode, the display produced 100% of sRGB, 86% of AdobeRGB, 93% of P3. This isn't as good as what you'd get with an OLED panel, but it is a very nice result for an IPS display. What this means is that the monitor produces accurate colors without being oversaturated or dull looking.

• RELATED: OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED display guide

Dell says that the Alienware AW2725QF typically reaches 400nits of brightness, but that it has an HDR peak of 600nits. To check this, I ran a brightness and contrast test. When in FHD mode with SDR, It produced 40nits at 0% brightness and peaked at 500nits when at 100%. This is plenty bright enough to fit most people's needs. In fact, I often kept the screen at around 50% brightness, and that was good enough for me.

There is also an option to turn on Smart HDR or select a specific HDR setting from within Dell Display Manage 2, and this will alter the peak brightness that the monitor produces. When I turned HDR on, the monitor only peaked at around 320nits, which isn't very bright.

Meanwhile, this Edge LED definitely produces better contrast when HDR is enabled, but it isn't horrible in SDR mode either. The contrast test showed that it reaches slightly higher than 1000 : 1 ratio in SDR, which is very good for gaming. Of course, with this not being an OLED display, it doesn't produce true black, so you will see some gray lighting coming through on pixels that should be displaying black.

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Alienware AW2725QF: OSD and software

OSD and software highlights

• The OSD joystick is very easy to reach and navigate with.
• I had issues getting Alienware programs to detect the monitor, even after I installed drivers from Dell's website.
• Downloading Dell Display Manager 2 allows me to adjust settings more easily from within a windowed application.
• This program has a good layout and makes it easier to adjust game settings.
• You can adjust and customize the RGB lighting using Dell programs or the OSD.
• OSD & software rating: 4/5

Some monitors are built in such a way that it is hard to reach the OSD controls, but that isn't a problem with the Alienware AW2725QF. As mentioned earlier, the OSD joystick is on the bottom center of the monitor and is very easy to interact with. The OSD menu is also very easy to navigate and offers plenty of settings to get the screen displaying the way I want it to. This is where I went to change preset modes, turn on overclocking, adjust response time, control brightness and contrast, and much more.

If you're like me, then you prefer to use windowed programs to interact with monitor settings. To make this possible, I made sure to download the correct Alienware drivers at Dell.com. Now, Alienware Command Center is technically the program Dell has created for controlling its gaming devices, but this software wouldn't detect the monitor for some reason even after I made sure drivers were installed, and I had restarted my PC. However, I ended up installing Dell Display Manager 2 and it offered all of the settings changes I wanted except for RGB. To make things more convenient for me, I also pinned Display Manager to my task bar for easy access.

When the app is open, I can access sliders to adjust brightness and contrast or I can even set up schedules so that these settings change at different times in the day. There's also a Gaming tab which makes it easy to change response time, resolution and refresh rate, or HDR settings. Just note that if you turn on Smart HDR, the brightness and contrast sliders cannot be used. Another useful tab is the Easy Arrange, where you can quickly change between default monitor layouts or create custom ones.

There are two places on the backside of the AW2725QF that features RGB lighting — the stylized "27" on the left side and the Alienware alien head logo on the right. By default, these areas glow a soft blue, but they can be customized within the OSD's AlienFX Lighting menu. I can make these areas show the same color, show two different colors, or fade through a rainbow effect together. Of course, you should also be able to control this lighting from Alienware programs, but I never had any luck with that.

A fun thing with this RGB setup is that when I placed the monitor with its back to a wall, the RGB lighting glows off the surface for a fun halo effect.

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Alienware AW2725QF: Competition

There are plenty of other gaming monitors on the market and you don't have to leave Alienware to find another fantastic option.

One of my all-time favorite gaming monitors can be seen in my Alienware AW2725DF review. This extremely impressive 26.7-inch QD-OLED panel reaches up to an extremely high 360Hz refresh rate that's paired with a superfast 0.03ms response time. That combined with AMD FreeSync makes for the best motion clarity I've ever seen in a gaming monitor. It's ideal for competitive playing and eSports, and it sells for $734.99 at Dell.

Looking outside of Alienware, you might want to check out our HP OMEN 27K review. It's an IPS panel that can reach 144Hz and 1ms. But what really makes it stand out is its built-in KVM switch. This feature makes it possible for you to use the same keyboard and mouse between the different devices connected to the computer without having to unplug and replug dongles or cables. It sells for $722.99 at Amazon.

Now, if you're more interested in budget gaming monitors, you should take a look at my Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 review. This 27-inch FHD VA has a great 240Hz refresh rate, but it can be overclocked to 280Hz. It also has a very nice 0.5ms response time and supports AMD FreeSync Premium. Despite these really nice specs, it doesn't cost that much, which makes it an excellent value buy. It has an MSRP of $229.99, but at the time of writing it was discounted to just $175.49 at Lenovo.

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Alienware AW2725QF: Scorecard

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Alienware AW2725QF: Should you buy it?

✅ You should buy this if...

• You're looking for a monitor with great (or even competitive-level) motion clarity: Thanks to the dual-modes and G-Sync support, this gaming monitor displays very smooth gaming visuals that can keep up with eSports-level devices.
• You'd like a gaming monitor with a sturdy and adjustable stand: I can get this monitor set up at just the right viewing angle thanks to its really nice stand and solid base.

❌ You should not buy this if...

• You don't need a dual-mode gaming monitor: Having a monitor that can do both 4K @ 180Hz or FHD @ 360Hz is really cool, but serves a rather niche audience. If you don't need both modes, you might want to look for a different option.
• You prefer using an OLED panel: Of the panel types on the market today, OLED is largely considered the best for gaming, thanks to its tendency to produce fantastic color and support high refresh rates.

Whenever I played my PC games on the Alienware AW2725QF, I was very impressed by the smoothness of the game visuals as well as the coloring that it produced. I also love how adjustable and sturdy the stand is. It's a phenomenal panel that works really well for both competitive gaming sessions and less intensive computer needs.

Even though I was impressed with its features and really enjoyed gaming on it, I'm torn on recommending the Alienware AW2725QF. Despite it being a rather cool gaming monitor, having a display that supports dual-modes is a rather niche desire. You can easily purchase less expensive IPS gaming monitors or an OLED display at this price range.

Still, if you really like the idea of a dual-mode gaming monitor and want something you can rely on then this is a fantastic monitor to go with.

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I've been covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday since 2016, and every year it seems like the deals start earlier. This year, many major retailers kicked off their deals at the start of November to give you more time to shop. Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be behind us, but the deals at Dell continue for just a bit longer. Dell is offering extended returns, free shipping, and pricing guarantees, with double points for Dell Rewards members.

👉 See all of Dell's Cyber Monday deals

Considering Dell is home to some of the best laptops, desktop PCs, monitors, and accessories reviewed here at Windows Central, it only makes sense that I find the best deals and list them here for easy browsing.

🔥The hottest post-Cyber Monday deals🔥

• 💻HP EliteBook 14 (Ryzen 7 PRO) | $899 at HP (Save $2,023!)
• 🎮Xbox Series X Digital Edition (1TB) | $398 at Walmart (Save $52!)
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Best Dell XPS & Inspiron laptop Cyber Monday deals

Best Alienware gaming PC Cyber Monday deals

Best Dell & Alienware monitor deals

Best Cyber Monday XPS desktop deals

Should you sign up for Dell Rewards?

Dell's Rewards program doesn't cost anything to sign up, so it's easy for me to recommend you get a membership. I have one, as do many of my colleagues.

Once you're a member, everything you purchase from Dell earns you points that can go towards other purchases. Dell often has member-only discounts available, and select items have free expedited delivery.

When it comes to Black Friday (and Cyber Monday), Dell Rewards members can get two times as many points until November 27. I'm unsure why the promotion ends a couple of days before the main event, but it's a good opportunity to finish your shopping early.

Dell's price protection is in place, so you don't have to worry about buying now and seeing a lower price later. Holiday returns have also been extended, and PCs on sale have automatic free shipping to help out.

Dell isn't the only retailer hosting Cyber Monday events, and you can check out my top Cyber Monday deals at Best Buy for some worthwhile alternatives.

💽More Cyber Monday deals that won't quit💾

• Dell: Lowest PC prices of the year for a little longer after Cyber Monday
• HP: Aggressive "Cyber Week" deals on laptops while supplies last
• Lenovo: Still save up to 68% on laptops, desktops, and select doorbusters
• Samsung: Week-long holiday deals on laptops, TVs, phones, and more

It may be Amazon Prime Day — or Big Deal Days, if you're into that — but thus far, I'd argue best deals of this Black Friday-came-early season have actually come from "anti-Prime Day" sales at retailers like Walmart and Best Buy. One discount from these that's piqued my interest in particular is a deal on one of Alienware's best gaming monitors, the QD-OLED ultrawide AW3423DWF, that slashes the price down to $699.99 at Best Buy.

That's a full $200 off the 34-inch display's $899.99 MSRP, making this one of the most tempting October Prime Day deals I've seen. It's so tempting, in fact, that I'm seriously considering buying it even though I'm literally writing this article using a nice LG ultrawide I got a few years ago. I'm not going to pull the trigger, though — after all, I probably shouldn't...right? — but if you're looking for a new gaming monitor, there's no reason why you shouldn't!

• Gaming monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Ultrawide monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg

• Shop all of Amazon's October Prime Day deals

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• 🎧Sony ANC Wireless Headphones | $228 at Walmart (Save $122!)
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Join the ultrawide gang — you'll never look back

Ever since getting my first ultrawide gaming monitor several years ago, I've never once yearned for the dark days when my in-game field-of-view (FOV) was tragically limited to the confines of a 16:9 aspect ratio. 21:9 3440x1440 is where it's at, baby, and I'm confident you'll agree with me once you experience it for yourself. Being able to see extra space on your left and right is a godsend in intense shooters like Helldivers 2 that make situational and environmental awareness paramount, and it elevates the beauty of the vistas you'll come across in cinematic RPGs and action games, too. I also like it for work, as I can keep several programs open without the screen feeling cluttered.

But why get this ultrawide? Well, for starters, its 34-inch QD-OLED panel — learn more about why QD-OLED rocks in our display type explainer — features a jaw-dropping 99.3% DCI-P3 color gamut with HDR support, an incredible peak brightness of over 1,000 nits, and an infinite contrast ratio, all of which come together to deliver one of the best-looking PC gaming experiences out there. On top of that, its 165Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro tech, and 0.1ms response time ensure you'll be able to enjoy it with buttery smooth framerates (check out these iBuyPower PC deals if you need a powerful rig), zero screen tearing, and no input lag.

The physical design of the display is clean, sleek, and adjustable, with slim bezels and support for VESA mounting in the event you want to use something like a monitor arm. There's also customizable Alienware-themed RGB accents on the back, five USB ports, slots for HDMI and DisplayPort (use the latter for the full 165Hz), and a cord compartment for effective cable management.

All in all, it's pretty much my dream gaming monitor, and I wish I had some extra money in the bank right now so I could buy this October Prime Day deal on it without having to worry about some expenses I know are coming. If you have room for it in your budget, however, I recommend going for it, as it's one of the best gaming monitors out there right now.

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

• Monitor deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
  Xbox controller deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Xbox SSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming headset deals: Walmart | Dell | Target | Best Buy | Amazon 
• MicroSD storage deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming handheld deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Copilot+ AI laptop deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Mini PC deals: Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Newegg 
• Gaming keyboard deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg 
• Gaming mice deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell | Newegg

Over the years, I've tested and used plenty of different gaming headsets, including options from the likes of Razer, HyperX, SteelSeries, Turtle Beach, and others. One manufacturer I've never given a shot, though, is Alienware — a gaming subsidiary of Dell best known for its pre-built PCs, gaming laptops, and monitors. Because of that, I was keen to test out its new Alienware Pro Headset when I was given the opportunity, especially with the company recently pushing into the accessories market more seriously.

Indeed, both the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse quickly became knockout hits when they hit shelves earlier this year, with my colleague Zachary Boddy awarding both 4.5/5 star scores in their reviews. The Alienware Pro Headset completes the trifecta, and like its fellow "Pro" peripherals, it was designed in collaboration with over 100 esports professionals and  the legendary Team Liquid. And after over 18 months of careful development, it's finally here.

• Alienware Pro Headset (Black) at Dell for $229.99
• Alienware Pro Headset (White) at Dell for $229.99

I've tested the headset extensively over the course of the past few weeks, and I'm pleased to report that it lives up to the lofty expectations set by Alienware's recent keyboard and mouse — so much so, in fact, that it's replaced the HyperSpeed variant of my beloved Razer Kaira Pro I picked up earlier this year for wireless use. Owing to a stellar microphone, exceptional audio quality, and grade A comfort, it's truly a fantastic headset...though as I'll get into later in this review, it's not without a few drawbacks that ultimately hold it back from perfection. You'll also have to pay a hefty premium for it, though rest assured, you'll absolutely get your money's worth.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Alienware. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Alienware Pro Headset review: Price and specs

Compared to something like the recently released $179.99 Razer Kraken V4 that we called an "upper mid-range" gaming headset, the Alienware Pro Headset is firmly in "premium" territory with its higher price tag. Specifically, it's launching with an MSRP of $229.99 at Amazon, putting it a rung above mid-grade options but below things like the beastly $350 SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro that comes with all the bells and whistles a gamer could hope for. I was sent the white model for my review, though Alienware also has a black colorway on offer.

The Alienware Pro Headset features three connectivity options — wireless through the use of a 2.4GHz USB Type-C dongle or Bluetooth 5.3, and wired by way of USB Type-C — along with 50mm graphene-coated drivers and a detachable, unidirectional mic with a two-mic system and adjustable mic monitoring. Its speakers and mic both make use of noise cancellation, with the former sporting hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) and the latter utilizing AI noise reduction to block out external sounds. Note that the ANC transparency, mic volume, mic side tone, and a toggle for the microphone's noise cancellation (off by default) can all be adjusted in the latest version of the Alienware Command Center software, with equalization adjustable in the Dolby app thanks to Dolby Atmos support.

Included with the headset itself is its USB Type-C 2.4GHz wireless dongle, a USB Type-A adapter for it you can use if your PC rig doesn't have a working USB Type-C port, and the lengthy USB-A to Type-C cable you'll need for charging that also doubles as the cable required for wired use. Alienware also packages a detailed technical manual in the box that clearly explains how to get the headset up and running.

Alienware Pro Headset review: The good

There's a lot to love about the Alienware Pro Headset, though the thing that's impressed me the most — and the thing that's ultimately made me swap out my pair of Razer Kaira Pro HyperSpeed headphones — is the impeccable caliber of its microphone. Mic quality is the one aspect of headset engineering I feel Razer has never truly been able to nail, with input using its products tending to sound good, but not great. Here, though, Alienware has introduced what is quite possibly the best headset mic I've ever gamed with. 

Recorded audio is incredibly crisp and distinct, ensuring that folks you're playing with will hear you loud and clear over the sounds of in-game battle whether you're communicating in a game itself or in VoIP chat programs like Discord. Even with noise cancellation turned off, the mic excellently blocks out background interference, though you may want to toggle it on if you're playing in a noisy environment. The mic is also detachable, allowing you to separate it from the headset for travel convenience.

The excellence of the mic's audio extends to the speakers' as well, as the headset delivers a rich, yet balanced soundscape across lows, mids, and highs, complete with support for Dolby Atmos spatial audio. The quality isn't terribly surprising, given the fact it was built with feedback from dozens of professional esports players. What did catch me off-guard, though, is how loud the Alienware Pro Headset can get if you really want to crank things up. Indeed, the power of its 50mm drivers is felt as much as it's heard when you max the volume, even without haptic feedback like the Razer HyperSense motors I'm used to.

Comfort-wise, the Alienware Pro Headset's fit is a bit snugger around the ears than what I'm used to, though it feels light as a feather to wear and has more than enough adjustable length and headband flex to ensure it will fit all head shapes and sizes. The memory foam leatherette earcups aren't quite as cool (temperature-wise) as the thick, airy cushions I tend to prefer, but they also rest very gently against the skin, provide fantastic passive noise cancellation, and don't get uncomfortably warm at all. Overall, I do like Razer's Kraken and Kaiya designs a bit more, but Alienware's is right there with it.

The complete lack of RGB or neon green "gamer" accents means the headset's design is very minimalistic, though the presence of Alienware's shiny silver alien logo on each earcup means its still easily identifiable as a pair of gaming headphones. The all-plastic construction may bother some at this price point, though it nevertheless feels very durable regardless of how I stretch or twist it. Notably, there are several physical controls on the earcup exteriors you can use for quick adjustments, including a mic mute button, volume wheel, and an ANC toggle on the left and the power button and the slider used to swap between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth on the right.

Speaking of the wireless connectivity, it's been flawless in my testing, as has the experience using it tethered with the Alienware Pro Headset's USB-A to Type-C charging cord. The advertised lengthy battery life of 70-75 hours with ANC off has been accurate in my experience, too, though you'll likely need a recharge after around 25-35 hours if you're playing with noise cancellation enabled. Something to be aware of is that out of the box, the headset will shut itself off to save battery if it hasn't been used in 30 minutes; you can tweak that timer or disable it entirely in Alienware Command Center.

Alienware Pro Headset review: The bad

I have very few issues with the Alienware Pro Headset, with the biggest one being that its active noise cancellation is only decent. Admittedly, this isn't actually much of a problem for me since I don't like using ANC anyway — its constant low-frequency sound waves tend to make me feel uncomfortable and give me headaches quickly — but it's something to be aware of if you greatly enjoy the future. It does a solid job of silencing things like low chatter or the sound of a room fan, but it's proven to struggle with anything louder.

The noise cancellation on the microphone has the opposite problem, as it's a bit aggressive with what it ends up cutting out when recording your voice. Though uncommon overall, there have been cases where the mic fails to pick up my speech as a result of this, prompting my friends to ask me to repeat myself. As I said before, the mic effectively blocks out background sounds without the AI noise reduction, so I recommend leaving it off unless you truly think you need it.

Finally, the fact you can't use the Alienware Pro Headset on Xbox is a drawback worth mentioning, though this is arguably more of a problem with Microsoft than Alienware since its proprietary Xbox Wireless technology limits which accessories are compatible with its consoles. Still, it's a frustrating limitation that many multiplatform players are tired of having to deal with.

Alienware Pro Headset review: Final thoughts

You should buy this if ...

✅You want an excellent wireless gaming headset

The Alienware Pro Headset is a terrific wireless gaming headset that features top-notch mic quality, excellent clean audio, flawless wireless performance, an option for wired use, all-day comfort, and up to three entire days of battery life. Without a doubt, it's one of the best PC gaming headsets in the ~$200 range, even if its ANC and mic noise cancellation fall a little short.

✅You're after a minimalist aesthetic

Not everyone is about that RGB unicorn vomit life — I'm certainly not. If you aren't, either, you'll appreciate the Alienware Pro Headset for its clean and minimalist design.

You should not buy this if ...

❌You're on a budget

While there are more expensive wireless gaming headsets on the market, the Alienware Pro Headset is far from cheap at its $229.99 MSRP. If you're trying to cut the cord without breaking the bank, there are far better options out there.

❌You need Xbox support

Sadly, the Alienware Pro Headset is one of many audio peripherals that frustratingly works with every platform other than Xbox consoles, so if you were hoping that it would stand tall as one of the best Xbox headsets, I'm sorry to disappoint.

I never thought my next gaming headset would be one from Alienware, but here I am — jamming to a mix of 2000s alternative rock and video game scores with it on my head as I write this. It's certainly made headsets before, but this one feels like the company's first serious push into the market, and it proves it's more than capable of competing fiercely in it.

With that said, premium quality begets a premium price tag, and not everyone can afford a $230 headset — yours truly included (I was only able to get the aforementioned Razer Kaira Pro thanks to a family gift and a deal). I'm lucky to have been sent the Alienware Pro Headset for review purposes, as I'd have probably never ended up with it in my hands otherwise. If you're on a budget, look to options like the Razer Kaira that's down to just $69.99 on Amazon right now.

For those who can afford it, though, the Alienware Pro Headset is a stellar option that pairs top-tier audio and mic quality with dependable, versatile connectivity and a minimalistic, yet rugged and comfortable design. It has close competition like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X, but it's undeniably an amazing headset, even if its noise cancellation features could stand to be better. Just make sure you don't get it thinking you can use it on Xbox, though, because you can't; if you're after an Xbox headset, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro for Xbox is a great alternative.

The Alienware Pro Headset is available now on Dell's website for $229.99.

What you need to know

• Alienware announced its new Pro Headset designed for enthusiast and competitive PC gamers.
• It features 50mm graphene-coated drivers, active noise cancelling, mic noise cancelling, and up to 75 hours of battery life.
• The Alienware Pro Headset slides into the existing lineup that includes the Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard and Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse.
• The Pro Headset is expected to launch in North America in October 2024 starting at about $230.

Alienware has been around for nearly three decades, delivering pre-built gaming PCs, laptops, and monitors, but only this year does it seem to be hitting its stride when it comes to accessories.

I'm talking about the Alienware Pro lineup, which debuted in 2024 with the Wireless Gaming Keyboard and Wireless Gaming Mouse. The trifecta of necessary accessories wouldn't be complete without a gaming headset, and that's where Alienware has now landed.

The Alienware Pro Headset slides into the lineup with the same development collaboration with more than 100 esports pros, as well as direct input from Team Liquid. Audio quality is at the forefront of the advertised features, with battery life and comfort close behind. 

It's not expected to launch in North America until October 2024 at around $230, but we have plenty of details on this headset compatible with PCs and consoles following the official announcement.

Alienware's aiming for the enthusiast and competitive market with its Pro Headset

The Alienware Pro Headset's price puts it into the realm of enthusiasts and competitive gamers, which means it'd better deliver quality features. Judging by the specs available so far, things are looking good.

High-end audio quality — including directional and spatial sound — is required for serious gamers, and Alienware promises to deliver with 50mm graphene-coated drivers. But why use graphene? 

According to Alienware, it's "incredibly responsive which creates a natural, accurate, and clear sound with lots of depth," and it's "also less prone to distortion, especially at higher frequencies, when compared to other gaming headsets that are made with titanium, plastic, or other materials."

The Pro Headset has both active noise canceling (ANC) and passive noise canceling (PNC) abilities, with a transparency mode for when you're out in public and don't want to be completely cut off from the world around you. Adding to the sound quality, among other configurable settings, is Dolby Atmos integration through the Alienware Command Center app.

A detachable arm features two microphones, and AI enhancements help cut out everything but your voice. I've played with and have been that person (Sorry!) making unnecessary noise over comms, and this feature aims to eliminate it.

The soft design, available in a white or black finish, features over-ear cups with memory foam and a leatherette covering. Controls are built into the earcups, including a toggle for connectivity. The Pro Headset works with USB-C, Bluetooth 5.3, or a 2.4GHz dongle; you'll get the best battery life at up to 75 hours with ANC off and Bluetooth on. Besides charging the battery, a USB-C connection can deliver high-res certified audio for more detail.

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Alienware can't spoil its positive Pro-series reputation

Windows Central's Zachary Boddy reviewed the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard earlier this year, handing both a Best Award after an extensive testing period.

While Alienware's gaming monitors are some of the best around — not to mention Alienware has some of our favorite gaming laptops — I never really considered it to be the go-to brand for peripherals. 

That definitely changed after Boddy's glowing reviews, in which they stated, "Alienware is starting to get REALLY good at this." Clearly, Alienware is targeting the enthusiast and competitive PC gaming market with the keyboard and mouse, and it's no different with the new Pro Headset.

A gaming headset has to walk a careful line between comfort and durability, and only testing the Pro Headset first-hand will determine if Alienware has succeeded. I've broken a couple of headsets long before they were due to be retired, and I don't consider myself very hard on my gear. If the audio quality and comfort are as good as Alienware is claiming — with the durability to last for years — Alienware's Pro lineup might be the new place to turn for the best gaming accessories.

The new Alienware Pro Headset isn't launching until October, but you can get a head start with the Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse and Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard available now.

What you need to know

• Alienware has revealed a new premium gaming monitor that adapts a unique feature we've slowly been seeing more of.
• The 27-inch AW2725QF is a 4K, 180Hz monitor by default, but in moments can change to an FHD, 360Hz monitor perfect for competitive gaming.
• Other features include a built-in headset hanger, customizable RGB lighting, and HDMI 2.1 for full current-gen console support.
• The Alienware AW2725QF will be available in China from Aug. 15 and roll out to the rest of the world on Sept. 12 with a retail price of $599.99.

There are countless companies trying to convince you that their gaming monitors are the best, but one of the more consistent options in the market is Alienware, Dell's gaming sub-brand. We've rated several Alienware monitors highly in the past, and now another display is stepping up to the plate. Dell has taken the wraps off the Alienware 27 4K Dual-Mode Gaming Monitor, and it's a unique addition to the lineup.

The AW2725QF is, as the name implies, a 27-inch, 4K gaming monitor. However, it boasts a feature that we're only just now beginning to see in a handful of other monitors — the ability to swap between two resolutions and refresh rates. When you need to see every detail, you can enjoy a crispy 4K resolution with a smooth 180Hz refresh rate, but at a moment's notice you can swap to a lower FHD resolution and gain a significantly faster 360Hz refresh rate in exchange.

This gaming monitor is aimed at gamers that may play a cinematic RPG one moment and then a highly competitive online FPS the next. Does the Alienware AW2725QF have what it takes to be one of the best gaming monitors? We can't answer that yet, but there is a lot we can tell you down below.

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One display with the best of both worlds

I fully understand why OLED gaming monitors have been all the rage recently, because I'm also in love with them (I'm reviewing another one as I write this). Even Alienware understands this, with the new AW2725QF actually having a more premium OLED sibling that earned a perfect score in our Alienware 27 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) review. There's still plenty of room for high-end IPS LCD displays, though, and that's where the AW2725QF steps in.

At first glance this may appear just like one of dozens of 27-inch IPS LCD gaming monitors, but this display bridges the gap between high resolution and high refresh rate displays by being both at different times. On one hand you get a 4K resolution with a still-smooth 180Hz refresh rate, which is perfect for playing slower cinematic games like RPGs and third-person action games, or watching movies and videos at your computer. It's also great for creative work that benefits from as much detail as possible, going hand-in-hand with Alienware's color calibrated Creator Mode.

Whenever you need it, though, you can lower that 4K resolution to FHD, with each single pixel splitting into four. You're not doing this for no reason, though, as that 180Hz refresh rate doubles to 360Hz. This gives you unparalleled responsiveness, smoothness, and low latency for competitive gaming, especially for fast-paced titles like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant where every millisecond counts. It's impressive tech that we're starting to see more of, but the AW2725QF is impressive in more ways, too.

It features plenty of additional USB ports for connecting more peripherals to your PC, for example. There are also two HDMI 2.1 ports to take full advantage of 4K and 120Hz gaming on your Xbox Series X or PS5, and one of those ports supports eArc to connect to a high-end soundbar with Dolby Atmos support. Back to the display, you're getting solid support for HDR content thanks to a respectable brightness and Dolby Vision. This ties in with all the gaming features you expect, like an overclocked 0.5-1ms response time, adaptive sync and variable refresh rate support, and an anti-glare coating to keep the reflections away.

Oh, and Alienware built a headset hanger into the side of the AW2725QF, just for the fun of it. Honestly, Alienware has been knocking it out of the park with its monitors lately, both with IPS LCD and OLED displays, so I'm excited to see how this pans out. This isn't an entry level monitor, though, with the Alienware 27 4K Dual-Mode Gaming Monitor (AW2725QF) retailing for $599.99 at Dell. Some of us will have to wait longer to buy it, too, as this monitor is rolling out globally on Sept. 12, 2024 after its limited release in China on Aug. 15.

I won't hesitate to admit that Razer has more or less dominated my PC gaming setup for a couple years now. The hardware monolith has been consistently putting out incredible peripherals since I began testing products at Windows Central, and a plethora of companies tried and failed to usurp Razer on my desk. That is, until Alienware effectively overhauled its high-end gaming accessories with the new Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse and Keyboard duo, which I'm using right now to type this article.

These accessories are beautiful, reliable, and oh-so smooth to use. And, for a limited time, they're enjoying a relatively rare discount straight from Dell. You can pick up the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse for just $119.99 at Dell and the Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard for just $149.99 at Dell, with both being available in black and white. Genuinely, this is a deal worth taking advantage of.

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• 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Core (12-months) | $41.89 at CDKeys (Save $18!)
• 💻Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 (Core i5) | $774.99 at Lenovo (Save $365!)
• 🖱️Razer DeathAdder V3 Wired Mouse | $50.99 at Best Buy (Save $19!)
• 💻HP OMEN Transcend 14 (RTX 4050) | $1,199.99 at HP (Save $400!)
• 🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired Mouse | $49.99 at Best Buy (Save $20!)
• 🖥️Lenovo ThinkStation P3 (Core i5 vPro) | $879.00 at Lenovo (Save $880!)
• ⌨️Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard | $149.99 at Dell (Save $50!)
• 🖱️Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse | $119.99 at Dell (Save $30!)
• 🕹️No Man's Sky (PC, Steam) | $24.09 at CDKeys (Save $36!)
• 💻Dell XPS 13 (Snapdragon X Elite) | $1,099.99 at Dell (Save $200!)

Still my personal picks months later

Alienware accessories I had reviewed in the past failed to properly impress me, so I'll be honest and admit that I didn't have much hope for the Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse and Keyboard set when Alienware first shared them with me. After getting them on my desk, though, I fell in love. It can't be overstated just how much of an improvement Alienware made in a single generation, crafting refined, premium, and performant peripherals for the competitive gamers.

In my Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse review, I praised it for its incredibly comfortable and high-quality ambidextrous design, the physics-defying smoothness of its glide, and its flawless wireless performance. Overall, it's just a fantastic mouse both for gaming and general use, with my main criticisms being that it's quite expensive for a mouse and it lacks the Bluetooth connectivity option of its keyboard sibling. Being discounted to $119.99 at Dell helps take the edge off that price, though, and you can pick up this brilliant mouse in both black and white.

I was just as impressed in my Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard review, though, with Alienware properly blowing me away with its compact, 75% wireless gaming keyboard. Phenomenal design with class-leading per-key RGB lighting and flawless build quality, wonderful quality-of-life features like swappable keycaps and switches, tri-mode connectivity with both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless options, and a comfortable layout with supremely responsive keys... Need I say more? Saving $50 and getting this keyboard for $149.99 at Dell (in both black or white) is a deal I'll recommend all day.

Razer still occupies several spots on my desk, but for the time being Alienware is the company I trust for my mouse and keyboard. That's high praise indeed for just how far Alienware has come in a short time, as these are some of the best PC gaming accessories you can buy. It's absolutely worth taking advantage of this deal and adding these peripherals to your setup, as you won't be disappointed by the performance or quality of either.

One of the first gaming monitors I reviewed this year was the Alienware AW2725DF. It didn't take me long to see that this is an exceptional product from Dell's gaming sub-brand — it offers an impressive 360Hz refresh rate and a super-speedy 0.03ms response time. Seriously, motion clarity is amazing on this monitor, to the point that my husband can't come into the room without telling me how beautiful the screen looks every time I use it. I'm also blown away by the monitor's amazing color gamut, contrast, and crisp detail. At this point, I don't want to play my games on anything but this monitor. 

During Prime Day, the Alienware AW2725DF dropped to its lowest price ever. Today, it's gone up a little bit, but it is still at a very low price of $783.00 at Amazon.com, which is less than its usual $899.99 price point. As with most Prime Day deals, this discount won't last long. 

🔥The hottest Prime Day 2024 deals🔥

• Seagate Xbox Series X|S Expansion Card (2TB) | was $359.99 now $229.99 at Best Buy
• Lenovo Legion Go (512GB) | was $699.99 now $599.99 at Best Buy
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | was $49.99 now $31.99 at CDKeys
• LG Class C3 Series OLED Evo TV (65-inches) | was $1,699.99 now $1,399.99 at Best Buy
• Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF) | was $899.99 now $699.99 at Dell
• Remnant II Ultimate Edition (PC) | was $59.99 now $25.99 at CDKeys
• Surface Laptop Go 3 (Core i5) | was $799.99 now $599.99 at Best Buy
• ASUS 65W USB Type-C charger | was $64.99 now $29.99 at Best Buy
• HP Victus 15.6 (Ryzen 5, RTX 4050) | was $979 now $599 at Walmart
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max + Xbox Wireless Controller + Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (1-month) | was $119.98 now $78.90 at Amazon

Why I recommend the Alienware AW2725DF

When I first got the 26.7-inch Dell Alienware AW2725DF, I was in the middle of my first Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. I had a decent gaming monitor at the start of the game, but switching to using the AW2725DF made a huge difference. Thanks to the 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response times, the characters all moved extremely smoothly, delighting my eyes with the motion clarity provided. There's a reason it quickly was added to our list of the best gaming monitors.