Dual-mode gaming monitors that can offer 4k resolution but then downscale to 1080p at a high refresh rate are nothing new. However, the new Alienware AW2725QF offers something different to most, as it provides this combination not at a giant 32-inch screen size but in a more compact 27-inch frame.
That means this new best gaming monitor contender will offer not only an ultra-sharp 163 pixels per inch in 4k mode but a less blocky-looking view at 1080p than on 32-inch panels. The smaller screen size should also mean Alienware‘s latest can be cheaper than other competing options, such as the Asus PG32UCDP, but the company hasn’t put a price on this panel yet.
The Alienware AW2725QF isn’t actually the first display of this type, with Asus having beaten it to the punch with the XG27UCG but it’s equally as exciting a prospect, potentially offering the best of all worlds in one screen.
Using an IPS panel, the AW2725QF boasts 95% DCI-P3 color space coverage and DisplayHDR 600 certification, which is about as high a set of color credentials as you can get on an LCD display, without resorting to including multi-zone miniLED backlights.
The display also includes a Freesync and G-Sync compatibility, and has a 0.5ms gray-to-gray response time, which should ensure it keeps up with its peak 360Hz refresh rate when in 1080p mode – unlike the Dell 2524H, for instance.
With the inclusion of high-bandwidth HDI 2.1 FRL inputs, as well as DisplayPort inputs, consoles will also be able to play at up to 4k 120Hz with variable refresh rate (alongside PC’s running at 4k 180Hz). eARC compatibility also means speakers (including Dolby Atmos speakers and soundbars) can be connected via the screen.
The Alienware AW2725QF launches on August 15, 2024 in China then on September 12, 2024 for the rest of the world.