TechRadar Verdict
Alienware is the latest brand to try the 4K-1080p dual-mode thing.
It’s only the HDR performance that disappoints.
But it hasn’t been very successful so far.
Alienware AW2725QF’s hexagonal base(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)
It runs at up to 360Hz and boasts a claimed response time of just 0.5ms.
That’s seriously fast for an IPS-bang out LCD monitor.
It also sportsHDR600 certification and both G-Sync and FreeSync support.
If there’s one area where it’s a little lacking, it’s connectivity.
The larger 32-inchGigabyte M32UCis actually cheaper.
So you’re really going to have to want that dual-mode functionality.
Alienware AW2725QF’s hexagonal base(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)
Whether it’s worth the money is a tricky call.
It certainly looks a little better at 1080p than the dual-modeLG UltraGear 32GS95UE.
But it’s ultimately a bit of a niche feature.
Alienware AW2725QF ’s on-screen display for swapping resolutions and other settings(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)
For now, pricing in the UK and Australia hasn’t firmed up.
But we expect the market positioning to be pretty similar.
Is that a disappointment?
The port selection on the bottom of the Alienware AW2725QF(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)
Might Alienware customers expect something a little more extroverted?
The OSD menu is similarly comprehensive with parameters for pretty much everything you need.
It’s a fairly logical menu and makes it very easy to jump between the 4K and 1080p modes.
You simply hit the main OSD menu selector button twice to toggle between the two modes.
Less impressive is the display’s connectivity.
The two HDMI and single DisplayPort inputs all support the full 4K at 180Hz resolution, which is good.
But there’s no USB-C input and thus no single-cable connectivity option for laptops.
Some would argue that’s fine for a gaming display.
But it would still make this a more versatile display to offer USB-C upstream connectivity.
Pixelated in-game foliage on the AW2725QF’s 1080p resolution setting
With a USB-C input, you could share this panel between a gaming desktop and a laptop.
And who knows what you might like to do with it in future.
The Alienware AW2725QF also lacks an audio line-out jack, which can be handy for headphones.
Again, it’s not exactly a deal breaker.
Alienware AW2725QF: Performance
The Alienware AW2725QF’s IPS LCD panel makes a very strong first impression.
It’s also beautifully calibrated in sRGB mode, with rich but accurate colors.
In-game, there’s a crazy amount of detail to go with the visual sizzle.
This is a very sweet looking panel.
It’s also seriously fast for an IPS display.
Alienware claims 0.5ms GTG response for the Extreme setting in the display’s Overdrive submenu.
That does bring in a tiny bit of overshoot and inverse ghosting.
But the two less aggressive options are still very fast and look just great.
In fact, this panel is fast enough that pure speed is barely a concern.
Or a reason to upgrade to an even more expensiveOLED.
The same can’t be said for the HDR performance and more broadly contrast and black levels.
This monitor is edge-lit and does not have full-array local dimming.
But what about that secondary 1080p mode achieved via pixel doubling?
So, the 1080p mode offers a boost up to 360Hz refresh and is easy to access.
It’s certainly better than the similar feature onLG’s own dual-mode 4K OLED, the UltraGear 32GS95UE-B.
That might be thanks to the conventional RGB subpixel layout of this IPS display.
The superior pixel density will help, too.
Everything looks just a little jagged and pixelated.
The exception is that just occasionally, certain details can look quite messy and pixelated.
One example is fine foliage and grass.
When it happens, it can be pretty ugly.
Should I buy the Alienware AW2725QF?
But the 1080p mode ups the refresh rate to 360Hz and looks OK in-game most of the time.
It’s only 60Hz, but has a quality IPS panel and basic HDR support.
As a 4K IPS panel, it’s actually well suited to precision productivity.
I assed everything from color accuracy and response to latency and HDR performance.
