Earlier this month I reviewed the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM, a 32-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor that combines a 4K resolution with 240Hz refresh rate, impressive HDR and fewer downsides than your typical OLED panel – albeit at an eye-watering £1350 asking price. I noted that while the Asus monitor was a technical tour de force and the best gaming monitor I’d ever tested, it’s not necessarily the best value 32-inch QD-OLED. For that, UK buyers ought to be looking at the subject of this review: Dell’s £940 Alienware AW3225QF, which uses the exact same QD-OLED panel and therefore ought to offer nigh-identical performance – for £410 less.
Despite that massive price delta, the Alienware is far from a compromised budget alternative – it packs many of the same features as the Asus model and even adds on Dolby Vision support and a curved form factor that suit its expansive proportions.
In this AW3225QF review, I’ll cover how the monitor compares to the more expensive Asus model, how meaningful Dolby Vision support is as a value-add and whether the curved screen adds or detracts from the experience – as well as a summary of the 32-inch QD-OLED panel’s characteristics for gaming, video and work, given that we’ve already covered the panel in some detail in the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM review two weeks ago.
Unlike many other display types, OLED panels can curve – so after being produced by Samsung Display, vendors like Dell, Asus and MSI are free to choose flat, curved or even flexible configurations (eg the 45-inch Corsair Xeneon Flex). Dell opted for a curved design, unlike MSI and Asus, and so this is the first point of differentiation you’re likely to notice – and care about – when considering each of these designs.