For those who play a variety of games, some competitive and some casual, having a screen that offers a 240Hz refresh rate and good colour quality can be very attractive. If you're serious about esports, a 360Hz monitor may be worth the sacrifices to you, though I'd argue the Asus PG259QN is a better value than the Alienware, despite the Alienware's more attractive design, slightly better port selection, and built-in Reflex Analyzer. This indicates that the monitor has been specifically tested by Nvidia and passes specific quality checks. They click like a high-end monitor should and make short work of menu navigation and control. You need to make sure FreeSync is set to On in the Game section of the OSD. The monitor itself must support VESA Adaptive-Sync for at least one of its display connectors, as this is the protocol that FreeSync uses. Buy from Amazon Turning up the Dark Stabilizer setting can help with this, though it will reduce the contrast ratio and make blacks look greyer which is rough, given that the IPS panel in this display already has a weak 1029:1 contrast ratio by my measurements. IPS glow also came with the territory. This reference screen shows no noticeable powdery trailing but a little overshoot instead. The numbered Game presets gave a significantly higher white point and somewhat stronger green channel with everything set to 100% than under Custom Color. Well therefore just focus Battlefield V for this section. Details can be found in. There are nine picture presets, mostly game-type specific, three gaming modes and Custom Color if you want to calibrate grayscale. Some would prefer a wider gamut for extra vibrancy Best Monitor For Warzone. Nvidia Adaptive-Sync (G-SYNC Compatible) Alienware AW2720HF . The monitor uses a 24.5 240Hz AHVA IPS-type (In-Plane Switching type) panel from AUO. This is quite common on LBL settings as reducing the green channel negatively impacts contrast, but in this case it was rather noticeable and you were left with a warmish but very green image. The depth of the dark shades and overall atmosphere created was certainly not as impressive as on models with much stronger static contrast. Silky smooth and the response . Every player has a different notion about the ideal . The subpixel layout and arrangement is normal and we had no subpixel-related concerns related to sharpness or text clarity on this model. No additional monitor drivers or ICC profiles were specifically loaded for the review. 360 Hz is seriously fast, and even just moving dialog boxes around the desktop looked almost other-worldly. To configure VSync, open AMD Radeon Software. It was free from the sort of shifts in perceived gamma that can significantly mask dark detail in some regions of the screen whilst revealing too much detail elsewhere. Some shades, such as cerulean (2) and lilac (8), appear somewhat undersaturated. The question lies in . Performance on the black level test was good overall. Theres no strobe backlight mode on this model, but they come with their own compromises that not everyone is willing to make. This is exactly what the Dell Alienware AW2521HF delivered. No saturation losses towards the bottom or edges as youd see from other panel types. The darkest blue block blended into the background a bit too readily. Percentage deviations between each quadrant and the brightest point are also given. It was free from alternation between deeper purple and a very strong pink hue that youd see on VA and moreover VA models. On Shadow of the Tomb Raider things were also presented in a rich and natural way. Dell AW2521HF Monitor Simplified Service Manual. SciMath-DLL Professional Development. Even the best VA performers show quite pronounced shifts in saturation for such pastel shades when theyre shown towards peripheral sections of the screen rather than centrally. The monitor offers fairly comprehensive sRGB coverage (99%), with a very small amount of under-coverage. With respectable graphics settings and more intense action it wasnt uncommon to see dips below 100fps, perhaps closer to 60fps on average. To maximise colour accuracy within the sRGB colour space, for colour-managed workflows, full calibration and profiling with a colorimeter or similar device is recommended. These are our suggested calibration settings for your Alienware 240Hz Monitor: Picture Mode - Custom Color. But this is due more to uniformity on our sample than viewing angle behaviour. Performance Tip: use the Fast overdrive setting for everything; it works the best. Above this dropdown list theres a toggle for Radeon Enhanced Sync. It must be remembered that uniformity varies between individual units and you can also expect variation beyond the points measured. The power supply is internal and fed by an IEC power cord. The Alienware AW2521HF is a FreeSync gaming monitor, but its also compatible with Nvidias G-Sync. Additional testing was performed using an AMD Radeon 580 and using HDMI, although observations for this table didnt significantly vary between GPUs or inputs. Not to the extent seen on models with a more generous colour gamut, but enough to stand out and have the intended look overall. True 8-bit colour is supported and a 1ms grey to grey response time. This contrasted starkly with competing TN models that would show an obvious gradient of saturation vertically and VA models which show shifts from centre to bottom and sides. Not to the extent seen on models with a more generous colour gamut, but enough to stand out and have the intended look overall. Again, we're talking a deltaE of about 2, which is still something most people will not notice. Inside the upright, visible from the front, is a convenient graduated number scale so you can remember your height setting when moving the AW2521H from place to place. Responsiveness (General) The greyscale gradient appeared smooth without obvious banding or dithering. It was masked by a bit of graininess from the screen surface as well. The third and fourth blocks were slightly fainter than they should be, although still distinguishable. It started to creep in a little bit even at the high double digit to very low triple digit frame rates. With respectable graphics settings and more intense action it wasnt uncommon to see dips below 100fps, perhaps closer to 60fps on average. You can even improve the color settings by simply tweaking the RGB controls of a monitor which will reduce the warmth of the screen and produce a more balanced image. At least on our unit, where the default colour temperature was far too high. Classic and satisfying dish with garlic, lemon, and rosemary. With a review of specifications, price, power, temperature, and other details. AMD LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) is also supported by this model, which means that the refresh rate will stick to multiples of the frame rate where it falls below the 48Hz (48fps) floor of operation for FreeSync. The consistency is also very good in most cases, superior to VA models and far superior to TN models (references. When the frame rate rises above 240fps, the monitor will stay at 240Hz and the GPU will respect your selection of VSync on or VSync off in the graphics driver. All but the final pattern was distinct from the background, with the final pattern faintly visible although a bit fainter than it could be. Contrast We wont be going into this in detail as its a GPU feature rather than a monitor feature. Input lag sits at 2.75ms, so there is no need to worry about delays or de-synced instances during competitive play. In contrast to models with G-SYNC modules, which feature variable overdrive that re-tunes things dynamically to a wide range of different refresh rates. The rear of the screen continues the Alienware aesthetic, with the creatively named Dark Side of the Moon shade used extensively (or Lunar Light for the HFL model). The responsiveness of the monitor was also quite impressive which is a good thing given that its a key focus of 240Hz models like this. It requires huge visual sacrifices and very specific content to be shown on the screen. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"zg2cYY5zq25POHOP6IsDfN8FBZJHLm773fg_fBtMlJU-1800-0"}; The screen surface was a touch on the grainy side when viewing lighter content, although this wasnt a strong layered graininess or excessively sandy appearance thankfully. Quite gamery, but in in a less aggressive and sharp-lined or flashy colourful way than usual. The gamma curve is shown below for our Test Settings, with similar performance here to the factory defaults. Given the extensive analysis above, we dont much to add from Shadow of the Tomb Raider. There is a little light powdery trailing behind the UFOs, particularly for the dark and medium backgrounds. The depth of the dark shades and overall atmosphere created was certainly not as impressive as on models with much stronger static contrast. FreeSync: Yes; G Sync: No; . A DeltaE >3 represents significant deviation that most users could readily notice by eye. Some models are specifically validated as G-SYNC compatible, which means they have been specifically tested by Nvidia and pass specific quality checks. As factory defaults but somewhat warmer with a slight green tint and slightly higher brightness. The bottom trim is 15mm wide and features the Alienware logo and a label proudly announcing 360 Hz. A tiny LED at the lower right glows white and doubles as the power button. On some monitors, particularly but not exclusively those with high refresh rates, interlace patterns can be seen during certain transitions. The Alienware AW2521HF is extremely fast when it comes to pixel response times, so blur-free gaming is entirely possible. Positives . The camera is mounted slightly above centre so that the image is representative of what the eye sees from an ergonomically correct viewing position. Date published: July 10th 2020. Strong consistency due to IPS-type panel, without the perceived gamma and saturation shifts associated with TN or VA panels. Sensitivity to such things varies, however. Youd therefore select either the third or fourth option in the list, shown in the image below. This characteristic makes the monitor a practical choice since you dont need to stick to one GPU brand for the rest of its lifespan. That means that if you dont care about G-Sync, its actually better to do 240 Hz with ULMB than 360 Hz. [CDATA[ ComfortView 2.1 6336K Intended as a Low Blue Light (LBL) setting, but very ineffective. The subpixel layout and arrangement is normal and we had no subpixel-related concerns related to sharpness or text clarity on this model. This was only observed during this test and is something weve seen on various monitors before. Fast flat panels used to rely on TN technology for their speed, but that is no more. The contrast performance was much as we were expecting. Whilst both elements are important, eye movement is usually the dominant factor on modern monitors. One of the most important concepts raised in that article is perceived blur, contributed to by the movement of your eyes as you track motion on the screen as well as pixel responsiveness. As usual we tested a broad range of game titles using FreeSync and found the experience similar across the board. This reflects a significant reduction in perceived blur due to eye movement. Perceived blur (pursuit photography) The image below shows how things look with refresh rate bumped up to 144Hz. The contrast performance was much as we were expecting. This indicates that the monitor has been specifically tested by Nvidia and passes specific quality checks. Buy from Amazon Interlace pattern artifacts This isnt a strong stuttering and isnt something youll generally notice or find bothersome unless youre frequently passing the boundary. Nvidias website lists a 48 240Hz VRR, which would match AMD FreeSync. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"zg2cYY5zq25POHOP6IsDfN8FBZJHLm773fg_fBtMlJU-1800-0"}; Unless youre frequently passing this boundary its not something youre likely to notice or care about, though. . Colour gamut The perceived blur due to eye movement was also greatly reduced, much as demonstrated with the pursuit photos earlier on. Further information on supporting our work. The connected feel and perceived blur took a real hit here, but the technology did its thing to get rid of tearing and stuttering all the same. Some models are specifically validated as G-SYNC compatible, which means they have been specifically tested by Nvidia and pass specific quality checks. Gamma consistency was good, ensuring detail levels were largely appropriate (IPS glow affected regions aside) throughout the screen. If you activate the Frame Rate feature under Game Game Enhance Mode in the OSD, this will display the refresh rate of the display and therefore indicate the frame rate if FreeSync is active and the frame rate is within the variable refresh rate range of the display. Where possible, youll be redirected to your nearest store. Its something were sensitive to, as long-time readers of our website will be well aware. This indicates a low viewing angle dependency to the gamma curve of the monitor, typical for an IPS-type panel. They often catch the eye due to their dynamic nature, on models where they manifest themselves in this way. A very slight shadowy trail behind the UFO, but overall rather similar to the Fast setting in appearance. A slight reduction in powdery trailing at the expense of a bit of overshoot being introduced was the trade-off when stepping up the level, but the differences were not too profound. No saturation losses towards the bottom or edges as youd see from other panel types. Using VRR improved pixel response behaviour for very high refresh rates, too, allowing the Extreme overdrive setting to be used without strong overshoot. It cant compensate for other interruptions to smooth game play, for example network latency or insufficient system memory. The monitor can also be set to 120Hz although not documented in this testing, results were very much comparable to 144Hz. This feature is used regardless of VSync setting, so its only above the ceiling of operation where the VSync setting makes a difference. Together, the monitor certainly didnt provide a deep and atmospheric look to dark scenes and is more suited to viewing in a well-lit room. We have no major complaints about this product, plus we think its pricing is more palatable and comparable to its competitors. It has exceptional motion handling and low input lag, whether you play at its maximum 240Hz refresh rate or 60Hz. Brightness 200cd/m 2 - 56. Viewing angles Aquamarine (4) is particularly good at highlighting this relative strength. Standard accessories include a power cable, DP cable, HDMI cable and USB 3.0 upstream cable. G-Sync worked perfectly as we often hit the 360 Hz maximum, thanks to the GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card in our Alienware gaming PC. This is exactly what the Dell Alienware AW2521HF delivered. FreeSync the technology and activating it The first couple of blocks blended into the background well, which is usual for a monitor tracking the 2.2 gamma curve correctly. At 60Hz we measured a slightly higher but still reasonable 6.47ms. Publish date: 31 AUG 2021. Press OK, then turn the monitor off then on again so that it re-establishes connection the technology should now be active. We consider either Fast or Super Fast optimal here, both being very well-tuned and difficult to distinguish from one another in practice. Resolution: 1920 x 1080 . Youll also notice G-SYNC Compatible listed under Monitor Technology in this section, as shown below. The image below shows how things look with refresh rate bumped up to 144Hz. Our suggestions regarding use of VSync also apply, but youre using Nvidia Control Panel rather than AMD Radeon Software to control this. When you open up Nvidia Control Panel, you should then see Set up G-SYNC listed in the Display section. The monitor produced most shades here quite faithfully, accounting for the natural differences related to emissive vs. non-emissive objects noted above. Buy from Amazon Medium chocolate brown and some neighbouring shades appear a touch more saturated and warmer in tone on the AW2521HF when displayed at the bottom vs. top of the screen. IPS glow also came with the territory. Donations are also greatly appreciated. I was disappointed to find that it only offered 20 colors, though, none of which were plain white (my preferred bias lighting color). But far from poor. The monitor offers fairly comprehensive sRGB coverage (99%), with a very small amount of under-coverage. Medium chocolate brown and some neighbouring shades appear a touch more saturated and warmer in tone on the AW2521HF when displayed at the bottom vs. top of the screen. The Lagom tests for contrast allow specific weaknesses in contrast performance to be identified. The ports are concealed beneath a removable plastic cover, facing downwards and include; AC power input (internal power converter), 2 USB 3.0 ports (plus upstream), 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, DP 1.2a and a 3.5mm audio line-out. Shade representation using SpyderCHECKR 24 The strong consistency was also very evident when considering Laras glowing and all-too-perfect complexion. At 60Hz, above, the UFO appears soft without sharp focus or clear internal detailing. The OSD controls are located towards the bottom left. This was only observed during this test and is something weve seen on various monitors before. Candy apple red appeared with a bit of an orange-red tone due to extension in the red to green edge of the gamut. This reflects another significant reduction in perceived blur due to eye movement. Details can be found in this article. Plus a bit of overextension, in the green to red region. Vegetation showed appropriate variety and included some reasonably rich-looking forest greens alongside a good variety of more muted shades. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The SpyderX Elite was also used to analyse variation in the colour temperature (white point) for the same 9 quadrants. The remaining blocks were displayed appropriately with good steps up in brightness. Rainbow Six is designed to make the most out of multi-core CPUs. In contrast to models with G-SYNC modules, which feature variable overdrive that re-tunes things dynamically to a wide range of different refresh rates. Alternatively, static interlace patterns may be seen with some shades appearing as faint horizontal or vertical bands of a slightly lighter and slightly darker version of the intended shade. Gamboge (23) verged too much on a mustard yellow without a suitably warm golden hue, too. The first couple of blocks blended into the background well, which is usual for a monitor tracking the 2.2 gamma curve correctly. The better choice is Custom color, where there are RGB sliders but no gamma options. The screen surface was a touch on the grainy side when viewing lighter content, although this wasnt a strong layered graininess or excessively sandy appearance thankfully. Input lag The ~1000:1 static contrast being somewhat limiting in that respect. The table below shows these values as well as the percentage deviation between each quadrant and the brightest point measured. From these values, static contrast ratios were calculated. The AW2521H's overdrive feature (labeled Response Time in the menu) can improve motion even further, though it does introduce slight haloing artifacts. You should then ensure that the first slider, Radeon FreeSync is set to Enabled as shown below. This resulted in a more noticeable powdery trailing with a greater effect on perceived blur. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. Some models are specifically validated as G-SYNC compatible, which means they have been specifically tested by Nvidia and pass specific quality checks. A DeltaE >3 represents significant deviation that most users could readily notice by eye. Dark areas with just a few point sources of light illuminating are common on this title, including dark tombs and passageways. Some shades appear a touch oversaturated due primarily to the slight extension in the gamut, the most noticeable being dark lime green (18) which appeared a touch more neon. The Super Fast setting just slightly reduces this, replacing it with a very small amount of overshoot. You need to make sure FreeSync is set to On in the Game section of the OSD. We prefer stronger RGB LEDs at the rear, producing a strong glow around the monitor that can help enhance perceived contrast. Reasonable contrast, in-line with expectation, strong gamma consistency and a pleasing luminance adjustment range A futuristic sci-fi prop look which some will find quite endearing. The refresh rate was put to very good use overall; fairly strong pixel responsiveness, low input lag and no noticeable overshoot. The brightest point recorded was quadrant 5 in the centre of the screen (168.2 cd/m). We achieved accurate color with this option for both SDR and HDR content. Its accessible on the right-hand side at the back if you are facing the display, so it shouldnt be too difficult to reach over. Full HD resolution is quite limiting in some respects, stand reasonably deep which could be an issue if you have a shallow desk (VESA mounting is an option) Note that there is always some disparity between how emissive objects (monitor) and non-emissive objects (printed sheet) appear.