We assume that you, like most gamers, need one high-quality monitor that will satisfy all your gaming and work needs. Guided by that idea, it was our pleasure to review the Alienware AW2721D, a premium gaming monitor with great design, versatility, capabilities, and luxury.
If you’ve put aside a little extra cash and are looking for a monitor that’s equally good at all games, check out our recommendation for the Alienware AW2721D.
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Alienware AW2721D | |
Panel Size (inch) | 27 |
Panel Type | IPS |
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 |
Response Time | 1 ms |
Refresh Rate (Max) | 240 Hz |
G-SYNC Compatible | Yes |
FreeSync | Yes |
Speakers | No |
I/O Ports | HDMI x2, DisplayPort x1, USB 3.1 x4 |
Table of Contents
1. Design and first impression
Sometimes the art comes from the most minimalist lines, which you can find in the new Alienware monitors, like the one we have here, the AW2721D. At first glance, it seems powerful and mysterious.
Their designs have changed over the years, but generally, their level is always immortal. Think back to the early 2010s. The Alienware brand produces laptops that look like they came out of the future. They looked impressive without being harsh, unlike anything we had ever known. Looking at them, any store with an Alienware laptop will surely be at the top of their shelves.
Now the design of Alienware is also different than before. It is complete, aerodynamic, and refined, bringing the breath of a new era to every line of other products. It can be said that Alienware is like the Rolls Royce of the technology world. However, it works; the mere fact that it is “parked” there makes its owner look more luxurious.
Returning to the AW2721D monitor, we had an excellent experience unpacking and opening it. The components and accessories of this monitor are almost perfect. The plastic around the screen is solid and high-quality, and the frame structure of the monitor’s legs is very stable. It doesn’t shake even a little. After placing the monitor on the gaming desk, you must feel empowered to own such refined hardware.
2. Gaming experience
Alienware AW2721D is a monitor with a diagonal of 27″ and a resolution of 2K (1440p). So this is quite a popular resolution nowadays for all AAA gaming titles. Whether you are a casual or professional gamer, this monitor will not leave you indifferent or disappointed.
If you have primarily played in 1080p resolution (full HD) so far, you must try your favorite games in 1440p to see how much better everything can look.
In an FPS game, the Alienware AW2721D, with a refresh rate of 240 Hz, will make your movements smoother, and the lower latency will make aiming very effective. If you can try this monitor in your favorite FPS game, trust us that you will have difficulty returning to your old full HD screen.
For eSports games, the 24-inch screen was the standard size until recently. It’s big enough and brings that size to the focus area of your eye, but it’s not very comfortable if you’re looking for more visibility and detail. Playing games on a 24-inch screen is like riding a sports bike, hiding from strong winds, and hugging smooth corners, but it’s an unpleasant experience.
The screen on the AW2721D on which you want to run eSports games comes with a great size to display a wealth of detail, but also compact enough that you can focus your eyes on the action without moving your head. The 240 Hz refresh rate is also a desirable item. Remember that the graphics card in your gaming system must also follow these monitor specifications.
Testing
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is still the standard for AAA games, so we did a small test to see how it would look on the Alienware monitor. But more importantly, the game has been out for a long, and it’s not so demanding for the average gaming setup today.
After only a few rounds in the game, it becomes clear that the color of this screen is very “full.” Of course, sitting on the same tray with monstrous and expensive screens isn’t fair to cheaper models, but these monsters will still give you voyeuristically realistic color representation.
You will have a red color of flowers, fire, and blood that is bright enough; green leaves, the sky is soft enough; a yellow color of light, and enough sun. In short, you will have very natural colors and a wealth of details that we have not seen before on cheaper screens and in a lower resolution.
Our subjective and objective opinion is that this monitor will provide you with an excellent gaming experience in any AAA game. Of course, the competition also has something to offer at a much more favorable price, but we believe that Alienware is in a class of its own and a must-have for all lovers of something that will set them apart from the regular offer.
Watching a movie on a screen like this is enough to make you happy, not to mention playing games. Alienware AW2721D has native support for G-SYNC ULTIMATE – Nvidia’s most prestigious standard for delivering the best gaming experience, including HDR, excellent contrast and color, and ultra-low latency gaming.
3. Our thoughts and honest opinion
Great size for eSports gaming
As we’ve pointed out, 27 inches is a comfortable size when playing eSports games. It’s not too big to constantly move your head like a 32-inch or larger screen. If you play AAA games, this size is still good enough for you and is not as restrictive as a 24-inch screen.
High refresh rate and an excellent response time
As for the refresh rate, most gamers find 144 Hz more than enough for eSports, but we argue that more is always better. If you have an RTX 3070 or a stronger graphics card, be sure that it will provide its maximum with monitors that have a high refresh rate.
When we held Draven on the 144Hz screen, it was nice to see how many times the ax spun before plunging into Caitlyn’s friend’s head. Since then, we haven’t played League of Legends on any screen with a higher refresh rate until we got hold of the Alienware model.
If 144Hz is the standard for playing eSports games, 240Hz is enough to notice the frames moving on the screen barely. For most gamers, these two frequency thresholds won’t improve your competitive results, but it’s clear that any monitor that can pull 240Hz, like the Alienware AW2721D, will still deliver a more fluid display of on-screen action.
16:9 aspect ratio and 2K
Finally, the Alienware AW2721D has the standard aspect ratio for every game genre on earth – 16:9. Being able to play racing or AAA games on a screen like this won’t be as cool as a curved, large and 21:9 screen like the Alienware 38, but that’s not the design purpose of the device. This screen was born to fight all games, leaving nothing out, from AAA games to even the type of game people play hardcore, like eSport.
In addition, the Alienware comes with a 2K resolution. It has an excellent color quality that will take your gaming experience to the next level compared to a standard full HD screen in any gaming genre you can think of.
Disadvantage
Among the disadvantages, we can mention the lower contrast, so black looks more like gray if you like gaming in darkened rooms. On the other hand, in brighter rooms, you may have problems with glare if you place it in front of a bright light.
Read More: Best 144Hz Gaming Monitor, Best Gaming Monitor Under 200, Best Gaming Monitor Under 300
Conclusion
Although it’s a higher price than competing models, we are delighted with the quality and design of the Alienware AW2721D. However, even this Alienware model is not perfect. We recommend another model if you want to do photography or similar work. This is primarily a gaming monitor, and we can forgive some minor flaws, such as lower contrast and the appearance of reflections in bright light.
If money is not a problem, we strongly recommend you consider this Alienware model. If quality is your priority but at a lower price, read our previous articles on great gaming monitors.
We hope this article brought you interesting information about the Alienware AW2721D. Thank you for your attention, and we wish you a great gaming experience if you choose this monitor.