The Dell AW2725DF is a 27-inch 1440p premium gaming monitor with a QD-OLED display. It's one of several new QD-OLEDS of this size that are entering the market in 2024, like the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED and the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6/G60SD. It has many gaming features, like a 360Hz refresh rate and variable refresh rate (VRR) support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and HDMI Forum VRR. It also includes several gaming-specific visual enhancements as part of AlienVision, including a 'Chroma' mode to apply dynamic heatmaps to better distinguish game objects from the background, as well as more conventional game assist features like crosshair support. Dell also offers a three-year warranty on the monitor, which includes burn-in coverage.
Our Verdict
The Dell AW2725DF is outstanding for PC gaming. It has an extremely fast 360Hz refresh rate, and its near-instantaneous response time results in extremely crisp images. It also has very low input lag, which creates a responsive gaming experience. However, without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, you can only take full advantage of the monitor over DisplayPort. It also has noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates. On the plus side, it has outstanding picture quality, as its near-perfect contrast ratio means deep blacks are visible next to bright highlights in dark rooms, and small highlights get bright enough to pop.
Deep and inky blacks in dark rooms.
- 360Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
- Near-instantaneous response time.
- Low input lag.
- Displays bright and vivid colors.
- Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
- Noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates.
The Dell AW2725DF is great for console gaming. Gaming-wise, it has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to sharp motion, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. It also delivers vibrant and life-like images thanks to its near-infinite contrast and vivid colors. That said, it can't take full advantage of gaming consoles as it lacks HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and images aren't the most detailed due to the 1440p resolution.
Deep and inky blacks in dark rooms.
- Near-instantaneous response time.
- Low input lag.
- Displays bright and vivid colors.
- Can't take full advantage of gaming consoles.
- No audio output.
The Dell AW2725DF is decent for office work in certain circumstances. It has excellent ergonomics, so you can place it in your preferred position for a long work session and its exceptionally wide viewing angles make it easy to share your screen with another person. However, its subpixel layout makes text appear slightly less clear than some other 27-inch 1440p monitors. Additionally, OLEDs like this one are prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Fantastic ergonomics.
- Worse text clarity than some other 27-inch, 1440p monitors.
- Risk of burn-in.
- USB-C doesn't support DisplayPort Alt Mode.
The Dell AW2725DF is superb for media creation but has some limitations. It has an exceptionally accurate sRGB mode, and it's unnecessary to calibrate it for a very accurate image. Additionally, its incredibly vivid colors and extremely wide HDR gamut range allow you to edit videos in HDR with great accuracy. However, its subpixel layout means text can appear slightly less clear than some other 27-inch 1440p monitors. Additionally, OLEDs like this one are prone to burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Superb accuracy before calibration.
- Fantastic ergonomics.
- Worse text clarity than some other 27-inch, 1440p monitors.
- Risk of burn-in.
- USB-C doesn't support DisplayPort Alt Mode.
The Dell AW2725DF has okay brightness. It's fine if you have a few lights around, but it doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare. It also gets bright enough in HDR for small highlights to stand out against the rest of the image, but larger highlights are dimmer.
- Small highlights pop against the rest of the image.
- Not bright enough to fight intense glare.
The Dell AW2725DF has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in exceptionally sharp motion.
- Near-instantaneous response time.
- Outstanding refresh rate compliance.
The Dell AW2725DF is outstanding for HDR. Its extremely wide HDR color gamut ensures movies and shows look as creators intended, with vivid colors and subtle dark shades visible next to each other. It also has near-infinite contrast, and deep blacks are visible next to bright highlights in dark rooms.
Deep and inky blacks in dark rooms.
- Displays bright and vivid colors.
The Dell AW2725DF has outstanding SDR picture quality, displaying deep and inky blacks in dark rooms and a wide range of colors.
Deep and inky blacks in dark rooms.
- No blooming around bright objects.
The Dell AW2725DF has exceptional color accuracy. It has a dedicated sRGB mode with superb accuracy, so you don't even need to calibrate it for the most accurate colors.
- Superb accuracy before calibration.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Mar 17, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1.2. We added a new Panel Technology box, including the Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) graph.
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Updated Jan 20, 2026:
We bought and tested the Gigabyte MO27Q28G, and added a comparison in the HDR Brightness section.
- Updated Nov 10, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1.1. We removed the Vertical Viewing Angle test.
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Updated Jun 13, 2025:
We updated text throughout to match the new and updated tests with Test Bench 2.1, including in the Verdict section.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Dell AW2725DF, which is the only size available for this monitor. It's one of two monitors in Dell's 2024 lineup that features a QD-OLED panel, with the other being Dell Alienware AW3225QF, but that monitor is different as it has a 4k resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. The results are only valid for this model.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Panel Type | Refresh Rate | Firmware Version Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AW2725DF | 27" | 1440p | QD-OLED | 360Hz | M3B102 |
Our unit was manufactured in December 2023; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell AW2725DF is one of the best gaming monitors available and is truly outstanding in the 27-inch gaming monitor category. Its gaming performance and image quality are among the best available, making this monitor an excellent choice for esports gamers and those looking for a beautiful, immersive gaming experience. It's also an outstanding choice for viewing media, though you won't see the full details of modern 4k shows and movies as it only has a 1440p display, and you'd have to consider the Dell Alienware AW2725Q if you want a 4k QD-OLED. However, while QD-OLEDs generally offer slightly better performance than WOLEDs, WOLEDs can have some advantages in brighter environments. For example, the LG 27GS95QE-B has fantastic gaming performance, with the same near-instantaneous response time, and it displays deeper blacks in bright rooms. That said, it has a lower 240Hz refresh rate, and its HDR colors look less vivid.
See our recommendations for the best 1440p monitors, the best 27-inch gaming monitors, and the best OLED monitors.
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG are 27-inch OLED gaming monitors. The ASUS is a better option if you're gaming in a bright room, as it gets much brighter, and deep blacks don't appear slightly purple when there's a lot of ambient light on the screen. However, the Dell is a better choice if you play a lot of competitive games, as it has a higher refresh rate and a more responsive feel. It also displays more vivid colors in HDR, and the text looks slightly sharper.
The MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED and the Dell Alienware AW2725DF are premium 27-inch gaming monitors with very similar performance. If connectivity is important to you, the MSI is the better choice, as it has a KVM switch and a USB-C port with 90W of power delivery.
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF and the Samsung Odyssey G65D S32BG65D are different types of 1440p gaming monitors. The Dell is the better choice for most gamers, thanks to its superior motion handling and higher refresh rate. The Dell also delivers better picture quality, particularly for HDR gaming, as it has more vivid colors and brighter highlights. The main advantage of getting the Samsung is that it gets brighter, making it better to use in well-lit rooms, and it doesn't risk burn-in like the OLED panel on the
The Dell Alienware AW2725DF and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27ACDNG are competing 1440p, 360Hz monitors with QD-OLED panels. They're similar in terms of performance, but the ASUS has a few advantages when it comes to features. The ASUS has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth that lets you take full advantage of modern graphics cards and gaming consoles. It also has a KVM switch that makes it easy to multitask, and its USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, so you can display an image from your laptop. On top of that, the ASUS' higher brightness makes it a better choice to use in bright rooms.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
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