The Dell Alienware AW2725DM is an entry-level 1440p gaming monitor. Replacing the Dell Alienware AW2724DM, it sits alongside the Dell Alienware AW3225DM, which is a larger model with a different panel type. This monitor has a 27-inch screen with an IPS panel and a 180Hz refresh rate. It competes against other entry-level gaming monitors with similar specs, like the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS, the MSI G274QPF-QD, and the LG 27G610A-B. It has typical gaming features, like support for all common VRR formats. It's limited in extra features otherwise, as it has HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, but it has a small USB hub that includes two USB-A ports.
Our Verdict
The Dell AW2725DM is decent for PC gaming. It has a 180Hz refresh rate that you can reach with a DisplayPort connection, but not over HDMI, as it's limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth. It also supports all common VRR formats to reduce screen tearing. Plus, it has low input lag for a responsive feel and good motion handling across its VRR range. However, there's less motion blur if you disable VRR. Unfortunately, this monitor has poor picture quality, particularly in HDR, with a low contrast ratio and a terrible local dimming feature that causes distracting haloing.
180Hz refresh rate.
Supports all common VRR formats.
Low input lag.
Consistent motion handling at any refresh rate.
Bright enough to fight most glare.
More blur with VRR on than with it off.
Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
Terrible local dimming that can't be disabled in HDR.
Low contrast ratio.
The Dell AW2725DM is decent for console gaming. It supports most signals from a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, but without HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz signals. Motion looks sharp for the most part, but there's more blur when gaming with VRR than without. Luckily, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, ideal for playing reaction-based games. Sadly, it fails to deliver an impactful HDR experience because its local dimming is terrible and can't be disabled in HDR. It causes distracting haloing and has a low contrast ratio.
Supports all common VRR formats.
Low input lag.
Consistent motion handling at any refresh rate.
Bright enough to fight most glare.
More blur with VRR on than with it off.
Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
Terrible local dimming that can't be disabled in HDR.
Low contrast ratio.
The Dell AW2725DM is good for office use. Text looks sharp, and it comes with a few perks to help with productivity, like an ergonomic stand and a small USB hub. Its wide viewing angle is also useful if you need to share your screen with a coworker. It's even a good choice to use in a room with a few lights around, as it gets bright. However, reflections from bright light sources, like a sunny window, are distracting.
Good text clarity.
Bright enough to fight most glare.
Ergonomic stand.
Reflections are distracting in sunny rooms.
The Dell AW2725DM is decent for content creation. It comes with an accurate sRGB mode, but you'll need to calibrate it to fix white balance issues for perfect accuracy. It's fine for editing SDR content, but it's worse for HDR content creation. It has a terrible local dimming feature that you can't disable in HDR, and it causes distracting haloing at low contrast ratios. On the plus side, images look sharp, and it fights glare well in moderately-lit rooms, but reflections are distracting in sunny environments.
Good text clarity.
Bright enough to fight most glare.
Ergonomic stand.
sRGB mode has great accuracy.
Terrible local dimming that can't be disabled in HDR.
Low contrast ratio.
Reflections are distracting in sunny rooms.
Small highlights are muted in HDR.
White balance issues out-of-the-box.
The Dell AW2725DM has decent brightness. It fights glare in most well-lit rooms, but visibility is an issue in a sunny environment. Unfortunately, due to its terrible local dimming feature, highlights don't pop for an impactful HDR image.
Bright enough to fight most glare.
Small highlights are muted in HDR.
The Dell AW2725DM has a very good response time. Motion looks good for the most part at any refresh rate. However, there's more blur with VRR enabled than with it disabled.
Consistent motion handling at any refresh rate.
More blur with VRR on than with it off.
The Dell AW2725DM has disappointing HDR picture quality. It has a low contrast ratio, making black appear gray. You can't disable local dimming in HDR, which causes distracting haloing around bright objects while also dimming really small highlights.
Terrible local dimming that can't be disabled in HDR.
Low contrast ratio.
The Dell AW2725DM has okay SDR picture quality. It displays a wide range of colors, but the biggest downside is that blacks look gray due to its low contrast ratio.
Displays wide range of colors.
Low contrast ratio.
The Dell AW2725DM has impressive color accuracy. It comes with an accurate sRGB mode. However, calibrating it fixes white balance and some color temperature issues.
sRGB mode has great accuracy.
White balance issues out-of-the-box.
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.
- Updated Feb 18, 2026: Review published.
- Updated Feb 13, 2026: Early access published.
- Updated Feb 05, 2026: Our testers have started testing this product.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 27-inch Dell AW2725DM. Although there's a 32-inch model available, it uses a different panel type and performs differently, as you can see below. The results are only valid for this 27-inch model.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Max Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| AW2725DM | 27" | IPS | 180Hz |
| AW3225DM | 32" | VA (Curved) | 180Hz |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in October 2025 in Taiwan. You can see its other label here. We tested it with firmware M2C103.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell AW2725DM is a cheap entry-level monitor that offers the basics for gaming. It has a 180Hz refresh rate and supports all common VRR formats. It also has good enough motion handling for playing fast-paced games, but there's more blur if you use VRR than if you disable it, which is disappointing for a gaming monitor. Its biggest downside is its terrible local dimming feature, which you can't disable in HDR, so it looks even worse in HDR than competing models like the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS or the MSI G274QPF-QD. However, if you're looking for a low-cost SDR gaming monitor and don't need anything fancy, this monitor certainly does the trick.
Also see our recommendations for the best budget and cheap monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best 27-inch gaming monitors.
The Dell Alienware AW2725DM and the ASUS ROG Strix XG27ACS are competing entry-level 1440p gaming monitors. They share many similarities, including their 180Hz refresh rates. There are some differences, though, as the ASUS has better motion handling with VRR. The ASUS is also more accurate before any sort of calibration. They each have a USB hub, with the Dell having two USB-A ports, and the ASUS having a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode to quickly connect a laptop.
The Dell Alienware AW2725DM is a newer version of the Dell Alienware AW2724DM. Besides design differences, the newer model is very similar. However, one difference is that the AW2725DM has worse motion handling with VRR enabled, which is something to consider for playing fast-paced games.
The LG 27G610A-B and the Dell Alienware AW2725DM are competing cheap gaming monitors. They're similar for the most part, but there are a few differences. For example, the LG has a slightly higher 200Hz refresh rate. However, the Dell still has better motion handling, and it supports VRR with a PS5, which the LG doesn't. The Dell is also much more accurate before calibration, which is something to consider if you don't want to calibrate your monitor.
The MSI G274QPF-QD and the Dell Alienware AW2725DM are both entry-level 1440p gaming monitors. With similar specs, there's not much that separates these two. The Dell has the advantage when it comes to motion handling and console compatibility, as it supports more signals from a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. The main advantage of the MSI is that it displays a wider range of colors. The MSI also has a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode to easily connect a laptop, which the Dell doesn't have.
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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