The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is a 27-inch, 1440p gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate. It's an entry-level QD-OLED in Dell's gaming lineup, sitting below options with higher refresh rates, like the Dell Alienware AW2725D and the Dell Alienware AW2725DF. It competes against other lower-cost 240Hz OLEDs, like the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q and the AOC AGON PRO AG276QZD2. It has the basics for gaming, including FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync to reduce screen tearing, and an adjustable stand. Dell also advertises that it comes with a three-year warranty against burn-in. However, it lacks features that more premium options have, like high-bandwidth ports and a USB hub.
Our Verdict
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is excellent for PC gaming. It offers the basics for gaming, like a fast 240Hz refresh rate and VRR support to reduce screen tearing. It also has low input lag for a responsive feel and a fast response time, resulting in incredible motion handling. Plus, it delivers fantastic overall picture quality with deep blacks in bright rooms, no haloing around bright highlights, and a wide range of colors. Unfortunately, it doesn't get bright enough for a vivid HDR viewing experience, and it lacks high-bandwidth ports to take advantage of the latest graphics cards.
Deep blacks in dark rooms.
No haloing around bright objects.
Low input lag.
Near-instant response time.
240Hz refresh rate.
Blacks look purple in bright rooms.
Low-bandwidth ports.
Limited brightness.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is great for console gaming. It supports most signals from a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, including downscaled 4k @ 60Hz, but it doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz. Luckily, motion looks sharp thanks to its fast response time, and its low input lag results in a responsive feel. It even displays deep blacks in dark rooms, has no haloing around bright objects, and displays a wide range of colors. However, it has worse color volume and isn't as bright as other QD-OLEDs, so it doesn't deliver the most impactful HDR viewing experience.
Deep blacks in dark rooms.
No haloing around bright objects.
Low input lag.
Near-instant response time.
Supports VRR with a PS5 and Xbox.
Blacks look purple in bright rooms.
Limited brightness.
No 4k @ 120Hz support from consoles.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is okay for office use. Its wide viewing angle and ergonomic stand help if you need to share your screen with someone next to you. It also has decent text clarity, but there's fringing around letters. There are some clear drawbacks, as it doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare, and it risks burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time. It also lacks any productivity features, like a USB hub.
Ergonomic stand.
Decent reflection handling.
Limited brightness.
Fringing around letters.
Risk of burn-in.
No USB hub.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is great for editing. It delivers fantastic overall picture quality, especially if you edit content in dark rooms. It displays deep blacks and a wide range of colors, and has no haloing around bright objects. Sadly, it looks worse in bright rooms as the black levels rise, making them look purple. You also need to calibrate it as it's inaccurate and oversaturated out of the box. Plus, it risks burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
Deep blacks in dark rooms.
No haloing around bright objects.
Wide viewing angle.
Decent reflection handling.
Blacks look purple in bright rooms.
Limited brightness.
Risk of burn-in.
No USB hub.
Inaccurate before calibration.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM has mediocre brightness. It doesn't get bright enough to fight intense glare, but at least some highlights pop against dark backgrounds in HDR.
Limited brightness.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM has a near-instantaneous response time for incredibly sharp motion.
Near-instant response time.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM has amazing HDR picture quality. It displays a wide range of colors and looks best in a dark environment due to its near-infinite contrast ratio. However, the picture quality is worse in a bright room as the black levels rise and colors desaturate.
Deep blacks in dark rooms.
Displays wide range of colors.
Blacks look purple in bright rooms.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM has outstanding SDR picture quality. It displays a wide range of colors alongside perfect black levels in dark rooms. However, the black levels rise in bright rooms, making them look purple.
Deep blacks in dark rooms.
Displays wide range of colors.
Blacks look purple in bright rooms.
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM has okay accuracy. It lacks a dedicated sRGB mode, so colors are oversaturated before calibration. You need to calibrate it for perfect accuracy.
Inaccurate before calibration.
Performance Usages
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 27-inch Dell Alienware AW2726DM, which is the only size available. There are other 27-inch, 1440p models in Dell's Alienware gaming lineup, which you can see below, but the results are only valid for this model.
| Model | Panel Type | Refresh Rate | Ports |
|---|---|---|---|
| AW2726DM | QD-OLED | 240Hz |
1x DP 1.4 2x HDMI 2.0 |
| AW2725DM | IPS | 180Hz | 1x DP 1.4 2x HDMI 2.0 2x USB-A |
| AW2725D | QD-OLED | 280Hz | 1x DP 1.4 2x HDMI 2.1 1x USB-A, 1x USB-C |
| AW2725DF | QD-OLED | 360Hz | 1x DP 1.4 2x HDMI 2.0 3x USB-A, 1x USB-C |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in February 2026 in Thailand. We tested it with firmware M3C101.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell Alienware AW2726DM is an entry-level 1440p, 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor. There's nothing outstanding about this monitor, and it offers the basics for gaming, like VRR support and a 240Hz refresh rate. It competes against other low-cost OLED gaming displays, like the HyperX OMEN OLED 27q and the LG 27GX704A-B, but lacks some features its competitors have. It doesn't have high-bandwidth DisplayPort or HDMI ports to take advantage of the latest graphics cards. It's also dim, so it doesn't deliver the same vivid HDR viewing experience that QD-OLEDs are known for.
That said, it offers a niche spot in the market as a budget-friendly OLED monitor. It's essentially trading off higher-end features while maintaining deep blacks, no haloing, and sharp motion. If you have a limited budget and want the benefits of an OLED, you can't go wrong with it. However, if you want a brighter screen or extra perks, you'd have to spend more on a higher-end model, like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF.
Also see our recommendations for the best monitors under $500, the best gaming monitors under $300, and the best OLED monitors.
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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