The Dell Alienware AW3423DW is a 34-inch, 1440p ultrawide gaming monitor that was the first QD-OLED to come out in 2022. QD-OLED aims to combine the strengths of OLED and quantum dot displays to produce perfect black levels with a wider range of colors that get brighter compared to standard OLED displays; some TVs use this panel technology as well. This monitor has a 175Hz refresh rate and native G-SYNC VRR support. Although OLEDs risk permanent burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time, the monitor has a few settings to reduce the issue, and Dell also offers a three-year replacement warranty against burn-in.
Our Verdict
The Dell AW3423DW is remarkable for PC gaming. It has a 175Hz refresh rate and native G-SYNC support to take full advantage of NVIDIA graphics cards. Motion looks sharp thanks to the near-instantaneous response time, and it has low enough input lag for a responsive feel. It also delivers fantastic picture quality, especially in dark rooms, because it has a near-infinite contrast ratio that makes blacks look deep and inky and colors look vivid. However, the black levels are raised in bright rooms, worsening the contrast.
- 34-inch screen with 21:9 aspect ratio.
- 175Hz refresh rate with native G-SYNC support.
- Near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion.
- Low enough input lag.
- Perfect black levels in dark rooms.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
The Dell AW3423DW is good for console gaming. Although it can't take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and these consoles don't support ultrawide signals, it still delivers outstanding gaming performance. It has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to extremely sharp motion, and it has a low enough input lag for a responsive feel. It also offers stunning picture quality, with deep and inky blacks in dark rooms, but the black levels rise in bright rooms. On the plus side, highlights pop, and colors look vivid.
- Near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion.
- Low enough input lag.
- Perfect black levels in dark rooms.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
- Limited compatibility with consoles.
The Dell AW3423DW is good for office use, but there are limitations. The large 34-inch screen is big enough to open multiple windows side by side, and the curved screen helps bring the edges within your field of vision. Sadly, there are some issues with its unique subpixel structure as there's color fringing on the edges of windows and with some larger text elements. Also, using it in bright rooms worsens the picture quality because the black levels rise. It also risks permanent burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
- 34-inch screen with 21:9 aspect ratio.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Good ergonomics for an ultrawide.
- Color fringing around windows.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
- Risk of permanent burn-in.
The Dell AW3423DW is fantastic for content creators, but it has some limitations. It has remarkable accuracy before calibration, and it displays a wide range of colors in SDR and HDR. It also has a big 34-inch screen with a 21:9 aspect ratio, making it easier to view more of your workspace at once. Unfortunately, there's color fringing with some text and around windows. Also, it displays near-perfect black levels in dark rooms, but blacks look purple in bright rooms due to the reflection handling. Lastly, it risks burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Good ergonomics for an ultrawide.
- Remarkable accuracy before calibration.
- Displays a wide range of colors in SDR and HDR.
- Color fringing around windows.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
- Risk of permanent burn-in.
The Dell AW3423DW has okay brightness. While it doesn't get bright enough to fight a ton of glare in well-lit rooms, it still makes small highlights pop against the rest of the image in HDR.
- Small highlights pop.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
The Dell AW3423DW has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to exceptionally sharp motion.
- Near-instantaneous response time for sharp motion.
- Outstanding refresh rate compliance.
The Dell AW3423DW is outstanding for HDR. It has a near-infinite contrast ratio that displays perfect blacks with no blooming in dark rooms, but the black levels rise in bright rooms. It also displays a wide range of colors and makes them look extremely vivid.
- Perfect black levels in dark rooms.
- Colors look bright and vivid.
- No blooming around bright objects.
The Dell AW3423DW has outstanding SDR picture quality as it displays deep and inky blacks and a wide range of colors.
- Perfect black levels in dark rooms.
- Displays a wide range of colors in SDR and HDR.
- No blooming around bright objects.
- Bright light worsens the picture quality and contrast.
The Dell AW3423DW has outstanding color accuracy. Its dedicated sRGB mode has remarkably accurate colors, and it isn't necessary to calibrate it. It also keeps this accurate image consistent across the entire screen, thanks to its excellent gray uniformity.
- Remarkable accuracy before calibration.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Aug 14, 2025:
Clarified that the Dell Alienware AW3425DW is another ultrawide QD-OLED with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
- Updated Feb 21, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0.1. This includes a new test result for DisplayPort 2.1 Transmission Bandwidth.
- Updated May 15, 2024: Updated text throughout the review according to Test Bench 2.0, mainly in the Verdict and Motion sections.
- Updated May 13, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0. This includes new tests for VRR Motion Performance, Refresh Rate Compliance, Cumulative Absolute Deviation (CAD), and VRR Flicker. You can read the full changelog here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 34-inch Dell AW3423DW, which is the only size available, and the results are only valid for this monitor. It replaces the Dell Alienware AW3420DW but is a completely different monitor, so it's not a true successor. The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is a similar monitor that uses the same panel but supports FreeSync Premium Pro VRR technology instead of G-SYNC Ultimate, has a different selection of inputs, and features a Console Mode for better compatibility with the PS5.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Refresh Rate | VRR | HDMI Inputs | DisplayPort Inputs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AW3423DW | 34" | QD-OLED | 3440 x 1440 | 175Hz | G-SYNC Ultimate | 2 | 1 |
| AW3423DWF | 34" | QD-OLED | 3440 x 1440 | 165Hz | FreeSync Premium Pro | 1 | 2 |
Our Dell Alienware AW3423DW monitor was manufactured in February 2022, and you can see the label here. It was originally tested with firmware M0B101, but Dell released a firmware update in Dec. 2023, labeled as M0B106 or M0B205, depending on the unit you received. You can only update it with an NVIDIA graphics card. It improves the Input Lag, but it doesn't change the brightness or anything else performance-related.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell AW3423DW is a remarkable ultrawide gaming monitor that delivers better picture quality than most monitors. It has incredible motion handling, and HDR games look fantastic thanks to its vivid colors and small highlights that pop. However, it's best to use it in a dark room to get those perfect black levels OLEDs are known for, as the black levels rise in bright rooms. While it's better than most monitors for gaming, there are other QD-OLEDs with a higher refresh rate, like the Dell Alienware AW2725DF, and you can also consider the slightly cheaper Dell Alienware AW3423DWF if you don't need the native G-SYNC support of the AW3423DW.
See our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best ultrawide monitors, and the best HDR gaming monitors.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF is a newer model similar to the Dell Alienware AW3423DW. They use the same QD-OLED panel type, so the picture quality is nearly the same between each, except that the AW3423DWF doesn't get as bright in HDR. The main difference comes with their VRR support, as the AW3423DW has native G-SYNC support while the AW3423DWF has native FreeSync support. The AW3423DWF also has a Console Mode that the AW3423DW doesn't have, letting you send 4k @ 60Hz signals from the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW is better all-around than the Samsung Odyssey G9 C49G95T. The Dell delivers better picture quality because it uses a QD-OLED panel with deeper blacks, so if you want something for dark room gaming, you can't go wrong with it. The Samsung is a better choice if you want to play high-frame-rate games because it has a higher refresh rate, and the larger screen offers a more immersive experience.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9/G95NC S57CG95 are different types of ultrawide monitors. The Dell has a 34-inch screen with a QD-OLED panel, while the Samsung has a much larger 57-inch super ultrawide screen with Mini LED backlighting. The Dell has better picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel, resulting in deeper blacks and more vivid colors. The Dell also has better motion thanks to its near-instantaneous response time. On the other hand, the Samsung gets brighter, making it a better choice if you need something for a well-lit room, and it delivers much sharper images and text thanks to its higher resolution. However, the Samsung doesn't risk permanent burn-in, unlike the Dell.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 are both excellent gaming monitors with different features. If you want something for ultrawide gaming, the Dell has an ultrawide screen, while the Samsung is the better choice for high-resolution gaming as it has a higher 4k resolution. They also use different technologies to improve the picture quality as the Dell has a QD-OLED panel with perfect blacks, which is great for dark room gaming, while the Samsung gets brighter in SDR if you want to use it in a bright room.
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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