At the time of purchase, I believe this is the overall best monitor for a gaming PC you can currently get. G-Synch, 120Hz, ultrawide aspect ratio, 3440x1440, IPS panel -- I could go on, but it basically ticks all the boxes.
120Hz doesn't look any different than 144Hz to me, and it's cool that 24, 30, 60 all go into 120 evenly, so pretty much any content you watch is going to be about as smooth as it could be.
There are some 2560x1080 34" monitors, but you really want 3440x1440 at this size. 2560x1080 is a little too blurry when stretched out across 34". The AW3418DW at 3440x1440 resolution is very crisp. I have 20/20 vision, and I guess from a perfectionist point of view I wouldn't say no to an even higher resolution at this size, but I have to say that I am absolutely satisfied by this resolution at this size. Things are clear and crisp and it's good.
If you haven't tried G-sync yet, you really should. The level of smoothness is difficult to describe but man it is superior - there are videos on the subject if you are curious and need convincing. Coming from many non-adaptive refresh monitors, I will not go back.
The curve might put some people off, but in my opinion it only will if they are thinking of curved TVs. A curved TV isn't great because your guests off-center of the TV will see a really skewed image due to the curve. But a curved monitor, at this huge size, this close to your face on your desk? It just makes sense. If I had a totally flat screen at this size & distance, then if I look at the edge of the screen, I'd be looking at that edge at a very significant and noticeable angle. But due to the curve, the edges can be looked at effectively "straight on." The way this monitor wraps around the person sitting at their desk is not extreme; and it's very comfortable and hypnotizingly enveloping. I'd say the level of immersion this offers is a "poor man's VR," but honestly this is not any cheaper than a VR-ready setup, so that joke falls flat. Ha.
Anyway, this thing rules.
Absolutely Amazing. Original price was $1500 and the price has since dropped to about $1299. On occasion there have been deep discounts on Amazon & Newegg as well as Dell’s website for the bargain price of $999. Now this puts it priced extremely competitively with the other Ultrawides like the Asus & Acer offerings. HOWEVER, those monitors are only 75hz and can over clock to 100hz... this offering from Dell’s Alienware Gaming line overclocks to 120hz & comes out of the box pretty well calibrated. Change your brightness to 45ish & leave contrast at 75. This monitor has no blacklight bleed at all. This monitor has no dead pixels. In the event there is something wrong with the monitor over the next three years Dell will send me a new one & once here, I can ship back the defective monitor. Thus, any problems you may experience with this monitor will be rectified quickly by Dell or Amazon making the purchase relatively risk free. I am pretty much guaranteed satisfaction from Dell as well as with Amazon’s amazing customer service. At $999 this monitor is well worth it. Bear in mind there are faster ultra wide monitors on the horizon for 2018 with amazing dream specs, such as 200hz, IPS, 3440X1440, HDR 10, GSYNC, all in an ultra-wide monitor. Expect to pay a premium for those specs close to $2000. If that cost is worth it for those specs, it may be best to wait & invest towards those monitors. As for me, this monitor more than suits my needs.
UPDATE: October 2018- One year after release and about Nine months since I purchased it. Still, 100 Percent Satisfied.
Okay so this monitor is amazing, honestly not being hyperbolic or anything and I’m coming from a really good 48’ inch 4K (60Hz) Samsung TV.
For some perspective I’m hooked up to this monitor with the following:
Intel I7-8700K (OC@4.8GHZ)
EVGA GTX 1080 (OC@2.1GHZ) - EVGA FTW3 1080ti in-coming T- 2 days... :)
16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3600MHZ
Corsair H100i V2 CPU Water Cooler
1TB Samsung 850 Pro SSD
850W EVGA SuperNova G2 Gold PSU
And so on....
So currently the weakest part in my system is the GTX 1080 (not that its weak its not) but regardless I’m able to throughly enjoy this gaming monitor at the either the highest or very close to the highest graphics settings @3440X1440P with frames rates generally ranging from 80-120.
Destiny 2 for example, at 3440X1440P with nearly everything maxed I’m averaging around 80-90FPS and it is GLORIOUS!
DOOM - Maxed out graphics 3440X1440P @ mostly a locked 120FPS. Its just phenomenal!
AC Origins - High / Very High graphics 3440X1440P @70-100 FPS and Holly #%*& over is this game jaw dropping gorgeous!!
Just Cause 3 - Nearly Maxed graphics at 3440X1440P generally 70-90FPS. This is another exceptionally gorgeous game!
Overwatch - MAX graphics 3440-1440P @ generally 80-120FPS. Again gorgeous and absolutely phenomenal performance.
So hopefully this gives a decent idea of what is required to take best advantage of this flat out AWESOME Ultra-Wide gaming monitor from Dell.
The GTX 1080 is perfectly adequate. The only reason I ordered a 1080ti is due to being notified by EVGA that it was on sell at regular price (I signed up to be notified for when / if)
No, the GTX 1080 wont get you 120FPS at Max graphics every game but it regardless is certainly powerful enough to justify this monitor.
Also, you can always adjust the settings a bit to get higher FPS. Still I personally wouldn’t go any lower than a GTX 1070 with this monitor.
Lastly, the build quality and esthetics of the monitor is a solid 10/10 absolutely top notch and could not be more pleased.
I snagged this bad boy up for $999.99 when the price dropped recently (and rather briefly) but honestly had I paid $1500.00 I would still feel like I made out well. Its really that good.
*Update
Replaced my EVGA GTX 1080 (blower type) with an EVGA GTX FTW3 1080TI.
The 1080 I would say was certainly adequate for this monitor but now with the 1080TI it is simply almost unbelievably great.
Not only have my temps remained ~ 15-20C lower under 100% sustained load (about 55-60C vs. 70-75) but I’m getting ~ 30-35+ FPS!
So instead requiring to adjust the settings down to high / very high I’m now at “Ultra” with higher frame rates to boot :)
More impressively however IMO is the lower sustained temperatures which allow gaming at a higher level for MUCH MUCH longer and without the worry you’re going to degrade your equipment = Piece Of Mind!
Lastly, BLB (AKA: Back Light Bleed) is there but it is very minimal and relegated to the outer four corners of the monitor. It is a complete “non-issue” yet I’m certain a minority of ultra anal-retentive folk would be “dissapointed”
Anyways, flat out amazing monitor. Works wonderful with GTX 1080 and especially so with a GTX 1080TI.
Primary use: Gaming
I am the kind of person to do a TON of research before purchasing anything. I was choosing between this monitor, predator x34 and asus PG348Q. After doing extensive research, i came to this monitor. Cant beat the design and 120mhz refresh rate! 2 clicks and BOOM - overclocked to 120mhz.
comes in a YUUUUUUUGE box, so make sure you have it delivered to your house and not your office. I'm talking TV sized box. Box came a little roughed up but that's shipping fault. Monitor was fine, tons of THICK foam in the box, you could prob roll it down a mountain and it would be fine (DONT TRY AT HOME). I chose next day shipping, arrived very quickly with signature confirmation.
Monitor is fairly heavy, stand is heavier than the monitor! If you do not have a fairly wide and long desk, this monitor will take up majority of your desk. I have the Kargby Ikea desk measuring 74 inches x 25 5/8 inches and with the stand it occupies half the desk. I decided to put this on a high quality desk mount instead to save me some space, there some "heavy duty" desk mounts available for monitors up to 32" and 20 lbs (works for 34" AW3418DW, which ways 16 lbs with no stand). Its a pain in the butt to mount by yourself, would recommend having help, but if you're lonely like me, its very much doable by yourself, just a tad bit harder. Looks perfect on a mount. BOMB DOT COM.
Too many people whining on here about Backlight bleed. Thats just the way it is with any monitors that come with this kind of display. There's always a small chance for backlight bleed, mine came with a very very small amout, not noticeable unless you really go and look for it. STAY AWAY FROM PREOWNED OR OPEN BOX VERSIONS OF THIS MONITOR. MOST LIKELY THEY ARE RETURNS WITH BAD BACKLIGHT BLEED.
I use this monitor primarily for gaming, i do not do ANY editing of sort at all. LOVE THIS MONITOR. even when you try to nitpick you CANNOT see any pixels. i upgraded from a BenQ 27" 144mhz refresh rate and i believe this is a very good upgrade. its not upgrading from a 20 inch tv to a 60 inch tv kind of upgrade, but you WILL notice the difference. Colors are rich and vibrant, with gsync on no screen tearing at all. With my GTX 1080 TI, games are EXTRA SMOOTH like cream cheese on a warm bagel. Especially when you bring up games with 21:9 support such as Ghost Recon Wildlands on ultra settings...SWEET BABY JESUS!!!!!! Performance so flawless makes you wanna scream!!! (not advisable especially at night). Sometimes i just like to sit in my chair and stare at my monitor. Backlight RGB LED of monitor is not really too noticeable to be honest and that doesn't bug me. would recommend 10/10. I'm trying to "force" my friends to get this monitor as well.
Disclaimer: not quite sure how this will perform on lower end graphics cards, GTX 1070 would probably be the minimum in order to get sick fps. well...you CAN use this with lower end graphics cards BUT you wont be able to get the most bang for your buck. i purchased this monitor with my new video card and motherboard. GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!!
Last but not least, this is the cheapest price you can get this monitor for. its $979 INCLUDING TAX AND SHIPPING. Other sites my offer lower prices, but when you add in tax BOOM 1k+++.
TLDR; read my review up there you wont regret it. butttt if still TLDR - Buy the monitor. Better than all the alernatives. You will find cheaper but with sucky screen panel types like VA and TN (EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!) This is the cadillac of all monitors. If you are complaining about the price, then take your complaining somewhere else and go settle for a B or C rank monitor. Be the envy of all your friends and buy this.
Product died today, blinking blue light and will not turn on. Apparently, it is a lemon and of course the last day to return it was 6/30/18. Dell will replace it but with a refurbished Monitor. Unfortunate for a monitor that is barely 45 days old. Disappointed. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous monitor.
UPDATE 1/13/2019: I called Dell/Alienware in November and they were able to send me a NEW monitor in retail box, no questions asked. Process was seemless, although a pain given the size of the monitor. After using this one for the past couple months it’s been AMAZING!!! The first one was a lemon...which can happen...but Dell took care of me and now a very happy customer. The reason why I would recommend Dell monitors is the replacement program...just hope you never have to use it so soon...1 star to 5 stars. Thanks Dell!!!
Feature Product
- The 34" Curved monitor with 21: 9 ratio and 1900 Radius maximizes your field of view. The new AW3418DW Provides the ultimate gaming immersion
- Fast 120Hz refresh rate (overclocked) combined with 4ms response time delivers buttery-smooth gameplay
- This breakthrough Display technology eliminates screen tearing and minimizes Display stutter and input lag TO deliver the smoothest, fastest, most breathtaking gaming-and a serious competitive edge
- Designed for the enthusiast, the AW3418DW delivers a futuristic style and precise form with solid stability
- Customizable AlienFX (with 4 different lighting Zones) provides a personalized, dynamic look to make your monitor reflect your style and deliver deeper immersion in the game.Pixel Pitch: 0.2325 mm
Description
Alien ware's new 34" Curved gaming monitor packs premium gaming features into an immersive 1900R curved display for ultimate Performance. Featuring iconic Alien ware design with custom AlienFX lighting, WQHD resolution for superb clarity, sRGB99% color coverage for vivid colors, 120Hz refresh rate (overclocked), and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology for smooth responsive gameplay.
I bought this one when it was on sale for $799. I'm happy with it, but there at least one very, very serious issue with it.
1) Prior to this, I had (still have) an Asus P278Q. The Asus is a perfect monitor. After 4 years or so of use, it's still in perfect condition and runs without any problem.
2) Why I bought the Alienware:
- I wanted a widescreen. I had no intention of buying 2 screens, let alone having a system with 2 graphics cards -- especially in those days of Nvidia playing a really dodgy game with RRPs for gaming cards.
- I wanted G-Sync... because I read it's great, and I have a Nvidia GPU.
- I wanted higher definition -- but wasn't (still not) interested in 4K.
- The price was attractive. I didn't really care that it was 'on sale'. However, $799 is a really attractive price for a widescreen 32 inches GSync monitor, coming with Dell's warranty.
3) Did it meet my buying expectations?
- Widescreen use. It looks great but to be honest, the screen size is still too small. Now, I used to play 1080p on a 55inches Plasma TV (works great by the way), 1080p on a 250 inches Mitsubishi projector (that's when I was living by myself, LOL -- this is the best experience ever), 2K or thereabouts on the Asus. So while widescreen is really cool -- especially for RPGs like Fallout and FPS like BfV and PUBG -- 32 inches in widescreen is actually small.
- G-Sync... is a bunch of BS. Apologies, but honestly, I don't see any difference. There probably is one, but it is so lightly noticeable, that I really don't care.
- Higher definition: let's be honest here, I'm playing on a 980 GTX. Okay, that's a bit old, and I can't play 4K or max res on it. I'm fine with that, for the moment. Point is, if you want to make the best use of a machine like the Alienware, have at least a 1080 GTX otherwise keep your 2K / 1080p monitor, you won't miss much.
- Price is attractive, I'm happy with the purchase, though I know the monitor won't be worth much in a year or so.
4) My installation.
- I hold the monitor on a 70 inches stand. Because the monitor is heavy, I'm using a piece of styrofoam to hold the bottom of it so it'll stay at an angle I'm happy with during gaming.
5) The problems.
Many problems have been reported for this monitor, they're pretty much always the same, and they're apparently typical of Dell monitors. However, I'm personally upset Dell isn't putting a little more support into developing proper drivers with Nvidia for it to make it work as it should -- ie perfectly. My Asus cost me $500 at the time of purchase, and it never let me down. The Alienware has let me down from Day 1, and I've had to search the web for long hours to solve / understand the problems.
- The BIGGEST PROBLEM: 'Power Saving Mode'. Even if you deactivate it, this switches on all too often. Now, I've had that problem when using DP (necessary if you want to use 100hz by the way), not with HDMI. For some games, this is killer: the most recent one I purchased (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice) has almost killed the entire computer. It crashed so many times, that I decided for the time being to use HDMI only.
This problem is a recurrent one with Dell monitors apparently, for a great amount of years. It has never happened to me when I used the Asus (both in HDMI or DP modes). This is a shame that Dell isn't supporting this with proper driver development -- and shows how much Dell actually cares about gaming and gamers in general (apart from our cash).
- Whitening on the corners of the monitor. A lot of people report this -- I do have a little bit of whitening in the corners. But frankly, this is really not a problem and, in my case, doesn't discolor anything during gaming. My only concern is: does it mean the monitor's shelf life won't be long? No idea.
- The besel. There is no besel so to speak. The problem here is that you can actually see some backlight around the edges of the monitor because the screen isn't properly fixed on the backplate. For the price, even at $799, this is really poor quality construction and control. Shame.
- Finger prints: this monitor leaves fingers prints all-the-time! This is crazy. And they're so visible that you have to clean them asap. There's an upper screen on top of the actual screen: this upper screen minimizes daylight reflection, but it gets dirty very easily.
- I/O access. The power input in particular is hard of access -- I understand why it's done like this -- ie Dell must be using a standard or slightly modified motherboard made by some OEM in Taiwan or South Korea -- but this is a real pain at times.
- The lights fx around the monitor are useless. I've actually deactivated the whole thing after a few months.
- The onscreen menu... will never switch on when the monitor is on 'Power Saving Mode'. So imagine the frustration when you want to change some importants settings from the onscreen menu.
6) Overall Satisfaction.
Day 1: 30% happy with the purchase because of the confusing onscreen menu and the 'Power Saving Mode' problem.
Day 30: 70% happy with the purchase. I corrected the power saving mode for most applications / games. It does bring a superior gaming experience compared to the Asus, but it isn't that much more 'better'.
Day 120: 65% happy with the purchase. That would probably be superior if I was wishing to spend $1300 on a new motherboard / CPU / RAM / GPU combo, with a 2080/2070 RTX at its core.
Most of the dissatisfaction I have with the monitor is that:
1) Dell isn't Asus when it comes to gaming products. Asus is vastly superior in quality construction, control and applications (drivers and product application eg OC).
2) I'm concerned about the shelf life of the product given its poor quality construction. This is no surprise that Dell have discounted this item for about 50% of its original RRP so quickly after its original market launch.
If you absolutely want a WS 32 inches Gsync (Gsync fwiw?) experience and your budget is 'limited' ($799 is high, $1299 is stupid), then this is a good monitor. However, you have to have the proper installation to justify the purchase, don't be like me and make the purchase of an improved GPU an afterthought or you'll regret it.
3440 x 1440 is amazing. I was worried that I would be disappointed going from a 4k g-sync monitor to this....Forget the 4k monitor, ultra-wide is it. The only way it could get better is with a higher resolution. But with the horse power that it would require it's not really worth it yet. Ultra-wide makes gaming more immersive, really allows you to get drawn into the action. My only complaint, is that ultra-wide has been around for a little while and it is still really expensive. Granted this monitor has a pretty high refresh rate, which I must admit does make a big difference coming from the locked 60hz 4k world. Though in defense of Alienware, this monitor is perfect, almost no ips bleed, and no other issue to think of. As a warning though, it is A LOT bigger than I anticipated, so you will need a big desk for this behemoth. Also, unless you are coding and want to run a second monitor in portrait, don't even bother considering running another monitor with this. Trust me...
Manuf. date December 2018, Revision A06. 1440p resolution.
Owned it about 2 months now, 20-30hrs per week gaming and general use.
Thumbs up!
--Love the Ultrawide size and resolution, the DPI is about perfect for me. The 1900r curve is nice at this aspect ratio. 1800r might have been a bit too tight for my tastes.
--No dead or stuck pixels.
--Thankfully none of the flickering issues this model has been known for. At least not yet after 2 months use at 120hz full OC.
--G-sync performance is equal to my last 24” BenQ g-sync monitor; smooth with no screen tears.
--I noticed none of the vignetting along the top edge of the sceen that some have reported.
--Aesthetically the monitor seems quality. I am a fan of the suble, understated branding. Looks as a premium computer monitor should look IMO.
--I actually think the value is pretty good here, was too pricey when it debuted at $1400, but $850 was a good deal for the features and quality I got.
Thumbs down.
--The backlight bleed struggle is real. Some say it’s IPS glow? Either way it’s mostly in the lower left corner, and a little at low right. I only notice it on black scenes, and then only if I look for it. I knew this was an issue going in, and I won’t dock a star for it.
--The onscreen menu’s are a pain to navigate, but not the worst I’ve dealt with.
--The powersaver feature is a bit glitchy. Once in a while it struggles to find a video signal after extended durations powered down. The fix is normally to power cycle my PC, so this may not be the monitors fault.
Thus far I am happy with my purchase, and would buy this monitor again if I ever had need for a second one.
I will update this review in the future if anything changes.
3440*1440 120hz all you need trust me
coming from acer 2560*1080 200hz
Alienware is here
i love it
if you play pubg you will love this monitor more and more
The monitor looks great, color is very accurate and there's no shift in color temperature across the panel..but it has quite a bit of IPS glow on the lower left corner of the display. I understand IPS glow is something that cannot be completely avoided especially on these curved monitors, but the lower left corner is noticeably whiter than the rest of the display and it's quite irritating. I requested a replacement which will hopefully have less backlight bleed and no IPS glow. I will update this review once I receive and test the replacement.
Update 2/18:
The second monitor I received still has a lot of IPS glow on the left side and two dead pixels. Unacceptable for a monitor in this price range. These monitors look great but quality control is lacking. Third time's a charm?
Update 2/20
The third monitor just arrived and it looks great so I'm changing my rating from 1 star to 5. It's almost flawless despite VERY minimal backlight bleed in the same left corner, but it's not noticable at all unless the scene is very dark and you look at that corner. No dead pixels, no flickering at 120hz. My advice is, if you get a monitor with a dead pixel or noticable IPS glow during gameplay, request a replacement! Some are better than others.
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