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Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch: Two-minute overview
The Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch isn’t the primary 2K 34-inch ultrawide monitor available on the market, neither is it the most cost effective, however in my view, it is one of the crucial mastered. Sporting a discreet design and a slew of options I’d think about important, the AW3425DWM gives nice darkness and coloring at a good value.
Stripping out RGB and solely providing two USB-A ports for accent connectivity (however missing USB-C), and never together with price-bouncing OLED panel tech, I’ve by no means been extra impressed with an ultrawide monitor than with the AW3425DWM. I’ve skilled the dearer AW3423DWF, Alienware’s top-end ultrawide OLED monitor, and I fell in love with it for its image high quality and readability, however the AW3425DWM is a way more spectacular beast for its worth prospect.
Its specs are forward of lots of its shut opponents, significantly ones from LG and Samsung, which explains its barely increased price on this section. This features a larger most brightness and shade gamut, together with the inclusion of the aforementioned accent ports.
The monitor doubles as each a helpful gaming show and a helpful productiveness software. I’ve loved enjoying video games with help for the ultrawide format, particularly the graphically intense Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Forza Motorsport, however its dealing with of darkness has additionally been very satisfying in these video games and different titles with out ultrawide help, corresponding to viral sensation R.E.P.O.
The extensive display additionally provides ample room for having a number of home windows open. Throughout my testing, I frequently had a YouTube video enjoying on the left half of the display and a recreation on the fitting, and I personally most popular this to having a dual-monitor setup.
All of this mentioned, be prepared for the odd software that lacks ultrawide help. I encountered loads of video games and packages that did not take full benefit of this format (normally black bars will fill the house, whereas this system takes on a 16:9 side ratio). This is probably not an enormous problem to all customers, but it surely’s finest to pay attention to this further hurdle when proudly owning an ultrawide.
Image high quality can also be closely dependent in your viewing place, so be assured {that a} curved ultrawide is what you actually need earlier than making a purchase order. Though I cherished the immersive nature of a curved monitor this huge, I want it was extra forgiving when viewing from an angle, as I might typically put a present on whereas doing one thing else away from my desk within the room.
Lastly – and it will probably be a non-issue for a lot of customers – however the show doesn’t include in-built audio system. I like having in-built audio system for after I don’t need to put on my headphones (and I don’t need to purchase separate audio system), however I perceive different customers can have their very own preferences relating to audio and exterior sound programs.
In my view, the standard of show you get for the worth you pay is appreciable, and regardless that it is probably not as feature-rich as dearer fashions, the AW3425DWM stands out from the pack as a mid-range curved and ultrawide gaming monitor.
Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch overview: pricing and availability
- How a lot does it price? $369.99 / £369 / AU$749
- When is it out there? Obtainable now
- The place are you able to get it? Instantly from Dell and retailers within the US, UK and Australia
The Alienware AW2425DWM is an higher mid-range gaming monitor, which is able to set you again $369.99 / £369 / AU$749, and sports activities the area of interest curved and ultrawide format. Providing a 2K decision and a brightness of as much as 400 nits, it’s barely extra premium than its principal opponents.
Alienware has stripped out extreme USB ports and RGB lighting to deliver prices down, however the beast stays carefully in keeping with its higher-end curved and ultrawide siblings. It gives a flat base and an easy-to-navigate person interface, together with an IPS-VA panel. Costlier fashions have a tendency to return with an OLED panel and 4K decision, together with larger brightness and distinction.
After we’re taking a look at opponents, the closest is more likely to be the Samsung Odyssey 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor, out there for $399 / £329 / AU$599 (although typically discovered less expensive right this moment).
Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch: specs
|
Display Dimension: |
34-inch |
|
Decision: |
3440 x 1440 |
|
Brightness: |
400 nits |
|
Response Time: |
1 ms |
|
Refresh Fee: |
180Hz |
|
HDR: |
HDR Black 400 |
|
Options: |
VA panel, HDMI 2.1 x 2, DisplayPort 1.4, USB hub with x 2 USB-A |
Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch overview: design
- Understated design
- Discreet stand with small footprint
- 178º viewing angle
The Alienware AW3425DWM is pretty understated. Its stand and bezels are utterly unassuming, with none RGB or detailing to talk of. The again of the show is fairly customary, other than the traditional extraterrestrial emblem, and the one little bit of styling on the entrance is the spelled out Alienware identify.
There’s not lots for me to criticize right here – it’s not a monitor constructed to win design competitions, however in my view it is a pretty good trying show. It has a helpful passthrough gap in its stand for neatly organizing your cables, which I discovered significantly helpful for my extra mouse and keyboard cables, and the ports are properly laid out throughout the again of the monitor, with USB-A ports alongside the underside for simple entry. It does, nevertheless, lack USB-C ports which, in 2025, I think about disappointing as extra peripherals have adopted it as customary.
The design side that impressed me essentially the most was its satisfyingly small footprint. Though it is fairly a big show, it stands firmly on a single flat foot with out a lot wobble should you bump the desk.
The show has full tilt, swivel and peak adjustment with its stand, and the display is VESA-mount appropriate. Because it’s an ultrawide, you’ll be able to’t rotate the show totally vertical, and if you wish to pull this off, you may have to mount it seperate from the stand. The curvature of the display has a 178º viewing angle, enveloping your imaginative and prescient properly should you’re seated instantly in entrance of it.
Which means it will be tough to observe content material on the monitor when viewing it from exterior the optimum viewing house. I’d typically rise up from my desk and do one thing away from it whereas trying over at a present or livestream on the show, and would discover it tough to view due to the curvature. This is not a grievance, however an commentary and a identified limitation of curved screens.
For interacting with the onboard person interface, there’s a joystick nub instantly underneath the center of the show, helpful for fast changes when switching from, say, gaming to productiveness as I’d typically do.
Alienware AW3425DWM 34-inch overview: options
- Ultrawide 2K decision
- AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync certification
- Two USB-A passthrough ports
I like the Alienware AW3425DWM as a result of it’s so stripped again and accessible. It lacks the range-topping options of its extra dear OLED-toting sibling, the AW3423DWF, however a extra budget-minded gamer would probably desire the show for the way low cost it’s.
Though I am an OLED panel lover, I do not thoughts the IPS VA panel fitted to this monitor. It handles darkness properly and though an OLED would provide improved distinction, I discovered video games the place shadows are significantly vital (corresponding to Murderer’s Creed Shadows) maintained sufficient element to nonetheless be capable to see what was happening. Aiding the darkness is a 95% shade gamut and a 3000:1 distinction ratio, leading to a nice-looking image that I discovered sufficient.
I discovered the 2K decision scaled for the extensive panel (3440 x 1440, 21:9) sufficiently satisfying for making my video games look huge and expansive, and after I switched to aggressive video games like Marvel Rivals, I did not really feel like I wanted a sooner response time than the 1ms price supplied by the monitor. The identical goes for the 180Hz refresh price – I not often performed video games that supplied framerates as much as this quantity, but it surely stays determine for all kinds of customers.
The monitor’s fast settings help you change up the show to your choice, corresponding to scaling image or HDR settings, which I typically did when altering duties. Moreover, working a USB-B to USB-A twine between the monitor and your PC will help you use the fitted USB-A ports for passthrough, a characteristic I actually like for reducing down on cable muddle (although, once more, no USB-C ports).
Being an ultrawide, there’s a further utility in with the ability to deal with it as if it’s two displays with out feeling claustrophobic. Any monitor can be utilized to show a number of home windows, however an ultrawide has the good thing about having the ability to take action with out making you’re feeling too cramped, in my view. This was significantly helpful when having two home windows open (corresponding to a browser or phrase processor on the left and a YouTube video on the fitting), however I discovered it additionally carried out properly when having 4 home windows open without delay.
Alienware AW3425DWM overview: efficiency
- Nice darkness and shade readability
- Most refresh price of as much as 180Hz
- Brightness of as much as 400 nits
The Alienware AW3425DWM is a well-performing gaming monitor that shows objects and coloring with out fault. Extra spectacular ultrawide displays are broadly out there, however in my view, you’re unlikely to get higher specs than what’s on provide right here within the 2K 34-inch ultrawide section.
Solely working at as much as 2K and providing pretty mid-range brightness and distinction have made the monitor cheaper, however consequently sparse on the efficiency entrance. That being mentioned, I discovered this to be a superbly effective monitor for informal and aggressive players alike, and it is is in line for the mid-range section.
The 180Hz most refresh price isn’t the best (higher-end Alienware panels can go as much as 240Hz), nor the 1ms response price the quickest (in an age the place it’s as little as 0.1ms on some panels), however I believe the financial savings on provide make it value contemplating for a lot of PC customers.
That mentioned, a most brightness of solely 400 nits, although above many opponents on this section, could also be too low for some customers. The entire video games I examined appeared nice and textual content appeared effective with none haziness, however in use you could crave a brighter show.
Streaming content material additionally appears to be like nice regardless of mid-range brightness, with the vibrancy of films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse offered properly. Moreover, there’s an anti-glare coating throughout the glass, excellent for blocking out annoying gentle sources.
If you’d like your gaming monitor to serve up increased brightness and larger distinction, probably facilitated by an OLED panel, I extremely advocate studying our hands-on with the Alienware AW3423DWF. I’ve personally tried that monitor myself and located it to be massively spectacular, however the AW3425DWM is usually a greater deal, particularly should you do not actually care about having a 4K decision.
The one problem I had was after I took it out of the field: the monitor routinely stored adjusting brightness (dimming in my case) primarily based on how the picture appeared, however this was rapidly resolved by tweaking image settings to my liking.
Ought to I purchase the Alienware AW3425DWM?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth: |
Who wants a 4K decision and excessive brightness when you will have a value this good? |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Design: |
The AW3425DWM is unassuming and higher off for it. |
5 / 5 |
|
Options: |
This monitor nonetheless packs a satisfying characteristic set regardless of the worth. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Efficiency: |
Although it lacks range-topping specs, this monitor nonetheless performs very properly. |
4 / 5 |
|
Common ranking: |
The AW3425DWM is a superb entry into the mid-range ultrawide market. |
4.5 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally think about
How I examined the Alienware AW3425DWM
- Examined for 3 weeks
- Primarily used for gaming
- Additionally used for productiveness as a single monitor
I examined the Alienware AW3425DWM over the course of two weeks, most of which was spent gaming, enjoying Murderer’s Creed Shadows primarily, but in addition R.E.P.O, Forza Motorsport, Nubby’s Quantity Manufacturing unit, Marvel Rivals and Balatro.
I additionally spent a good period of time utilizing the show for productiveness functions, corresponding to typing out phrase paperwork and looking the online, together with watching issues on streaming providers, primarily YouTube and Twitch. I consistently switched up the settings and used a DisplayPort connection.
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First reviewed April 2025