Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524HF) Overview

Earlier this 12 months, we acquired our arms on Alienware’s 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524H), the primary 500Hz gaming show. And whereas it proved to be a succesful monitor, we had just a few gripes with it—specifically, its excessive value and total area of interest enchantment. Now, just some months later, an up to date variant of the esports-focused monitor has arrived in PC Labs. The Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524HF) has a value drop to $649.99 (from the $829.99 AW2524H), AMD FreeSync Premium as an alternative of Nvidia G-Sync, and one other DisplayPort connector for extra throughput. This time across the value is definitely a better tablet to swallow, and whereas it’s nonetheless very a lot a monitor for a small proportion of PC players, when you’re considered one of them, you’ll be getting one of many quickest displays accessible—simply be sure you have the suitable PC {hardware} to benefit from it.

A 500Hz Monitor, Refreshed

The brand new Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524HF) is sort of similar to the AW2524H, which is hardly a foul factor. The 24.5-inch monitor options the identical clear futuristic aesthetic as different Alienware merchandise. The hexagon stand returns, very best for players with smaller keyboards preferring to situate their boards proper in opposition to the monitor. The retractable headphone hanger hidden on the monitor’s left flank can also be right here, excellent for hanging your favourite gaming headset for straightforward entry. However the AW2524HF makes some cuts, too. Amongst them is the the AlienFX RGB lighting alongside the again of the AW2524H, which is gone from this mannequin.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Measurements are similar, because the AW2524HF measures 12.9 by 21.8 by 3.3 inches (HWD) with out its stand. In weight it’s mainly the identical as nicely, weighing 15 kilos with stand. The compact footprint is even smaller than the MSI Oculux NXG253R, and is right for players making an attempt to maximise their gaming area.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Turning to the monitor’s port hub, you’ll discover one HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-A connectors, a USB-B port, a safety lock, and maybe one of many largest adjustments—the inclusion of not one, however two DisplayPort jacks. Tapping into the display’s 500Hz refresh charge requires a DisplayPort connection, as even HDMI 2.1 ports can’t deal with greater than 240Hz. Slightly below the display, you’ll discover an extra two USB-A ports beside the display’s management stick. Down right here, you may discover one different omission: the AW2524H’s headphone jack, axed on this refresh.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

The ultimate distinction between this monitor and the AW2524H is the inclusion of AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA Adaptive Sync certification—the earlier mannequin helps Nvidia G-Sync as an alternative. Each applied sciences intention for a similar aim—to eradicate display tearing brought on by fluctuating body charges. The distinction lies in compatibility along with your laptop’s GPU; AMD FreeSync Premium is designed to work finest with AMD {hardware}, though it additionally works with Nvidia GPUs.

The 500Hz full HD (1,080-by-1,920-pixel) monitor as soon as once more makes use of a Quick IPS show, which permits for low response instances and the next shade gamut than regular IPS displays. The monitor claims HDR10 certification, up from the earlier mannequin’s VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification.

Testing the Alienware 500Hz (AW2524HF): Some Show Déjà Vu

The Alienware 500Hz is extra serious about efficiency over decision, however once you’re spending this type of money, that doesn’t imply you must need to cope with compromised image high quality. To seek out out if there are any points, we check shade gamut, brightness, shade accuracy, and distinction ratio utilizing our Calman monitor calibration software program, Murideo Six-G sign generator, and Klein Ok-80 colorimeter.

Our first check measures the monitor’s brightness over an SDR sign in its default image mode. The AW2524HF reached 360 nits of brightness, barely under its 400-nit ranking and the older mannequin’s 381 nits, however nonetheless shiny sufficient for a gaming den. To measure peak HDR brightness, we use the VESA DisplayHDR compliance exams, accessible without spending a dime on the Microsoft Retailer. Right here, the AW2524HF recorded 435 nits.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Inspecting the monitor’s color-gamut protection subsequent, the AW2524HF spanned 100% of the sRGB shade gamut, 81% of Adobe RGB, and 84% of DCI-P3. These are good readings, and almost similar to the the older mannequin.

Coloration accuracy was additionally comparable between the 2 displays. The AW2524HF recorded a Delta E of 1.8 (the AW2524H measured 1.5). The upper the Delta E, the extra the colours are likely to stray from their supposed hue. A worth underneath 1 is right, although most gaming displays are likely to hover nearer to 2, particularly with out-of-the-box settings.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Lastly, we take a look at the distinction ratio, which signifies the distinction in luminance between the brightest white and darkest black {that a} monitor can produce. It makes a distinction in image high quality, particularly throughout darkish scenes in gameplay. The AW2524HF measured 935:1 with a black degree of 0.23, which primarily matches the static distinction ratio of 1,000:1 marketed on the monitor’s product web page, and isn’t a lot completely different than the earlier mannequin’s 840:1.

Recreation Efficiency

Brightness and shade measurements are helpful, however the viewers Alienware is courting is far more within the enter lag and body charges they will count on. In brief, the upper the refresh charge, the upper the body charge ceiling, and extra frames equal a smoother image displayed in your display. The distinction is palpable, particularly with fast-paced shooters the place pace and accuracy are most vital.

However you may want the correct enter to achieve these blazing-high refresh charges, in fact, so be certain to try your private rig to make sure your GPU, CPU, and RAM can deal with exceptionally excessive body charges that benefit from the Alienware’s capabilities. For our real-world recreation testing, we ran Rainbow Six: Siege on an NZXT Participant: Three desktop PC, which has an Intel Core i7-13700KF, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, and 32GB of RAM.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Additionally, one thing to notice relating to Alienware’s excessive refresh charge: Just like the earlier mannequin, the monitor is just able to 480Hz natively. To succeed in a full 500Hz, you need to overclock the monitor. The method, enabled in both the Nvidia or AMD management panel, creates a customized decision that the monitor will run at, permitting you to pump out the extra 20Hz.

We have been simply in a position to ship excessive sufficient body charges to max out the Alienware’s 500Hz ceiling. Rainbow Six: Siege reached a recorded peak of 658fps in benchmarks. No seen display tearing was noticed, although there was some noticeable warbling throughout a display tearing check.

(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)

Utilizing the HDFury 4K Diva HDMI matrix, we recorded lower than 1 millisecond (ms) of enter lag for the AW2524HF at default settings, versus a recorded 7.7 milliseconds on the AW2524H. We won’t check enter lag as much as 500Hz, as a result of we will’t measure enter lag over a DisplayPort connection utilizing the Diva matrix, and HDMI connections are restricted to 240Hz. (Be taught extra in regards to the variations between HDMI and DisplayPort.) We’re working to replace our check suite to accommodate input-lag measurement for panels operating at above 240Hz on DisplayPort.

Verdict: A Worthy Choose-Up for the Esports Trustworthy

Alienware’s refresh of its 500Hz-refresh-rate monitor retains all the great things we noticed within the earlier iteration of this hardcore gaming monitor, and drops the worth from $829 to $649. Admittedly, it’s nonetheless fairly costly for a 1080p monitor. As we mentioned in our earlier overview, the monitor is for the hardest-core of the hardcore, and the cadre of hardcore aggressive gamers is already a distinct segment. In case you’re on the lookout for an informal gaming monitor, the HP Omen 27k will serve you higher. However when you’ve acquired the money, a robust PC, and your use case matches, the Alienware 500Hz Gaming Monitor (AW2524HF) provides absolutely the quickest efficiency you may get from a monitor.