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Things arent quite up to the level of the TN reference, but there are no particularly pronounced weaknesses either. ULMB reduces brightness by around 12% if you start at 200 nits. That said, when compared with a good 144Hz display, the AW2521H is a minor upgrade designed for a very specific type of player: seriously competitive esports enthusiasts. This displays the current refresh rate of the monitor and will reflect the frame rate if its within the main variable refresh rate window (e.g. Less pronounced than youd see on TN or VA models. Lightning-fast: Experience the best available in IPS Technology with native refresh rates of 240Hz. The panel at the rear includes DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 slots, and four USB 3.0 ports for peripherals. Some would prefer a wider gamut for extra vibrancy Depending on angle, the glow may take on a subtle cool-silver appearance or slightly warm green hue. Remember, it's not just about that 360Hz refresh rate the response times are also a big improvement here, and I've used 144Hz monitors that felt much worse due to smeary motion. We also tested movie content, which was much more limited in frame rate (generally 24fps, 30fps or 60fps). The Fast setting shows a clear lack of overshoot at 240Hz and relatively low overshoot at much lower refresh rates, though, whilst still providing rapid pixel responses overall. Most shades appeared very consistent indeed, with any slight deviation due more to uniformity than any viewing angle related weakness. This monitor also has a G-Sync Esports Mode that tweaks settings to Nvidia's recommended for esports, though Custom mode is more configurable. Brighter elements stood out well against darker surroundings and the detail levels for most of the screen were appropriate. Lagoms viewing angle tests help explore the idea of colour consistency and viewing angle performance. But far from poor. The default is Off, unless application specifies which means that VSync will only be active if you enable it within the game itself, if there is such an option. We didnt readily observe either artifact type at high or relatively high refresh rates (100Hz+). Brighter elements stood out well against darker surroundings, complete with a bit of graininess from the screen surface but nothing extreme. They often catch the eye due to their dynamic nature, on models where they manifest themselves in this way. The colour temperature is warmer by default but the blue channel remained strong on our unit and green channel very strong. Manuals and Documents. The contrast gradients were displayed well, with distinct brightness steps in most cases. Screen surface imparts a bit of graininess to lighter content The AW2521HF supports FreeSync Premium via DP 1.2a and HDMI 2.0 on compatible GPUs and systems. The numbered Game presets and Custom Color are most flexible as they allow you to adjust the colour channels and saturation levels. Gamboge (23) verged too much on a mustard yellow without a suitably warm golden hue, too. Is there any configurations I'm not aware of that I should turn on for the 240hz be used on games? You can adjust the color of this light in the on-screen display or turn it off entirely. //]]> At 60Hz we measured a slightly higher but still reasonable 6.47ms. Youd therefore select either the third or fourth option in the list, shown in the image below. IPS glow eats away at detail, particularly near bottom corners. It was masked by a bit of graininess from the screen surface as well. I did find that the target white point was just slightly warm, though backing off the blue in the Custom Color preset fixed this right up. Further information on supporting our work. On the GPU driver side recent AMD drivers make activation of the technology very simple and something that usually occurs automatically. Some models are specifically validated as G-SYNC compatible, which means they have been specifically tested by Nvidia and pass specific quality checks. To maximise colour accuracy within the sRGB colour space, for colour-managed workflows, full calibration and profiling with a colorimeter or similar device is recommended. The Dell Alienware supports a variable refresh rate range of 48 240Hz. It requires huge visual sacrifices and very specific content to be shown on the screen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the monitor provided an excellent performance in all cases, with no noticeable weaknesses. //240fps). There was borderline significant deviation above the central region (DeltaE 3.0), with no significant deviation recorded elsewhere. Higher settings have a slightly faster rise/fall time, but there's significantly more . For those who play a variety of games, some competitive and some casual, having a screen that offers a 240Hz refresh rate and good colour quality can be very attractive. Some shades appear a touch oversaturated due primarily to the slight extension in the gamut, the most noticeable being dark lime green (18) which appeared a touch more neon. This reflects another significant reduction in perceived blur due to eye movement. It cant compensate for other interruptions to smooth game play, for example network latency or insufficient system memory. At 60Hz, above, the UFO appears soft without sharp focus or clear internal detailing. A medium matte anti-glare screen surface is used, as explored shortly. The Fast setting shows a clear lack of overshoot at 240Hz and relatively low overshoot at much lower refresh rates, though, whilst still providing rapid pixel responses overall. Rather than simply reflecting the pixel response elements. No saturation losses towards the bottom or edges as youd see from other panel types. Dark areas with just a few point sources of light illuminating are common on this title, including dark tombs and passageways. Dimensions: 21.9 x 20.7 x 9.9 inches. Some game engines will also show stuttering (or hitching) for various other reasons which wont be eliminated by the technology. As such shades appear much as the developers intend, with a bit of extra saturation in places and a bit of extra vibrancy for some shades. We observed some faint vertical dynamic interlace patterns at ~60Hz and below, but these were not particularly obtrusive in our view. Learn how your comment data is processed. Some models are specifically validated as G-SYNC compatible, which means they have been specifically tested by Nvidia and pass specific quality checks. Youd therefore select either the third or fourth option in the list, shown in the image below. But there wasnt a strong coarse graininess nor a strong smeary appearance, either. This more pronounced powdery trailing was still less pronounced than some of the weaknesses weve observed observe for similar transitions on many 240Hz TN models, including the predecessor to this model (AW2518H/HF), ViewSonic XG2530 and AOC AG251FG. The Dell Alienware supports a variable refresh rate range of 48 240Hz. And the lack of tearing and stuttering was very nice indeed, if youre sensitive to such things. 80 240fps). Its possible newer Nvidia GPUs, including their RTX series, support this expanded range or it may have just been misreported on the website. When we say obvious, its very subjective sensitive users can certainly notice such things and it can be very nice indeed having them gone. Our RX 580 is far from a powerhouse of a graphics card, so maintaining 240fps was very tricky. As noted earlier, AMD FreeSync makes use of Adaptive-Sync technology on a compatible monitor. Competing TN models certainly have something of a vertical detail gradient going on for dark content vertically, whilst VA models have black crush centrally and a bit of extra detail peripherally. The AW2521HF supports FreeSync Premium via DP 1.2a and HDMI 2.0 on compatible GPUs and systems. According to user feedback the monitor runs at 120Hz on the PS5, as of the April 2021 update for the console. Although not nearly as pronounced or obvious as stepping up from 60Hz to 144Hz (or even 120Hz). 237fps) instead, avoiding any VSync latency penalty at frame rates near the ceiling of operation or tearing from frame rates rising above the refresh rate. This gives an excellent connected feel, which describes the precision and fluidity felt when interacting with your character and the game world. The third and fourth blocks were slightly fainter than they should be, although still distinguishable. And not blended enough (blocky or banded) lower down due to low perceived gamma. Luminance uniformity map Buy from Amazon The Response Time setting or Adaptive-Sync status didnt affect these observations. The video below shows the monitor in action. Over 30 repeat readings were taken to help maximise accuracy. Its possible newer Nvidia GPUs, including their RTX series, support this expanded range or it may have just been misreported on the website. Alienware Aurora R14 RTX 3080 PC for $1518.99. We stuck with the Fast setting for the subjective testing below. With the AW2521HF, you need to connect the monitor up via DisplayPort and enable FreeSync in the Game section of the OSD. There is various degrees of trailing behind the UFOs due to pixel response time weaknesses. Vegetation showed appropriate variety and included some reasonably rich-looking forest greens alongside a good variety of more muted shades. Free shipping for many products! Author: Adam Simmons Date published: July 10th 2020. Overall it put in a respectable performance for the panel type and will keep a broad spectrum of gamers happy, from casual to competitive. The Alienware AW2521HF has a warmer hue than most would like, so adjusting the temperature settings in the OSD is a must. Even on this title where there are lots of high contrast transitions, with bright objects against much darker backgrounds, there was nothing that really caught the eye as a clear weakness. As noted earlier, AMD FreeSync makes use of Adaptive-Sync technology on a compatible monitor. Any issues identified with FreeSync that were isolated to a specific title would indicate an issue with the game or GPU driver rather than the monitor as well. The video below shows the monitor in action. The setting is listed as Wait for Vertical Refresh. Any issues identified with FreeSync that were isolated to a specific title would indicate an issue with the game or GPU driver rather than the monitor as well. The very low signal delay of this model also aided the connected feel, but the very high frame and refresh rate combination also helped. So things didnt have a banded or blocky appearance as youd see if gamma was far too low. You can also create custom scenarios linked to specific games in the Alienware Command Center app. This gives the monitor the potential to output most shades within the sRGB colour space, with just a touch of extra vibrancy. Brighter elements stood out well against darker surroundings, complete with a bit of graininess from the screen surface but nothing extreme. No saturation losses towards the bottom or edges as youd see from other panel types. This, coupled with the inclusion of a flipped version of the shade sheet, allows both accuracy and colour consistency to be visually assessed. Timestamps: Any issues identified with FreeSync that were isolated to a specific title would indicate an issue with the game or GPU driver rather than the monitor as well. Earthy browns appeared with good neutrality a little extra richness and a slight orange-red push in places but not the sort of stronger red hue that a wider gamut would provide. There were some significant differences when Adaptive-Sync was disabled using the Super Fast and Extreme settings these are documented as VRR off (Variable Refresh Rate off). [CDATA[ The monitor didnt put form over function, either, and was solidly built with good ergonomic flexibility and VESA mounting options. We enjoyed the same experience in Call of Duty WWII, which definitely looked better with HDR engaged. Around 1000:1 even following adjustments to our Test Settings. The design of the monitor is in keeping with the Alienware aesthetics of other recent additions to the series and indeed their other peripherals and systems. This contrasted starkly with competing TN models that would show an obvious gradient of saturation vertically and VA models which show shifts from centre to bottom and sides. Nvidias website lists a 48 240Hz VRR, which would match AMD FreeSync. The gaming modes allow changes to color saturation only and let you set different overdrive speeds depending on game type. Responsiveness Unless youre frequently passing this boundary its not something youre likely to notice or care about, though. Some game engines will also show stuttering (or hitching) for various other reasons which wont be eliminated by the technology. The Alienware AW2521HF is a FreeSync gaming monitor, but its also compatible with Nvidias G-Sync. A 1440p monitor at 144Hz with a good response time like the ViewSonic Elite XG270QG is going to be a better pick for most people, and at a much lower price. This indicates a low viewing angle dependency to the gamma curve of the monitor, typical for an IPS-type panel. The consistency is also very good in most cases, superior to VA models and far superior to TN models (references here). Note again that this ICC profile is not used in the review. On Battlefield V the monitor provided a very fluid experience, where the frame rate kept pace with the 240Hz refresh rate. The red block appeared a fairly rich red throughout. We thought there was no blur when watching BlurBusters test patterns at 360 Hz, but engaging ULMB at 240 Hz made it look even smoother. However; the Gain controls required different adjustments. You should then ensure that the first slider, Radeon FreeSync is set to Enabled as shown below. As noted earlier, AMD FreeSync makes use of Adaptive-Sync technology on a compatible monitor. and how to change the display settings. HDR10 signals are supported with an effective dynamic contrast feature that broadens dynamic range to almost 8000:1 for HDR using a variable backlight option. The bezel is visible when the powers on, but is only 7mm wide at the top and sides. In this position the top of the stand neck pokes up an additional ~40mm (1.57 inches) above the top edge of the screen surface. We created out own LBL setting as described below. As things dipped even further, below the 48fps (48Hz) floor of operation for FreeSync, the monitor employed LFC (Low Framerate Compensation). The darkest blue block blended into the background a bit too readily. Medium chocolate brown (24) is also good for highlighting colour consistency, which like Aquamarine is positioned at the extremities of the screen. The default is Off, unless application specifies which means that VSync will only be active if you enable it within the game itself, if there is such an option. Where possible, youll be redirected to your nearest store. Over 30 repeat readings were taken to help maximise accuracy. The monitor can also be set to 120Hz although not documented in this testing, results were very much comparable to 144Hz. Alternatively, static interlace patterns may be seen with some shades appearing as faint horizontal or vertical bands of a slightly lighter and slightly darker version of the intended shade. On Battlefield V the monitor provided a very fluid experience, where the frame rate kept pace with the 240Hz refresh rate. On Shadow of the Tomb Raider things were also presented in a rich and natural way. The camera is mounted slightly above centre so that the image is representative of what the eye sees from an ergonomically correct viewing position. When a monitor is used in this way, it is something which Nvidia refers to as G-SYNC Compatible. Also on white places ingame, it looks blurry when i move it fast. This configures it globally, but if you wish to configure it for individual games click Game Graphics towards the top right. Without FreeSync active and VSync disabled, youd get obvious tearing from the lack of synchronisation between frame and refresh rate. We wish the brand included an upgraded pair for the price which is quite steep, but built-ins are rarely missed since the intended audience will most likely have gaming headsets or speakers. Dark Stabilizer raises the black level to make shadow detail more visible. The full capabilities of the monitor including 1920 x 1080 @240Hz and Adaptive-Sync for AMD FreeSync can be leveraged via DP 1.2 or HDMI 2.0. Laras skin also appeared much as it should, without the overly tanned appearance that a wider gamut would provide. At lowest stand height, the bottom of the screen sits ~70mm (2.76 inches) above the desk and the top of the screen ~396mm (15.59 inches). Strong pixel responsiveness overall, low input lag and Adaptive-Sync working well with both our AMD and Nvidia GPU The contour map below shows these deviations graphically, with darker greys representing lower luminance and hence greater deviation from the brightest recorded point than lighter greys. We wouldnt recommend using them unless created for your specific unit using your own calibration device. The monitor produced most shades here quite faithfully, accounting for the natural differences related to emissive vs. non-emissive objects noted above. If a game ran at 34fps, for example, the refresh rate would be 68Hz to help keep tearing and stuttering at bay. ; Response time also determines how well a monitor can handle motion the lower the response time, the better. There are some further customisable AlienFX RGB LED features an alien motif towards the top left and a large oval running along the inside of the stand neck. Slight changes could be observed at the very edges for some shades, such as the purple of Leelas hair gaining a bit of an extra red vs. blue hue to the purple more pronounced if sitting close to the screen.