Compare Dell Alienware AW2523HF vs ASUS ROG Strix Pulsar XG27AQNGV

The absence of a dedicated backlight-strobing or black-frame-insertion mode is a recurring complaint, particularly alongside competitors built for maximum motion clarity.

G-SYNC Pulsar delivers unusually clear motion while keeping VRR active, including at midrange frame rates. Small double-image artifacts and low-frame-rate cutoffs prevent perfection.

The bundled DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort and USB cables feel useful and higher quality than expected.

A DisplayPort cable is supplied, but one test unit lacked the micro-USB cable needed for firmware updates, adding an unexpected extra step.

An internal power supply avoids a bulky external brick and makes setup neater.

The separate power brick is an unwelcome extra at this price and adds clutter compared with an internal supply.

Two conveniently front-adjacent ports avoid reaching behind the monitor every time a keyboard, mouse or charger is connected.

Recessed rear connections can be fiddly, especially with bulky plugs or frequent cable swaps.

To benefit fully from 360Hz, games need unusually high and stable frame rates. Several reviewers struggled to approach the panel's ceiling even on capable systems.

Pulsar offers high effective motion clarity without the enormous rendering load of 540Hz or 720Hz gaming. It still benefits from a system capable of high frame rates.

Weak blacks and HDR shadow crushing can obscure dark areas, especially in cinematic games.

Near-black gradients are well separated and Shadow Boost can lift dark areas, although raised IPS blacks reduce overall depth.

DisplayPort, dual HDMI, multiple USB-A ports and audio outputs provide useful flexibility; missing USB-C is the most common connectivity limitation.

Two HDMI 2.1 ports, DisplayPort, and USB-A cover basic gaming needs, but the lack of USB-C and KVM disappoints in this price class.

About 90 pixels per inch makes small text and fine edges visibly coarse, even though many esports players accept the trade-off.

At about 109ppi, QHD text and everyday images look clean while remaining readable without aggressive scaling.

The 24.5-inch Full HD canvas feels cramped for spreadsheets, document editing and multiple simultaneous windows.

The screen is a capable secondary or everyday productivity display with clean text and enough usable screen space for common workloads.

1080p is a deliberate performance trade-off: easier to drive at esports frame rates, but noticeably less crisp than 1440p for games and work.

The 2560×1440 picture strikes a useful balance between desktop detail and attainable gaming frame rates, although it cannot match 4K or 5K text sharpness.

1080p leaves text and fine interface elements less crisp than modern 1440p displays, even though fast gaming remains enjoyable.

QHD on an RGB-stripe IPS panel keeps game detail and text crisp; matte diffusion is a small compromise against glossy alternatives.

Height, tilt, swivel and dual-direction pivot make positioning easy; a tall user found the maximum height insufficient.

Tilt, swivel, height, and pivot are available, but samples vary: some reviewers describe very stiff rotation and height limitations.

Fast IPS provides consistently good off-axis viewing, helping color and clarity hold together while moving around the desk.

IPS offers respectable off-axis stability versus TN, though familiar IPS glow and a few weaker impressions limit dark-scene viewing.

The matte anti-glare coating controls room reflections well, helping maintain visibility in bright spaces.

The matte coating limits obvious reflections, although diffuse glare can reduce perceived contrast and crispness.

Fast and Super Fast settings offer clean motion; Extreme can produce extra overshoot, so reviewers differ on whether its last bit of speed is worthwhile.

The extensive overdrive adjustment and effective variable tuning offer clean transitions; aggressive settings can introduce visible pale halos.

Casual work is possible, but the limited 1080p workspace and gamut are poor fits for detailed or color-critical image editing.

Photoshop and light image editing feel comfortable on the sharp, reasonably accurate panel, though it is not a wide-gamut specialist.

Most testers saw remarkably little trailing at high refresh, though aggressive overdrive can introduce inverse ghosting.

Moving objects are exceptionally clean across the panel, though faint crosstalk or double images can occur in particular colors or during sudden frame-rate changes.

Pixel transitions are fast enough for responsive play and minimal perceived blur, with some dissent about whether this IPS is quicker than tuned 240Hz competitors.

Pixel transitions are very fast for IPS and contribute to remarkably clear motion, even though OLED retains an inherent response-time advantage.

Presets, a frame-rate counter, crosshair and AlienVision modes add choice, though some features seem gimmicky and the lack of strobing is noticeable.

Crosshairs, frame counters, timers, image presets, and competitive viewing options provide practical extras around the core high-speed display.

Fast-IPS blacks lack the depth of OLED or VA displays. Dark scenes can look gray, flat, or washed out despite a few more favorable contrast impressions.

Blacks often look elevated or gray, especially in dark rooms. This IPS display cannot match OLED depth.

The narrow gamut, limited resolution and gray blacks reduce immersion in richly detailed or moody single-player titles, although one owner enjoyed the compact view.

Vibrant worlds and sharp motion work well for immersive single-player games, but some prefer OLED for darker scenes, richer HDR, and cinematic contrast.

Four USB-A ports add useful peripheral connections, and some users appreciate that charging power remains available without the upstream data cable.

The three USB-A connections are useful for accessories, even though the monitor offers no USB-C docking.

Standard 100×100 mm mounting and a readily detachable stand make aftermarket arm installation practical.

Standard 100×100 mounting offers a useful alternative to the sometimes stiff or height-limited included stand.

Feedback is favorable when the display is judged as a competitive gaming specialist, but a minority question whether 360Hz justifies its compromises and price.

The overall gaming experience earns exceptional praise for motion and responsiveness; one enthusiastic owner still returned an early unit because of defective pixels.

There are no integrated speakers, a convenience drawback for anyone without a headset or separate desktop audio.

There are no internal speakers. The headphone jack helps, but this omission is frustrating at the asking price.

Standard sRGB performance is adequate for SDR games, while the narrower DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB coverage leaves richly colored and professional work behind wider-gamut alternatives.

Colors are pleasantly vivid for IPS and suitable for gaming, but P3 coverage and saturation trail several premium OLED and wide-gamut rivals.

Extremely fluid motion is a standout strength, though a few testers note residual blur and rivals with strobing can look cleaner.

Remarkably sharp motion across nearly the entire panel is the defining strength, even at frame rates far below 360fps. Minor strobe crosstalk remains in some situations.

The matte surface reduces glare but can create an oil-slick texture on bright white desktop areas, usually not noticeable in games.

The matte surface softens perceived crispness compared with a glossy OLED, particularly when reflections are diffused across the display.

FreeSync works across supported connections, while NVIDIA variable refresh worked in multiple tests over DisplayPort despite lacking native G-SYNC hardware.

Variable refresh operates broadly and can run alongside Pulsar on NVIDIA systems; an early owner experienced some game-specific disruptions.

The revised base generally leaves useful room for a mouse and keyboard, although one owner still found the stand chunkier than slim productivity designs.

The compact metal base leaves notably more space for mouse swipes and keyboard placement than bulkier gaming stands.

A channel through the stand helps tidy cables, but some owners find the routing or visibility of the power cord less elegant than expected.

The stand includes a pass-through for routing wires, helping keep the setup tidy.

There are many genre and color presets to customize, but some enhancement modes create distracting sharpening or edge effects.

Racing and sRGB choices cover different looks, but one dedicated sRGB preset locks brightness; switching the color-space option offers more flexibility.

Easy-to-reach audio jacks beneath the screen and an extra output by the rear connections simplify headset hookups.

The 3.5mm output is handy for game audio when the screen itself has no speakers.

Rapid 360Hz refresh, low lag and responsive pixel transitions make this a strong esports specialist, provided the PC can sustain high frame rates.

Among its clearest strengths are fast response, very low lag, 360Hz refresh, and crisp Pulsar motion. It is especially rewarding for fast competitive play on NVIDIA PCs.

Fast IPS combines responsive gaming with wide viewing angles and reasonable color, though it cannot match deeper-black panel technologies.

Ultrafast IPS blends high-speed motion with stronger color and viewing angles than traditional esports TN screens. It cannot provide the OLED contrast that cinematic content benefits from.

The monitor can work with consoles, and one enthusiast enjoyed the experience, but other reviewers find the 1080p, HDMI 2.0 and 360Hz-PC focus poor value for modern consoles.

HDMI 2.1, VRR, and 120Hz input work well for consoles, including virtual 4K signal acceptance. The native panel remains 1440p and console users cannot access 360Hz.

Most praise the secure, wobble-free stand, though one owner saw tilt when a headset hung on the side.

The sturdy compact base often stays firmly planted, although one test reported moderate wobble when moving the screen or pressing controls.

Lag is consistently described as extremely low, translating to near-instant feedback in twitch shooters and fast mouse movements.

At high refresh rates, input response is exceptionally quick. Fixed-rate 60Hz ULMB introduces more delay than the normal gaming mode.

360Hz delivers exceptionally fluid play and a low-latency feel, but several reviewers find the improvement over 240Hz subtle unless frame rates stay very high.

The 360Hz refresh rate is excellent for a QHD IPS monitor and especially effective with high-frame-rate games. Full speed requires DisplayPort.

DisplayPort-driven 360Hz and responsive controls work best on high-frame-rate PCs; ordinary systems may leave much of the capability unused.

DisplayPort-connected NVIDIA PCs get the most complete feature set, while the GPU and input restrictions can frustrate more complicated arrangements.

Custom color settings give useful white-balance and saturation adjustments, but there is no dedicated sRGB clamp and optimal accuracy may need calibration.

Precise gamma, RGB, brightness, and color-space controls allow detailed adjustment without the usual sRGB preset restrictions.

Despite several video inputs, the missing KVM makes it less convenient to share a keyboard and mouse among connected computers.

There is no integrated KVM, reducing convenience for people sharing peripherals between computers.

Contrast earns both above-average-for-IPS praise and clear criticism beside OLED or VA. Dark content still lacks the depth needed for cinematic presentation.

Roughly standard IPS contrast leaves dark scenes without true depth. Good SDR color does not make up for the missing OLED-like blacks or local dimming.

Colorful, sharp-enough SDR action looks good for esports; weaknesses in dark scenes, high-end color and fine detail prevent a premium all-purpose image.

Sharp, vibrant SDR images are satisfying for a fast IPS panel, but weak contrast and limited HDR stop it from becoming an all-purpose picture-quality leader.

Accuracy is generally considered solid for gaming and can improve with adjustment; a few reviewers found the default temperature or individual colors less convincing.

Factory grayscale and the adjustable sRGB mode perform well, with outstanding accuracy achievable after fine-tuning. Not every measurement or reviewer found it exceptional out of the box.

FreeSync operation is broadly praised, and multiple testers found G-SYNC-compatible mode worked over DisplayPort. It does not have a native NVIDIA G-SYNC module.

G-SYNC variable refresh normally combines with Pulsar cleanly across fluctuating game frame rates. Early firmware displayed some doubling issues that were subsequently addressed in testing.

Basic HDR support does not deliver meaningful high-dynamic-range impact. Reviewers repeatedly point to weak contrast, no effective dimming and limited color range.

HDR looks much like bright SDR: it lacks impactful highlights, deep blacks, and the local dimming needed for convincing scene depth.

DisplayPort is the way to unlock 360Hz and usable NVIDIA variable refresh; HDMI has a lower maximum refresh rate.

DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC provides the full 1440p at 360Hz experience that HDMI cannot deliver on this model.

Measurements and impressions generally point to strong brightness for a 1080p esports screen, although one reviewer wanted a punchier presentation.

The display reaches strong SDR brightness and remains impressively bright with Pulsar on. It also dims enough for many darker spaces.

The centered joystick and accessible shortcut menus are easy to navigate, even if the graphics themselves look dated or pixelated.

A responsive joystick and customizable shortcuts make the on-screen settings quick to navigate, despite the large number of controls.

The absence of effective local dimming leaves HDR unable to show bright highlights beside deep blacks.

There is no useful local dimming for HDR contrast; the segmented Pulsar backlight is designed for motion, not independent dark-scene illumination.

Pricing below some premium 360Hz rivals earns praise, particularly on sale; others view a cheaper 240Hz or sharper 1440p monitor as the better use of money.

The price is steep for an IPS QHD screen, yet dedicated esports buyers can get OLED-rivaling motion without funding a 540Hz-plus GPU-and-monitor setup.

The lack of HDMI 2.1 matters little to some 1080p PC gamers but weakens its appeal as a modern-console or high-bandwidth display.

Two HDMI 2.1 inputs add modern console compatibility, but the monitor is limited to 120Hz through HDMI instead of its full 360Hz.

The restrained gray Alienware styling, slim bezels and sculpted rear receive widespread praise without the brash RGB look of some rivals.

The mostly black, thin-bezel design is understated by gaming-monitor standards. Opinions differ on the illuminated rear ROG styling.

The 24.5-inch size keeps gameplay compact and focused but feels small to those accustomed to larger gaming or productivity panels.

The 27-inch format balances immersion and desk space, with more picture area than many traditional 24- or 25-inch esports monitors.

Sturdy plastics, a substantial base and well-fitted construction earn consistent praise, with little flex or creaking during normal adjustment.

The construction feels premium, with a substantial stand and sturdy assembly rather than a flimsy gaming chassis.

Thin side and top borders support the clean appearance and reduce visual clutter at the desktop.

A slim, nearly borderless three-sided front looks clean and keeps attention on the game rather than the frame.

One test praised near-perfect gamma while another found the factory setting a little high; settings allow some correction.

Factory gamma does not always match the intended SDR target, but tracking can be refined through unusually precise controls.

Once G-SYNC is configured, enabling Pulsar is largely a single-menu action; it follows changing frame rates without constant retuning.

Some samples showed little or no bleed; other testers noticed glow or uneven patches, usually more visible in dark scenes than in active gaming.

Fixed-rate ULMB 2 gained 120Hz and 60Hz options through firmware. Narrower pulses can sharpen moving objects further at the expense of brightness and, at 60Hz, comfort.

An IPS LCD avoids the long-term static-image burn-in anxiety associated with OLED, making sustained desktop use less concerning.

Profile-based calibration delivers excellent measured results, particularly when mapping the native gamut back to sRGB.

The unboxing impression is positive about the simple, easy-to-follow printed manual.

Molded-pulp recyclable packaging avoids crumbly foam and made a favorable impression during setup.

Firmware updates can be applied through NVIDIA’s browser workflow and have added useful strobe modes and repaired early VRR issues. The service cable may need to be supplied separately.

The menu provides convenient timers and a frame-rate display as small gaming extras.

Several HDR modes are available, but added edge enhancement makes the Movie and Game options less attractive than Desktop.

A retractable side hook wins praise for keeping a headset close at hand without taking up more desk space.

Support for downscaling a 4K input gives it a modest compatibility advantage for consoles versus some rival esports monitors.

Compared with more expensive G-SYNC-module models, the missing NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer takes away a specialized diagnostics feature.

The protected packaging and tidy unboxing experience repeatedly impress, with recyclable materials and secure fitting mentioned positively.

One owner found dead pixels on the initial unit and returned it despite loving the gameplay. That experience does not establish a general defect rate.

The unboxing experience suggests a lighter-than-expected panel that is straightforward to lift and mount.

The sturdy materials, smooth adjustments and refined gray finish make the monitor feel more expensive than some competing gaming designs.

PS5 gaming is responsive at compatible inputs, but the 1440p panel cannot deliver the full native 4K presentation of a 4K-capable PlayStation.

A few units showed brightness falloff or brighter corners; the visibility and annoyance vary by sample and content.

Conventional RGB subpixels keep fine text clean without the colored fringes that can bother users of some OLED panels.

Missing 4K/24Hz and 4K/50Hz input support can affect smooth movie playback from some external sources.

Changing frame rates usually produce very little visible flicker. Frequencies near the lower Pulsar threshold can still be sensitive.

Pulsar itself does not strobe at 60fps. Updated firmware offers fixed-rate 60Hz ULMB 2 with striking clarity, but visible flicker and higher latency are important tradeoffs.

The separate power button and straightforward joystick arrangement earn praise for quick access to common controls.

There is no DisplayWidget Center support, so settings must generally be changed using the physical OSD controls.

Controls and firmware ran without major trouble in one test, though first-generation Pulsar updates have been important for improving behavior.

The oversized crosshair and centrally placed vision filters divide opinion, with several gamers finding them distracting rather than helpful.

The ambient sensor can adjust brightness and color temperature smoothly as room lighting changes, a useful convenience even if some prefer fixed settings.

Shadow Boost lifts darker gray detail and helps reveal objects in dim game environments, though it cannot fix native IPS black depth.

During early play, Pulsar sometimes turned itself off and back on unexpectedly in borderless games. The owner said the problem stopped after the first day.

The built-in 25-inch simulation makes competitive viewing easy to engage and leave, replacing more tedious manual resolution and black-bar setups.

The built-in FPS-labeled counter actually reports the active display refresh rate, which can mislead during frame doubling.

Only faint coil whine or fan noise was detected on one tested unit at heavy load, although the sound may vary between samples.

Low-frequency strobing and the warmest blue-light filter can affect comfort or image fidelity. One owner, however, found normal Pulsar gaming fatigue-free.

Very small low-brightness oscillations are unlikely to trouble most viewers; visible low-frequency ULMB strobing is a separate caveat.

The standout variable-refresh strobing needs a compatible NVIDIA GPU; AMD users can still get conventional VRR or fixed-rate ULMB 2, but not Pulsar.

Tool-free assembly and an easy locking stand make initial installation straightforward.

The cited three-year US coverage and exchange options sound reassuring, but policies can vary by region and seller.