The Alienware AW2726DM disrupts the QD-OLED monitor scene with fantastic value visuals, and I'm hyped to see a screen like this for under $400

I’ll admit that I almost yawned at the thought of the Alienware AW2726DM, as I figured it was yet another 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor. Technically, that’s true, but this screen’s superpowers aren’t in its commendable panel specs, and it certainly won’t woe you with additional fancy features. No, instead, Dell has created a display that delivers what a thousand bucks used to get you for under $400, and that is frankly incredible.

I’d even go as far as to say that the Alienware AW2726DM puts plenty of the best gaming monitor contenders out of the race based on price alone. Other brands have been working on building a kingdom of sub-$500 before now, but I’m used to seeing options by lesser-known brands like KTC use the same WOLED panel that was high-end in 2023 to only just hit that bracket.

Effectively, the gaming monitor landscape is a completely different place three years later. Now, unless you’re gunning for absurd refresh rates, you can easily find a 27-inch 1440p panel with 240Hz capabilities infused with Quantum Dot OLED abilities, and while the Alienware AW2726DM cuts back on extras to make a $349.99 price tag happen, that hardly matters in the face of ridiculous value-embued vibrant visuals.

Feels can be deceiving

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I want to note right away that upon taking the AW2726DM out of its cardboard prison, it admittedly felt like I was unboxing an Alienware screen from a few years ago. Everything from the fact that you have to screw the pedestal stand to the back ( the last reviewer to use this sample misplaced the VESA screws, so I had to use my spares) to the minimalist square base that doesn’t quite feel like a style choice stood out.

I wasn’t offended by the less lavish vibes of the AW2726DM, but it did serve as a firm reminder that we’re talking about a mid-range monitor. Dell always likes to signal product categories through feel, which is why the Alienware AW2725Q pairs a ridiculously dense 27-inch 4K panel with a bougie bubble getup that requires no screwing thanks to a quick-release system.

The stand also fully incorporates cable management into its plinth, and I’ll get to what’s happening with the AW2726DM. First, though, I want to float the idea that none of those small touches really matter when you’re paying under $400 and getting a more than cromulent QD-OLED 27-inch 1440p experience. Yes. I’d rather not have to fetch a screwdriver to whack together a screen in 2026, but hey, if it can contribute to prices this affordable, I’ll happily ditch the “ready in two clicks” world.

You spin me right round

Given that the stand is a no-thrills, screw-based, square base with nothing to really offer visually, you’d think I’d be done talking about it. However, there’s a sneaky extra hiding under the base of the AW2726DM, as not unlike the much more expensive Sony Inzone M10S II, it has 360° movement. The square is sitting right on top of what reminds me of a microwave plate, allowing it to spin round (like a record, baby) rather than using a traditional pivot.

There’s something slightly odd about spinning a square, but the 360° pivot is smooth enough. No, it’s not as slick as Sony’s setup, and the fact it adds height to the frumpy, angular pedestal doesn’t help the visual side of things. But, the part that matters is that offers up circular movement with ease, all while even going above and beyond the Inzone M10S and its sequel by including a vertical 90° pivot alongside the standard tilt.

You’ll tire of me circling back to price, but again, we’re talking about a $349 monitor. The Alienware AW2726DM could have probably gotten away with doing zilch extra with the stand, but instead, Dell decided to include a useful 360° mechanism as a gesture, just so you don’t feel like it completely sidelined extras in the name of affordable screen specs.

What cable management?

You wire warriors out there aren’t going to like this, but the Alienware AW2726DM doesn’t know the meaning of the word cable management. The plinth lacks even a basic through-hole for the DisplayPort and HDMI under the usual lip, meaning there’s nowhere for them to hide. Since the power supply is built in this time around, that means you’re immediately faced with a chonky AC cord to conceal, and unless you get creative, you’ll see it hanging out on the right-hand side.

Here’s the thing: I fully believe every monitor should come with a stand (looking at you, Dough Spectrum Black 27). At the same time, I get why Dell has stuck with the absolute basics here in the name of a lower price. If you really want things to look super clean and stylish, you’ll probably end up looking at monitor arms or more lavish extras, and those are going to provide you with on-board cable management solutions.

It’s all in the price; if the Alienware AW2726DM came in at over $500, I’d be dunking on Dell for the zero attention to cable management. At the same time, it’s strange that there isn’t at least include a clip for the back, as that’d help bunch together wires behind the 27-inch panel, so they’re not just *there*.

Glare that’s easier to bear

This is yet another glossy QD-OLED display, so I fully expected the Alienware AW2726DM to fall folly to my south-facing window. The reflective screen absolutely suffers from glare exactly how you’d expect, but it’s nowhere near as aggressive as I was anticipating. The anti-glare coating is clearly hard at work preventing the panel from becoming a mirror like the Philips Evnia 32M2N8900, and with the screen powered on, it does a better job kicking reflections to the curb than many other QD-OLED options.

When powered off, the Alienware AW2726DM lacks that distinctive purple hue that other QD-OLED monitors present in daylight. Theoretically, that means you’ll get truer blacks even when playing in very bright rooms, but your mileage may vary based on setup placement and how direct light sources actually are. This model is still using the same Quantum Dot polarizing film that catches light in the same way, as that’s fundamental to the pros as well as the cons. But hey, as far as my test setup is concerned, you could almost mistake this screen for a WOLED when it’s powered off.

Joystick joy

I’m about to surprise even myself, as while I always make a point on moaning about monitors not coming with remote, Dell has really dialled in its OSD joystick. That is to say that the nub on the Alienware AW2726DM is pleasant to use compared to most I’ve tried, offering easy-to-reach controls close to the right-hand side, paired with an on-screen interface that’s very toggle-friendly.

At its price, the Alienware AW2726DM was never going to come with a remote control. I’m perfectly comfortable dunking on more premium displays for going without, but the fact that Dell’s screen offers up a better joystick than many other models out there speaks volumes. It’s still my least favorite way to access screen features and specs by a long mile, and while I’m giving this screen a “pass”, you can fully expect to hear me shout about wireless buttons for many reviews to come.

On-screen features

While I’m on the OSD, you wouldn’t know that this is a cheaper QD-OLED display flicking through the Alienware AW2726DM’s options and settings. It still has all the picture modes, smart HDR dials, and OLED care options you’d expect from any modern Dell monitor, and you’ll have practically everything you need to enjoy the same experience as on a higher-tier model.

The real difference here is actually found between brands. The essence of a high-end monitor has changed, and you now have screens boasting dual-mode resolution and refresh rate abilities, alongside more customizable OLED care options and tricks like anti-VRR flicker if you need speedy competitive clarity. You won’t find that with the Alienware AW2726DM, but you won’t be missing any of the fundamentals or those more gaming-focused toggles, like crosshairs and frame counters.

A visual punch above its price range

I want to lay down some basic facts before sharing my Alienware AW2726DM visual impressions. To start, this is a 1440p 240Hz monitor, and on paper, that’s not super impressive when you’ve got QHD options pushing 540Hz. While it’s a QD-OLED display, that tech is also not so lavish in the face of new Tandem OLED panels that stack multiple light-emitting layers to raise the brightness bar.

And yet, the Alienware AW2726DM still feels like the sort of vibrant, high-end panel you’d pay over $500 for. There’s always a point where all the lavish tech premium players have been enjoying becomes the norm for everyone else, but I wasn’t quite expecting QD-OLED to enter that zone this quickly, especially given the overarching woes of gaming hardware prices right now. For the price, this screen will put a smile on the faces of anyone with a sub $400 budget upgrading from an older IPS panel or even a cheaper WOLED, and its achievements really outweigh the caveats.

I don’t want to bury those said caveats under words of excellent value adornment, so I’ll start with the AW2726DM’s brightness. Dell’s display measures in at around 250 nits in SDR and up to 440 nits in HDR True Black mode, so it’s behind many contenders on paper. In real-life scenarios, the results feel slightly more dialled back than that, and just like traditional QD-OLED setups, I’d stick to light-controlled rooms for the best results.

Outside of some brightness drawbacks, there’s little room for complaint with the AW2726DM’s vibrancy, colors, and black levels. Having already tested a bunch of Dell’s QD-OLED options, I’m of the opinion that this cheaper Alienware model hits all the same notes, providing rich visuals with colors that pop nicely. If I were to plonk this panel next to its higher-end counterparts, I do suspect I’d notice a difference in contrast, if not some varying results due to the dialled-back brightness. But, in a normal situation, you’ll be able to easily appreciate what this monitor provides.

I wasn’t really expecting anything less from the Samsung QD-OLED panel at the heart of this Alienware screen. It certainly has all the nerdy specs to back up its abilities, including a 99% DCI-P3 coverage and 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. That translates to exceptional vibrancy in everything from indie romps, to the high-end PC capers, and dare I say, PS4 outings and retro games (hold your horses, more on that is coming).

Just like with any PC-focused monitor, pretty visuals are half the story, as these screens need to hold their own in competitive shooters. That still applies even when dealing with a more “casual” QHD 240Hz setup, and I’m pleased to say this screen feels just as responsive as comparable panels I’ve tried. Having just wrapped up playing Overwatch and other first-person shooters on screen with 720Hz abilities, I can naturally feel a difference when lying around as Pharah. It’s not something I’d say you’ll notice unless you’ve subjected yourself to demonic display refresh rates, though, and it still feels as responsive as any other OLED with a 0.03ms GtG response time.

Retro gaming ruin

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I’ve started testing more gaming monitors on the bench as retro console screens, and while that might sound strange, I do it with dutiful purpose. You see, while it’s reasonable to assume all screens will play nice with upscalers and adapters, I’m finding that most options don’t know how to handle specific resolutions, resulting in either squished aspect ratios, forced widescreen, or blurriness due to mismatched scaling.

The Alienware AW2726DM sadly fails to play nice with anything that isn’t a “standard resolution.” In fact, the Samsung panel pretty much handles the GBS-C set to x in the same way as the Sony Inzone M10S II. It misinterprets 1280x960 as 1280x1024, meaning the integer-scaled 4:3 visuals of consoles are squished into 5:4, while 720p is forced into widescreen. It virtually means that if you’re looking into how to connect retro consoles to modern TVs or monitors, you shouldn’t specifically pick up this screen with that in mind.

Okay, yes, very few people will be looking specifically for a QD-OLED Alienware for retro gaming. That’s not to say lots of players won’t pick this screen up with the intention of playing classic capers on it too, and since it is a bit iffy with handling the right resolutions, it means you might be better off looking elsewhere. I should note that the quirks aren’t inherent to this panel’s price point, and ultimately, the issues stem from a lack of provisions in the firmware rather than a general incompatibility.

Should you pick up the Alienware AW2726DM?

I don’t want to be dramatic, but the Alienware AW2726DM marks a big moment in the QD-OLED scene. As an option from what is usually a more premium-focused brand, this 27-inch 1440p display changes what to expect for under $400, serving as one of the best-value gaming monitors I’ve tested for quite a while.

There’s no point pretending the AW2726DM can trade blows with the absolute best screens out there, as it dials back brightness and drops virtually every other hardware feature to hit its target price. I can absolutely respect Dell for doing that, though, especially since extras like USB hubs, KVM switching, and RGB tomfoolery aren’t universally appreciated by all players.

If you simply care about getting an excellent QD-OLED display and you’re not fussed about bells and whistles, the Alienware AW2726DM is a no-brainer. We’ll no doubt see other options fight for supremacy in the sub-$400 range soon, but until that happens, Dell’s delightfully affordable display is the one I’d watch out for.

How I tested the Alienware AW2726DM

For a month, I used the Alienware AW2726DM as my main gaming monitor while also testing the QD-OLED display on a specific workbench. During that time, I assessed qualities like anti-glare, brightness, and vibrancy while weighing up its features and abilities against its price point.

To ensure that my testing stayed true to real-life scenarios, I used the Alienware AW2726DM with a PS5, PC, and an HDMI upscaler for retro consoles. That allowed me to test responsiveness in shooters like Overwatch while assessing brightness and vibrancy across single-player releases.

For more information on how we test gaming monitors, swing by our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for a full rundown.