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Similar to above, as with ‘Game 2’ and ‘Game 3’. Greater flexibility offered in the OSD than the ‘Standard’ setting. The Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition graphical benchmark looks very nice on the Alienware 25, with natural-looking colors in the green fields and blue skies. The colors could be a bit more vibrant, though, and while the picture is quite bright, fine details in shadows and dark objects occasionally appear a little muddy. The action is nice and smooth, with no noticeable motion artifacts. Gamer Network Limited, Gateway House, 28 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DN, United Kingdom, registered under company number 03882481. Is the difference between these two monitors only in color? Why if compared the HF model is IPS while the HFL is Fast IPS? Is it just an error in writing the description or is there a difference? The Lagom text appeared a blended grey throughout, with a slight red hue to the striping of the text. There were no clear flashes of saturated red, orange or green or shifts between these with a bit of head movement. This indicates a low viewing angle dependency to the gamma curve of the monitor, typical for an IPS-type panel.
Alienware AW2521HF 24.5 inch Full HD (1920x1080) Gaming
A sensitive camera and a utility called SMTT 2.0 was used assess the latency of the Dell Alienware AW2521HF. Over 30 repeat readings were taken to help maximise accuracy. Using this method, we calculated 2.63ms (under 2/3rds of a frame at 240Hz) of input lag. At 60Hz we measured a slightly higher but still reasonable 6.47ms. This figure is influenced both by the element of input lag you ‘see’ (pixel responsiveness) and the element you ‘feel’ (signal delay). It indicates a very low signal delay at 240Hz which even sensitive users shouldn’t find bothersome. Note that we have no way to accurately measure input lag with Adaptive-Sync active in a variable refresh rate and frame rate environment. The image below is a macro photograph taken on Notepad with ClearType disabled. The letters ‘PCM’ are typed out to help highlight any potential text rendering issues related to unusual subpixel structure, whilst the white space more clearly shows the actual subpixel layout alongside a rough indication of screen surface. This model uses a ‘regular’ (medium) matte anti-glare surface. Strong glare-handling is provided due to significant diffusion of ambient light. This diffusion also affects light emitted from the monitor, with a negative impact on the clarity and vibrancy potential of the screen. The screen surface has a bit of graininess to it when observing lighter shades, a very slightly ‘sandy’ look to it, if you like. It doesn’t show strong graininess or a heavily smeared appearance, however. The surface texture is quite similar if not a touch lighter than the surface texture used on most high refresh rate ~24” Full HD TN models. You will find the latter and two of the USB slots in a hub at the middle of the bottom bezel for easy access. It’s great that you don’t have to flip the monitor or blindly reach for the slots at the rear panel if in case you want to swap between your peripherals. LG 27UL650 Review – 4K IPS Monitor with FreeSync and HDR The LG 27UL650 is the next 4K monitor in line to the well-loved 27UK650 which provided accurate color and excellent… More importantly, though, the colour accuracy of AW2521HFL's IPS panel also leaves a lot to be desired compared to its AOC rival. Whereas my X-Rite DisplayPro i1 colour calibrator showed the AOC C27G2ZU was already showing a near perfect 99% of the sRGB colour gamut straight out of the box on maximum brightness, the AW2521HFL only returned a rather sub-par coverage score of 90.9% when I tested it on its default Standard preset. I'd normally expect an IPS panel to hit around 96% of the sRGB colour gamut, but this was more in line with what I'd expect from a good TN panel.
On Shadow of the Tomb Raider things were also presented in a rich and natural way. The environments looked in-place, with good variety and some good earthy browns and rich green shades. Some of the deep greens weren’t as lush as they could be, nor were things like bright purple flowers, red painted artifacts and some of Lara’s ornate dresses as eye-catching as we’ve seen. But they were still closer to the ‘vibrant’ vs. ‘washed out’ end of the spectrum in our view. Lara’s skin also appeared much as it should, without the overly tanned appearance that a wider gamut would provide. The strong consistency was also very evident when considering Lara’s glowing and all-too-perfect complexion. Even the best VA performers show quite pronounced shifts in saturation for such pastel shades when they’re shown towards peripheral sections of the screen rather than centrally. TN models show obvious saturation shifts vertically. In this case appropriate richness and saturation was maintained throughout. As shown in the image above, the monitor uses the usual RGB (Red, Green and Blue) stripe subpixel layout. This is the default expected by modern operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Apple’s MacOS. As a Windows user you don’t need to run through the ClearType wizard, although you may still wish to adjust this according to your preferences. As a Mac user there’s no need to worry about text fringing from non-standard subpixel layouts. The subpixel layout and arrangement is normal and we had no subpixel-related concerns related to sharpness or text clarity on this model. IPS glow’ eats away at detail, particularly near bottom corners. Screen surface imparts a bit of graininess to lighter content Strong pixel responsiveness overall, low input lag and Adaptive-Sync working well with both our AMD and Nvidia GPU All that being said, if gaming is where your priorities lie, then the AW2521HF is a great choice. It’s fast and responsive, and is compatible with both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia’s G-Sync technologies for tear-free gaming, which is a sensible move if you own a card from one manufacturer and think you might switch allegiance sometime in the future.
Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor AW2521HFL - Dell Support for Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor AW2521HFL - Dell
The image appears ‘rich and natural’ overall, with good variety. The gamma is slightly below target, brightening up some shades just a little, but the overall image balance is very respectable. An obvious cool (blue) almost icy-looking tint due to very high colour temperature. Some shades brightened up just slightly due to gamma handling, but not by a huge amount. Strong consistency due to IPS-type panel, without the perceived gamma and saturation shifts associated with TN or VA panels. Peak brightness reaches an impressive 424cd/m², too, which when coupled with the anti-glare coating means this is a prime candidate for use in brighter rooms. Colour accuracy is fine within sRGB although nothing particularly special. In Standard mode, I measured an average colour difference Delta E of 2.67 and contrast ratio at an acceptable, if not exceptional 999:1. That’s a little on the low side for a modern IPS monitor but on the money for what Dell is claiming for the screen. The Alienware AW2521HFL has a distinct design that reflects its branding, but what further emphasizes that is its AlienFX RGB lighting. The full span of the stand’s pillar has an LED ring that glows in any color or preset you like from the OSD or from the AlienFX app. It’s bright enough to cast a bias lighting glow if the monitor sits close to a wall, but what we didn’t like it cannot sync with other RGB ecosystems.
Thoughts on the Alienware AW2521HFL
The video below shows the monitor in action. The camera, processing done and your own screen all affect the output – so it doesn’t accurately represent what you’d see when viewing the monitor in person. It still provides useful visual demonstrations and explanations which help reinforce some of the key points raised in the written piece.
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The monitor also includes a Low Blue Light (LBL) setting called ‘ComfortView’. It’s important to reduce blue light exposure in the hours leading up to sleep, as it’s stimulating to the body and affects sleep hormones. Whilst this setting did tone down the blue channel from the factory defaults and reduce blue light output as a result, it was far from an effective LBL setting. At least on our unit, where the default colour temperature was far too high. It also imparted an obvious green tint, with a relatively strong green channel. This is quite common on LBL settings as reducing the green channel negatively impacts contrast, but in this case it was rather noticeable and you were left with a warmish but very green image. Almost alien-like, you could say.It's definitely better than trying to fiddle with its Custom Colour preset, if only because each of its three Gamer profiles give you exactly the same level of control over its dozens of colour options. They're not particularly user-friendly, all told, and Alienware could probably do with chopping a lot of them to make the onboard menu settings easier to understand. Whereas most gaming monitors just give you easy RGB bars to adjust up and down, the AW2521HFL splits them into Gain, Offset, Hue and Saturation, and it's not immediately obvious which settings do what if you don't already know what those individual terms actually mean. Then again, my attempts at calibrating the Gamer preset to try and improve things further didn't actually yield the results I wanted (everything actually got a little worse), so they're probably best left alone anyway. The Alienware AW2521HFL has three main display outputs: two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.2 output. I've connect my new AW2521HFLA to my PS5 via HDMI and I'm getting no audio whatsoever.The audio on the monitor is set to 100.Any help would be appreciated. The monitor includes a range of ‘Preset Modes’; ‘Standard’, ‘FPS’, ‘MOBA/RTS’, ‘RPG’, ‘SPORTS’, ‘Game 1’, ‘Game 2’, ‘Game 3’, ‘ComfortView’, ‘Warm’, ‘Cool’ and ‘Custom Color’. The numbered ‘Game’ presets and ‘Custom Color’ are most flexible as they allow you to adjust the colour channels and saturation levels. The remaining presets make specific adjustments to those and can’t be manually altered. The numbered ‘Game’ presets can have unique ‘Brightness’ and ‘Contrast’ levels assigned to them as well, whereas this is set universally for the remaining presets. Many of the presets make further adjustments, such as ‘FPS’, ‘MOBA/RTS’, ‘RPG’ and ‘SPORTS’ adding a sharpness filter which can’t be disabled or counteracted effectively in the OSD aside from by selecting a different preset. These were briefly explored in the OSD video, but for the purposes of this table we’ll be looking at manual adjustments and settings we feel have more utility. Gamers have always known that a good monitor can make the difference between life and death, and especially those who indulge in competitive online gaming. It’s these folk that the Alienware 25 AW2521HF is primarily aimed at, but it’s also good for a bit of sneaky work on the side – which, given the recent move towards home working, is a definite bonus. The only minor issue is that there’s no support for HDR. This is not yet a must-have feature for gaming monitors but it will be soon and it’s something to bear in mind if you’re considering spending this much on a 24.5in screen.
Dell Alienware AW2521HF Review | PC Monitors
Calibrating the monitor will yield a very low deltaE average of only 0.54 which is very close to the result found on the Alienware AW2521HF. However, not all have access to a colorimeter, so we recommend using the custom color preset and tweaking the screen to your liking instead. The added cost of the gadget will make the total cost of your upgrade even higher, so it’s not worth it. The high refresh rate and frame rate combination can be particularly attractive for competitive gamers, but also appreciated by fans of less competitive fast-paced action. The Dell Alienware AW2521HF (now designated AW2521HFA in UK and EU) aims to find a nice balance between speed and image quality, combining a 240Hz refresh rate with the superior colour quality of an IPS-type panel. Adaptive-Sync support is included, allowing AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia’s ‘G-SYNC Compatible Mode’ to be used. We put this monitor through its paces, seeing how it compares to the more common TN options such as the impressively responsive Acer XN253Q X.Extras: AMD Freesync Premium, Nvidia G-Sync Compatible, height-adjustable stand, 4x USB3 ports (one with power charging), RGB lighting It's not just colour settings you get on the AW2521HFL, though. There are also specific Sharpness, Response Time and Dark Stabilizer settings, the latter of which artificially brightens the screen to help you spot things in the shadows. It's a feature often touted as a 'must-have' for competitive multiplayer games to give you that extra 'edge' online - especially when said games are often the ones that can make the most of the AW2521HFL's 240Hz refresh rate. However, I found that the screen's regular peak brightness and accompanying contrast ratio from the Gamer preset was more than enough to help me see everything that I needed to in-game. The best thing about the Alienware AW2521HFL is its strong performance in motion handling. The monitor offers excellent control over blurring and ghosting which makes it great for fast-paced competitive titles. This model also has three overdrive settings to further clean up its image output, but we recommend staying with the Fast level.
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