Product test
Reviewing the Samsung Odyssey G9: the ultimate gaming monitor
by Kevin Hofer
Alienware monitor with 240 Hz tested: Small, but with a lot of hertz
8.6.2020
Translation: machine translated
Dell is targeting competitive gamers with the Alienware AW2521HF. 240 Hz, IPS display, compact and low price are a promising mix. The monitor is impressive when gaming, but not when it comes to colour reproduction.
High refresh rates and minimal response times are traditionally the specialities of TN panels. However, they usually lack vibrant colours. This is where IPS panels score. Dell offers the best of both worlds with the Alienware AW2521HF. At least in theory. The test shows that the 25-inch monitor with its exorbitant 240 Hz also has to make compromises.
Specifications and connections
Display: 24.5 inch IPS
Resolution: 1920 × 1080 pixels
Refresh rate: 240 Hz
Response time: 1ms
Features: G-Sync, Freesync Premium, RGB lighting
Ports: 4x USB 3.0, 1x headphone jack, 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x audio line-out, compatible with VESA wall mount
The monitor has no speakers. However, you can connect headphones or your own speakers via a 3.5 mm plug.
Design, lighting and operation
The monitor is assembled in no time at all. Click in the stand, fix the base with the integrated twist lock and you're done. The connections on the back can be concealed behind a plastic cover. It makes a cheap impression, but as a rule you only have to touch it sporadically.
A feature called AlienFX allows the lighting to be adapted to the action in games. The list of compatible games is manageable and current titles such as "Valorant", "Warzone" or "Fortnite" are missing.
The monitor is equipped with four buttons and a clickable joystick on the right rear side. This allows the menus to be navigated quickly. Fortunately, they are not too complicated, so you can quickly find what you are looking for. You can use the four buttons to directly set functions such as presets or brightness.
Thanks to the height-adjustable stand and a 360-degree joint, you can adjust the monitor to practically any angle imaginable.
Display measurement
When measuring with DisplayCal, I slightly increase the red value to 56 per cent. This means that all RGB colours are at the same level. With these settings, I measured a colour space coverage of 95.5 per cent sRGB, 69.9 per cent Adobe RGB and 78.1 per cent DCI P3. These are decent values, even if they are slightly below the manufacturer's specifications. They tend not to be sufficient for graphic work.
I also measured a black value of 0.365 cd/m3, which results in a static contrast of 1096:1. This corresponds to the manufacturer's specifications, but is also not a particularly good value. It starts to be fun from 3000. The higher the contrast, the more dynamic the picture.
As promised by Dell, the maximum brightness is 400cd/m2, but only in the centre of the monitor. The rest of the display is over ten per cent less bright. However, I didn't notice the drop in brightness during normal use.
For a gamer monitor, the values are sufficient, especially for a monitor that is designed for extremely fast image changes.
Game test
Gaming a shooter like this on a monitor with such a high frame rate is undoubtedly a pleasure. You can definitely feel that the controls feel even more precise, even if I'm hardly getting any better with my skills as a result.
Thanks to the 1 ms response time, G-Sync and Freesync, I didn't notice any streaking, image distortion or ghosting during the entire test phase. The picture was always razor-sharp and flawless.
Conclusion: Small but powerful
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
