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Alienware AW2523HF review

With its 360Hz refresh rate, the Alienware AW2523HF offers blistering gaming performance, though its IPS panel tops out at a modest 1080p resolution.

Alienware AW2523HF side view

Our Verdict

81%

Few gamers truly need a 360Hz display over a 240Hz one, but the AW2523HF is a solid choice if you want fast gaming performance.

It’s a few years since we first saw a 360Hz gaming monitor, in the shape of the Asus PG259QN, but they’re still quite rare. As such, it’s a little surprising to see a 360Hz display from a premium brand such as Alienware available for just over $400. The Alienware AW2523HF has a pleasingly smart design as well.

 

Alienware AW2523HF design

The stand and back have a simple metallic grey finish, with few overly brash ‘gamer’ additions. This means you miss out on any RGB lighting – a feature included with this display’s official G-Sync module-equipped sibling, the AW2521H – but it’s a small compromise considering the large price difference.

The stand measures just 30cm wide and 34cm deep, so it doesn’t needlessly intrude on your desk space. What’s more, it offers a full range of ergonomic adjustments, making it easy to set the height and angle of the screen, and to pivot the panel into a portrait orientation for easy access to the rear ports.

Alienware AW2523HF rear view

Alienware AW2523HF inputs and features

The Alienware AW2523HF inputs consist of one DisplayPort and two HDMI video inputs, along with a four-port USB 3 hub, headphone jack and even an extra audio line out, so you can route audio to a set of speakers and your headphones from the one screen. The headphone jack is located on the central underside of the bottom bezel, alongside two of the USB ports, for easy access.

Also housed on the bottom bezel is the single mini joystick that controls the onscreen menus. It’s a precise and easy-to-use control system that works well with the speedy menus, which are intuitive and contain all the gaming and image quality adjustments you should need.

Alienware AW2523HF front on view

Alienware AW2523HF image quality

The Alienware AW2523HF image quality is very good in some ways, but it’s less accomplished in others. Most obviously, the limited 1080p resolution of the IPS panel looks blocky by today’s standards, with a pixel density of just 90ppi. You also miss out on an extended color gamut, so HDR is off limits and colors are only as vibrant as the standard sRGB color gamut allows. There’s also a noticeable brightness drop in the last 0.5in of each side of the screen – not ideal on such a small panel.

Viewing angles are good, though, and contrast is on par for an IPS panel (1,030:1). Out-of-the-box color temperature is also near perfect (6,466K), although the screen’s gamma setting is a little high (2.39).

Alienware AW2523HF gaming performance

As for gaming performance, this panel’s 360Hz refresh rate delivers just the sort of blistering performance you’d expect. It’s every bit a very capable competitive gaming screen.

Alienware AW2523HF response time (super fast overdrive)

That said, with an average initial response time (the rate at which a pixel manages to transition from one color to another) of 4.53ms at maximum overdrive, this panel is slower to respond than the likes of the 270Hz Acer XB323U, which managed a 4.11ms initial response time (when the panel is overdriven to Extreme mode).

Meanwhile, some 240Hz TN panels we’ve tested can register under 3ms response times, effectively providing a much snappier-looking image. TN panels have much worse image quality, though, so there’s a significant compromise in opting for such a panel.

Alienware AW2523HF pros and cons

Pros

  • Fantastic gaming performance
  • Decent overall image quality
  • Useful feature set
  • Decent value

Cons

  • No HDR
  • Response time isn’t that fast
  • Low resolution

Alienware AW2523HF specs

The Alienware AW2523HF specs list is:

Screen size 24.5″
Resolution 1,920 x 1,080
Panel technology IPS
Maximum refresh rate 360Hz
Stated response time 1ms
Max brightness 400cd/m² SDR
Backlight zones 1
Stated contrast ratio 1,000:1
Adaptive sync FreeSync Premium, G-Sync compatible
Display inputs 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 2 x HDMI 2
Audio Headphone and line out
Stand adjustment Height, pivot, rotation, tilt
Extras 100 x 100mm VESA mount, DisplayPort cable, DisplayPort-to-mini-DisplayPort cable, USB 3 upstream cable, four-port USB 3 hub

Alienware AW2523HF price

The Alienware AW2523HF price is $400, making it a surprisingly competitively priced monitor considering its high-end 360Hz refresh rate and stylish design.

Price: Expect to pay $424 (£390)

Alienware AW2523HF review conclusion

The Alienware AW2523HF response time is a touch sluggish, so its effective gaming performance isn’t much better than 240Hz screens. However, it’s still a fantastic competitive gaming monitor that balances blistering 360Hz gaming performance with decent image quality and a competitive price. This Alienware’s combination of great image quality and blazing gaming performance earns it a place on our best gaming monitor list.