Shut the front door! Alienware's new 5K2K RGB-stripe OLED could be the gaming monitor, er, endgame
This is it—unambiguously my Computex highlight and also a genuine surprise. I give you the Alienware AW3926QW, in all its 39-inch OLED, 5K2K, RGB-stripe, remarkably priced glory. It's a game-changer for gamers and tech enthusiasts alike, offering a blend of high-end performance and affordability that hasn’t been seen before in this form factor. With its RGB-stripe design and OLED technology, the Alienware AW3926QW might just be the endgame for those seeking an immersive, high-resolution gaming experience.
The Promise of 39-Inch OLED Gaming
This isn't actually the first 39-inch 5K2K OLED on the market. I’ve already reviewed one, the LG Ultragear 45GX950A, and it actually disappointed a little. That was a pity because the fundamental form factor of 39 inches and 5K2K is just so fantastic. It's basically a 32-inch 4K monitor widened out to 21:9. So, that's epic ultrawide immersion with proper pixel density. The specs are there, but the execution left something to be desired.
Next up, while this Alienware uses an LG WOLED panel, it's not the same one as the Ultragear 45GX950A, which has an additional white subpixel to boost peak luminance but comes with several downsides, including slightly fuzzy font rendering and less vibrant colours. The LG Ultragear 45GX950A had the same basic size and res, but the WOLED panel disappointed and the 800R curve is simply too much.
In my subjective experience, LG's WOLED panels with the added white subpixel actually look a bit dull next to Samsung's QD-OLED tech, even when they have brighter on-paper specs. Alienware is rating this new panel at 300 nits full-screen and 1,300 nits peak HDR, so it's very much comparable with the latest RGB Samsung QD-OLEDs. The 300 nits rating is also slightly brighter than the LG monitor, which is odd given the whole point of the added white subpixel is to boost measured brightness. Oh, well!
A Smoother Curve and Better Design
But wait, there's more. The Alienware AW3926QW also has a much more gentle 1500R panel curve, where the LG Ultragear 45GX950A has been saddled with a silly 800R bend. That really is far too curved, and this Alienware fixes that problem in a jiffy. Oh, and it also has a glossy anti-glare coating. The LG model is matte. Another win.
The Alienware has LG's very latest Tandem OLED panel tech, which is a step up from previous generations. On paper, then, this new Alienware is a killer; it addresses all the issues with that initial 5K2K panel. It also won't suffer QD-OLED's purple tint problem in bright ambient light. That's been reduced with the latest QD-OLED panels, including the one in the MSI MPG 322UR X24. But it has not been entirely solved.
Overall, I'm very excited at the same time as not quite believing this new Alienware will actually be the one. Thus far, I've found LG's WOLED tech to be underwhelming. But this new panel certainly has the claimed specs to fix that. Here's hoping, although my wallet will be hoping it doesn't. Because if this Alienware delivers, it's going to be taking a hammering.
