22:26 what game is this?? Also, do you think this monitor is good for high refresh needs for reflexes and advantages in Rainbow Six Siege and can I use Black Equalizer to see better in darkness ?
This is by far the most awaited review for this monitor, thanks HUB for toning down the hype while providing the reasons that many needed to buy this, the future for monitors finally has a chance to look bright after seeing this.
As an owner of this monitor, I just wanted to chime in about my experience. I think pretty much everything in this review is spot on with one exception, reflections. I have a pretty bright room, with a ceiling light behind my monitor, two lamps flanking it left and right and two large windows on the left and reflections grayed out blacks is a non-issue. My blacks are completely black. Only exception is extreme conditions like sunset light blasting onto my monitor, which doesn't look good on any panel type. When I got the monitor and started using it, the coating was something I viewed as a positive and not a negative. It is pretty surprising to me that so many reviewers are viewing this in a negative light, no pun intended. I think This may be partly due to reviewers using studio lighting, which is far more harsh than what your average user would experience b
@@paskowitz Same here, most reviews overblown the reflection issue with glossy coating. you need a strong direct sunlight to really cause an issue. It's also the same as my experience with imac displays in my office as well. you just need sufficient nits. the matte coating just looks shit and there's no other utility.
@@vincentwong3156 As an owner of both this and an LG C1 which is sat next to the AW right now I can tell you that the greyed out screen issue is far from overblown, it' s really noticeable when compared to an oled without the same crappy screen coating that Dell decided to use for this monitor. The fan used for the Gsync module is another bugbear of mine, I've used Gsync monitors with fans in the past and odds are the fan is going to get louder as time goes by. Good luck to anyone that has to replace a fan that's shrieking like a banshee inside their monitor once the warranty runs out. I reckon it's great that HU & HDTVTest have highlighted some of the issues surrounding this monitor as the circlejerk had been getting out of hand.
Huge shoutout to the Patreon and floatplane subscribers !!!!!!! I know this review has been long awaited and Tim did a fantastic job explaining everything about this monitor. Even though it was a longer video, I watched the whole thing . Does any 1 else get excited for Tim's technical speak when he's explaining what makes for a good monitor?
Great review for a ground-breaking monitor. But it does sound like there are some "quick wins" that would make this monitor universally better. I look forward to version 2.0.
Yeah, the coating and the fan issues even if minor or workable feel like they can easily be addressed in a revision and thus provide a virtually issue-free product.
For those who are curious, LG's OLED uses self-emitting white, green, red, and blue subpixels to emit color. QD-OLED uses only self-emitting blue sub-pixels, and uses a quantum dot (hence "QD") layer to change sub-pixels to whatever other color they need to output. So it's a bit different.
For the first time in my life, I am using a monitor before the review from HUB! Loving the AW3423DW! I'm one of the few that don't have the coating smudge issue, nor the loud fan noise. Thankfully the light sources in my room are at an angle that doesn't throw a reflection in my face so all's good for me!
Is there evidence that the text clarity issue is a QA issue on some displays, or is this universal or inherent to the design? I play games, but really do more work on my display - text quality issues of any kind are a non- starter for me..
@@AlexKidd4Fun Do it like me and run an additional 28" 4k beside your gaming monitor. My cheap 4k monitor is miles ahead of my 3x more expensive gaming display, when it comes to reading and working on it.
@@AlexKidd4Fun smaller 4k is always going to look sharper..those arent quality control issues, its people complaining as they are used to 4k and 5k displays. Its the same ppi as a 27 inch 1440p.
LG 32GQ950 Gigabyte M32U Alienware 34 oled 3423wd I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online) What would be best choice?
I didn't like the idea of spending much money on a monitor, but I'm starting to appreciate that, as monitor tech doesn't evolve quickly, a good monitor can give you better graphics that can last for multiple GPU and CPU generations. And, those better visuals are 'free' as far as your other hardware are concerned.
I have a 23" Dell from 2011, 40" Phillips from 2015 and another 32" Philips from 2020 and they work alongside each other (not in the exact same office) just fine, really color accurate(which is what i needed) and no reliability issues with either, or declining "performance". Meanwhile i went through 2 different PCs and am on my 3rd laptop during that same time. TL;DR: a good monitor is a good idea. Just get the right one and you will enjoy it far beyond what the hardware it is paired with will last you.
Monitor should be the one single thing you save your money on the least. That should be the most future proof component of your setup. What use is a 3090 when the visuals then get blurred out cuz of response time or the colors are not that accurate.
I got a C1 too. I feel DIRTY using my basic 32inc 1440p MSI monitor now lol. Looks so horrible and makes me realise how much better gaming on a couch is vs a PC desk
LG 32GQ950 Gigabyte M32U Alienware 34 oled 3423wd I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online) What would be best choice?
It blows my mind that this gsync module thing is still forced on consumers. I have yet to see any need for enabling gsync on my AW2721D, and it probably significantly increased its price. Now, it seems like it is not only unnecessary, but also a cause for discomfort on top of limiting the upgrade to new HDMI standards. Perhaps I am not understanding the full greatness of the GSYNC ULTIMATE module..?
@@_gxo what pisses me off is that Tim never tests input lag with Gsync, even on monitors with a hardware gsync module. Personally, I won’t use either gsync or adaptive sync because they add input lag. Tim doesn’t test without a sync so we don’t know the real input lag numbers
Thanks! I got this monitor and agree with everything, but for real use I have some personal input: - Because of covid I am using this monitor for homeoffice work and yes.. it would not be my first choice. U see the fringing and it is less clear than my other monitors.. however: When my mind is on work, I dont notice it. I have to look for it. - I NEVER hear the fan. If I shut everything off and put my ears like 10cm to the screen.. yeah.. there it is. Otherwise the usual ambient noises are louder. PC fans (and mine are really quiet, too), breathing... is enough. So: If you game or watch video content... you will not hear it. Doesn't matter whether you use speakers or headphones.. you won't hear it.
@@Bayonet1809 me2. But I don't know if I would even notice if there was an update. Seems like such a small feature.. before this monitor I've never even heard of it.
@@ThunderingRoar might absolutely be. So far the highest we pushed our room with back4blood is 26 celcius and ofc.. then we had headsets and PC fans ramping up 😅
I can confirm fan is basically non audible, even in 30deg room I didn't hear it. It's a non issue! As for sharpness it is definitely not 4k but no worse then my predator x34 it replaced. For gaming it is by far the most enjoyable experience I have, better then my LG c1. As a gaming monitor it is the best by far if you like ultrawide. For productivity 4k displays are better but it's plenty serviceable.
@@Zeno- Agreed! Tim's reviews of monitors is absolutely top notch. I always get more information than I fully understand, but never too much to make it overwhelming. Tim's reviews are simply the best in my opinion and are the perfect mix of technical and everyday-man content and perspective. There is no better place for monitor reviews in my opinion. Thanks again Tim!
LG 32GQ950 Gigabyte M32U Alienware 34 oled 3423wd I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online) What would be best choice?
I've watched a lot of reviews for this monitor and this is easily the best one! Amazing work man! I might have to wait to see what the Samsung QD-OLED will look like, and really hoping it doesn't have the same screen coating as this one.
Literally ordered mine from JB Hi-Fi today $1650 Aussie and got home to this review. Awesome the negatives are not off-putting to my setup. I play in a light isolated room at HDR reference light levels and it will only be used for gaming with a small home theatre system so fan noise will also be no issue. Thanks HUB fantastic in depth review
Not something I can afford but I was waiting for Tim's review on this one. It's not all sunshine and rainbows after all. I really want to see more OLED base monitors none the less.
@@petersmulders8058 Personally even if i cant afford one i dont think its overpriced. When i first saw the specs and after hearing that samsung has low yield on these panels I expected it to be priced at 2500$ minimum. At this price it will fly off the shelves and be out of stock for a while, pricing it any lower just wouldnt make sense
@@petersmulders8058 dude it isn't overpriced wtf are you talking about. It is expensive, yes... but you get a lot for what you pay for. They said this in the review, it blows the competition out of the water price wise. Just because you can't afford it doesn't mean it isn’t fantastic value
I prefer a bigger 16:9 4K display to Ultrawide after having used Ultrawide for a few years and switching to a 48" CX. The 42" C2 would be optimal. Ultrawide is just SO annoying when watching 16:9 content. But once you go OLED you never go back. If you can afford it, buy one now. The pros outweigh the cons by a lot. Don't waste your life looking at ugly backlight bleeding.
Unless you do a lot of Photo/video editing, Critial color correction, Using 3D, digital painting, Graphics Design or Special Effect/Music, then OLED is trash e.e
You can also just use a custom resolution + integer scaling on a 48" LG OLED, and volia you have your ultrawide or 1440p for competitive FPS or whatever. I think 48" is just awesome if face to screen distance is at least 3,5 ft. I think most people would never go back to a smaller screen after experience this level of immersion on their desk. For me a 48 " LG OLED is overall far more versatile than this monitor here.
I don't even have plans to buy this monitor right now, but I still was eagerly waiting for your review on it. That's how amazing your monitor reviews are Mr. Tim ♥
Thank you so much for your reviews. I honestly don’t buy any monitors until I’ve watched your review for it. You do an amazing job on the technical review and I appreciate your hard work and dedication to the monitor review space. Keep up the good work!
I was tempted to pull the trigger on this with the EOFY sales, but thank you for being so upfront about the monitor's shortcomings. The fan noise, reflective coating and the black colours being practically ruined by ambient light (I don't ever use my PC in the dark) are legitimate deal-breakers for me, personally. Best monitor reviewer around!
I've had now a month with this monitor and I think you should visit a subreddit and ask around. The problems he mentioned are all completely imperceptible to me. I've never heard a fan noise. I can't see any defects in text clarity even when I'm looking for it inches away. The coating in my average lit room is completely fine. I trust these reviews and I know I don't have the pedigree these guys do which is why I'm saying ask around as opposed to buy it now. This is the best monitor I've ever seen, and I do think he went into the review wanting to cool the hype as opposed to just reviewing it. Just my 2 cents
@@spraynardkruger6426 Of course, the shortcomings are very subjective, I agree with you about the text I almost certainly wouldn't care about or notice that. However, I have relatively sensitive hearing and a quiet environment (and PC) so I'm quite confident the fan would bother me (I also just don't like that it's g sync, I don't want to be hard locked into HAVING to use NVIDIA). The coating is hard to judge without trying it in my current room, but I think for the price it should be more than just fine. I would intend to keep the monitor for years and I may want to use it in a more brightly lit room at some point where it may become an issue. Given how many people DO find these things to be issues in real world use, I'd rather be cautious and look at other options. Just my 2c.
As always, their reviews exaggerate the issues. I have this monitor and I can tell you the fan noise is completely inaudible in my quiet room from a normal sitting distance, the text looks perfectly fine after adjusting ClearType settings and the screen has no issues with reflections. Then again, I don’t shine a light source directly at the screen. Best gaming monitor I’ve ever had and I’ve used all the high-end IPS and VA panels over the years from brands such as Dell, Asus, Acer, LG and Samsung.
@@HeretixAevum Got the Monitor today too. If its not powered for sure you see your self but not when it´s on. I have right next to me a Window and have no problems with seeing anything else then what i want to see. Could be diffrent if the Window would be behind me but it´s always a bad desicion.^^ Texts are clear. I am also realy sensitive to noise and i am just hearing my coolers of the GPU and CPU ( 280mm Ai0 for 5800x and RX5700XT Nitro Plus 170 Watts limited ) Nvidia G-Sync ultimate is working fine with my AMD GPU. It´s not Nvidia exclusive anymore. Switched from a 240HZ Full HD Monitor on it
Awesome to finally see a consumer OLED monitor! Thank you to all the early adopters doing the beta test for the rest of us. I look forward to more mass market variants in the coming years.
I think I’ll upgrade some components to am5 skip rtx 4000 because it is not pcie gen 5 get rtx 5000 and a 4K Oled 2.0 with a 240hz refresh rate in 2024
This is a great step towards OLED becoming the norm and honestly, I think this level of monitor with Freesync instead of G-sync will land for at least $250 cheaper and have no fan noise. I honestly think dual monitor setups will become more common with these displays. I can see myself buying a 27" LED panel for desktop use and this for content consumption and creation.
OLED is never going to be the norm. Burn in is a problem with gaming. It also just can't handle properly high refresh rates. A proper 240hz is a requirement for me.
@@Wylie288 I would do a bit of research to see how burn in will basically be non existent very soon with Oled technology. Oled has a much faster pixel response time than led which makes for much less motion blur. Refresh rate is only half of the equation.
LG 32GQ950 Gigabyte M32U Alienware 34 oled 3423wd I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online) What would be best choice?
PSA for anyone interested in this monitor: While it's definitely an awesome panel, the monitor initially shipped with a number of bugs in the launch firmware "M0B101" (e.g. shutting down after regular pixel refreshes rather than returning to standby, bugged pixel refresh reminders, settings randomly resetting, etc.). Dell is aware and is now shipping most new stock with revised firmware M0B102 to address all these issues. The problem is, Dell contends it is unable to offer the firmware for early adopters to download due to unspecified "complexities". Therefore, everyone who bought the monitor between launch and late April are stuck with what is effectively faulty firmware. If you buy this monitor, please know that the firmware you receive is what you'll have for the life of the device. Any subsequent updates will NOT be offered to users as downloadable firmware.
I ordered this monitor in March and had to wait until June to receive it, only to find out that there were a host of problems with it. The initial monitor I received had all sorts of weird firmware issues (turning off briefly when alt-tabbing between apps, randomly asking me if I want to do a pixel refresh, switching inputs for no reason etc...), then it just died altogether within about a week of light use. The replacement monitor they sent me was dead on arrival and clearly heavily used before being refurbished and being sent as a replacement to my brand-new monitor. I ended up just returning it altogether. Dell is a joke and at this point I'd rather wait for a different brand to make a functional OLED monitor than risk dealing with Dell's inept Quality Assurance and Customer Service again.
I have this monitor. For me it's a non issue since it means I have to power cycle the monitor every 4 hours or so. The monitor is definitely worth it. He is absolutely right though. It did ship with a none fixable bug which is not a small deal and should have never happened. For 1300? Shame on dell. As far as text clarity, fan noise, and screen reflection, to me they are all completely imperceptible.
I have the M0B101 firmware Aw3424DW, the only issue is the random pixel refresh (just a prompt and you can cancel it) and yes I can send it back and get the M0B102 but the monitor is perfect in everything else. You have to use windows 11 in HDR mode so it won't refesh the screen when alt-tabbing from a game so HDR is always ON. HDR in windows 11 is Miles ahead of windows 10.
It isn't perfect, but I've been yelling "make this and take my money!" for years. I'm done waiting. I said I would when it got released, and I did. It's sold out so it'll take 2 months but my order is placed. Finally. Well done as always, hardware unboxed. 👏
I just bought the LG 42" C2 OLED and i'm more than happy with it. 4K 120hz with G-sync compatible mode is imperceptible when compared to 4k 144hz + G-sync module. And 700 nits is good enough for me. I also prefer having an eARC socket so I can send audio to my 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound speakers via the Denon X2700H AVR. Monitors do not come with an eARC socket so this means you'd need to run a 2nd HDMI cable from the GPU to an AVR or Soundbar if using a the Dell QD-OLED Monitor. And doing so creates a 2nd 'phantom' display screen in Windows. With an eARC socket, no phantom display is created because only 1 cable is connecting the GPU to the TV then the TV's eARC HDMI cable passes the audio straight down to the AVR. Another advantage of the 42" C2 OLED is that there is no annoying active fan noise because the TV is passively cooled.
@@AlexKidd4Fun I'm sure there was a video saying they would honour repairs/replacements for burn-in if people leave the OLED care measures switched on. As in 'Screen Shift,' and allowing the TV to do its auto-pixel cleaning in standby mode. And as long people are using the TV for normal viewing. Like watching a regular mix of TV shows, movies, video games and not just leaving the TV switched on 24/7 on news channels where static logos are always on the screen.
I remember 7 years ago when my Acer X34 Predator was also called the best. It is nice to finally have a good reason to upgrade other than increased Hz.
LG 32GQ950 Gigabyte M32U Alienware 34 oled 3423wd I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online) What would be best choice?
@@Naraayanay Haha you picked some very different monitors there, well the LG and the Gigabyte are actually very similar, so Aspect ratio - the Alienware is 21:9, the other two are 16:9 Resolution - the AW is 1440p, the others are 4k Panel - The AW is QD OLED (cutting edge), the others are IPS My opinion, look if you game get the AW, it's game changing, litterly. Here's the rub, the AW sucks for productivity. Like it's terrible. If I had the space, I would use it only for games, that bad. Now those other monitors, well their 16:9, so not great for productivity either. IMO if you game at all get the AW and deal with the annoying anti-burn-in features, if not get a 21:9 IPS at 1440p. Hot take- if your screen is less than 40 inches 4k isn't worth it. Trust me, people regularly comment on how "clear" the AW is, like people don't believe it...just saying.
@@fashowallday4073 I game rarely, like once a month or so. I don't get time. All I am looking for is better quality and productivity screen that I can use for AI and Data Science modelling and for reading research papers and read documents and for some entertainment like Netflix or something. Can I get all these things in one single monitor? Or Do I have to buy twoo different kind of monitors?
@@Naraayanay In that case check out the AW3821DW. You don't have to get that one, I am just recommending it because you apparently like the Alienware brand. If you want to save money, go for any 21:9 IPS monitor. Beyond that, just look for one with lots of inputs (like what you can plug in), good color coverage and refresh rate (definitely get at least 120 hz). There are many monitors that fit that bill, but the best are by Samsung, although Acer and Dell (or their Alienware line) are honorable mentions. That last part is pure opinion though. So why IPS, well it's the best looking LCD, and LCD does not suffer from burn-in, hence leaving static images up constantly is no big deal, which it sounds like you will be doing. What GPU brand are you using for your AI work?
Hardware Unboxed literally make all the other video reviews on monitors look like sales pitches. Amazing work as always,... Guess I'm going to keep waiting and praying the Neo G8 kicks some ass when it's released later this year 🙏🙏🙏
Awesome reality checked review of this monitor, great work HUB. Its great to see the oled tech improve in the more gaming oriented monitor space, although still at a very hi cost
7:20 NO. Matte coating gives terrible image quality. The end. No top of the line TVs have matte coating, it traps light and distorts pixel, presenting with a artificial image. Wrap your printed pictures in matte coating, is it an improvement!?
I own the monitor and just want to leave this correction: the front of the monitor is actual metal, despite looking like plastic at first. I also did not notice until I saw some other review mentioning it. BTW I feel lucky I cannot notice any fringing whatsoever, I've been using the monitor for work and it's fine (even next to my IPS). So I think YMMV (or my eyes are old)
@@janludwikkotowski I wouldn't recommend it as there are other monitors that are better for that task. I had a monitor with the same subpixel layout before and while it wasn't super noticeable, it did cause additional eye strain long term.
I'm glad i saw this video. Was contemplating getting this to replace my Predator X34 but changed my mind. Im primarily a gamer but I also spend a lot of time surfing and reading web pages.
Jep, that sound like the best review I have seen so far for this monitor. It certainly has it's flaws and will most likely fix them in later iterrations. Still, I'm going to jump down the rabbit hole as my Acer x34a leaves a bit to be desired by now. Other monitors also seem to be forcing some kind of trade off, like blooming / haloing in HDR, so know this, the Alienware is probably the best upgrade for my personal needs. But final judgement will be done once it arrives.... in july... hopefully 2022. :P
Luckily it seems like all types of panels have been making breakthroughs in advancement and I suspect that in a couple years pretty much all monitors are going to be much better and hopefully cheaper as well
Its an amazing monitor. But, my own personal needs are 4k UHD or greater, plus HDMI 2.1. Hope they will put this technology in more types of monitors that they offer. I'm surprised at the price, expected this one to cost more.
I just bought this monitor and have been using it for a couple of weeks, and let me tell you it blows any IPS or VA monitor out of the water. I Don't agree with what he said about it looking similar to a IPS in bright environments, at all. Yeah, it reflects light, but it's reflecting light off of PERFECT ink blacks
Among all the great features of this monitor, I was actually most impressed by the price...despite still not really being able to afford it. I was honestly expecting it to be like several grand :s
Yeah I was expecting this monitor to cost $3k, given that it beats out monitors at that price point. Honestly, people probably would have bought it even at that high of a price. This monitor isn't perfect, but it is certainly revolutionary and will hopefully disrupt the monitor market. I'm excited about a very near future where we finally get a wide selection of OLED monitors at very reasonable prices.
@@ertai222 At their own website which as far as I know is the only place to buy. I got the code by just googling, it was a student's discount code that was introduced for BF/holidays 2021 and was extended to April 2022. I'm sure next BF/holiday season you can find something similar if you search around the net. Good luck! It's worth it
Hardware unboxed great review! I love ALL of your monitor reviews and i like that new section you added for the real vs actual specs of things included/features. Great job as always!
Got this monitor a couple of days ago. It's absolutely incredible. Playing Cyberpunk is fantastic, the brightness is absolutely excellent for day to day use, no dimming at all, well bright enough even in my bright room. Motion/clarity is fantastic. Text is razer sharp, I don't notice any fringing or anything like that and I'm quite a display snob
Love to see your reviews to counter the hype I get sometimes from watching showcases. I think you position monitors fairly and allow me to make my own decisions with the right amount of information. Thanks
Amazing in-depth review ! Do you think you'll be able to do a long term burn-in test of some sort since you bought the monitor and it's not a review sample ? It would be great to know if OLED technology has matured a bit since its introduction to the market or if the quantum dot layer plays a role in the burn-in marks appearing during the lifespan of the monitor. Thanks for the time you invest in making these reviews for us to make better purchase decisions in a industry where marketing often makes claims that do not hold up to real world performance.
Maybe I missed it in your review but this monitor doesn't only have an audible fan, this fan does not stop spinning if you do disable the eco mode. Even with the eco mode it keeps spinning 10 minutes after being turned off. This fan is completely bonkers to me and I don't understand how someone decided that this is acceptable. On top of that with the eco mode turned off it pulls 10 Watts 24/7. I am not sure if this product is even allowed to be sold in Europe since the standby power usage must be below 1 watt according to law.
@@connor040606 I read a discussion on this topic on the german homepage computerbase and other users reported that Dell does not provide firmware updates for monitors. I don't know if that is true, but a firmware update would be very desirable. Also I am wondering if this fan is really necessary or if it has to spin that much. Maybe it could be tweaked to slower rpm - again only with firmware updates. I like the direction this monitor is going. But it has too many downsides and I am not paying that much for this kind of monitor. If it would be perfect, maybe. But not with this list of flaws.
Great level of detail, thanks. I need 4K for my non-gaming needs, and I’d want HDMI 2.1 and passive cooling. My current 32” 4K Acer screen has some obvious flaws, particularly with backlighting, but this would be compromised in a different way. Those “future iterations” you mentioned are probably the ones for me. I think your summary hits the nail on the head - this is exciting news for the marketplace.
@@itIsI988 I also use a 48" C1 as a desktop monitor. At the viewing distance youd use this as a desktop monitor, it is much better than a 1080p panel. Not to mention if you run higher than 100% scaling it will look better than 1080p. The 42" C2 should be almost the same PPI as a 27" 1440p display and should be even better for monitor use.
You do realize that every "flaw" you've stated has an eay fix within the settings of the PC or monitor. It just takes a little calibration and this monitor still shines as the best QD-OLED monitor for gaming on the market. The only contenders are Samsung's new releases for 2023 and LG Ultragear are also very nice. The monitor will auto adjust brightness depending on the light in the room. Unless you have the sun DIRECTLY on top of your monitor then its functions perfectly. There is no monitor that will ever be able to make a screen that can 100% eliminate glare with that kind of light beaming onto your screen. A well thought out review-ish. Knowing about the product before you post a video containing information about supposed "flaws" would be advisable.
I've had this monitor for about 2 weeks now and can safely say that I do not notice any text clarity or color fringing issues.. it looks just as clear as my LG 34gp83a-b does, although it's not quite as bright. This monitor is amazing.
Gray screens in daylight is even going back to the times of pre-Black Trinitron CRTs...and first plasmas...I attribute that to the QD layer that is stimulated by light and when daylight hits it from the front ,it glows, as it's the very way quantum dots actually work. Are there even worse things happening if you put a filter on it, that it's not used? P.S. it's probably because the QD OLED tech relies on QD layer's added self-emission of light to achieve higher brightness without the risk of OLED burn in. If you put a filter there, you'd need to drive those OLEDs harder in daylight to achieve the same ammpout of light output, and you'd have burn-in, while all the advertising suggest it's not an issue...
I was heavily torn between this monitor and the 4k PG32UQX... but I just couldn't justify the price tag of the PG32UQX. I'm on the waiting list for this Alienware, and man oh man I can't wait. Thanks for this in depth monitor review as always. My only point of contention is people looking for a 3440x1440 monitor to implement HDMI 2.1. Consoles don't support ultrawide resolutions, so other than just having it as another option why even bring this up as a downside. This is a monitor that is clearly for content consumption on PC. HDMI 2.1 at least for right now seems to be a very console focused feature. I'm sure that will shift in the future, but currently not necessary. Great Vid!!!!
Really good review. I’d already ordered, as I use mostly for gaming in a dark room. Glad to see more balance in your review, I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect all rounder when it comes to monitors. At least now people can make an informed choice. I run windows 10 currently, is windows 11 better at running HDR content or is there no difference?
One of the downsides is that it's glossy? I disagree, I think that is a feature. The text will be rendered crisper since you don't have a matte film and its one the very few non-matte options on the market. So I am really glad to have the option.
Yes and it's not so glossy that it's a problem as long as there is no direct sunlight you won't notice when it's not. It's not that much more reflective than an LCD. I only see my reflection on black screen.
Nice job HU team! I was hoping to see your review before mine shipped. ;) Sounds like some of the issues pointed out will have little effect for my setup.
I have to say that I think you're the only reviewer that I've seen -- albeit, I've only checked out a handful so far -- that has mentioned the fan. In fact, I didn't even know that it had one until your review! I purchased this monitor (along with a couple others) to test to see what I will actually like, and the thought of a noisy fan is almost an immediate turn-off. I've overbuilt my water cooling loop so I can run the fans at a low RPM (with thick, low FPI radiators) that make the computer almost inaudible. (I actually turned the fans up slightly just so you could hear them a tiny bit; it helps you know that things are actually working. 😋)
Thanks for the detailed review. It seems like there's still a few first gen issues to be aware of, I'm looking forward to what other vendors do with the panel as well as the next generation.
I have this monitor, and there is no way that anyone could see text fringing from a meter away. Unless you are using 6 pt font and consider seeing the fringing to mean that the text appears a lighter grey then maybe. The active fan also seems to be a good/bad unit issue. Some people are complaining about it, but mine is silent. The grey due to the screen coating is not an issue in my lighting as I have no windows in my room and top lighting only.
I pulled the trigger on this. Looking forward to it, but my order isn't slated to come in until June 20th, so just be aware they appear to be heavily back ordered atm!
@@caspar_gomez It is nice. It does flicker sometimes, and I hope more drivers and firmware will help, bit it is honestly gorgeous. I know the QD OLED is better in terms of direct quality/contrast, but the size of the G9 is really nice. Good luck with your search man
Great review Tim, Glad you mentioned a few things that others most likely wouldn't bring up. Anti reflective coatings I find some monitors are quite annoying, Prefer matte even though it doesn't provide the best picture output. Fan noise is another turn off for me, And of course burn in is always a factor even if it's a lot less now. At least monitors are starting to move with new tech though, Has taken long enough to where a lot of people are just buying OLED tv's to use instead.
@@ployth9000 The warranty also has to deal with Dell customer service who has lied to me about policies to my face while also trying to sell me additional things lol, I wouldn't bank on a manufacturer warranty in this case
@@ployth9000 Me as well, I use a c1. This monitor is solid but has a lot of caveats for something so expensive and at a smaller screen size than the LG (and more expensive than the C1 right now)
@@ployth9000 Warranties can sometimes take weeks, months or even years though, Not everyone has a second monitor to use. Non computer related, I'm still waiting a year later for solar company to come and fix the 10kw battery that has never worked since day one, That was a year ago! Because of the pandemic BS and shortages, Some parts just aren't there. I won't buy a computer product if it almost feels like it needs a warranty in the first place, OLED's definitely fall into that category in my use case scenario. The way I use screens for sure it would get some burn in, Shouldn't have to baby sit a panel. I'm typing this on second HTPC in lounge room on a 52 inch Sony Bravia(dumb tv) from 2006, Screen is still perfect 16 years later even after all the abuse and taskbar, There is no image retention.
no other review I remember mentioned the fan and no other review mentioned that the subpixel arrangement can be annoying. One even stated that subpixel arrangements are never an issue anymore these days. One can imagine which review was bought and payed for and... well this one. Thank you for being as objective as possible and for looking after the people and not just the provider of the goodies!
Rtings and Tftcentral do better reviews than HWUnboxed. Tim neglected testing of input lag without adaptive sync or Gsync. Tim also neglected testing input lag with Gsync enabled.
You didn't really mentioned the difference between qd-led and oled sub pixel structure. the triangle arrangement is odd and looks to be a drawback, however that is one of the big advantages over oled which uses a wrgb layout in order to boost brightness at the cost of overall vividness, this is probably why the c1 can sustain more brightness over 5% window. the change in the manufacturing process of qd-led allow it to showcase more defined peaks on the spectral graphs, leading to better colours and wider gamut. I wonder what is the impact of the qd-led layers on the reflective nature of the display which seems to be absorb ambient light.
I hope they fix the screen issue without having to wait every other year for a new revision, I have no idea how that reflection problem got past the testing phase. That issue looks worthy of being recalled.
I use it in a super quiet room and unless I turn off every other source of white noise I don't notice it. I legit didn't even know it had a fan until this review. If you have a fan, PC with case fans, air purifier, dehumidifier or air conditioning, you're not going to notice it.
@@damncritics I will hear the fan, trust me. I can hear my neighbour's PC, that's why my Gaming PC is completely watercooled with fans running at max. 800 rpm. And I find that barely tolerable. I'm more tolerable towards things like gaming laptops, where there is no other way but anything that can be silent/quiet, should.
Thanks again HWU. I was looking at it in another channel a few weeks ago, and almost got convinced to buy it. Then I thought to myself that since it does have a lower price, that probably means that prices will be more competitive for oled monitors in the near future. With this review, I just got convinced to wait. Awesome job.
Let's put it this way, the x34 Predator was the first High Refresh UW (100hz) from 7 years ago and cost $1300 as well. It took about 3-4 years to get equivalent monitors at slightly lower price. By then I do hope we have lower prices but also other technologies in the mix (micro, mini, blahblah, LED)
FUN Fact: 21:15 "Sceptre C345B-QUN168 (34" 1440p 21:9 165Hz VA) is 796 Nits bright at only 29.8 Watts 17:20 While "Dell Alienware AW3423DW (34" 1440p 21:9 175Hz QD-OLED) uses 101.2 Watts for 243 Nits brightness. QD-OLED needs 3x the power to get 3x less bright. Let that sink in... OLED tech needs so much more power improvements, and they need an active fan to cool down...
70w? Seriously Meanwhile my rtx3080 can pull 500w and rtx40series projected to be even higher. 70w is the least of people's worries who will buy this monitor
FINALLY! Been waiting for this review, there's no other I trust. And this really looks like the one screen that I should have jumped to before they got sold out. The drawbacks? I mean for pure gaming there is none, who's NOT playing games in a complete dark room anyhow? ^^
Cutting through the marketing BS to deliver the true performance of the monitor. Explaining the pros and cons of the monitor, and what use cases would and would not be ideal for it. These reasons are why I consider Hardware Unboxed the gold standard for monitor reviews, and why I am proud to be a Patreon member. Keep up the good work, sirs.
Really great review. Solidified my decision to cancel my order Will wait for v2. Hopefully we’ll see a subpixel revision + HDMI 2.1 (or at least DP1.4 + DSC)
Get mine on June 22nd ... I am watching every review I can in preparation for it. I have dreamed of a true affordable gaming OLED monitor since I first saw an OLED screen in the early 2000's. I CAN'T WAIT!!!
Nice, the review I was waiting for. I have the 3418DW and have loved it for a long time, the only upgrade path for me is another ultrawide, but OLED. After my LG C1 and Xperia 1 III, I have a fetish for amazing screens which this one seems not to be.
I'm on the fence between qd-oled and the 42in c2. I have a year or so to decide hopefully better displays without the fan come out. I feel the subpixel issues would be easier to resolve at 4k and 150% scaling.
Get the C2. You can set up a custom resolution and have it look like an ultrawide, while it can be used as a massive 4K monitor too if you need it for that. I have the C1 and I play most of my games at 3840x1600.
Depends on whether you'll be using it as a pc monitor for daily tasks or not. The c2 is bigger but since it's not qd oled the burn in risk my be higher. If you use a separate monitor for daily tasks and the c2 only for gaming/watching movies then Id say go for the c2
@@tree490 The burn-in risk is negligible unless you use the screen like an idiot. No icons on the home-screen and hide the taskbar, and there will be no issue. There hasn't been a big issue with burn-in since the CX.
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22:26 what game is this??
Also, do you think this monitor is good for high refresh needs for reflexes and advantages in Rainbow Six Siege and can I use Black Equalizer to see better in darkness ?
Yeah, what game are you showing? Seems like you should credit any games used.
It would be nice to see your very respected review of the new F variant of this qdoled.
Is there another monitor that would be a better choice than this one?
Edit: Mainly for gaming. in dim environment.
This is by far the most awaited review for this monitor, thanks HUB for toning down the hype while providing the reasons that many needed to buy this, the future for monitors finally has a chance to look bright after seeing this.
As an owner of this monitor, I just wanted to chime in about my experience. I think pretty much everything in this review is spot on with one exception, reflections. I have a pretty bright room, with a ceiling light behind my monitor, two lamps flanking it left and right and two large windows on the left and reflections grayed out blacks is a non-issue. My blacks are completely black. Only exception is extreme conditions like sunset light blasting onto my monitor, which doesn't look good on any panel type.
When I got the monitor and started using it, the coating was something I viewed as a positive and not a negative. It is pretty surprising to me that so many reviewers are viewing this in a negative light, no pun intended. I think This may be partly due to reviewers using studio lighting, which is far more harsh than what your average user would experience b
@@paskowitz Same here, most reviews overblown the reflection issue with glossy coating. you need a strong direct sunlight to really cause an issue. It's also the same as my experience with imac displays in my office as well. you just need sufficient nits. the matte coating just looks shit and there's no other utility.
@@vincentwong3156 also, there's no fix for the loss of picture quality with a matte coating, while reflections can be easily managed.
I’ll pick glossy over matte any day.
@@vincentwong3156 As an owner of both this and an LG C1 which is sat next to the AW right now I can tell you that the greyed out screen issue is far from overblown, it' s really noticeable when compared to an oled without the same crappy screen coating that Dell decided to use for this monitor.
The fan used for the Gsync module is another bugbear of mine, I've used Gsync monitors with fans in the past and odds are the fan is going to get louder as time goes by. Good luck to anyone that has to replace a fan that's shrieking like a banshee inside their monitor once the warranty runs out.
I reckon it's great that HU & HDTVTest have highlighted some of the issues surrounding this monitor as the circlejerk had been getting out of hand.
Huge shoutout to the Patreon and floatplane subscribers !!!!!!! I know this review has been long awaited and Tim did a fantastic job explaining everything about this monitor. Even though it was a longer video, I watched the whole thing . Does any 1 else get excited for Tim's technical speak when he's explaining what makes for a good monitor?
Honestly love the longer format. Tim’s voice is very calming lol
Most of it goes over my head, so I just try to pick out the words "good" and "bad".
Tim's monitor reviews are the best I've come across.
Tim is my favorite reviewer of Monitors - Hardware Unboxed is my favorite Computer Tech Site - and yes I get excited with Tim's technical speak
Love the longer reviews cause he touches on everything I need to know before I buy
Great review for a ground-breaking monitor. But it does sound like there are some "quick wins" that would make this monitor universally better. I look forward to version 2.0.
Yeah, the coating and the fan issues even if minor or workable feel like they can easily be addressed in a revision and thus provide a virtually issue-free product.
@@Cinetyk the coating isn’t an issue. It’s just this reviewers opinion that it is
@@ProfileUserNumber copium
@@ProfileUserNumber And basically every other reviewer as well...
@@Cinetyk this fan is problem with Nvidia module, if they don't use it, and it would be normal free sync it would be better.
For those who are curious, LG's OLED uses self-emitting white, green, red, and blue subpixels to emit color. QD-OLED uses only self-emitting blue sub-pixels, and uses a quantum dot (hence "QD") layer to change sub-pixels to whatever other color they need to output. So it's a bit different.
@PETRAKOV1 actually there is much less chance of burn in with QLED.. but have fun with your light gray blacks.
@CARBON the Alienware also comes with a 3 year warranty that INCLUDES burn in, something every other monitor excludes from warranty.
@@eldest1235 Get mine tomorrow baby
@They fear Me just got mine today as I saw your notification lol
@@theyfearme1379 how is it so far!
Finally the review frm HUB we've been waiting for
We got there in the end 😉
For the first time in my life, I am using a monitor before the review from HUB! Loving the AW3423DW! I'm one of the few that don't have the coating smudge issue, nor the loud fan noise. Thankfully the light sources in my room are at an angle that doesn't throw a reflection in my face so all's good for me!
Is there evidence that the text clarity issue is a QA issue on some displays, or is this universal or inherent to the design? I play games, but really do more work on my display - text quality issues of any kind are a non- starter for me..
Hello Aaron may I ask if you ordered through Dell directly?
@@AlexKidd4Fun Do it like me and run an additional 28" 4k beside your gaming monitor. My cheap 4k monitor is miles ahead of my 3x more expensive gaming display, when it comes to reading and working on it.
@@AlexKidd4Fun smaller 4k is always going to look sharper..those arent quality control issues, its people complaining as they are used to 4k and 5k displays. Its the same ppi as a 27 inch 1440p.
LG 32GQ950
Gigabyte M32U
Alienware 34 oled 3423wd
I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online)
What would be best choice?
I didn't like the idea of spending much money on a monitor, but I'm starting to appreciate that, as monitor tech doesn't evolve quickly, a good monitor can give you better graphics that can last for multiple GPU and CPU generations. And, those better visuals are 'free' as far as your other hardware are concerned.
I have a 23" Dell from 2011, 40" Phillips from 2015 and another 32" Philips from 2020 and they work alongside each other (not in the exact same office) just fine, really color accurate(which is what i needed) and no reliability issues with either, or declining "performance". Meanwhile i went through 2 different PCs and am on my 3rd laptop during that same time.
TL;DR: a good monitor is a good idea. Just get the right one and you will enjoy it far beyond what the hardware it is paired with will last you.
Monitor is the biggest upgrade after GPU because ultimately it’s the thing that can bring out actual beauty of the graphics that we all want.
Monitors don't last much longer than 3 years in my experience....i still have a 10y+ old benq 1080p
Monitor should be the one single thing you save your money on the least. That should be the most future proof component of your setup. What use is a 3090 when the visuals then get blurred out cuz of response time or the colors are not that accurate.
@@doctorWHO_ey why would you make a statement and then IMMEDIATELY contradict yourself with your own experience? What a confusing post.
As an LG C1 owner, I'm glad there is more monitors like this. I'm sick of the £1500 144hz IPS display crap
I got a C1 too. I feel DIRTY using my basic 32inc 1440p MSI monitor now lol. Looks so horrible and makes me realise how much better gaming on a couch is vs a PC desk
@@GhostStalker16
A laptop , an hdmi cable to tv monitor , wireless keyboard , wireless mouse
I've done this since 1998
LG 32GQ950
Gigabyte M32U
Alienware 34 oled 3423wd
I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online)
What would be best choice?
@@Naraayanay stop spamming
One without G sync ultimate module (at a reduced price) would be amazing since it would take care of the noise and also reduced price.
Yup an amd version
Tim didn't test Gsync, he only tested adaptive sync so we have no idea what the input lag numbers look like with Gsync enabled.
It blows my mind that this gsync module thing is still forced on consumers. I have yet to see any need for enabling gsync on my AW2721D, and it probably significantly increased its price. Now, it seems like it is not only unnecessary, but also a cause for discomfort on top of limiting the upgrade to new HDMI standards. Perhaps I am not understanding the full greatness of the GSYNC ULTIMATE module..?
@@_gxo what pisses me off is that Tim never tests input lag with Gsync, even on monitors with a hardware gsync module. Personally, I won’t use either gsync or adaptive sync because they add input lag. Tim doesn’t test without a sync so we don’t know the real input lag numbers
@@colinpastuch they don’t test it because it’s negligible.
Thanks! I got this monitor and agree with everything, but for real use I have some personal input:
- Because of covid I am using this monitor for homeoffice work and yes.. it would not be my first choice. U see the fringing and it is less clear than my other monitors.. however: When my mind is on work, I dont notice it. I have to look for it.
- I NEVER hear the fan. If I shut everything off and put my ears like 10cm to the screen.. yeah.. there it is. Otherwise the usual ambient noises are louder. PC fans (and mine are really quiet, too), breathing... is enough. So: If you game or watch video content... you will not hear it. Doesn't matter whether you use speakers or headphones.. you won't hear it.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I wonder if a cleartype update could fix the fringing without needing a new model.
@@Bayonet1809 me2. But I don't know if I would even notice if there was an update. Seems like such a small feature.. before this monitor I've never even heard of it.
fan will be more noticable during higher room temperatures in summer, since hes aussie the ambient is already kinda hot in this time of the year
@@ThunderingRoar might absolutely be. So far the highest we pushed our room with back4blood is 26 celcius and ofc.. then we had headsets and PC fans ramping up 😅
I can confirm fan is basically non audible, even in 30deg room I didn't hear it. It's a non issue!
As for sharpness it is definitely not 4k but no worse then my predator x34 it replaced.
For gaming it is by far the most enjoyable experience I have, better then my LG c1.
As a gaming monitor it is the best by far if you like ultrawide.
For productivity 4k displays are better but it's plenty serviceable.
Oh wow HW Unboxed doesn't disappoint when it comes to monitor reviews. This is seriously in depth and informative!
They're always like this!
@@Zeno- Agreed! Tim's reviews of monitors is absolutely top notch. I always get more information than I fully understand, but never too much to make it overwhelming. Tim's reviews are simply the best in my opinion and are the perfect mix of technical and everyday-man content and perspective. There is no better place for monitor reviews in my opinion.
Thanks again Tim!
Best in the business.
LG 32GQ950
Gigabyte M32U
Alienware 34 oled 3423wd
I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online)
What would be best choice?
I've watched a lot of reviews for this monitor and this is easily the best one! Amazing work man! I might have to wait to see what the Samsung QD-OLED will look like, and really hoping it doesn't have the same screen coating as this one.
Literally ordered mine from JB Hi-Fi today $1650 Aussie and got home to this review. Awesome the negatives are not off-putting to my setup. I play in a light isolated room at HDR reference light levels and it will only be used for gaming with a small home theatre system so fan noise will also be no issue. Thanks HUB fantastic in depth review
Cheap! I was considering it but it was $2299 at JB. So I ordered the Aorus FO48U from mWave instead for $1099.
$1,650 AUD is that with a staff discount? Please link receipt.
Man how did you get $1650?? JB sells it for $2300
its 2300 at jb
$1650 is with a staff discount. As that is what the cost most likely is from dell.
Great first try at an OLED ultra wide. I waited on this review because I know HUB does not buy into hype and gives us straight facts. Thank you!
Not something I can afford but I was waiting for Tim's review on this one. It's not all sunshine and rainbows after all. I really want to see more OLED base monitors none the less.
It’s a fantastic monitor but even still it’s overpriced and out of my budget
@@petersmulders8058 Personally even if i cant afford one i dont think its overpriced. When i first saw the specs and after hearing that samsung has low yield on these panels I expected it to be priced at 2500$ minimum. At this price it will fly off the shelves and be out of stock for a while, pricing it any lower just wouldnt make sense
@@petersmulders8058 Overpriced? Huh. That’s an interesting take, considering it’s “competitors” (which it blows out) are all much more expensive.
@@petersmulders8058 dude it isn't overpriced wtf are you talking about. It is expensive, yes... but you get a lot for what you pay for. They said this in the review, it blows the competition out of the water price wise. Just because you can't afford it doesn't mean it isn’t fantastic value
@@Fusionade ignore him. He is wrong. He just can't afford it thus he is salty
I prefer a bigger 16:9 4K display to Ultrawide after having used Ultrawide for a few years and switching to a 48" CX. The 42" C2 would be optimal. Ultrawide is just SO annoying when watching 16:9 content. But once you go OLED you never go back.
If you can afford it, buy one now. The pros outweigh the cons by a lot. Don't waste your life looking at ugly backlight bleeding.
Yeah, recently bought an OLED laptop now my IPS desktop monitor don't look as beautiful as it once did. The black levels are simply astonishing.
Unless you do a lot of Photo/video editing, Critial color correction, Using 3D, digital painting, Graphics Design or Special Effect/Music, then OLED is trash e.e
@@extreme123dz There are some OLEDs that are great for this sort of work.The only problems are that they are limited to 60fps and cost 30k dollars.
I agree but since the blacks are perfect it will look like a 27in in a dark room which is actually awesome for ultrawide
You can also just use a custom resolution + integer scaling on a 48" LG OLED, and volia you have your ultrawide or 1440p for competitive FPS or whatever. I think 48" is just awesome if face to screen distance is at least 3,5 ft. I think most people would never go back to a smaller screen after experience this level of immersion on their desk. For me a 48 " LG OLED is overall far more versatile than this monitor here.
I don't even have plans to buy this monitor right now, but I still was eagerly waiting for your review on it. That's how amazing your monitor reviews are Mr. Tim ♥
Thank you so much for your reviews. I honestly don’t buy any monitors until I’ve watched your review for it. You do an amazing job on the technical review and I appreciate your hard work and dedication to the monitor review space. Keep up the good work!
I was tempted to pull the trigger on this with the EOFY sales, but thank you for being so upfront about the monitor's shortcomings. The fan noise, reflective coating and the black colours being practically ruined by ambient light (I don't ever use my PC in the dark) are legitimate deal-breakers for me, personally.
Best monitor reviewer around!
I've had now a month with this monitor and I think you should visit a subreddit and ask around. The problems he mentioned are all completely imperceptible to me. I've never heard a fan noise. I can't see any defects in text clarity even when I'm looking for it inches away. The coating in my average lit room is completely fine. I trust these reviews and I know I don't have the pedigree these guys do which is why I'm saying ask around as opposed to buy it now. This is the best monitor I've ever seen, and I do think he went into the review wanting to cool the hype as opposed to just reviewing it. Just my 2 cents
@@spraynardkruger6426 Of course, the shortcomings are very subjective, I agree with you about the text I almost certainly wouldn't care about or notice that. However, I have relatively sensitive hearing and a quiet environment (and PC) so I'm quite confident the fan would bother me (I also just don't like that it's g sync, I don't want to be hard locked into HAVING to use NVIDIA).
The coating is hard to judge without trying it in my current room, but I think for the price it should be more than just fine. I would intend to keep the monitor for years and I may want to use it in a more brightly lit room at some point where it may become an issue.
Given how many people DO find these things to be issues in real world use, I'd rather be cautious and look at other options. Just my 2c.
As always, their reviews exaggerate the issues. I have this monitor and I can tell you the fan noise is completely inaudible in my quiet room from a normal sitting distance, the text looks perfectly fine after adjusting ClearType settings and the screen has no issues with reflections. Then again, I don’t shine a light source directly at the screen. Best gaming monitor I’ve ever had and I’ve used all the high-end IPS and VA panels over the years from brands such as Dell, Asus, Acer, LG and Samsung.
@@HeretixAevum Got the Monitor today too. If its not powered for sure you see your self but not when it´s on. I have right next to me a Window and have no problems with seeing anything else then what i want to see. Could be diffrent if the Window would be behind me but it´s always a bad desicion.^^
Texts are clear.
I am also realy sensitive to noise and i am just hearing my coolers of the GPU and CPU ( 280mm Ai0 for 5800x and RX5700XT Nitro Plus 170 Watts limited )
Nvidia G-Sync ultimate is working fine with my AMD GPU. It´s not Nvidia exclusive anymore.
Switched from a 240HZ Full HD Monitor on it
Awesome to finally see a consumer OLED monitor! Thank you to all the early adopters doing the beta test for the rest of us. I look forward to more mass market variants in the coming years.
Haha!
I think I’ll upgrade some components to am5 skip rtx 4000 because it is not pcie gen 5 get rtx 5000 and a 4K Oled 2.0 with a 240hz refresh rate in 2024
This is a great step towards OLED becoming the norm and honestly, I think this level of monitor with Freesync instead of G-sync will land for at least $250 cheaper and have no fan noise. I honestly think dual monitor setups will become more common with these displays. I can see myself buying a 27" LED panel for desktop use and this for content consumption and creation.
OLED is never going to be the norm. Burn in is a problem with gaming. It also just can't handle properly high refresh rates. A proper 240hz is a requirement for me.
@@Wylie288 totally agree. dont also forget the response times. OLEDs are meant to be TVs not ultimate monitor or anything else
@@raptorhacker599 Oleds have the fastest response times....
@@Wylie288 I would do a bit of research to see how burn in will basically be non existent very soon with Oled technology. Oled has a much faster pixel response time than led which makes for much less motion blur. Refresh rate is only half of the equation.
Hardware unboxed should be considered as a global ally of the PC community for their unbiased reviews.
LG 32GQ950
Gigabyte M32U
Alienware 34 oled 3423wd
I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online)
What would be best choice?
PSA for anyone interested in this monitor:
While it's definitely an awesome panel, the monitor initially shipped with a number of bugs in the launch firmware "M0B101" (e.g. shutting down after regular pixel refreshes rather than returning to standby, bugged pixel refresh reminders, settings randomly resetting, etc.).
Dell is aware and is now shipping most new stock with revised firmware M0B102 to address all these issues. The problem is, Dell contends it is unable to offer the firmware for early adopters to download due to unspecified "complexities".
Therefore, everyone who bought the monitor between launch and late April are stuck with what is effectively faulty firmware.
If you buy this monitor, please know that the firmware you receive is what you'll have for the life of the device. Any subsequent updates will NOT be offered to users as downloadable firmware.
Thanks Dell!
I ordered this monitor in March and had to wait until June to receive it, only to find out that there were a host of problems with it. The initial monitor I received had all sorts of weird firmware issues (turning off briefly when alt-tabbing between apps, randomly asking me if I want to do a pixel refresh, switching inputs for no reason etc...), then it just died altogether within about a week of light use. The replacement monitor they sent me was dead on arrival and clearly heavily used before being refurbished and being sent as a replacement to my brand-new monitor. I ended up just returning it altogether. Dell is a joke and at this point I'd rather wait for a different brand to make a functional OLED monitor than risk dealing with Dell's inept Quality Assurance and Customer Service again.
@@ungabunga8335 I use an LG C1. It's honestly the best value for the money if you want an OLED display for PC use.
I have this monitor. For me it's a non issue since it means I have to power cycle the monitor every 4 hours or so. The monitor is definitely worth it. He is absolutely right though. It did ship with a none fixable bug which is not a small deal and should have never happened. For 1300? Shame on dell.
As far as text clarity, fan noise, and screen reflection, to me they are all completely imperceptible.
I have the M0B101 firmware Aw3424DW, the only issue is the random pixel refresh (just a prompt and you can cancel it) and yes I can send it back and get the M0B102 but the monitor is perfect in everything else. You have to use windows 11 in HDR mode so it won't refesh the screen when alt-tabbing from a game so HDR is always ON. HDR in windows 11 is Miles ahead of windows 10.
It isn't perfect, but I've been yelling "make this and take my money!" for years. I'm done waiting. I said I would when it got released, and I did. It's sold out so it'll take 2 months but my order is placed. Finally. Well done as always, hardware unboxed. 👏
I just bought the LG 42" C2 OLED and i'm more than happy with it. 4K 120hz with G-sync compatible mode is imperceptible when compared to 4k 144hz + G-sync module. And 700 nits is good enough for me. I also prefer having an eARC socket so I can send audio to my 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound speakers via the Denon X2700H AVR. Monitors do not come with an eARC socket so this means you'd need to run a 2nd HDMI cable from the GPU to an AVR or Soundbar if using a the Dell QD-OLED Monitor. And doing so creates a 2nd 'phantom' display screen in Windows. With an eARC socket, no phantom display is created because only 1 cable is connecting the GPU to the TV then the TV's eARC HDMI cable passes the audio straight down to the AVR. Another advantage of the 42" C2 OLED is that there is no annoying active fan noise because the TV is passively cooled.
Is LG offering a pixel burn in warranty on the new C2 panels?
@@AlexKidd4Fun I'm sure there was a video saying they would honour repairs/replacements for burn-in if people leave the OLED care measures switched on. As in 'Screen Shift,' and allowing the TV to do its auto-pixel cleaning in standby mode. And as long people are using the TV for normal viewing. Like watching a regular mix of TV shows, movies, video games and not just leaving the TV switched on 24/7 on news channels where static logos are always on the screen.
@@0perativeX Where is it?
@@AlexKidd4Fun Pretty sure Vincent covered it in a previous video
I have a c1.also. I can't turn on VRR when using ps5? I haven't tried in on pc yet with a 3080
Been waiting for this review since I heard about this monitor. Thanks HWU
I remember 7 years ago when my Acer X34 Predator was also called the best. It is nice to finally have a good reason to upgrade other than increased Hz.
LG 32GQ950
Gigabyte M32U
Alienware 34 oled 3423wd
I am confused between these 3 as I am not only looking for AI modelling and content but also for my office use to view documents and for teaching ( as I teach in my free time online)
What would be best choice?
@@Naraayanay Haha you picked some very different monitors there, well the LG and the Gigabyte are actually very similar, so
Aspect ratio - the Alienware is 21:9, the other two are 16:9
Resolution - the AW is 1440p, the others are 4k
Panel - The AW is QD OLED (cutting edge), the others are IPS
My opinion, look if you game get the AW, it's game changing, litterly.
Here's the rub, the AW sucks for productivity. Like it's terrible. If I had the space, I would use it only for games, that bad.
Now those other monitors, well their 16:9, so not great for productivity either.
IMO if you game at all get the AW and deal with the annoying anti-burn-in features, if not get a 21:9 IPS at 1440p.
Hot take- if your screen is less than 40 inches 4k isn't worth it.
Trust me, people regularly comment on how "clear" the AW is, like people don't believe it...just saying.
@@fashowallday4073 I game rarely, like once a month or so. I don't get time.
All I am looking for is better quality and productivity screen that I can use for AI and Data Science modelling and for reading research papers and read documents and for some entertainment like Netflix or something.
Can I get all these things in one single monitor?
Or Do I have to buy twoo different kind of monitors?
@@Naraayanay In that case check out the AW3821DW. You don't have to get that one, I am just recommending it because you apparently like the Alienware brand.
If you want to save money, go for any 21:9 IPS monitor. Beyond that, just look for one with lots of inputs (like what you can plug in), good color coverage and refresh rate (definitely get at least 120 hz).
There are many monitors that fit that bill, but the best are by Samsung, although Acer and Dell (or their Alienware line) are honorable mentions.
That last part is pure opinion though.
So why IPS, well it's the best looking LCD, and LCD does not suffer from burn-in, hence leaving static images up constantly is no big deal, which it sounds like you will be doing.
What GPU brand are you using for your AI work?
@@fashowallday4073 RTX 3090
Ordered day one specifically for gaming. This review is everything I'd hoped to hear. Delivery expected June 1st. Thanks so much for your hard work!
did you get any burn in?
Appropriate video length, 1 minute for each inch
That's what she said.
Your monitor reviews have been great so far this year! Keep up the good work!
Can’t wait to see the options in 3+ years when I’m ready to upgrade!
your monitor reviews are genuinely unparalleled
Hardware Unboxed literally make all the other video reviews on monitors look like sales pitches. Amazing work as always,... Guess I'm going to keep waiting and praying the Neo G8 kicks some ass when it's released later this year 🙏🙏🙏
Awesome reality checked review of this monitor, great work HUB. Its great to see the oled tech improve in the more gaming oriented monitor space, although still at a very hi cost
7:20 NO. Matte coating gives terrible image quality. The end. No top of the line TVs have matte coating, it traps light and distorts pixel, presenting with a artificial image. Wrap your printed pictures in matte coating, is it an improvement!?
The ONLY proper review for this monitor. Well done!
Edit: Vincent Teoh from HDTVTest also does great reviews of displays.
I own the monitor and just want to leave this correction: the front of the monitor is actual metal, despite looking like plastic at first. I also did not notice until I saw some other review mentioning it.
BTW I feel lucky I cannot notice any fringing whatsoever, I've been using the monitor for work and it's fine (even next to my IPS). So I think YMMV (or my eyes are old)
how is it for reading text for a long time or working with numbers, is text clarity/sharpness really that bad?
So I heard in a lit environment black looks gray.
@@janludwikkotowski I wouldn't recommend it as there are other monitors that are better for that task. I had a monitor with the same subpixel layout before and while it wasn't super noticeable, it did cause additional eye strain long term.
thanks a lot!
@@janludwikkotowski np :)
I'm glad i saw this video. Was contemplating getting this to replace my Predator X34 but changed my mind. Im primarily a gamer but I also spend a lot of time surfing and reading web pages.
Sweet something to look forward to in a few years when competition increases and more sizes are available.
Excellent review tim.
Appreciate that you guys bought a public sample and not got given a review sample that had been "pre-binned"
Jep, that sound like the best review I have seen so far for this monitor. It certainly has it's flaws and will most likely fix them in later iterrations.
Still, I'm going to jump down the rabbit hole as my Acer x34a leaves a bit to be desired by now. Other monitors also seem to be forcing some kind of trade off, like blooming / haloing in HDR, so know this, the Alienware is probably the best upgrade for my personal needs. But final judgement will be done once it arrives.... in july... hopefully 2022. :P
u do one of the best monitor reviews out there.....monitor review is rare ....wish there was more
It's promising. I'll wait a couple of generations when they are more mainstream and affordable
microled is the future
Luckily it seems like all types of panels have been making breakthroughs in advancement and I suspect that in a couple years pretty much all monitors are going to be much better and hopefully cheaper as well
@@svgstudios831 More like the far future.
@@svgstudios831 Cant wait to pick one up in 2038!
I expect next year to have a similar monitor for half the price.
Thanks for the great review Tim!
Also, I love your flawless pronunciation of complicated monitor names, as always! 😁
Its an amazing monitor. But, my own personal needs are 4k UHD or greater, plus HDMI 2.1. Hope they will put this technology in more types of monitors that they offer. I'm surprised at the price, expected this one to cost more.
fair. But at 175 4k is kinda point less IMO, at least not before PC get powerful enough :D
Damn, that was a ridiculously thorough review. Great work!
I just bought this monitor and have been using it for a couple of weeks, and let me tell you it blows any IPS or VA monitor out of the water. I Don't agree with what he said about it looking similar to a IPS in bright environments, at all. Yeah, it reflects light, but it's reflecting light off of PERFECT ink blacks
I can't wait for your 42-inch C2 Review. I am most excited about that TV/monitor.
Among all the great features of this monitor, I was actually most impressed by the price...despite still not really being able to afford it.
I was honestly expecting it to be like several grand :s
Yep the G9 is like 2.200$... I mean its 32:9 but still...
Yeah I was expecting this monitor to cost $3k, given that it beats out monitors at that price point. Honestly, people probably would have bought it even at that high of a price. This monitor isn't perfect, but it is certainly revolutionary and will hopefully disrupt the monitor market. I'm excited about a very near future where we finally get a wide selection of OLED monitors at very reasonable prices.
Was expecting the same and with coupon code readily available on the net I snagged this up for €1000 instead €1300... Couldn't resist
@@blackfieId what code and what website?
@@ertai222 At their own website which as far as I know is the only place to buy. I got the code by just googling, it was a student's discount code that was introduced for BF/holidays 2021 and was extended to April 2022. I'm sure next BF/holiday season you can find something similar if you search around the net. Good luck! It's worth it
Hardware unboxed great review! I love ALL of your monitor reviews and i like that new section you added for the real vs actual specs of things included/features. Great job as always!
I'd love this in a 4K, 32", 16:9, flat panel display. Hopefully in the next year or 2.
Exactly. I'm with you on all points.
Exactly what im hoping for
it's not 4k
Amen! I'd pay $1,500 for that no questions asked.
@@Lock2002ful Totally agree, it's just a 27" monitor which got fat
Got this monitor a couple of days ago. It's absolutely incredible. Playing Cyberpunk is fantastic, the brightness is absolutely excellent for day to day use, no dimming at all, well bright enough even in my bright room.
Motion/clarity is fantastic.
Text is razer sharp, I don't notice any fringing or anything like that and I'm quite a display snob
Love to see your reviews to counter the hype I get sometimes from watching showcases. I think you position monitors fairly and allow me to make my own decisions with the right amount of information. Thanks
This is such a fantastic review for such a new monitor / panel. Gold standard stuff Tim
Great review. I think I will wait for newer improved OLED monitors but the future is looking bright in this regard.
Got a 48" C1 for less than $1k USD a couple days ago and am so happy!
Amazing in-depth review ! Do you think you'll be able to do a long term burn-in test of some sort since you bought the monitor and it's not a review sample ? It would be great to know if OLED technology has matured a bit since its introduction to the market or if the quantum dot layer plays a role in the burn-in marks appearing during the lifespan of the monitor.
Thanks for the time you invest in making these reviews for us to make better purchase decisions in a industry where marketing often makes claims that do not hold up to real world performance.
What a fantastic review! Was eyeing this as a potential future screen but for now I think I'll wait. A version of this in 4K would be great.
it is 4k
Maybe I missed it in your review but this monitor doesn't only have an audible fan, this fan does not stop spinning if you do disable the eco mode.
Even with the eco mode it keeps spinning 10 minutes after being turned off. This fan is completely bonkers to me and I don't understand how someone decided that this is acceptable. On top of that with the eco mode turned off it pulls 10 Watts 24/7. I am not sure if this product is even allowed to be sold in Europe since the standby power usage must be below 1 watt according to law.
Luckily this can be addressed with firmware.
@@connor040606 I read a discussion on this topic on the german homepage computerbase and other users reported that Dell does not provide firmware updates for monitors. I don't know if that is true, but a firmware update would be very desirable. Also I am wondering if this fan is really necessary or if it has to spin that much. Maybe it could be tweaked to slower rpm - again only with firmware updates.
I like the direction this monitor is going. But it has too many downsides and I am not paying that much for this kind of monitor. If it would be perfect, maybe. But not with this list of flaws.
@@WCIIIReiniger Thats weird. i am sure if enough people complain there will be a push to release a firmware fix.
It IS god tier for value-hardware-latest tech alone.
Great level of detail, thanks. I need 4K for my non-gaming needs, and I’d want HDMI 2.1 and passive cooling. My current 32” 4K Acer screen has some obvious flaws, particularly with backlighting, but this would be compromised in a different way. Those “future iterations” you mentioned are probably the ones for me. I think your summary hits the nail on the head - this is exciting news for the marketplace.
Is the 42" C2 not an option then?
@@Dionyzos Pixel density on 4K TVs is still bad for computer use
@@itIsI988 It's really not, I have a 48in C1and I use it everyday for work.
@@GRCDriver23 Basically the same pixel density as a 24" 1080p monitor. It looks grainy on a desk.
@@itIsI988 I also use a 48" C1 as a desktop monitor. At the viewing distance youd use this as a desktop monitor, it is much better than a 1080p panel. Not to mention if you run higher than 100% scaling it will look better than 1080p. The 42" C2 should be almost the same PPI as a 27" 1440p display and should be even better for monitor use.
You do realize that every "flaw" you've stated has an eay fix within the settings of the PC or monitor. It just takes a little calibration and this monitor still shines as the best QD-OLED monitor for gaming on the market. The only contenders are Samsung's new releases for 2023 and LG Ultragear are also very nice. The monitor will auto adjust brightness depending on the light in the room. Unless you have the sun DIRECTLY on top of your monitor then its functions perfectly. There is no monitor that will ever be able to make a screen that can 100% eliminate glare with that kind of light beaming onto your screen. A well thought out review-ish. Knowing about the product before you post a video containing information about supposed "flaws" would be advisable.
I've had this monitor for about 2 weeks now and can safely say that I do not notice any text clarity or color fringing issues.. it looks just as clear as my LG 34gp83a-b does, although it's not quite as bright. This monitor is amazing.
I just ordered the LG for $690. Do you find the Alienware worth double the price of the LG?
@@Ennis09 absolutely. The HDR is worth it alone.
Gray screens in daylight is even going back to the times of pre-Black Trinitron CRTs...and first plasmas...I attribute that to the QD layer that is stimulated by light and when daylight hits it from the front ,it glows, as it's the very way quantum dots actually work. Are there even worse things happening if you put a filter on it, that it's not used?
P.S. it's probably because the QD OLED tech relies on QD layer's added self-emission of light to achieve higher brightness without the risk of OLED burn in. If you put a filter there, you'd need to drive those OLEDs harder in daylight to achieve the same ammpout of light output, and you'd have burn-in, while all the advertising suggest it's not an issue...
Even though I won't be buying it anytime soon, still I was waiting for the review the QD-LED tech. Great job with it guys 👍👍
i did hear that the fan seem to be pretty loud when the ambient temperature is rising… it may make sense to include noise level test.
I was heavily torn between this monitor and the 4k PG32UQX... but I just couldn't justify the price tag of the PG32UQX. I'm on the waiting list for this Alienware, and man oh man I can't wait. Thanks for this in depth monitor review as always. My only point of contention is people looking for a 3440x1440 monitor to implement HDMI 2.1. Consoles don't support ultrawide resolutions, so other than just having it as another option why even bring this up as a downside. This is a monitor that is clearly for content consumption on PC. HDMI 2.1 at least for right now seems to be a very console focused feature. I'm sure that will shift in the future, but currently not necessary. Great Vid!!!!
I order one a week after this review came out, and it's finally coming on Monday - proper excited
Really good review. I’d already ordered, as I use mostly for gaming in a dark room. Glad to see more balance in your review, I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect all rounder when it comes to monitors. At least now people can make an informed choice. I run windows 10 currently, is windows 11 better at running HDR content or is there no difference?
How do you like it so far?
@@kyzyl4915 still on order. I should get it towards the back end of next month.
Love how in depth you guys get in your reviews. Well done.-
If there’s a monitor I want I do not buy until they review 😂
One of the downsides is that it's glossy? I disagree, I think that is a feature. The text will be rendered crisper since you don't have a matte film and its one the very few non-matte options on the market. So I am really glad to have the option.
I agree. It's why Apple's monitors are always glossy
Yes and it's not so glossy that it's a problem as long as there is no direct sunlight you won't notice when it's not. It's not that much more reflective than an LCD. I only see my reflection on black screen.
Nice job HU team! I was hoping to see your review before mine shipped. ;) Sounds like some of the issues pointed out will have little effect for my setup.
I have to say that I think you're the only reviewer that I've seen -- albeit, I've only checked out a handful so far -- that has mentioned the fan. In fact, I didn't even know that it had one until your review! I purchased this monitor (along with a couple others) to test to see what I will actually like, and the thought of a noisy fan is almost an immediate turn-off. I've overbuilt my water cooling loop so I can run the fans at a low RPM (with thick, low FPI radiators) that make the computer almost inaudible. (I actually turned the fans up slightly just so you could hear them a tiny bit; it helps you know that things are actually working. 😋)
Thanks for the detailed review. It seems like there's still a few first gen issues to be aware of, I'm looking forward to what other vendors do with the panel as well as the next generation.
I have this monitor, and there is no way that anyone could see text fringing from a meter away. Unless you are using 6 pt font and consider seeing the fringing to mean that the text appears a lighter grey then maybe. The active fan also seems to be a good/bad unit issue. Some people are complaining about it, but mine is silent. The grey due to the screen coating is not an issue in my lighting as I have no windows in my room and top lighting only.
You should retest the SDR brightness with HDR enabled in Windows and the "SDR Content brightness" slider maxed out.
I pulled the trigger on this. Looking forward to it, but my order isn't slated to come in until June 20th, so just be aware they appear to be heavily back ordered atm!
did you get it yet
@@caspar_gomez No, got sick of waiting and grabbed a Neo G9 instead
@@clintony3000 damn, that's where I'm at too, leaning to LG C2 but I didnt want to go 4k...congrats though, g9 looks insane
@@caspar_gomez It is nice. It does flicker sometimes, and I hope more drivers and firmware will help, bit it is honestly gorgeous. I know the QD OLED is better in terms of direct quality/contrast, but the size of the G9 is really nice. Good luck with your search man
Great review Tim, Glad you mentioned a few things that others most likely wouldn't bring up.
Anti reflective coatings I find some monitors are quite annoying, Prefer matte even though it doesn't provide the best picture output.
Fan noise is another turn off for me, And of course burn in is always a factor even if it's a lot less now.
At least monitors are starting to move with new tech though, Has taken long enough to where a lot of people are just buying OLED tv's to use instead.
the warranty covers burn in
@@ployth9000 The warranty also has to deal with Dell customer service who has lied to me about policies to my face while also trying to sell me additional things lol, I wouldn't bank on a manufacturer warranty in this case
@@PantsaBear I am not buying it would rather spend money on another lg oled tv
@@ployth9000 Me as well, I use a c1. This monitor is solid but has a lot of caveats for something so expensive and at a smaller screen size than the LG (and more expensive than the C1 right now)
@@ployth9000 Warranties can sometimes take weeks, months or even years though, Not everyone has a second monitor to use.
Non computer related, I'm still waiting a year later for solar company to come and fix the 10kw battery that has never worked since day one, That was a year ago!
Because of the pandemic BS and shortages, Some parts just aren't there.
I won't buy a computer product if it almost feels like it needs a warranty in the first place, OLED's definitely fall into that category in my use case scenario. The way I use screens for sure it would get some burn in, Shouldn't have to baby sit a panel.
I'm typing this on second HTPC in lounge room on a 52 inch Sony Bravia(dumb tv) from 2006, Screen is still perfect 16 years later even after all the abuse and taskbar, There is no image retention.
no other review I remember mentioned the fan and no other review mentioned that the subpixel arrangement can be annoying. One even stated that subpixel arrangements are never an issue anymore these days. One can imagine which review was bought and payed for and... well this one. Thank you for being as objective as possible and for looking after the people and not just the provider of the goodies!
Man, you guys do even better reviews than R-Tings and HDTVTest. Just a masterclass analysis.
Rtings and Tftcentral do better reviews than HWUnboxed. Tim neglected testing of input lag without adaptive sync or Gsync. Tim also neglected testing input lag with Gsync enabled.
Better than Rtings, but Vincent is still better than this. He knows his stuff and he gets into details that most people don't even understand.
You didn't really mentioned the difference between qd-led and oled sub pixel structure. the triangle arrangement is odd and looks to be a drawback, however that is one of the big advantages over oled which uses a wrgb layout in order to boost brightness at the cost of overall vividness, this is probably why the c1 can sustain more brightness over 5% window. the change in the manufacturing process of qd-led allow it to showcase more defined peaks on the spectral graphs, leading to better colours and wider gamut. I wonder what is the impact of the qd-led layers on the reflective nature of the display which seems to be absorb ambient light.
Exaaaaactly what I'm waiting for. Thanks for the review!
I hope they fix the screen issue without having to wait every other year for a new revision, I have no idea how that reflection problem got past the testing phase. That issue looks worthy of being recalled.
Never mind, the blurry text is already killing this monitor for me but there’s ALSO a audible fan?
I use it in a super quiet room and unless I turn off every other source of white noise I don't notice it. I legit didn't even know it had a fan until this review. If you have a fan, PC with case fans, air purifier, dehumidifier or air conditioning, you're not going to notice it.
@@damncritics I will hear the fan, trust me. I can hear my neighbour's PC, that's why my Gaming PC is completely watercooled with fans running at max. 800 rpm. And I find that barely tolerable. I'm more tolerable towards things like gaming laptops, where there is no other way but anything that can be silent/quiet, should.
text is not blurry. I have this monitor... you are making stuff up. fringing is not blurry
@@Ryxxi_makes Then you're blind
Thank you! I waited for this since march :) And you didn't disappoint, great review, very detailed!
Thanks again HWU. I was looking at it in another channel a few weeks ago, and almost got convinced to buy it. Then I thought to myself that since it does have a lower price, that probably means that prices will be more competitive for oled monitors in the near future. With this review, I just got convinced to wait. Awesome job.
Let's put it this way, the x34 Predator was the first High Refresh UW (100hz) from 7 years ago and cost $1300 as well. It took about 3-4 years to get equivalent monitors at slightly lower price. By then I do hope we have lower prices but also other technologies in the mix (micro, mini, blahblah, LED)
FUN Fact:
21:15 "Sceptre C345B-QUN168 (34" 1440p 21:9 165Hz VA) is 796 Nits bright at only 29.8 Watts
17:20 While "Dell Alienware AW3423DW (34" 1440p 21:9 175Hz QD-OLED) uses 101.2 Watts for 243 Nits brightness.
QD-OLED needs 3x the power to get 3x less bright. Let that sink in...
OLED tech needs so much more power improvements, and they need an active fan to cool down...
70w? Seriously
Meanwhile my rtx3080 can pull 500w and rtx40series projected to be even higher.
70w is the least of people's worries who will buy this monitor
Back in CRT dimensions. The one I bought 25 years ago dragged 160 Watt out of the box.
@@0Turbox I am a bit lost why OLED is using so much energy, while they have all the benefits of being pixel power efficient.
That fan noice issue is for me a deal breaker, thanks for pointing that one out!
FINALLY! Been waiting for this review, there's no other I trust. And this really looks like the one screen that I should have jumped to before they got sold out. The drawbacks? I mean for pure gaming there is none, who's NOT playing games in a complete dark room anyhow? ^^
Cutting through the marketing BS to deliver the true performance of the monitor. Explaining the pros and cons of the monitor, and what use cases would and would not be ideal for it. These reasons are why I consider Hardware Unboxed the gold standard for monitor reviews, and why I am proud to be a Patreon member. Keep up the good work, sirs.
Tim, excellent and thorough review. I greatly appreciate your candid feedback about this monitor.
Really great review. Solidified my decision to cancel my order
Will wait for v2. Hopefully we’ll see a subpixel revision + HDMI 2.1 (or at least DP1.4 + DSC)
My thoughts exactly
Get mine on June 22nd ... I am watching every review I can in preparation for it. I have dreamed of a true affordable gaming OLED monitor since I first saw an OLED screen in the early 2000's. I CAN'T WAIT!!!
By the way, the subpixel thing can be fixed via Windwos ClearType Tuner. Or at least 95% reduced.
Nice, the review I was waiting for. I have the 3418DW and have loved it for a long time, the only upgrade path for me is another ultrawide, but OLED. After my LG C1 and Xperia 1 III, I have a fetish for amazing screens which this one seems not to be.
Great review and I appreciate the hard data vs the fanboy reviews found elsewhere on TH-cam.
That name was a mouthful, great job of not ruining it every time it is mentioned.
I'm on the fence between qd-oled and the 42in c2. I have a year or so to decide hopefully better displays without the fan come out. I feel the subpixel issues would be easier to resolve at 4k and 150% scaling.
Get the 42" c2 later on in the year. LG is supposed to be fitting the C2 with EX panels later on this year it is said. The C2 is more versatile IMO.
Get the C2. You can set up a custom resolution and have it look like an ultrawide, while it can be used as a massive 4K monitor too if you need it for that. I have the C1 and I play most of my games at 3840x1600.
Depends on whether you'll be using it as a pc monitor for daily tasks or not. The c2 is bigger but since it's not qd oled the burn in risk my be higher. If you use a separate monitor for daily tasks and the c2 only for gaming/watching movies then Id say go for the c2
@@tree490 The burn-in risk is negligible unless you use the screen like an idiot. No icons on the home-screen and hide the taskbar, and there will be no issue. There hasn't been a big issue with burn-in since the CX.
@@johnboylan3832 rather have the 175hz
17:57 I bet that 30W difference in power consumption comes from the G-sync module + fan.