The Alienware AW3423DW 34 inch QD-OLED monitor that was shown off at CES 2022 has been given a price. $1,299 looks to be entirely reasonable for what many will consider to be an almost perfect gaming monitor, myself included.
This gorgeous monitor boasts a resolution of 3440×1440 with an aspect ratio of 21:9. It supports Nvidia’s G-Sync Ultimate with refresh rates of up to 175Hz over DP and 100Hz over HDMI. It includes one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, three USB 3.0 5Gbps ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a line-out jack.
These would be impressive specs on a VA or IPS screen but the real selling point is the inclusion of Samsung’s QD-OLED tech. Quantum Dot OLED technology is designed to simplify the production of OLED based televisions and monitors (and therefore lower costs), while supposedly delivering a wider color gamut. If the price of the Alienware 34in is any indicator, Samsung has succeeded. QD-OLED tech includes all the benefits of an OLED display including ultra fast response times, high contrast ratios and deep blacks. These are characteristics that gamers will definitely appreciate.
When you compare the Alienware screen to an LG 32EP950-B 32” 4K OLED monitor at just under $4,000, the price of the Alienware seems very reasonable indeed. That kind of pricing has prevented the adoption of OLED screens in the gaming space. Also, there seems to have been little desire to produce panels at sizes smaller than those of televisions.
Of course, $1,299 isn’t exactly cheap, but for brand new monitor tech that ticks most of the boxes, it’s a pretty reasonable starting point. We can surely expect more affordable versions from other vendors in the months ahead. A less flashy design without the USB ports or G-Sync support and a 120Hz refresh rate could attract prices that are within the reach of mainstream buyers.
Let’s hope the Alienware 34 is the first of many very exciting gaming monitors to come during the rest of 2022.