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This is it, unambiguously my Computex highlight and also a genuine surprise. I give you the Alienware AW3926QW in all its 39-inch OLED, 5K2K, RGB-stripe, remarkably priced glory.
This isn't actually the first 39-inch 5K2K OLED on the market. Actually, I've already reviewed one, the LG Ultragear 45GX950A, and it actually disappointed a little.
That was a pity because the fundamental form factor of 39 inches and 5K2K is just so fantastic. It's basically a 32-inch 4K monitor widened out to 21:9. So, that's epic ultrawide immersion with proper pixel density.
But this Alienware ain't quite the same as that LG, and for several good reasons. Firstly, that LG was a $2,000 beast at launch and still goes for about $1,700. Alienware isn't listing a price just yet. But multiple high-quality sources are reporting that the AW3926QW could come in at $1,099 MSRP.
Next up, while this Alienware uses an LG WOLED panel, it's not the same one as the Ultragear 45GX950A, which has an additional white subpixel to boost peak luminance but comes with several downsides, including slightly fuzzy font rendering and less vibrant colours.
In my subjective experience, LG's WOLED panels with the added white subpixel actually look a bit dull next to Samsung's QD-OLED tech, even when they have brighter on-paper specs.
Alienware is rating this new panel at 300 nits full-screen and 1,300 nits peak HDR, so it's very much comparable with the latest RGB Samsung QD-OLEDs.
The 300 nits rating is also slightly brighter than the LG monitor, which is odd given the whole point of the added white subpixel is to boost measured brightness. Oh, well!
But wait, there's more. The Alienware AW3926QW also has a much more gentle 1500R panel curve, where the LG Ultragear 45GX950A has been saddled with a silly 800R bend.
That really is far too curved, and this Alienware fixes that problem in a jiffy. Oh, and it also has a glossy anti-glare coating. The LG model is matte. Another win.
On paper, then, this new Alienware is a killer; it addresses all the issues with that initial 5K2K panel. It also won't suffer QD-OLED's purple tint problem in bright ambient light.
That's been reduced with the latest QD-OLED panels, including the one in the MSI MPG 322UR X24. But it has not been entirely solved.
Overall, I'm very excited at the same time as not quite believing this new Alienware will actually be the one. Thus far, I've found LG's WOLED tech to be underwhelming. But this new panel certainly has the claimed specs to fix that.
Here's hoping, although my wallet will be hoping it doesn't. Because if this Alienware delivers, it's going to be taking a hammering.
1. Best overall / 4K:
MSI MPG 321URX
2. Best budget 4K:
Asus ROG Strix XG27UCG
3. Best 1440p:
MSI MPG 271QRX
4. Best budget 1440p:
KTC H27T22C-3
5. Best 1080p:
AOC Gaming C27G4ZXE
6. Best Ultrawide:
Gigabyte MO34WQC2
7. Best budget ultrawide:
Xiaomi G34WQi
8. Best 32:9:
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9
9. Best dual-mode:
Alienware AW2725QF
1. Best gaming chair: Secretlab Titan Evo
2. Best gaming desk: Secretlab Magnus Pro XL
3. Best gaming headset: Razer BlackShark V3
4. Best gaming keyboard: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
5. Best gaming mouse: Razer Viper V4 Pro
6. Best PC controller: GameSir G7 Pro
7. Best steering wheel: Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel
8. Best microphone: Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone
9. Best webcam: Elgato Facecam MK.2
