Sticking with a promise it made in June, Dell today announced a firm release date for a monitor that started off as a concept product under its Alienware brand—a 55-inch gaming monitor with a 4K resolution OLED display. The monitor (AW5520QF) is set to launch on September 30, 2019, with a $3,999.99 MSRP.
Dell first teased this display at CES earlier this year, and by mid-year, we started to wonder if it would ever graduate from concept territory into a shipping product. Then a couple of months ago, Dell told us it was "definitely" bound for retail, but stopped shy of offering up a release date or price. Now we know both.
OLED displays are not new by any stretch, and there are even bigger ones available if you go shopping for a TV. Some of them are excellent for gaming. From Dell's marketing perspective, what sets this one apart is it's the first 55-inch OLED gaming monitor ever built.
It checks several desirable boxes—4K resolution, OLED panel, 120Hz variable refresh rate, ultra-fast 0.5ms (GtG) response time, and FreeSync support. The AW5520WF also features a super-thin bezel, and of course RGB lighting (AlienFX) is part of the package.
Connection options include a DisplayPort 1.2 and three HDMI 2.0 ports. There's also a built-in USB hub with four downstream USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (one of which is powered), along with a headphone output and an S/PDIF audio line-out jack. We have never been enamored by speakers that are built into a monitor, but it has those as well—a pair of 14W cans tuned by Waves MaxxAudio.
Dell's asking price is hefty, though. CNET makes the comparison in specs to LG's OLED55CP9UA, which sells for around $1,600. That one also boasts a 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, and a TV tuner to boot. Alienware's monitor supports FreeSync, but there's no mention of HDR visuals as there is with LG's TV.
So, as interesting as the AW5520WF is, it might be a tough sell when it debuts next month. There's also the concern for burn-in, as it applies to OLED panels.
Dell also has a few less expensive gaming monitors on tap. One is a 34-inch curved display (AW3420DW) with an IPS panel, WQHD resolution, and 120Hz refresh rate, available August 28 for $1,499.99. The second is a 32-inch curved monitor (S3220DGV) with a QHD resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and FreeSync 2 HDR support shipping August 28 for $599.99. And finally, there is a 27-inch monitor (AW2720HF) with an IPS panel, 1080p resolution, and 240Hz refresh rate arriving on September 17 for $599.99.
