Dell Alienware AW3821DW 38" Curved Gaming Monitor

MSRP 2050 USD94% Neofiliac71% External
Keywords: alienwarecurved-monitordellg-syncgaminghigh-endmonitorultra-wideuw4k

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Product Overview

Dell Alienware AW3821DW is a high-end, ultra-wide 2300R-curved 38-inch gaming monitor with ultra-fast 1ms response time, rich color gamut, high dynamic range, and G-SYNC UlTIMATE certification.
Designed to produce an immersive gaming experience, the AW3821DW shares the Legend design language debuted at CES 2019 with other recent Alienware devices. This futuristic design complements the rich feature set and bleeding-edge technologies that can be found in the 2300R-curved monitor.
The AW3821DW features edge-lit LED backlighting with local dimming, securing VESA DisplayHDR 600 capabilities. Its IPS Nano Color technology ensures 95% DCI-P3 (over 130% sRGB) color gamut coverage. G-SYNC support combined with 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate eliminates visible artifacts, producing a smoothing gameplay experience.
Last but not least, the AW3821DW also works as a USB hub, thanks to its four USB 3.2 downstream ports and headphone connectivity.
Other Alienware gaming monitors in the 2021 Model Year include the 240Hz AW2721D in 27-inch as well as the 320Hz AW2521H and the 240Hz AW2521HF/AW2521HFL in 25-inch.

Ratings

What we found**

Neofiliac score 94% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
  • DisplayHDR 600
  • Ultra-wide form factor
  • 2300 curvature
  • Rich color reproduction
  • Stand with tilt, swivel, and height adjustments
  • Fast 1 ms response time
  • High 1000:1 contrast ratio
  • 10-bit display panel
  • Support for NVIDIA G-SYNC
Cons

    What external reviewers found***

    External score 71% (not directly comparable across industries)
    Pros
    • Good color accuracy
    • Gorgeous IPS panel
    • Great response time
    • Bright 144Hz refresh rate
    • Supports Nvidia G-Sync
    • Large 38 inch screen with high resolution
    Cons
    • Terrible local dimming feature
    • Low contrast ratio
    • No sRGB mode
    • Mediocre ergonomics
    • Mediocre color accuracy
    Read More

    Price Comparison

    Specifications

    Connectivity

    Ports
    2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 3.5 mm Audio Out (headphones), 1x 3.5 mm Audio Out (line-out for speakers), 4x USB 3.2 (Type-A; Gen 1; downstream), 1x USB 3.2 (Type-B; Gen 1; upstream)

    Construction

    Adjustment | Height
    130 mm / 5.1181 in
    Adjustment | Pivot
    N/A
    Adjustment | Swivel
    -20° ~ 20°
    Adjustment | Tilt
    -5° ~ 21°
    Camera
    No
    Colors
    Black
    Form Factor
    Curved monitor
    VESA Mount
    100 x 100 mm

    Dimensions

    Bezels
    90.21% screen-to-body ratio
    Size | Depth
    5.12 in / 130.1 mm w/o stand, 11.56 in / 293.5 mm w/ stand
    Size | Height
    15.72 in / 399.4 mm w/o stand, 17.7 in / 449.7 mm w/ stand
    Size | Width
    35.23 in / 894.9 mm
    Weight
    7.9 kg / 17 lbs w/o stand , 12.1 kg / 27 lbs w/ stand

    Display

    Aspect Ratio
    24:10
    Brightness
    450 nits / 600 nits (peak)
    Contrast Ratio
    1000:1 (static)
    Display Backlight
    W-LED
    Display Color Depth
    10 bits, 1073741824 colors
    Display Curvature
    2300R
    Display Diagonal
    38" (37.5 in / 952.5 mm)
    Display Type
    IPS, Anti-glare/Matte (3H), LG Display
    Gamut
    95% DCI-P3, 130.6% sRGB
    Pixel Density
    111 ppi
    Pixel Pitch
    0.229 mm
    Refresh Rate
    24 Hz ~ 144 Hz
    Resolution
    UW4K (3840x1600)
    Response Time
    1 ms (min) / 3 ms (avg)
    Viewing Angle
    178° H / 178° V

    Function

    HDR
    DisplayHDR 600
    Licenses
    CECP, CEL, ENERGY STAR, RoHS Compliant, TCO Certified Displays, TUV Rheonland Eye Safety Certified
    Operating Humidity
    10 % ~ 80 %
    Operating Temperature
    0 °C ~ 40 °C , 32 °F ~ 104 °F
    Variable Framerate
    NVIDIA G-SYNC
    Video
    ComfortView, Flicker-free technology, Nano IPS, Picture-by-Picture, Low Blue Light, AlienFX Lighting, Picture-in-Picture, Ambient Light Sensor

    Performance

    Power Consumption
    46.35 W (average) / 125 W (max) / 0.3 W (sleep) / 0.2 W (off)

    Production

    Accessory
    DisplayPort cable, HDMI cable, Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable, USB Type-B 3.2 Gen 1 cable
    Debut
    2020

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    External Reviews

    laptopmag[1]

    Reviewer score 86%
    Reviewers from laptopmag have found the following***:
    The Alienware 38 Curved Gaming Monitor boasts a 37.5-inch, 3840 x 1600 display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a 1-millisecond response time. This IPS panel also has HDR600 support and is compatible with Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate. The 21:9 aspect ratio also suited the game amazingly well.
    Find the original article here.
    Pros
    • Gorgeous IPS panel
    • Bright 144Hz refresh rate
    • Supports Nvidia G-Sync
    Cons
    • Mediocre color accuracy

    rtings[2]

    Reviewer score 49%
    Reviewers from rtings have found the following***:
    The Dell AW3821DW has a 144Hz refresh rate and native G-SYNC support. Its response time is excellent and input lag is extremely low for gaming. It's good for productivity thanks to its 38 inch ultrawide screen and high resolution. Its ergonomics are mediocre, but that's somewhat expected for a curved screen of this size.
    Find the original article here.
    Pros
    • High 144Hz refresh rate with native G-SYNC support
    • Large 38 inch screen with high resolution
    • Low input lag
    • Wide viewing angles
    • Great response time
    Cons
    • Low contrast ratio
    • Terrible local dimming feature
    • Mediocre ergonomics

    tomshardware[3]

    Reviewer score 77%
    Reviewers from tomshardware have found the following***:
    The AW3821DW has a variable backlight control, which helps increase contrast. Response time is a three-level overdrive that's effective at reducing blur. The 2300R curve and 38-inch size is ideal for an immersive view, no matter the content. The only thing missing here is an sRGB mode.
    Find the original article here.
    Pros
    • Bright, colorful image
    • Variable backlight
    • Good color accuracy
    Cons
    • No sRGB mode

    User Reviews

    Comments

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    References

    1. ^ Alienware 38 AW3821DW gaming monitor review. [laptopmag]. https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/alienware-38-curved-gaming-monitor-aw3821dw. 2021-05-29. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
    2. ^ Dell Alienware AW3821DW Monitor Review. [rtings]. https://www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/dell/alienware-aw3821dw. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
    3. ^ Alienware AW3821DW Review: Smooth, Curved, Slick Ultrawide . [tomshardware]. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/alienware-aw3821dw-review. 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2021-04-17.

    The MSRP provided on this page may not apply to all regions equally. For the current price, please refer to the Price Comparison section.

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    Scores are not directly comparable across industries.

    These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.

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