If you prioritize a high contrast ratio and excellent color performance for immersive gaming and media consumption, the Acer X34V is a strong choice, particularly for HDR content, and it comes at a lower price. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware AW3821DW offers a wider screen with a slightly higher resolution which can be beneficial for productivity tasks, but it isn't as suitable for HDR gaming or media. Choose Acer for a better gaming experience and cost savings, or go for Dell if productivity and screen real estate are your main priorities despite its higher cost. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer X34V (QD-OLED)
Best in class for casual gaming
Best in class for media consumption
Good refresh rate
Best in class contrast
Best in class color volume
Best in class response time
Advantages of the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS)
Good text clarity
Good brightness
Key differences
Casual Gaming
9.6/10
6.0/10
3440 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 1600
175Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
883:1
250 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
495 nits
1000 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
660 nits
99.0 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
95.6 %
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Acer X34V (QD-OLED) is best in class for casual gaming, while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair.
Competitive Gaming
5.2/10
4.5/10
175Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
1.0 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
10.8 ms
48 - 175 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 144 Hz
No
STROBING / BFI
No
250 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
495 nits
The Acer X34V (QD-OLED) and Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) are both poor for competitive gaming, though the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) is somewhat better.
Productivity
5.7/10
6.6/10
3440 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 1600
109 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
111 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair for productivity, while the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) is poor.
Media Consumption
9.5/10
6.2/10
3440 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 1600
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
883:1
250 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
495 nits
1000 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
660 nits
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Acer X34V (QD-OLED) is best in class for media consumption, while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
Yes
No
The Acer X34V (QD-OLED) is suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Key similarities
Cost
$700
$749
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer X34V (QD-OLED) has a price of $700 and the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) costs $749.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) and Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) and Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
Print Photo Editing
No
No
Both the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) and Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) are not suitable for print photo editing.
Give feedback
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How the Acer X34V (QD-OLED) and the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) compare to other monitors
"The Alienware AW3821DW isn’t perfect, but right now, it’s the best value in 38-inch ultrawide gaming monitors. It delivers a solid gaming experience with a bright and saturated image that’s color-accurate. With premium styling and build quality, it’s sure to satisfy gamers looking for a jumbo display."
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec monitors team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest monitor information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the monitor team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Monitors Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.