If you highly value deep blacks, vibrant colors, and are interested in HDR gaming and media consumption, the Asus PG27AQDM with its W-OLED panel is excellent but requires a higher investment. However, for general productivity and occasional gaming, the Dell S2721DGF offers good performance and a more budget-friendly IPS panel. The Asus excels in image and text clarity, while the Dell balances a lower cost with good overall capabilities without the high-end features of OLED. For competitive gaming, both have high refresh rates, but the Asus provides a smoother experience with less ghosting. If print photo editing is central to your needs, neither is ideal. 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 Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED)
Best in class for casual gaming
Very good for competitive gaming
Good for media consumption
Very good refresh rate
Best in class contrast
Excellent response time
Advantages of the Dell S2721DGF (IPS)
Good text clarity
Key differences
Casual Gaming
9.5/10
5.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
882:1
162 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
368 nits
963 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
485 nits
97.2 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
97.2 %
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) is best in class for casual gaming, while the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) is poor.
Competitive Gaming
8.6/10
5.8/10
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
1.8 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
6.3 ms
20 - 240 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 165 Hz
No
STROBING / BFI
No
162 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
368 nits
The Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) is very good for competitive gaming, while the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) is poor.
Media Consumption
7.5/10
5.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
882:1
162 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
368 nits
963 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
485 nits
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) is good for media consumption, while the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) is poor.
Cost
$899
$300
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) has a price of $899 and the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) costs $300.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
Yes
No
The Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) is suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption while the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) is not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Key similarities
Productivity
5.8/10
6.2/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
111 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
109 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Matte
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell S2721DGF (IPS) to be only fair for productivity, while the Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) is poor.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) and Dell S2721DGF (IPS) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) and Dell S2721DGF (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
Print Photo Editing
No
No
Both the Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) and Dell S2721DGF (IPS) are not suitable for print photo editing.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Asus PG27AQDM (W-OLED) and the Dell S2721DGF (IPS) compare to other monitors
"It’s hard to find any fault with the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDM. Yes it’s expensive, but it’s incredibly good. With a stunning image and next-level video performance, it’s one of the very best gaming monitors I’ve ever reviewed."
"The Dell S2721DGF checks all the boxes for an upper-mid priced display that can take on the best gaming monitors, and you might even be able to find it for under $500 (it's $450-$500 as of writing). The monitor's 1440p, runs at 165 Hz without overclock, has AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatibility, covers a large portion of the DCI-P3 color gamut and includes a lighting effect on the back."
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.
By the numbers
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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.