If you're a competitive gamer looking for higher refresh rates and quicker response times, the Dell Alienware AW2723DF could be a better choice but comes at a higher cost. For budget-conscious buyers prioritizing deep blacks and higher contrast in games and movies, the Dell S2722DGM offers good value. The Alienware, with its IPS panel, is also better for digital photo editing thanks to its color accuracy, while the S2722DGM's VA panel will give you good color and contrast but may not be as suitable for tasks where color precision is critical. Both monitors have their strengths, so your decision should hinge on whether the benefits of the Alienware are worth the price increase for your specific needs. 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 Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS)
Very good for competitive gaming
Very good refresh rate
Good response time
Advantages of the Dell S2722DGM (VA)
Good for casual gaming
Good for media consumption
Good contrast
Good brightness
Key differences
Casual Gaming
6.4/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
280Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
1020:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
2948:1
384 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
389 nits
672 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
N/A
99.6 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
N/A
Semi-Gloss
COATING
Matte
The Dell S2722DGM (VA) is good for casual gaming, while the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) is only fair.
Competitive Gaming
8.6/10
5.8/10
280Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
7.6 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
13.2 ms
20 - 280 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 165 Hz
No
STROBING / BFI
Yes
384 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
389 nits
The Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) is very good for competitive gaming, while the Dell S2722DGM (VA) is poor.
Media Consumption
6.0/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
1020:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
2948:1
384 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
389 nits
672 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
N/A
Semi-Gloss
COATING
Matte
The Dell S2722DGM (VA) is good for media consumption, while the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) is only fair.
Cost
$429
$250
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) has a price of $429 and the Dell S2722DGM (VA) costs $250.
Key similarities
Productivity
6.4/10
6.5/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
109 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
109 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Semi-Gloss
COATING
Matte
The Dell S2722DGM (VA) and Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) are both only fair for productivity.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
No
No
Both the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) and Dell S2722DGM (VA) are not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) and Dell S2722DGM (VA) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) and Dell S2722DGM (VA) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
Print Photo Editing
No
No
Both the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) and Dell S2722DGM (VA) are not suitable for print photo editing.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware AW2723DF (IPS) and the Dell S2722DGM (VA) compare to other monitors
"Put all the pieces together, the high quality IPS image quality, the punchy backlight, the good response and the buttery smooth 280Hz refresh and you have a pretty outstanding gaming panel that's also decent for general computing duties thanks to the 1440p resolution."
"Though it leaves out HDR and extended color, the Dell S2722DGM delivers superb gaming performance for less than $300. With Adaptive-Sync, 165 Hz, a solid overdrive and usable blur reduction, it rocks full-motion gaming without breaking the bank."
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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
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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.