If you prioritize top-tier image quality and performance for gaming and media, the Dell Alienware with its OLED technology and higher brightness will deliver stunning visuals and excellent motion clarity, especially in HDR content. It’s well-suited for immersive gaming and vivid media consumption. However, for more everyday use like productivity and if you're also looking to save money, the MSI with its IPS panel provides good color accuracy, is better for tasks like digital photo editing due to the consistent AdobeRGB coverage, and still offers a quality gaming experience. The MSI's matte coating also reduces glare, potentially making it better for use in brightly lit environments. The decision comes down to whether the premium price of the Dell is justified for your specific needs in gaming and media immersion, versus the MSI's balance of performance and cost, which covers a broader range of activities effectively. 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 AW3225QF (QD-OLED)
Best in class for casual gaming
Good for productivity
Best in class for media consumption
Very good refresh rate
Best in class contrast
Best in class color volume
Best in class response time
Advantages of the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS)
Good text clarity
Key differences
Casual Gaming
9.7/10
6.1/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1195:1
244 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
448 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
390 nits
98.8 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
96.7 %
Glossy
COATING
Matte
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is best in class for casual gaming, while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is only fair.
Productivity
7.0/10
6.2/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
140 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
109 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Glossy
COATING
Matte
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is good for productivity, while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is only fair.
Media Consumption
9.7/10
6.0/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Inf:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1195:1
244 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
448 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
390 nits
Glossy
COATING
Matte
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is best in class for media consumption, while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is only fair.
Cost
$1,200
$436
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) has a price of $1,200 and the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) costs $436.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
Yes
No
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
No
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is suitable for digital photo editing while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is not suitable for digital photo editing.
Print Photo Editing
No
Yes
The Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) is not suitable for print photo editing while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is suitable for print photo editing.
Key similarities
Competitive Gaming
6.0/10
5.8/10
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
0.4 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
9.1 ms
20 - 240 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 165 Hz
No
STROBING / BFI
Yes
244 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) to be only fair for competitive gaming, while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is poor.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) and MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
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How the Dell Alienware AW3225QF (QD-OLED) and the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) compare to other monitors
"The MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD has the largest color gamut we’ve ever seen and near-perfect out-of-box accuracy. sRGB content will be oversaturated though, and HDR doesn’t do anything for image quality."
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.