If a wide, immersive display for gaming and productivity is your priority, and you're willing to pay a premium, the Dell Alienware AW3821DW with its ultra-wide screen might be the better choice. However, if you seek a monitor that offers great performance for HDR gaming and media consumption with higher resolution on a smaller screen, while saving some money, the Innocn 27M2V with its MiniLED panel could be more suitable. The Innocn also outperforms the Dell in image clarity, making it a better option for digital photo editing and viewing high-resolution content. On the other hand, for competitive gaming, the slightly faster response time and refresh rate of the Innocn might be advantageous. 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 AW3821DW (IPS)
The Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) has no clear advantages over the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED).
Advantages of the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED)
Very good for casual gaming
Best in class for productivity
Very good for media consumption
Good refresh rate
Very good text clarity
Very good image clarity
Very good contrast
Very good brightness
Very good color volume
Key differences
Casual Gaming
6.0/10
8.2/10
3840 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
160Hz
883:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1098:1
495 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
790 nits
660 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
1175 nits
95.6 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
80.2 %
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is very good for casual gaming, while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair.
Competitive Gaming
4.5/10
5.9/10
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
160Hz
10.8 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
8.3 ms
20 - 144 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 160 Hz
No
STROBING / BFI
No
495 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
790 nits
The Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) and Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) are both poor for competitive gaming, though the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is somewhat better.
Productivity
6.6/10
9.9/10
3840 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
111 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
164 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is best in class for productivity, while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair.
Media Consumption
6.2/10
8.3/10
3840 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
883:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1098:1
495 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
790 nits
660 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
1175 nits
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is very good for media consumption, while the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is only fair.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
No
Yes
The Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption while the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Print Photo Editing
No
Yes
The Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) is not suitable for print photo editing while the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) is suitable for print photo editing.
Key similarities
Cost
$749
$730
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) has a price of $749 and the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) costs $730.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) and Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) and Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Alienware AW3821DW (IPS) and the Innocn 27M2V (IPS MiniLED) 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."
"Thanks to the wide color gamut, games and videos will look even more vibrant than the standard wide gamut displays (such as LG’s Nano IPS with 98% DCI-P3 and ~90% Adobe RGB, for instance), especially when it comes to blue, cyan and green shades. All in all, if you want a 27″ 4K high refresh rate gaming monitor with a mini LED FALD backlight, the Innocn 27M2V is currently the best model available."
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.