After using a 1440p 144Hz for almost 5 years, and dreaming about an upgrade for at least a year, I finally ordered a new monitor — the Alienware AW3423DWF. It's an older model, but the 34" 1440p ultrawide OLED panel is sure to be a true upgrade over my 27" flat IPS display. The panel might be OLED, but the refresh rate and resolution of the Alienware (1440p & 165Hz) are identical to those of my current monitor (for all intents and purposes). The way I see it, it's not a sidegrade; I'm simply perfecting my setup's display capabilities.

Why I'm sticking to 1440p

And a refresh rate that's "outdated"

1440p has long been the sweet spot for PC gaming, and not without reason. It offers a nice upgrade over 1080p in terms of image quality, but remains far easier to run compared to 4K. Talking about 4K, it's still a niche I don't care for — the jump from 1440p to 4K is far from the game-changing upgrade some people make it out to be. I once thought that only a 4K 240Hz OLED ultrawide monitor would force me to upgrade, but that was then, and this is now.

I realized I care more about the immersion of an ultrawide OLED display rather than a slightly sharper image and a higher refresh rate. The AW3423DWF, despite being succeeded by multiple new OLED monitors, remains a fantastic gaming display. I've read countless owners recommend it even in 2025, and it's because its QD-OLED panel isn't too different from the newer iterations in real-world terms. Even the 165Hz refresh rate is more than enough for the games I play, and it will remain so for many years to come.

And it doesn't hurt that I managed to get it for around $630 here in India. The newer, 240Hz Alienware AW3425DW was my first choice, but it was around $200 more expensive.

27" OLED monitors aren't affordable enough

More so in my region

You might be wondering why I didn't pick a 27" 1440p OLED monitor to combine the immersion of OLED with the ideal 1440p resolution for gaming. Well, for starters, every single one of those displays costs more than the AW3423DWF in my region. Except for an AOC model that I saw on Amazon, the entire roster of 27" 1440p OLEDs is priced atrociously here in India. They're simply not attractive enough for me to consider over a 34" 1440p ultrawide display.

If I'm staying at 27 inches, I would want my new monitor to be considerably cheaper than the 34" model I've ordered. The AW3423DWF might not be drastically bigger than my current monitor, but it's not a small upgrade either. The curved panel will enhance my field of view in gaming, and offer extra visual real estate for work. It'll also not be that much harder to drive than my current 27" monitor. When I upgrade my GPU in a year or so, I'll be comfortably placed to saturate the 165Hz refresh rate of my new display.

What about super ultrawide 32:9 displays?

Maybe next time

I agree with the sentiment that super ultrawide monitors are the best for gaming, but they're also ridiculously huge and expensive right now, especially the OLED variety. Even if you leave the 49" behemoths aside, 45" monitors like the recent LG 5K2K OLED are significantly bigger than 34" ultrawides. And I didn't really want to spend over $1,200 on a super ultrawide anyway — I don't want a new monitor that bad.

I'm already spending quite a bit more on the AW3423DWF than I did on my current monitor (over $400). Besides, the 32:9 aspect ratio of a super ultrawide will be an even bigger issue in terms of compatibility than the 21:9 monitor I've ordered. And the PPI of, say, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 and the Alienware AW3423DWF are identical, so no upgrades there. The super ultrawide would have been a bigger strain on my GPU, forcing me to upgrade sooner than I'd like.

Super ultrawide monitors are unbeatable in terms of immersion, but that's an upgrade for next time. I intend to use the AW3423DWF for at least 4–5 years before thinking about buying a new display.

I've finally joined the OLED Master Race

The Alienware AW3423DWF might be old, but it's still a great OLED gaming monitor. After refusing to upgrade my IPS monitor for years, I've finally succumbed to the OLED hype, and bought a "value" OLED monitor. There's still a month before it arrives at my doorstep, so I need to have patience. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy my last days with my existing monitor, finishing my backlog of Death Stranding, Alan Wake 2, and Black Mesa. On the new monitor, I'll probably start with Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.