In the fast-evolving world of gaming monitors, the Dell Alienware AW2524H stands out as a trailblazer, claiming the title of the world’s first 500Hz gaming monitor. Designed with competitive esports players in mind, this 24.5-inch, 1080p IPS monitor pushes the boundaries of refresh rates and motion clarity, promising a near-instantaneous visual experience. But does its blistering speed justify its premium price tag of $829, and how does it perform for gamers beyond the esports arena? In this detailed review, we’ll explore the AW2524H’s design, performance, features, and value, weighing its strengths against its limitations to help you decide if it’s the right monitor for your gaming setup.
Design and Build Quality: Sleek, Functional, and Gamer-Centric
The Alienware AW2524H embodies the brand’s “Legend 2.0” design language, characterized by a sleek, futuristic aesthetic that balances aggression with subtlety. Available in the “Dark Side of the Moon” color scheme—a charcoal black finish—the monitor avoids the garish RGB-heavy designs of some competitors, opting for a professional yet gaming-inspired look. The back features customizable AlienFX LED lighting, which adds a touch of flair without overwhelming the setup. This lighting can be controlled via Alienware’s Command Center software, allowing users to sync it with other Alienware peripherals for a cohesive look.
Measuring 21.6 x 12.9 x 9.6 inches and weighing 14.9 pounds with its stand, the Dell AW2524H is compact and lightweight, making it ideal for desks with limited space. The 24.5-inch flat IPS panel is framed by thin bezels on three sides, with a slightly thicker bottom edge housing the Alienware logo. The monitor’s build quality is exceptional, with high-quality plastics that feel thick, durable, and well-textured, free of glossy surfaces that attract fingerprints or wear over time. A minor critique is the spring-loaded headphone hanger on the left bezel, which feels slightly wobbly when handling heavier headsets but remains a thoughtful addition for convenience.
The stand is a standout feature, offering full ergonomic support with 110mm of height adjustment, +/- 20° swivel, +/- 90° pivot, and -5°/21° tilt. This flexibility ensures users can position the monitor precisely for comfort during long gaming sessions. The stand’s compact footprint doesn’t encroach on desk space, leaving room for keyboards and other peripherals. For those preferring a monitor arm, the AW2524H supports a 100x100mm VESA mount. The screen features a light matte anti-glare coating (25% low-haze), which effectively reduces reflections without introducing excessive graininess, maintaining image clarity.
Connectivity is robust, with a DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC), two HDMI 2.0 ports (limited to 240Hz), a headphone jack, an audio line-out port, and a quad-USB 3.0 hub. To achieve the full 500Hz refresh rate, a GPU supporting DP 1.4 DSC (e.g., NVIDIA 16-series, 20-series or newer, or AMD 5000-series or newer) is required; otherwise, users are capped at 360Hz. The inclusion of two audio line-out ports is a thoughtful touch, allowing simultaneous connection of a headset and external speakers, though the monitor itself lacks built-in speakers—a common omission in esports-focused displays where headsets dominate.
Display and Performance: Unmatched Speed, but Resolution Trade-offs
The AW2524H’s headline feature is its 500Hz refresh rate, achieved by overclocking its native 480Hz IPS panel. This unprecedented speed delivers unparalleled motion clarity, making it a dream for competitive gamers in fast-paced titles like Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, or Overwatch 2. The monitor’s 0.5ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response time ensures minimal ghosting, and motion blur is virtually nonexistent above 200fps. In practice, the difference between 360Hz and 500Hz is subtle but noticeable, particularly in reducing control lag, which gives players a slight edge in reaction-based scenarios. NVIDIA’s Reflex Latency Analyzer, integrated into the monitor, allows users to measure system latency, a valuable tool for optimizing setups in competitive play.
The monitor supports NVIDIA G-SYNC natively, ensuring tear-free gameplay with NVIDIA GPUs, and is also compatible with FreeSync VRR for AMD users. However, at 500Hz, screen tearing is nearly imperceptible, so some gamers may opt for uncapped frame rates to minimize input lag, which measures an imperceptible ~1.2ms. NVIDIA’s Ultra Low Motion Blur (ULMB) is included for backlight strobing, reducing perceived motion blur at the cost of brightness, though its necessity is questionable given the panel’s inherent responsiveness.
Image quality is where the AW2524H makes trade-offs. Its 1080p resolution on a 24.5-inch screen yields a pixel density of 90ppi, which is adequate but shows visible pixel structure when viewed closer than three feet. While this resolution keeps frame rates high and is less taxing on GPUs, it feels limiting for non-gaming tasks like productivity or media consumption, where 1440p or 4k displays offer sharper details. Compared to monitors like the ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG27AQN (1440p), the AW2524H sacrifices visual fidelity for speed.
Color performance is solid but not exceptional. The monitor covers 100% of sRGB, 81% of Adobe RGB, and 85% of DCI-P3, with a Delta E ≤ 1.5 factory calibration ensuring accurate colors out of the box. SDR brightness reaches 426 nits, sufficient for bright environments, while HDR peaks at 425-433 nits, meeting VESA DisplayHDR 400 standards. The edge-lit backlight with zone dimming boosts HDR contrast to over 82,000:1, a significant improvement over 360Hz monitors, but the lack of true local dimming limits its HDR impact. For competitive gamers who disable HDR for performance, this is a non-issue, but casual gamers may find the HDR experience underwhelming compared to OLED or mini-LED displays.
The IPS panel offers wide 178° viewing angles, ensuring consistent colors and brightness when viewed off-center, making it suitable for shared viewing or multi-monitor setups. However, its contrast ratio of 840:1 (below the typical 1,000:1 for IPS) results in blacks that appear grayish in dark environments, a common IPS drawback. For dark-room gaming, this can detract from immersion in cinematic titles, though it’s less relevant for esports-focused use.
Features and Usability: Tailored for Competitive Play
The AW2524H is packed with gaming-centric features but omits some extras found in its FreeSync sibling, the AW2524HF. Notably, it lacks crosshair overlays and night vision modes, which some competitors include for competitive advantages. The on-screen display (OSD) is navigated via a directional toggle, offering standard gaming settings like refresh rate counters and color adjustments. The absence of advanced features like proximity sensors or customizable burn-in protection (common in OLED monitors) keeps the interface straightforward but less versatile than higher-end models.
Ergonomics and usability are excellent. The monitor’s stand and connectivity options cater to practical needs, and the USB hub is a welcome addition for connecting peripherals. The lack of speakers aligns with its esports focus, as most competitive players rely on headsets for audio precision. The AlienFX lighting, while customizable, is understated, avoiding the distraction of overly bright RGB effects.
Gaming Performance: A Competitive Edge
In gaming, the AW2524H shines brightest in esports titles. Testing it with Valorant at 500Hz revealed buttery-smooth motion and near-instantaneous response, with no perceptible lag or ghosting. The difference over a 360Hz monitor is marginal but can be felt in high-stakes scenarios where split-second reactions matter.
For single-player or cinematic games like Cyberpunk 2077, the 1080p resolution and limited HDR capabilities are noticeable drawbacks. Textures lack the sharpness of 1440p or 4k displays, and the IPS panel’s contrast doesn’t deliver the deep blacks or vibrant highlights of OLEDs. However, the monitor still performs admirably, maintaining smooth gameplay and responsive controls, even if it’s not the ideal choice for immersive storytelling.
Console gamers should note that the HDMI 2.0 ports cap at 240Hz, making the AW2524H less versatile for PS5 or Xbox Series X compared to monitors with HDMI 2.1 or 4k downscaling, like the AW2523HF. This reinforces its PC-centric design, particularly for NVIDIA GPU users leveraging G-SYNC and Reflex.
Value and Competition: Is 500Hz Worth the Premium?
Priced at $829 (often discounted to $400-$500), the AW2524H is a premium investment. Its closest competitor, the ASUS ROG Swift Pro PG248QP, offers a slightly higher 540Hz refresh rate (overclocked) and faster response times with backlight strobing, but narrower viewing angles. The BenQ ZOWIE XL2566K, a 360Hz monitor, is significantly cheaper ($350) and offers comparable motion clarity for most users, while 1440p 360Hz options like the ASUS PG27AQN provide sharper visuals at a similar price.
The AW2524H’s value hinges on its 500Hz refresh rate, which delivers a measurable but incremental advantage over 360Hz. For professional esports players or enthusiasts with high-end PCs (capable of pushing 400+ fps), this edge justifies the cost. However, casual gamers or those prioritizing image quality over speed may find better value in 1440p or OLED monitors, which offer superior visuals for a similar price.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
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World’s first 500Hz refresh rate for unmatched motion clarity
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Native G-SYNC and FreeSync VRR support
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NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer for system optimization
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Excellent ergonomics and compact, sturdy stand
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Accurate colors with 100% sRGB coverage
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Robust connectivity with USB hub and dual audio outputs
Cons:
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1080p resolution feels dated for non-gaming tasks
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Mediocre contrast ratio and HDR performance
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High price for incremental performance gains over 360Hz
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HDMI 2.0 limits console compatibility to 240Hz
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Lacks crosshair overlays and advanced gaming modes
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No built-in speakers
Verdict: A Niche Masterpiece for Esports Elites
The Dell Alienware AW2524H is a technological marvel, delivering the fastest refresh rate available and setting a new standard for esports performance. Its 500Hz IPS panel, combined with G-SYNC, NVIDIA Reflex, and a responsive design, makes it the ultimate choice for competitive gamers chasing every possible advantage. The monitor’s build quality, ergonomics, and connectivity further enhance its appeal, ensuring it fits seamlessly into high-performance setups.
However, its 1080p resolution, modest contrast, and limited HDR capabilities make it less versatile for casual gaming, productivity, or media consumption. At $829, it’s a steep investment for a niche audience, and most gamers will find 360Hz or 1440p monitors sufficient for their needs at a lower cost. If you’re a professional esports player or a hardcore enthusiast with a top-tier PC, the AW2524H is a game-changer. For everyone else, it’s an impressive but extravagant option in a market filled with compelling alternatives.
