TWO YEARS Using The Alienware AW3423DW QD-OLED - My Thoughts

[@selectthedead]

TL DR: Tim is happy with his monitor and has next to no burn in and there is a software update for the Alienware AW3423DW

[@kazzz2765]

no one watches this channel because of the monitors

[@AliArghavan]

Important Note: usage scenario: 70% gaming 30% web browsing

[@maxburmab7962]

​@@kazzz2765incorrect

[@Yodalemos]

​@@kazzz2765 I do, they're the best monitor analysis channel I know of.

[@Lishtenbird]

Those usage numbers are important - it's realistic for a gaming setup, but not for 8 hours of Photoshop/Lightroom/Resolve/ClipStudio every day.

[@ericleichliter]

So Ive been using this monitor since launch as well and something I don't see anyone talk about is instead of putting the monitor/computer to sleep, just set a screensaver to color black after 3-5 mins. This will keep your computer out the sleep state if you don't like that, and wont burn in the monitor. Since OLED pixels are effectively turned off when displaying solid black, then there really isn't any opportunity for burn in. Also when you are ready to hop back on, just move the mouse or hit a key and the display will immediately turn back on. The only drawback of this method is an increased amount of pixel correction messages because the monitor thinks its been on for a long period of time.

[@ericleichliter]

I just realized this but its funny how screensaver is an older windows tool that can now make a comeback in OLED from the old CRT monitors. It literally "saves" the screen. LOL

[@potatopotatopotatopotatopo8746]

It's a great ancient feature now used for the most advanced and latest technology lol. I have it turned on just a min after inactivity and the fact that the screen immediately turns on is what makes it so much better than letting the screen go to sleep

[@Drew_Koch]

I just have no wallpaper, hidden desktop icons and hidden taskbar using TranslucentTB.

[@fiword]

How long do you let the screen saver on?

[@SomeOrdinaryShorts]

@@fiword did u not read? open ur eyes LMAO

[@Tech-Tempest]

Been using my DWF daily for about 8+ hours a day for over a year with creative work and gaming. Have had 0 issues and 0 burn in. I LOVE IT and have no ragrets!

[@fireguy615]

Lol at the ragrets

[@gnkVLCT]

Likewise. Same thing, and still in love, especially when acquired on special.

[@amirh_elmi]

The only problem I have with mine is that sometimes when the windows is downloading updates, the screen of my DWF does not go to sleep. Do you have such problems with your monitor?

[@Tech-Tempest]

@@amirh_elmi that's happened which is why I've made it a habit to lock the PC when I step away

[@amirh_elmi]

@@Tech-Tempest I guess I need to do it too. Thanks :)

[@josephtominello1414]

So glad I watched this video and found out that I CAN update the firmware on my AW3423DW. I had heard the same thing about it not being possible because of the gsync module. Thanks for the info.

[@anywhooohowareyou9540]

I recognize that the majority of people have probably done this with 0 issues... watched this video this morning. Attempted to flash the updated firmware. Bricked my monitor entirely. Won't even power on. I would recommend only doing this if you have an issue this is going to address.

[@hookedupboer]

@@anywhooohowareyou9540 Sorry to hear that. Mine worked fine, and at 1am after some beers, which is, as you probably know, the perfect time for everything to go pear-shaped

[@TheGamesWin]

Have used the DWF for around ~2000 hours in the last year, no burn in at all

[@maxen3907]

Do you do anything to try and prevent it? For example, I’ve kept the task bar on auto hide on my DWF.

[@gatsu2753]

3500h on my DWF with mixed usage (games,web,movies with and without HDR), also no burn in at all 🖖

[@WyattOShea]

Lol only 2k in a year?. That's very little usage and too little to talk about burn in imo. Now if it could survive at least 20k hours total or more usage with no burn in then I'd be impressed.

[@MrStillfree69]

@@gatsu2753 Have around the same usage over just above one year on my DWF. However, I have "16:9 bars" because I watch a lot of fullscreen videos/movies. Still, it is only visible in grey and does not affect any real use cases.

[@devonjohnson7501]

​@@WyattOShea That's 5 years at 12 hours per day. I hope that someone will give you cause to be impressed in another ~3 years with an update for this monitor, but realistically speaking most people who use computers like that are going to have moved on to a new screen in that time.

[@mercurio822]

Great follow up, keep this up.

[@grievesy83]

Thank you SOOOO much for this kind of review, Tim! It's rare and incredibly valuable for someone like me is both looking to buy this monitor (but probably in DWF form) and is nervous about its longevity. It goes a long way to putting my mind at ease.

[@steelzepplin2012]

Just bought the DWF last week, loving it and I did update to the latest firmware as soon as I got it, no regrets qd-oled is the way to go.

[@mrn234]

As someone who has a high usage daily and wants to use a Monitor for a long time i still wouldnt buy a oled. Got my current monitor already 3 years and simply dont have to think about something like that at all.

[@grievesy83]

@@mrn234 Well, yeah, that’s not and has never been the target use case for OLED, has it? They’re gaming monitors first and foremost. Everyone knows this.

[@mrn234]

@@grievesy83 Nah mate. Nobody mentions that they are just for gaming. And i would say its still very common outside of th enthusiast circle jerk to just have one monitor.

[@grievesy83]

⁠@@mrn234 ​​⁠​⁠​⁠ I never wrote they were just for gaming, did I? I wrote that gaming is the target use case. That’s how they’re designed and marketed. If someone wants to buy one for another purpose, good luck to them. And of course single monitors are still common. I’m a gamer and I have a single monitor. Gotta say, I actually don’t know what point you’re trying to make.

[@colossusrageblack]

I've had the AW3423DWF for about 6 months. I switched to it from an LG C1. Don't have any complaints so far. It has also given me a boost in performance going from 4K to UWQHD on my 4080.

[@cottonbear2777]

Ive got the same setup as you. A 4080 with the DWF. How was 4k with a 4080?

[@astreakaito5625]

Congrat, that's a huge upgrade.

[@lurick]

Had my DWF for a little over a year now with about 4000 power on hours. No issues so far :)

[@adamek9750]

Does yours automatically switch from hdr1000 to hdr400? Mine does and its annoying

[@Sebbz]

⁠@@cottonbear2777 I use a 4080 and 5800x3D with my 4K AW3225QF. Runs like a dream :)

[@WinnieBlue]

I'm an early adopter of the DW as well and had no idea you could firmware update over display port. I'll be trying this out. Thanks Tim!

[@flyingpj]

Yes 39” 5120x2160 QD-OLED is what we need next! Please Samsung Display show this at CES 2025 🙏

[@mukechiltmal]

I am down for that, 3440x1440. Seems small next to my 4k 32"😂

[@big_narc]

So real. This is the end game, after this, I wouldn't even know what I could possibly need.

[@BroderickNorthmoor]

I would want a 1600p one.

[@mukechiltmal]

@@BroderickNorthmoor well LG has a 38" the 38gn950 which is 3840x1600

[@BroderickNorthmoor]

@@mukechiltmal no, I meant an oled 1600p

[@cl4ster17]

I have uneven wear from probably 2000 hours of 16:9 KZbin. I have HDR permanently enabled with SDR brightness at 0%. The other 3000 hours of mostly web browsing and some gaming didn't cause any visible image retention. I cannot recall exactly how many hours the monitor was in use for as the counter was reset after updating the firmware. You should never disable the mislabled Eco Mode. Disabling it causes the monitor to never power down completely and it continues counting run time.

[@Apollo-Computers]

Interesting, I've had eco mode off for two years now. I'm still have the original firmware too, last I heard it wasn't update able.

[@ItsTheSebbe]

I use the Ambient light for KZbin extension for this reason when watching 16:9 content.

[@CheapBastard1988]

4:3 or 16:9 video is very likely to cause uneven pixel wear.

[@grievesy83]

@@ItsTheSebbe Interesting. I absolutely hate KZbin ambient lighting, but your reason for using it is actually compelling. Damn...

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

@@Apollo-Computers He mentions firmware at 5:10 on, and mentioned You can update it. despite what dell claims.

[@mardon85]

Completely agree with everything you've said. Fantastic monitor, still really happy with it. I would need a higher PPI and brighter panel to tempt me to upgrade. As it is the the 4090 and AW3423DW are a perfect paring.

[@__d_u_c_k_]

So happy to see continued updates on your experiences with this monitor.

[@A_New_Reality]

This review was flawless and answered all my questions about text clarity regarding this monitor and other OLED monitors. You are an asset to the monitor industry, thank you

[@mahal1891]

Great to hear about the firmware updatability, I had no idea. I just had my third Panel refresh prompt a few weeks ago, and I will say I have no noticeable burn-in in day to day use, though I have not done a test or looked at static colors trying to find any since last year's update video. My only complaint is that programs which require fullscreen running can prompt the display to be unresponsive / bricked until you manually power cycle it, if you try tabbing out and back in too fast or frequently, or when changing which video input to use across multiple computers. This happened a lot with Jedi Survivor for me, but also really baffling cases like unplugging a different monitor from a laptop dock which had my Alienware connected as well. I am hoping a firmware update might resolve those.

[@Nienormalny]

I'm about a year on AW3423DWF. Usage is basically same like yours. No burn-in so far and updates (7 so far) have solved huge deal of the problems with a display. Still some problems but in overall i'm very happy with my unit. I took the DWF over DW version explicitly for an ability to firmware upgrade.

[@godnamedtay]

Bro what’s crazy is your “what id like to see” is literally EXACTLY what im looking for lol. Although i think im gonna pull the trigger on this Alienware in the vid since i think we’re still a lil while away and the Samsung version of this has that garbage tv OS and mini dp/hdmi. Your videos are incredible and have given me such knowledge and insightful info that I’ve considered to inspire me to purchase my next monitor. Much gratitude from the Philadelphia, PA. Keep doin your thing mate.

[@CuriousGeorge1111]

I just bought this monitor for a great price on closeout. Your review was helpful in my decision. I've subscribed in hopes that you'll keep me updated on widescreen OLEDs. 😁Thanks, and all the best.

[@timmy6022]

I have been using Odyssey OLED G8 for around a year and a half, no burn in at all and picture quality is perfect

[@HumbleDude46995]

you better keep watching... one day you'll leave it on come back and there will be burn-in

[@ronniekregar3482]

@@HumbleDude46995 lol he won't have to worry about that for another 15 years lol

[@Nelthalin]

Completely agree with you! 39" 21:9 with higher resolution, refresh rate, screen coating and a 1500-1800cr would be ideal! Good to hear you still enjoy the monitor and now have the option for firmware updates. I have a DWF I like but I have the same remarks that you have about the screen coating. This monitor also has coil whine in some scenarios so. I'm looking forward to newer and better models to. Improve the viewing experience.

[@ConsciousSonder]

I had no idea there was a firmware update tool thanks man!

[@Brian-dd2df]

I have the DWF variant. Had it for about 7 months now. I coincidentally checked for any burn in last night. I use it for work and play all day every day and have no burn in. I do let it run pixel refresh every 4 hours aka at my lunch and when I log off from work.

[@BogdanCarbunescu]

For me after about 10 months, using the DWF version of this monitor for more than 10 hours a day(work from home/gaming/TV/youtube and other media) I do have some burn in, mostly from 16:9 content(little lighter on the sides). It is noticeable with a gray full screen background on almost all brightness levels. I use autohide taskbar and dark mode. I've tried my best not to skip the refresh cycles. I'm curios how much more it would degrade in another year. Usually use the 30/70 split for multiple windows and alternate sometimes the positions, so as to not have similar static images on all the time. I'm still very pleased with the monitor, as the burn in is not distracting for now.

[@ursroeder7781]

same, i have 16:9 burn in as well :D only visible in some grey shades

[@indian-tech-support]

use a video stretcher

[@chriswho12345]

that is retention. i thought i had it but real talk you need actual 1000's of hours of solid single content 24/7 to get the amount you're seeing. run a pixel refresh or 2 (careful it normalizes so it essentially burns the brighter pixels/sets the brighter pixels lower via software algorithms) and turn the monitor off or run some other content and it'll be fine

[@TiagoFernandes81]

Perfect - didn't knew that alienware finally decided to release a form of updating the firmware on this monitor. Mine came with b102... updating it just now to b106! Thanks for the update, mine is also rock solid after nearly 2 years..

[@DarthV506]

Still loving the DWF I bought during boxing day sales in 2022.

[@Svante]

There was another firmware released on April 16th, so good to know they continue to support the display with updates. Will get one later this months.

[@Velllocity]

Just got my Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 and I’ve been loving it so far

[@fredp8486]

Have you found a work around for using external speakers with g8 not Bluetooth Don’t like sound

[@Velllocity]

@@fredp8486 I’ve just been using headphones with a USB AMP/DAC connected to my PC

[@24kCookieMusic]

@@fredp8486 in my opinion built in g8 speakers sound pretty good

[@24kCookieMusic]

same bro it's great monitor I think nowadays better than alienware. Because it's nowadays cheaper than alienware. All issues are fixed it even works with my mac and it normally wake up and it has qd oled panel v2 since 2023 from odyssey g9 oled.

[@marcosvictor4935]

I like so much this update schedule, for you guys it's probably way into the day or afternoon, for me you always upload right after I sit on my desk to start working, it's just, the exact moment I take my phone to look for something to hear while I work and then there's a HUB video ready for me 😀

[@GregClarke07]

Thanks for the update. It's well appreciated!

[@chriscox6222]

Didn't know Dell caved and released a user friendly firmware update. It fixed all my issues with the monitor. Thanks Tim :D!!!

[@antoniocampos1151]

Have the DWF for almost a year and a half. I regret nothing. Great purchase decision! So far, there is no burn in signs. I have it in SDR with lower brightness during the time I am browsing or watching youtube, and I turn on HDR full blast when gaming. It's a feast to my eyes when playing ultrawide. I play only single-player games, so the ultrawide screen fully imerses me and makes the whole experience so much better than my previous blurry Gigabyte G32QC. I can not describe how much of an upgrade it was to go from a VA panel to this QD-Oled one.. it's incomparable :D

[@taytayaxolatte]

the gigabyte G32QC is the exact monitor i have right now lol. ive been looking for an upgrade for a while now, and while i would like one of these new 4k 240hz monitors that came out, my GPU and tbh CPU as well are better... okay, only suited for 1440p. I know itd be a performance hit, but i think theyd be able to handle ultrawide tho. In a few years when 4k is more viable at high refresh rates i'll upgrade, but im having to accept that its silly to spend over 3k in computer upgrades and a new monitor just to play in 4k, when i could just buy the DWF or DW and spend less than 1k for a largely identical experience. and if i do need a gpu upgrade anyways, i can just upgrade to a 7900 xt, which is prolly the best card for 1440p ultrawide rn, without spending 1k dollars lol not to mention, even the 4090 in 4k rn is just not reaching high enough framerates to make the new 4k oleds a sensible option... you could argue future proofing, but future proofing right now with how young oled is as a technology is a bit of a joke lol. they arent that bright, they have limited life spans, and they have several polarizing issues like the purple blacks when you go qd-oled... ive no idea why im ranting about all of this on your comment when its completely irrelevant to you lmao, my bad...

[@MikkoHiiri]

Thank you for your report, very glad no crippling issues have arrived.

[@Wrugoin13]

I upgraded from an Acer XB271HU to the AW3423DW, and I can't believe what I was missing. I thought the 165hz IPS 27, 1440p, gsync form factor was the sweet spot for me and that any improvement wouldn't be worth the price. I now have the two side by side and the oled is so much more of a rich experience, I have no regrets on the $1k I dropped to upgrade. It's been only 1 year, but I'm not noticing any signs of burn in, and because it shipped with a later firmware, I didn't get some of the annoyances that are mentioned here. The widescreen format, oled's inky blacks , HDR's bright vibrant colors, instant response times... Yes, its 1440p, and I'm sure 2160 would look sharper, but my GPU can manage higher framerates at higher settings. This has been a 10/10 experience for me after 1 year.

[@Mxgul]

Literally my setup lol. I just bought a 4k monitor but it cut my frames so much. I didn’t like it since I play valorant. 5800x3d/7900xtx but still. Got the DWF open box from BB with geek squads 4y warranty. I’m expecting great things. Also, that XB27 monitor is a beauty and I love it. Gonna give it away :)

[@zelasd3125]

Wow wtf I had no idea they enabled updates, updated just now. Thanks for the info.

[@Crankier]

If it wasn't for this video I would've never known about the firmware updater tool. I was one of these early adopters with MOB101 who got told it would be impossible to be user updated.

[@lordzed83]

i was checking monthy have it sinde 2 day it landed.

[@jonathonschott]

Thank you Tim. It seems as if our dream monitors are the same. Its good to hear someone in the industry ask for it. I haven't seen a 39" in person yet, but i have seen the 45", and like the samsung 49" it just seems too much for everyday use, for me, and i have noticed over time my 34" just seems...... Short. I was so excited when LG announced a future panel with 39" 2160p in their roadmap, but i also am not a fan of the 800R curve, i dont know if 1800 would be enough for a 39" but 800 is too much for anything besides a sim rig dedicated monitor. I hope samsung decides to start matching some of LG's form factors just to give us consumers some more choicees out there

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

That's crazy it's already been two years! Wow time flys...

[@CamOffLife]

The video I needed from you, been using the Samsung version of this monitor for a year now and also haven't noticed any real burn in issues. Very happy with my purchase.

[@djsnowpdx]

If you use two apps at once and you’re worried about the center line burining in, you can drag it slightly one way or the other after snapping two windows side by side, and both windows will resize. Then the bright window management controls will vary their positions on the screen, at least near the center.

[@acidwizard6528]

I'm glad I watched this. I've had mine about the same time as Tim and had no idea there were firmware updates available for it. Mine has no burn in after almost exactly two years. My use is 95% gaming as I have another pc and monitor setup for browsing, content consumption etc. I'm very happy with the AW3423DW so far.

[@IAmSchilling]

I've got about 5k houres on my DWF, no signs of burn in so far, using it a lot for "productivity" as I'm a computer science student, and also plenty of HDR Gaming. Love the monitor, only thing I noticed was some flickering on very low brightness in SDR mode when watching some full screen videos, this issue seems to be resolved by now tho. (Using it with an AMD GPU and on Windows 11)

[@Vectorr66]

Hey there! I just found your monitors unboxed youtube today! I am a creative/professional photographer. A few years ago I got an LG 34GK950F for an incredible deal and am now seeing lines on my monitor so I started looking for a new one. I never knew I would be having such a hard time and cancelling a few orders. I never thought it would be this hard to find a replacement that was affordable with good color calibration at least 120hz for some gaming and still IPS. I really thought the F version of this would be the one to go with but my system is definitely used too much I think for work.

[@DJSoulbrother]

I have used the dwf since it came out with a lot of music production with Ableton and it's completely fine, no burn in or any problems

[@Satchm00]

Thanks for the update, these are still available from Dell. I just got myself one for just over £500 (with an extra discount via work) which I think is a great price for the spec. I don’t change monitors often so hopefully many years of happy gaming/work ahead 😁

[@jake..A]

I've got about 7500hrs on this monitor in 18 months & have slight burn in due to 16:9 youtube content. Never had any of those firmware issues you talked about regarding fan & pixel refresh on firmware 102. I updated to the latest 106 in December 2023 and found no differences at all; i only updated to the latest firmware with the hopes of it fixing the monitor not waking up from sleep and having to unplug the monitor power to drain the power before replugging which still happens every now & then.

[@Lucas-wt8iq]

I have the AW3423DWF for a year now and i am verry happy with it. I see no reason to upgrade in the next one, maybe two years. I just see too little progress for an upgrade.

[@dorito5247]

“I just see too little progress for an upgrade” during one of the most “progressive” years in gaming monitor since a long time. Think of the AW2725DF, the AW3223QF, the PG32UCDM. Unless you were specifically referring to ultrawide, for which I am not as informed.

[@8bitchiptune420]

@@dorito5247 360hz? 4K? Nope..that's not an upgrade with the current GPU setup.

[@thbadmin7751]

@@dorito5247 : He's specifically referring to the AW3423DWF........ since he say's "I have the AW3423DWF".

[@Brian2k2]

Tim just nailed what I'm looking for in my next monitor. Truly the AW3423DW was ahead of it's time, 2 years later there's still nothing that's a clear upgrade

[@user-nk1ey6fr4r]

AW3225DW?

[@Azalis1701]

For me, the physical G-Sync module is a must have. It really reduces VRR flickering and I can't have a monitor without a module

[@mofous]

Tim holding out until those 5120x2160 240hz MLA WOLED ultrawide panels from LG hit the market. One of us.

[@xpodx]

10240x4320

[@jake..A]

Same here but either that or the qd-oled version.

[@dreamqore]

when release? need that one

[@paskowitz]

We didn't even get that spec for the IPS era. I doubt we'll get that for OLED as well. That type of panel is very costly to produce.

[@rustler08]

So, basically you're planning on never buying a monitor.

[@bresilhac]

I bought one of these monitors over the Labor Day holiday and I am quite impressed with its performance thus far. After playing Warhammer 40,000 Darktide and Killing Floor 2 on the thing I can say that I do not regret buying this display. The colors pop like I have never seen before and the blacks and other dark hues are inky dark. Images in the games are striking and the gentle 1800r curve is not too extreme for my eyes. All in all, I am quite happy with the purchase.

[@katalysis]

As a M0B101 owner myself, TIL there's a firmware upgrade. Thanks Tim! I'm in the same boat as you and also don't feel compelled at all to upgrade.

[@reviii-s4t]

I’ve been using the Samsung G93SC OLED for almost a year now, with no signs of burn-in. I frequently check for firmware updates. So far, I really like it, it was my best purchase after migrating to my first OLED monitor.

[@EODHammer]

I've owned this one since it was released too. Zero issues, no burn in. Great gaming monitor!

[@Zayl1016]

Probably a good sign that I didn't notice that line at all from the burn in. Have the same monitor, one year out, and have been exceedingly happy with it! I have had some mistakes of leaving it on while I went to do other stuff, where it had the same image on screen for a couple hours, and still experienced no burn-in. My only complaint is it's kind of a pain to clean smudges. Most stuff needs a microfiber cloth with careful application of water and quick drying. Smudges seem to "absorb" into it where I don't even feel them. I felt like cleaning older monitors was easier. Also any kind of screen capture software washes out the image pretty heavily when I am watching or playing something in HDR, but that's more of a complaint of HDR itself than the screen.

[@peoplez129]

I recently got the LG 27GR at a steep discount, and while it had awful vertical banding out of the box, and even dark spots, that cleared up pretty nicely after running image cleaning a few times (but it will never go away entirely, that's just an attribute of these panels). The only problem It does have is there is a slightly dark horizontal line 1/3rd of the way up the screen, that is visible even in bright backdrops if you look close enough, and even more visible in dark backdrops. It looks like burn in, but it's just how the panel came new. I think it's just an especially rough line of vertical banding, which is kind of a misnomer, because vertical banding is actually lines that are both vertical and horizontal, that can largely be seen as dim artifacts in dark gray backdrops. I'm hoping it will eventually go away over time, and I don't want to take my chance with RMA quite yet, because other than the typical vertical banding common on these screens, it's pretty much flawless. But it is annoying, because the whole reason why I replaced my last monitor was because it had dead pixels and dirt behind the backlight, and bright spots where the panel was aging and beginning to delaminate internally. So to go from an old screen to a new screen with still some visual artifact issues, is kind of a let down. On top of that, OLED still has a lot of issues with picture quality, because any video that isn't of the highest purest bitrate, you will definitely see all the compression artifacts, like blockyness and color banding. I think monitors need to start coming with features TV's have, that allows them to internally smooth out color banding gradients and with more controls in the monitor for adjusting picture settings. My IPS monitor didn't have any of these kinds of issues. Also, don't even bother with VRR in these monitors, they're complete trash. Only a true Gsync module can provide true Gsync. And VRR also affects things like brightness and gamma in HDR, not only flicker issues. So enabling VRR can actually cause your HDR to not look right.

[@capcapt23]

Ahh I love my AW3423DW , bought based on several reviews about it when it came out. Who knew there was FW for it. Thanks just did the FW update for it . Thanks for the followup report

[@Tony-lg9td]

Gave this video a like on the sole reason of me not being the only person who thought it absurd to not have firmware update on a multi system integrated monitor in the year 2022. Much less 2024. Thankfully there is a software update too. On the Dell support site. It helped with my no wake with just white light blinking. Been installed for a few weeks with no issues

[@ryantaylor3278]

I've had this monitor since October and love it. I recently purchased the new Alienware Aw3225qf and returned it. I like the ultrawide too much to switch. I'll wait for a 4k ultrawide to hit the market.

[@quagthias]

I've had mine for about 18 months and I finally noticed some burn in. I didn't hide my desktop icons and now when a scene is very dark I can definitely see where the icons were. I do use the monitor for work and gaming but feel like i did a good job not keeping bright static images on screen for long, but take it from me, hide your desktop icons and in general you're better safe than sorry. Still no regrets, it's gorgeous and responsive, but looking forward to eventually getting a 240Hz 4K monitor in a few years.

[@flybriur]

You should just get a replacement under warranty before it's up.

[@HumbleDude46995]

@@flybriur why so he cant get another one only for it to happen in a few more years. OLED's are literally E-Waste after years of use imo not worth the investment

[@OneFreeMan17]

@@HumbleDude46995Yeah that’s what I was thinking as well. I’m looking to get a new monitor, and I’m considering either the Alienware DWF ultra wide OLED or the LG 34GN850-B ultra wide IPS If burn in and screen distortion from light are that much of an issue on the OLED I might as well just get an IPS

[@TheShockington]

Regarding your vertical line down the middle. It's not burn in. My DWF has the exact same line and I have never used it in a split screen view. It seems to just be a common panel defect of these panels.

[@MadeALegend]

My dwf had the same line. I do use it for work a lot but I don’t do a lot of evenly split windows

[@Hezzadude12]

Really glad to see this follow up. Regarding the pixel refresh though, Tim is your monitor running in Eco Mode? I believe the reason it is occurring is because you may have Eco Mode off and that for some reason counts standby time as screen on time, but when you turn it on, it seems to fix this issue. I am fairly confident Eco Mode doesn’t impact anything else (for example it doesn’t change ABL behaviour to my knowledge/testing). If you have been running Eco Mode on, then I’m unsure what caused this.

[@6stringmonk]

Eco mode was off in the original review of this monitor so you are probably right. There were comments about this on the original review too.

[@Dopamine_Drop]

To help anyone who has the monitor: DO THE REFRESH! I did the refresh 99.9% of the time and before I didnt, I saw zero burn in. Now, one weekend Path Of Exile got the better of me and I didnt do the refresh for maybe 18 or 20 hours and it burned in one part of the ui (maybe the size of two U.S Quarters). Think I ran the refresh once or twice in 40 hours over that weekend. Since, ive always ran the refresh and its gotten slightly better but its still there on gray or blue backgrounds. Im hoping the big "every 2000hr" refresh will aid in fixing this. Tbf, in reality its a non issue after I log in- but I can see it on my blue windows log on screen and it breaks my heart everytime. I literally cant notice on anything that isnt a full bright blue or gray background. Its just rough because I know there would be actually zero burn in if I just ran it around every 6-8 hours which is no big deal at all- just didnt respect the refresh back before my issue.

[@DigitalDamnation]

No mention about the fan noise. I purchased the DWF two weeks ago as its suppose to be quieter and the ability update the firmware. Nice to hear that you can now update the firmware on this model.

[@vanilleshake3841]

but less hdr function for nvidia cards. and I heard from flickering with the F Version with nvidia

[@Jackjack1978.]

Yep, I have the exact same monitor. AW3423DW and it's truly great. I'm basically waiting on the exact same specs as he listed.. 39Inch QD OLED 5120X2160 1800 curve and 240 hertz This will definitely be my next upgrade and hopefully this will be here in the next couple of years. And I'm glad I watch this because I had no idea they now actually had an update for this monitor? 🤔 Last thing I heard was that this monitor was not possible of updating 🧐🤔

[@Urxiel]

Thank you so much for this follow-up video. Keep up the great work!

[@hookedupboer]

I'm on my third now since purchasing in 2022, both returns were due to the monitor not turning on again (no matter what I do) after either a pixel or panel refresh. 3rd one now has visible bands of lighter areas on the left and right side of the panel, I suspect this is due to watching youtube videos on it. Always did pixel refresh and panel refresh when asked. I also didn't realise they released user firmware updates, finally. Just did mine which took it to MD106. Too late though I think. Will do another manual panel refresh tonight and hope the bands improve.

[@ProgramKiraTV]

Got mine in March this year and it was easy to update the firmware. I’ve had no issues even in bright room light. Makes cyberpunk look preem!

[@Raskel8274]

I am still using the predecessor to this model the AW3418DW. While i wouldn't mind going beyond the 120hz cap, I cannot justify replacing it. Having used it since 2018, glad to see the lineup is still strong.

[@Mire_Klick]

i bought this monitor a few weeks ago. it is my first 4k monitor and my first oled monitor. i was afraid at first but now i am confident, that i will not regret my buy. the automatic refresh process works just fine. i had never in my life such a fucking beautiful picture on a monitor in my home than with this beast.

[@hookedupboer]

Sorry bud, its not 4k. Its 1440p. 4k is 2160p

[@mayankpunjabi1052]

@@hookedupboerthanks bud

[@malguskerensky]

Only recently got my first OLED display (Alien ware 32" curve) and the only thing I do different than my old LCD displays, is that I have a few KZbin OLED safe 8h loop videos on hand. If I know I will not be using the monitor for a bit, I'll toss one on in full screen and just let it go. Otherwise the built in anti-burn in functions have not bothered me, because they typically happen when I turn the PC off at night. Too early to really talk about burn in concerns, but I am quite happy so far and the OLED videos is an easy thing to toss up.

[@virtuaconker85]

I have also had this monitor near enough since it launched as well but I would say I have racked up 8000 hours at this point as its one of my main monitors and I use it at least 8-12 hours every day and I have not seen any issues what so ever

[@KryptonSvingar]

Got a DWF on sale in March and was worried, but after seeing some other reviews for the DW I wasn't too worried anymore and this only helps bolster the bit of anxiety I had left.

[@ChuckS117]

I got the msi 341cqp last month. Super happy with my purchase so far. 3 year burn in warranty too.

[@kjgratys]

I went this route as well. Love the aesthetic over the alienware

[@SkinnyTom_]

After hours of indecisions i decided to go with the DWF model and i could not be happier, this monitor is fantastic. Colors are beautiful straight from the box and the games look amazing on this.

[@aHungiePanda]

best monitor I've ever owned. The only con is the purple hue from the anti reflective coating TIPS: -Set a black screen saver -If youre like me and rarely turn off your computer then set it to go to sleep after 15 minutes of AFK. Allows monitor to pixel refresh often

[@queegfivehundred8197]

I agree with Tim's desired upgrade - my Acer Predator X34 is long in the tooth now but I don't want to replace it while it still works, however something in the same aspect ratio that is a bit larger a bit higher resolution and a lot faster (both refresh rate and response time) would seriously tempt me.

[@sjewkes1]

With the current state of the monitor, how does it sit in comparison to the DWF now? I know your comparison video listed the lack of update-able firmware and slightly worse performance within a few percentage points here and there. I would also love to see new 34-39" ultrawides with a higher than 1440p resolution and updated sub-pixel layout with good port selection. I don't know why these manufacturers can't just give us what has almost certainly been a request for several years now. 4K is great but only 1-2% of gamers are on it, so the focus should be on 27" 1440p and ultrawides, where a much higher percentage of gamers currently exist. Hell, good updates to their non-OLED models would be welcome as well, since most productivity users will not make the switch but still need new hardware.

[@jarofjuice]

I am considering upgrading to this DWF from my current MSI MAG247QRF-QD. I don't think my RTX 3070 can push a fullscreen game on the ultrawide with all the bells and whistles, but I would be playing in windowed mode and have discord on the side and I think it would be good. My second option is to go for a 32 inch 4K monitor, where the pixel density will allow me to play a game in windowed mode and discord on the side.

[@alconesj]

I had no idea they released a firmware update tool for the DW. Thanks Monitors Unboxed!

[@juanlovegrove]

I love my AW3423DW, it's a amazing monitor, well worth the early adopter price. There was nothing like it on launch and still a amazing product today.

[@Slyclientthetechdad]

I agree, I still have mine and I'm getting to itch to move on from it, but at the end of the day, the small benefits of upgrading don't make sense. I'm happy with this panel and still love it.

[@Haamre]

For the manufacturers - not sure how many people will support this (the number of likes might be an indicator, perhaps...?), but if you want a versatile enough screen to be viable for both gamers & productivity people alike - please stick to the 1800-2100R range. And also don't forget the craze there was, a few years ago, for the 3440x1600 38'' ones - bit more space for production, but not enough to jump into the 4K load requirement for games. Thanks!

[@tg246]

Agreed. Even 2300R is ok, LG had it in the past for basically all their 38 inches and nobody every complained. Why they went this path is a complete mistery to me...

[@munkus99]

I loved my AW3423DWF for gaming and videos, but not so much for reading text or web browsing. I upgraded to an AW3225QF and now have the best of both worlds.

[@JaredWilliamScott]

Great to hear, this was the final decision I came to last night after doing many many hours of research haha. How is the curve for productivity work? It doesn’t look to pronounced (I’m not a big fan of curved monitors but yeah)

[@DrkLrdVdr]

I'll have had this monitor for just under 2 years. I use it for work and games, so M-F it gets 9+ hours of use and my biggest issue is the pixel refresh coming up when turning on the screen as Tim talks about. Since mine is a bit newer it came with the 102 FW. I will be updating the FW on mine this evening after work.

[@Sirion9999]

Can you also test the new firmware for MSI MPG 321URX, apparently it finally fixes a lot of issues you mentioned in your review. Like a manual front led light toggle and the same thing for DSC. I would greatly appreciate it.

[@MsCelinna]

i thought msi sells only oled monitors without the possibility to make an firmware upgrade?

[@roebuddy01]

Your ideal wishlist is the same as mine. Thanks for putting it out there.

[@EXPERIMENTONGOD]

Last year I was trying to decide between getting a Dell AW3423DWF or an 42" LG C3 OLED. I went with the C3. Regarding immersion: A 42" 4K display is more immersive than a 34" 1440p ultrawide. Just adjust the FOV and you literally see more of the game world both vertically and horizontally. Pixel size is almost the same on both displays (106ppi on the C3 vs 110ppi on the Dell) KZbin, TV shows and most older games are better on 16:9 (it's the gold standard) And you don't have to deal with "fan noise" or "buggy firmware". The C3 is updated regularly and the pixel compensation cycles run perfectly. AND the C3 was slightly cheaper also. If you're doing anything more than strictly gaming the C3 is a better choice. If you feel 120hz is too low, now you have the C4 which is 144hz (more than enough for most people).

[@curseyou_bayle]

Have my DWF for 6 months now, best monitor ever for my needs. running it 8-14 hours a day and its perfect. Gonna be sticking to this till alienware makes a 4k 240hz version.

[@James-gd3sp]

I have a similar dark grey line discoloration. The first bit of discoloration I noticed was at the top of the screen where my browsers search bar was. Not the tabs but below where the search box was located due to the theme I had. Additionally I have noticed there were lines on the sides were video black bars are, and of course there is the Microsoft logo in the bottom left. You can only see these shadowy discolorations when its a relatively dark grey (think discord or youtube dark mode) and its not visible at all in lighter scenes. Im still beyond happy with the monitor and blown away by oled in general. I am still waiting for the day I can afford to replace my second monitor with an oled to make the perfect dim night time set up.

[@devour1259]

Been using the monitor since launch, been babying the hell out of it (black background, no taskbar, screensaver etc.) and it has burn in visible on certain content on the left and right side of the monitor. Wondering if it's been caused by all the 16:9 content that I watch/play.

[@overdark33]

I've had mine since July 2022. Replaced once in April 2023, hoping to get one with updated firmware which it did. It didn't really ameliorate the fan noise. It's not horrible, but it's annoying enough to bother me because of it bursting instead of being at a constant low level. Now you can upgrade the firmware yourself, which is a bonus, but this should have been available from the start. Dell support was basically gaslighting me telling me to update the firmware when it was absolutely not possible. The screen coating is just awful and there's micro scratching all over - I now wipe it with a dry microfiber cloth, but basically don't even so much as breathe near it because it will stain and you WILL scratch it. I love it for gaming but I also do music production, maybe about a 60/40 split depending on my mood. I constantly worry about burning it in and it's annoying me how I have to go out of my way to prevent it (auto-hide taskbar, black wallpaper, auto-turn off after 1 minute etc.), so decided to just get a Neo G8 instead. I'm much happier with 4k especially in today's age of shitty TAA, and I can live with the other compromises. I also don't feel like an absolute idiot when the monitor didn't go to sleep for 2 hours while I went away to have dinner. edit: as someone else mentioned, your issues with the pixel refresh may be because you might have eco mode turned off. You should always have eco mode turned on, which makes the pixel refresh occur when it goes in standby/off after 4 hours I think.

[@fooook92]

I'm still rockin an X34p from 2018, looking forward to upgrade to an OLED 21:9 3440x1440 panel. I really wish we had 3rd gen 21:9 oled panels by now, but seems my x34p need to last at least 2 more years :P. Nice to see the burn in it's not an huge problem!

[@duxnihilo]

This kind of review is much needed. A lot of products breaking after about 9 months.

[@TuttixD]

still in love with my AW3423DW, heavy use since release alse no problems .. yet.

[@michaelvoong]

Super happy with my DWF too after a year of usage

[@MrChrisGER]

I sold mine because of the high input lag … it was noticeable with competitive games so I swapped it for the alienware 2723 and I’m very happy with it - hope to switch back to an oled in the near future - waiting for better monitors with good g sync compatibility as well in 27 inches

[@ashkanglm750]

you mean high input lag?

[@MrChrisGER]

@@ashkanglm750 yes

[@grievesy83]

Do you mean the input lag was bad? Wouldn't that be high input lag (latency)?

[@Skazzy3YT]

The input lag was fixed in the last firmware update for anyone who still owns the monitor.

[@weather12guy]

12:15 Exactly the monitor I am after myself now! 4K ultrawide! I'd prefer 34" to fit my desk better but ill take 39" as a compromise. I just backordered the Asus PG32UCDM so I want to pair those two together. 4K Ultrawide for gaming, 4K standard wide for content consumption, then my other screen will be an IPS panel for static content usage like twitch channel and panels when I stream. This setup for sure would be my end game. I also want off my Alienware 3423DWF as its "virus" keeps self installing a sRGB colour profile and AlienFX when I don't want either.

[@chriswho12345]

learning there was a firmware update in 12/2023 to remove the pop-up when we were initially told the firmware wouldn't be end-user touchable made this monitor finally worth it

[@moonkittel101]

39" 4k PPI in 21:9, MY MAN, not the only one dreaming of this god teir spec, in saying that I did get the DWF because i needed a good new one and it was cheap compared to everything else on sale, from a fellow down-under-er

[@ChrisM243]

Unfortunately my prefered display resolution of 3840*1600 seems totaly forgotten by all manufacturers. 21:9 with more height, would be my go-to for a dream OLED monitor.

[@Daemione]

2 years in on mine as well. Finding out about the updateable firmware here and I'm psyched! Biggest complaint of mine has been the fan behavior, very weird ramping and cycling behavior with mine on M0B101. I see some uneven wear as well showing up as bars on the sides and top, like yours it's only noticeable in rare full screen gray-scales. So it doesn't bother me much. I run it at least 10 hours a day, full time in HDR400. probably 40% desktop usage, 50% movies and youtube, and 10% gaming.

[@Daemione]

And five minutes later I find out you can only run the firmware updater on an nvidia gpu. I use an 6800xt... aaaarg.

[@Daemione]

I can't believe I'm shopping for a 10+ year old nvidia card to get something under $40.

[@theripper121]

@@Daemione Wow, guess that makes sense though given the firmware is running through the gsync chip. Shame you couldn't borrow a buddies gpu for an hour or two.