Summer is taking a heavy toll on us all. Not just because of the heat, but also because of rising tech prices across the board, driven by RAM-hungry AI and other economic factors.
Fortunately, Dell has come to cool off the frustrations of PC gamers and desk workers alike with a collection of advanced laptops, desktops, and monitors now on sale for a limited time, such as a 46% discount on the Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming laptop for $1,729.99 at Dell and a 38% discount on the Dell 14 Plus Laptop for $859.99 at Dell, to name just a couple.
The Dell 15 Laptop is simple yet effective for tackling light workloads, whether it's searching for info online or writing up documents, thanks to its Intel Core i5-1334U CPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD.View Deal
"Itโs not perfect... but for the price and the performance on offer the [Dell] 14 Plus is easily one of the best Windows laptops going, and should be at the top of the list for students, remote workers, and just about anyone else who needs a solid notebook PC without breaking the bank."ย ~ John Loeffler, Components Editor at TechRadar
The Dell Tower Desktop is a mighty PC that will plow through intensive workloads thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 7 265 processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD, making it an ideal companion for office workers or those at home.View Deal
The Dell Slim Desktop offers similar high performance and install space as the Dell Tower Desktop, but with a more compact design, so it doesn't take too much space on your desk.View Deal
"The Alienware Aurora laptops target the mid-range with great all-around performance and a practical design, and the more powerful 16X makes some smart upgrades to justify its added cost." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer,
"The Alienware 16 Area-51 stands out with an eye-catching design that sets a tough standard for competitors. Underneath, it delivers impressive gaming performance, an excellent keyboard, and capable speakers." ~ Ural Garrett, Staff Writer at TechRadar
"Designed to keep up with any task you throw at it, the S3225QC has brilliant contrasting and picture quality, and is perfectly suitable for design tasks, casual use and even as a multi-purpose display with its integrated speakers and AI spatial audio calibration." ~ Zachariah Kelly, Staff Writer at Tech Radar
"The Alienware AW2725D is everything an OLED gaming monitor should be for less money than the competition. With tons of color and premium performance, it will satisfy all players from casual to professional." ~ Christian Eberle, Contributing Editor at Tom's Hardware.
The Dell 14 Plus Laptop, Dell 15 Laptop, Dell Tower Desktop, Dell Slim Desktop, and Dell 32 Plus 4K Monitor are best suited for productivity tasks as they were built specifically for rendering images with crisp detail, typing words and spreadsheets fast, and opening multiple browsers while researching info online without suffering performance hiccups.
Which are good for gaming?
The Alienware 16X Aurora and Alienware 16 Area-51 laptops, along with the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor, are the best devices for PC games, as they are designed to help them run at high graphical settings while boosting frame rates for smoother gameplay.
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Alienware makes gaming laptops and desktops, sure, but the line I enjoy looking at most is its QD-OLED gaming monitors. They're immensely popular after being the first to market in 2022; they're generally well-rated, and they're usually competitively priced.
One of the most popular Alienware gaming monitors is the AW3425DW, and it has now received a significant update for 2026. Dell let me get my hands on the new AW3426DW ultrawide monitor early so I could get a true feel of what it's like, and I'm here to share my thoughts on whether or not it's worth a buy.
Dell had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.
It's worth noting that the older model is currently sitting at $649.99 after a $150 discount, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that price drop stick around now that the new model is here.
Here's a closer look at the specs that make up the Alienware AW3426DW.
Alienware AW3426DW
Size
34.18 inches
Panel
Samsung QD-OLED Penta Tandem (RGB stripe, 5-stack)
Resolution
3440x1440
Refresh rate
280Hz
Response time
0.03ms
Peak brightness
1,300 nits
Typical brightness
300 nits
HDR
HDR10, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500, Dolby Vision
The main change arrives for the Quantum Dot-Organic Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED) panel. It's using Samsung's new fifth-genPenta Tandem tech that was revealed earlier this year, which the company says has twice as long a lifespan as well as 1.3 times better brightness. Text should be easier to read, and there are improvements to dark colors in bright ambient light. More on that below.
Alongside the higher brightness, the monitor now has an anti-reflective coating to better combat glare. And, finally, the refresh rate has been raised from 240Hzto 280Hz.
What I like about the Alienware AW3426DW
The small Alien head and the power button are the only RGB elements you'll find. (Image credit: Future)
From a purely design standpoint, the Alienware AW3426DW hasn't changed much compared to the AW3425DW. Its case has a pleasant Interstellar Indigo color scheme, with minimal interruptions on the back panel.
An Alienware head logo is off to the left of the stand, and there's the secondary AI logo on the other side. These logos are surrounded by venting, altogether offering a clean look.
For a bit of extra jazz, the Alienware head has customizable lighting. The same applies to the monitor's power button on the bottom edge of the casing.
The front of the monitor features Alienware branding, and that's basically it. Bezels are nice and slim, and the rounded stand seems like a perfect pairing.
I like the bubbly, rounded look of the AW3426DW's stand. (Image credit: Future)
On that note, the stand is plenty sturdy. It doesn't offer much rotation (this is an ultrawide, after all), but there's enough tilt and swivel to keep me happy. If I were keeping the screen, it'd go onto my MSI dual-arm VESA mount thanks to 100x100mm compatibility.
All OSD settings are controlled with a single joystick. There are a ton of menu options to play around with should you want to tweak the picture, and the monitor includes quite a few presets for different tasks and gaming styles. You can also change shortcuts for easier control.
The OSD menu is controlled with a single joystick.FutureOSD menu controls in the Alienware AW3426DW are quite extensive.FutureOSD menu controls in the Alienware AW3426DW are quite extensive.FutureOSD menu controls in the Alienware AW3426DW are quite extensive.Future
Smart HDR, Dolby Vision, refresh rates, and much more are all customizable. You can choose how the monitor handles multiple inputs. And, for those who game and work on the same screen, I'm happy to report that the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and Picture-by-Picture (PbP) features work flawlessly.
The older AW3425DW's OSD menu, or "Command Center," had issues with freezing and closing randomly, but I've not seen those issues in the newer AW3426DW model.
How is the Alienware AW3426DW's color and brightness?
It's hard to convey through photos how great the Alienware AW3426DW looks. (Image credit: Future)
Thanks to the new fifth-gen QD-OLED panel, Alienware's flagship line of ultrawide gaming monitors has never looked better.
One of the biggest complaints about the older model was that black colors often appeared purple when in a bright room. That's been significantly improved here, and it seems that no matter how much light is falling on the screen, dark colors remain dark.
This latest model includes a new anti-reflective finish that Dell says reduces glare by up to 30%. I can't test for that precisely, but I can say that the only time I had issues with glare was in a sun-drenched room with direct light hitting the screen. If you're in an office or a gaming room, you should have no issues.
The Alienware AW3426DW's brightness and contrast readout. (Image credit: Future)
It also helps that brightness has gone up from a 250-nit cap to 300 nits. Whereas the AW3425DW tested for roughly 252 nits of brightness, I saw the AW3426DW hit 330 nits in SDR, and it goes up to about 1,300 nits with HDR enabled. This additional brightness pushes its HDR certification up to VESA DisplayHDR 500.
You can see for yourself the brightness, color, contrast, and white point ratings in the above chart that I pulled from my SpyderX Pro colorimeter.
(Image credit: Future)
Color reproduction has actually improved slightly compared to the previous generation. Whereas we previously tested for 97% P3 and 94% AdobeRGB coverage, the new model hits 99% and 95%, respectively. It otherwise remains at 100% sRGB.
Is Alienware's AW3426DW good for gaming?
You're going to love gaming on Alienware's AW3426DW. (Image credit: Future)
Thanks to a curved panel, an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio, a 3440x1440 resolution, a 280Hz refresh rate, and a 0.02ms response time, the Alienware AW3426DW is an outstanding gaming monitor.
The resolution hits the sweet spot for most gamers, and once you go ultrawide, you'll find it's very hard to go back to a 16:9 aspect ratio. The 280Hz refresh rate has plenty of ceiling for high-end performance hardware, and it's fast enough that you shouldn't mind using it for competitive titles.
Because it's an ultrawide with room for (at least) three separate windows, it's also great for productivity. Text is easier to read with this generation of QD-OLED panel, and you might be surprised at how crisp everything looks if you're coming from an older model.
What I dislike about the Alienware AW3426DW
Ports on the Alienware AW3426DW are a bit more limited than I'd like. (Image credit: Future)
There's not much to dislike about this monitor from a display quality standpoint. But there are some drawbacks you should know about before buying.
The port selection is notably a bit lacking. There's no 3.5mm audio jack (and no built-in speakers), and for data, there's just USB-C (15W) and USB-A, feeding off an upstream USB-B port.
Alienware's AW3426DW is easy to love, whether you're gaming or working.
Video inputs include dual HDMI 2.1 with Fixed Rate Link (FRL) for uncompressed 4K@120Hz gaming, but the single DisplayPort is 1.4 standard with Display Stream Compression (DSC). Some newer monitors are shipping with DP 2.1 with less compression, and I'd say it only really matters for enthusiasts.
Should you buy the Alienware AW3426DW?
Alienware's AW3426DW is an outstanding gaming monitor, but it's also handy for productivity. (Image credit: Future)
You should buy this if ...
โ You're looking for a competitively priced ultrawide gaming monitor featuring fifth-gen QD-OLED tech.
โ You have a gaming PC that can handle a 3440x1440 resolution and that can make use of a 280Hz refresh rate.
You should not buy this if ...
โ You're a competitive gamer who mostly plays at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
โ You just want a QD-OLED ultrawide and don't care about the generation (go with the AW3425DW from last year that's now usually cheaper).
I loved my time with the Alienware AW3426DW, and it's something I'll recommend to anyone who's searching out a new QD-OLED ultrawide for gaming.
The 280Hz refresh rate is perfect for most people, the fifth-gen panel is better than ever, and the overall design is sleek and balanced.
Although some might complain that the port selection isn't generous enough or that the RGB lighting is lacking, others might not mind those drawbacks nearly as much.
And considering how many perks the monitor has, it's easy to see why this line of monitors from Alienware is so popular. I have to return the review sample, but the AW3426DW is at the top of my list for when it comes time to upgrade.
Penta Tandem
Alienware
AW3426DW
Alienware's AW3426DW makes several important upgrades over its predecessor, including a new Penta Tandem QD-OLED panel that ups brightness, improves color, and makes text easier to read. It's an outstanding option for work and for play, just as long as you can live with the (minor) downsides.
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Many laptops in the premium category cost thousands of dollars to justify the advanced specs built in, but few feel like they've earned their premium spot like the Dell XPS 13.
With its Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU (Lunar Lake), 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, this ultra-thin portable desktop can tackle any productivity task, no matter how small or big it is, and it's currently on sale with a 33% discount for $999.99 at Dell.
"The latest Dell XPS 13 brings Intel's Lunar Lake chips to the iconic laptop line, delivering truly all-day battery life and strong performance across the board in a sleek and stylish MacBook-esque design." ~ Christian Guyton, Editor (Computing) at TechRadar
The Dell XPS 13 on display. (Image credit: Tom's Guide (Tony Polanco) | Dell)
Even without this RAM crisis looming over our heads, prices for premium-grade laptops were already extreme, numbering in the thousands.
Yet very few of them have justifiably earned their advanced-tech-per-cost ratio, like the Dell XPS 13 laptop, which has earned near-perfect reviews from our sister sites at TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and LaptopMag for its exceptional performance and quality.
The configuration of the Dell XPS 13 we're spotlighting comes equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU (Lunar Lake), 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and Copilot+ PCcertification. With these specs, this laptop will tear through Microsoft Office assignments, online browsing research, and AI-related tasks like a hot knife through a 4th of July steak dinner.
On top of that, it has a 3K OLED display so you have beautiful visuals to look at while working, a sturdy and lightweight design that makes it easy to store while traveling, and a battery life of nearly 24 hours at minimum power and brightness settings.
So, if you're looking for a dependable laptop that will help keep you on top of your daily workflows for the next several years, provided you're okay with only having two USB-C ports, then the Dell XPS 13 will serve you well.
FAQ
Is its RAM and storage upgradeable?
The Dell XPS 13's RAM is soldered into the motherboard, so it can't be removed and replaced with another one. Its SSD storage unit, however, can be removed and replaced with a different one if you need more install space.
Is it good for gaming?
While Laptop Mag's review states the Dell XPS 13 is capable of running games like Final Fantasy XIV and Shadow of the Tomb Raider competently at 1080p with medium settings, it wasn't designed for hardcore PC gaming, so it can't run them at their full graphical and frame rate potential.
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