AW2521HF vs. MAG251RX

[Seira]

Hi, I'm quite the hardcore League player (below top 1% average) but I'm also most of my time on 60Hz games. I read a lot of things here, and I'm wondering if the input lag added while using Freesync on the Extreme mode on the AW2521HF is that much of a malus. I can get the MSI MAG251RX right now for 50 more bucks than the Alienware, and I could get the Alienware next week. I think the Alienware's design a bit better than the MSI's, but I don't care that much, neither do I about the price difference. Which one should suit me the best? Thanks!

[RLCSContender*]

EXTREME OD is 3.4-3.5ms g2g. The unique DP scaler on the alienware monitor chooses the best OD setting(variable overdrive) which minimizes ghosting and overshoot, and it decided to choose 3.5ms g2g. Which is probably the optimal setting withuot any overshoot. Whereas the MSI MAG251rx has 5-6% overshoot but a much faster response time at 3ms g2g. I will EASILY pick a faster response time with playable overshoot than a slower response time with no overshoot.


(for anyone reading, this is clickable to see it better)

honestly TC, based off MY tests. It's not even close

240hz IPS MSI vs 240hz IPS Alienware

Input lag=/=just about equal

Backlight strobing=MSI(AW doesn't have strobing)

Response times=MSI(3ms g2g) alienware aw2521hf(3.5ms g2g)=MSI(check out my mega thread if you dont' believe me)

HDR=MSI, alienware doesnt' have HDR

contrast ratio=(TIED, they use the same exact panel)

12 bit color depth=MSI, the alienware only has 8 bit color detph

Saturation colors(color vibrance) ?=MSI, the alienware is 99% srgb, the MSI's saturation can range from 108% to 133%( have the 133% whichi is just as good as a 98% dci-p3 133% srgb nano panel

MSi's gaming app/OSD>>>alienware's OSD

the advantages of the alienware is that it has better stand ergonomics and a better warranty(3 yrs and can be replaced, no questions asked)

[Seira]

Thanks, I see! I'll look to get the MSI. I assume by what you said, the experience at 240Hz is better than on the AW. Plus, I saw that you said that you can put the OD on Faster and never change it, I like it.

[ProX]

EXTREME OD is 3.4-3.5ms g2g. The unique DP scaler on the alienware monitor chooses the best OD setting(variable overdrive) which minimizes ghosting and overshoot, and it decided to choose 3.5ms g2g. Which is probably the optimal setting withuot any overshoot. Whereas the MSI MAG251rx has 5-6% overshoot but a much faster response time at 3ms g2g. I will EASILY pick a faster response time with playable overshoot than a slower response time with no overshoot.


(for anyone reading, this is clickable to see it better)

honestly TC, based off MY tests. It's not even close

240hz IPS MSI vs 240hz IPS Alienware

Input lag=/=just about equal

Backlight strobing=MSI(AW doesn't have strobing)

Response times=MSI(3ms g2g) alienware aw2521hf(3.5ms g2g)=MSI(check out my mega thread if you dont' believe me)

HDR=MSI, alienware doesnt' have HDR

contrast ratio=(TIED, they use the same exact panel)

12 bit color depth=MSI, the alienware only has 8 bit color detph

Saturation colors(color vibrance) ?=MSI, the alienware is 99% srgb, the MSI's saturation can range from 108% to 133%( have the 133% whichi is just as good as a 98% dci-p3 133% srgb nano panel

MSi's gaming app/OSD>>>alienware's OSD

the advantages of the alienware is that it has better stand ergonomics and a better warranty(3 yrs and can be replaced, no questions asked)

Sorry, but your pictures of the Alienware AW2521HF do not correspond to reality. They look a lot better in my tests. Look at the pictures:

[phixion]

Edit: My bad, please delete.

[RLCSContender*]

Umm i measured the actual response times with an oscilloscope

Also just by looking at the dome, there is def. Ghosting. In the msi there is no ghosting on the dome, just coronas

Here are the perfect straight line ufo tests if u arent convinced



Left msi right alienware

[Kymeron]

EXTREME OD is 3.4-3.5ms g2g. The unique DP scaler on the alienware monitor chooses the best OD setting(variable overdrive) which minimizes ghosting and overshoot, and it decided to choose 3.5ms g2g. Which is probably the optimal setting withuot any overshoot. Whereas the MSI MAG251rx has 5-6% overshoot but a much faster response time at 3ms g2g. I will EASILY pick a faster response time with playable overshoot than a slower response time with no overshoot.


(for anyone reading, this is clickable to see it better)

honestly TC, based off MY tests. It's not even close

240hz IPS MSI vs 240hz IPS Alienware

Input lag=/=just about equal

Backlight strobing=MSI(AW doesn't have strobing)

Response times=MSI(3ms g2g) alienware aw2521hf(3.5ms g2g)=MSI(check out my mega thread if you dont' believe me)

HDR=MSI, alienware doesnt' have HDR

contrast ratio=(TIED, they use the same exact panel)

12 bit color depth=MSI, the alienware only has 8 bit color detph

Saturation colors(color vibrance) ?=MSI, the alienware is 99% srgb, the MSI's saturation can range from 108% to 133%( have the 133% whichi is just as good as a 98% dci-p3 133% srgb nano panel

MSi's gaming app/OSD>>>alienware's OSD

the advantages of the alienware is that it has better stand ergonomics and a better warranty(3 yrs and can be replaced, no questions asked)

So MSI has 0.5ms G2G advantage over Dell, is it safe to assume that is at 240hz?

What about refresh rates @ 100hz/144hz/165hz/200hz? I mainly play warzone, unfortunately its not possible to get 240fps constantly else the Asus vg259qm would be the best? How much is the MSI better than the Dell at those refreshrates? I can get the dell for £255 meanwhile MSI would cost £336 minimum from abroad with warranty from the seller only. Just for warranty purposes and cheaper Dell I am leaning towards Dell, but significant sub 240hz g2g performance might change my mind.

[Stevie66]

EXTREME OD is 3.4-3.5ms g2g. The unique DP scaler on the alienware monitor chooses the best OD setting(variable overdrive) which minimizes ghosting and overshoot, and it decided to choose 3.5ms g2g. Which is probably the optimal setting withuot any overshoot. Whereas the MSI MAG251rx has 5-6% overshoot but a much faster response time at 3ms g2g. I will EASILY pick a faster response time with playable overshoot than a slower response time with no overshoot.


(for anyone reading, this is clickable to see it better)

honestly TC, based off MY tests. It's not even close

240hz IPS MSI vs 240hz IPS Alienware

Input lag=/=just about equal

Backlight strobing=MSI(AW doesn't have strobing)

Response times=MSI(3ms g2g) alienware aw2521hf(3.5ms g2g)=MSI(check out my mega thread if you dont' believe me)

HDR=MSI, alienware doesnt' have HDR

contrast ratio=(TIED, they use the same exact panel)

12 bit color depth=MSI, the alienware only has 8 bit color detph

Saturation colors(color vibrance) ?=MSI, the alienware is 99% srgb, the MSI's saturation can range from 108% to 133%( have the 133% whichi is just as good as a 98% dci-p3 133% srgb nano panel

MSi's gaming app/OSD>>>alienware's OSD

the advantages of the alienware is that it has better stand ergonomics and a better warranty(3 yrs and can be replaced, no questions asked)

So MSI has 0.5ms G2G advantage over Dell, is it safe to assume that is at 240hz?

What about refresh rates @ 100hz/144hz/165hz/200hz? I mainly play warzone, unfortunately its not possible to get 240fps constantly else the Asus vg259qm would be the best? How much is the MSI better than the Dell at those refreshrates? I can get the dell for £255 meanwhile MSI would cost £336 minimum from abroad with warranty from the seller only. Just for warranty purposes and cheaper Dell I am leaning towards Dell, but significant sub 240hz g2g performance might change my mind.

All 3 are perfectly fine, they have good overdrive settings, input lag and response time are very similar between them(Asus has bad 60hz input lag, so not good for console games or retro games locked at 60hz) get the cheaper one with easier returns because monitors can have a bunch of issues if you aren't lucky and/or fussy with dead pixels, bad BLB, the image retention defect some of these panels can have etc.

[axaro1]

If I was you I'd either pick the MAG251RX or the VG259QM unless the AW2521hf is noticeably cheaper, personally I'd buy the MSI if it costs 50 bucks more than the Alienware.

Asus:
+ Can be overclock to 280hz (Probably using binned panels)
+ 7 Overdrive levels
+ Best strobing among 24.5" 240hz IPS (Can strobe at 280hz with 1.9ms G2G, can reach high brightness)
+ Can run 240hz 10bit
- High input lag at 60hz fixed refresh rate
- Poor quality control
- The Overdrive is locked at OD80 creating overshoot artifacts when strobing at less than 200hz.
- The OSD is bad and not very customizable

MSI:
+ Best colors (99% srgb)
+ Better quality control compared to the Asus
+ Better VRR behaviour across the Adaptive Sync range
+ Can run 240hz 10bit (It can even run 12 bit color depth at lower refresh rates)
+ Can control the OSD thru the MSi's gaming app

The AW2521hf seems to have a buggy overdrive when used without VRR

With ‘VRR off’ the ‘Super Fast’ and moreover ‘Extreme’ settings show strong overshoot in the form of bright ‘halo’ trailing. And additional overdrive artifacts with parts of the UFO appearing displaced or ‘over-aliased’.

-PCMonitor
however it apparently has the fastest Overdrive if you consider completely overshoot free gameplay a priority.

If you only care about the competitive experience while still getting the benefit of an IPS then the Asus is a no brainer, with TN level performances and really close to Dyac level strobing, the MSI however is all around a better monitor in every other aspect, from quality control to build quality, colors, VRR, you name it.

[TrantaLocked]

EXTREME OD is 3.4-3.5ms g2g. The unique DP scaler on the alienware monitor chooses the best OD setting(variable overdrive) which minimizes ghosting and overshoot, and it decided to choose 3.5ms g2g. Which is probably the optimal setting withuot any overshoot. Whereas the MSI MAG251rx has 5-6% overshoot but a much faster response time at 3ms g2g. I will EASILY pick a faster response time with playable overshoot than a slower response time with no overshoot.

So I've just compared these two monitors side by side. Once I got color and brightness settings standard on both, I can see some slight differences. The gamma curve difference shown from RTING's review of the Alienware and Hardware Unboxed's review of the MSI is visible, however contrary to my expectation the more visible difference is the higher (darker) 10% gamma bump of the Alienware rather than its slightly lower 50-90% range gamma which I have a hard time seeing compared to the MSI. Overall the MSI looks just a tad more natural in terms of gamma, but if I had tested them separately I might not have seen a difference.

So while the MSI looks slightly better color and gamma wise, the Alienware has better motion clarity at all refresh rates. The two monitors share the same panel, but Alienware did a really good job of cleaning up motion blooming and blur, leaving a very clear and stable image in motion, including in 60Hz mode which looks fantastic. The blur on the MSI on "normal" mode is still low and if you are ok with a tiny bit of blur, I will say it looks pleasant and clean. The Alienware hits a threshold that I feel comes close or even up to to a TN's motion clarity. The MSI also still looks good at its" Fast" mode, while the Alienware really only looks good on its default lowest Fast mode (which for the Alienware is normal mode).

The Alienware has a small amount of noticeable overshoot at 60Hz and 120Hz modes. 240Hz and 144Hz are the only modes with little to no noticeable overshoot. The MSI has either no or minimal overshoot at all refresh rates that I tested at "Normal" mode.

Both OSDs have pretty much all you need but the Alienware RGB level controls are way ahead of anything else I've used. It has individual RGB controls for gain, offset, hue and saturation! Usually you only get one set of controls, usually for offset. So if you care about precise RGB tuning on the monitor side, the Alienware is better. Sadly gamma control is kind of overlooked on both. Both have a setting that isn't actually called gamma that alters gamma, but there isn't enough range or fine control and it can be botched, like where the Alienware adds sharpening to its dark clarity modes.

Backlight bleed is slightly better on the Alienware but I've seen lots of variance in pictures of both models. For this AUO panel there will usually be a bit of a reddish bottom right corner and some other small bits of white/blue bleed elsewhere. The MSI's bottom right corner is a bit worse and other small white bleed is also slightly worse, but you could easily get the reverse outcome depending on your specific units.

Input lag at native and 120Hz feels about the same between the two monitors, while 60Hz is sort of weird on both but clearly better on the Alienware. For all tested 60Hz resolutions (1080p, 1080i, 960p, 720p, 480p) using my Time Sleuth, the input lag was consistent on both monitors. The MSI always starts at about 20ms on the top left and ends at 24ms on the bottom right, while the Alienware starts at 8ms on the top left and ends at 18ms on the bottom right. With the MSI middle being about 21ms and the Alienware middle being about 12ms, the Alienware feels better at 60Hz. The Alienware's overall 60Hz input lag performance is similar to a 60Hz panel starting with 3ms on the top left while running at the standard scan out rate. That is extremely low and practically lagless, so besides a very slight lag on the top of the screen it otherwise performs top notch at the common gaming console output refresh rate of 60Hz.

The thing I'm not as much a fan of for the Alienware is the depth and forward positioning of the panel. I like to keep my monitor farther away on my desk up to the wall, and the way the panel sits on its stand, if I push the back all the way back it's still like an inch or two closer than I'd usually want, so here I would need to move my desk away from the wall a bit to accommodate for that. The legs aren't too intrusive though and that's on my relatively small desk. While I like the footprint of the MSI, the one thing the MSI is missing is pivot and swivel. It does tilt and raise just fine and the stand itself is very manageable. I do really like the visual design and hefty build quality of the Alienware.

Choosing between the two depends on one's needs. I think the MSI picture looks slightly better (once you put the monitors in the right mode, as the MSI for example is over saturated or sharpened in most modes but looks correct in User and RGB modes), and the stand footprint is easier to manage, so if I only cared about video or productivity I might prefer the MSI slightly more. However, the Alienware motion clarity and 60Hz input lag are better, making it a tad better for gaming. The differences are very minor though so it's sort of like picking the one that has the better version of a feature you care about. For me, I really wanted the lower 60Hz input lag because I often play console games on my monitor. Both monitor are gorgeous and perform very well and I'd be super happy to keep either.