GoKawiilThe Alienware AW3926QW has been a hotly anticipated review as this is Dell's take on a 39-inch 5K2K ultrawide OLED gaming monitor. It's a particularly tempting option, hitting that sweet spot for ultrawide size that we've talked about in the past: larger than standard 34-inch models while providing increased immersion while gaming and more desktop screen real estate.
This isn't the first 39-inch 5K2K ultrawide to hit the market. That honor went to the LG 39GX950B, which we reviewed in April. At first glance, you might think this Alienware model is simply a variant of the LG, but they actually use different panels, leading to substantial hardware and performance differences.
The Alienware model uses an RGB stripe subpixel layout with a glossy screen coating, while the LG uses RGWB with a white subpixel and a matte screen coating. You might not think that changing the subpixel layout would have much influence, but it fundamentally alters how the OLED panel behaves in terms of brightness and color.
We'll be comparing the two models frequently throughout this review and highlighting their differences, but there are also quite a few similarities. Both feature a 5120 x 2160 resolution at 165Hz, along with a 2560 x 1080 dual mode at 330Hz. Both have the same 1500R screen curvature, and both use the latest generation of LG Display Tandem WOLED technology.
Before you ask, yes, even though the Alienware model does not have a white subpixel, it's still WOLED. The W in WOLED refers to the white emissive layer, not the white subpixel. This white emissive layer is used for all the subpixels and filtered into each color; Dell has simply opted for a version with an RGB stripe layout.
The other substantial difference between the Dell and LG models is price. We thought the LG 39GX950B was too expensive as it launched at $1,800. The AW3926QW meanwhile has been set to just $1,100, making it significantly cheaper than LG's model. Is this an excellent deal for what appears to be similar hardware, or are there performance differences that explain the price discrepancy?
Let's dive into it.
Subpixel Layout and Text: RGB Stripe vs RGWB
First up, let's look at the subpixel layout, which is the most substantial change compared to the LG model. Dell isn't exaggerating here: this is indeed an RGB stripe version of this 5K2K panel. There are only three subpixels, red, green, and blue, arranged in a traditional stripe layout. This is the closest OLED layout to an LCD that we've seen in terms of the arrangement and size of each subpixel.
And this isn't simply a case of Dell disabling the white subpixel. It isn't physically present on this panel, with the red, green, and blue subpixels increasing in size relative to those same colors on the RGWB panel.
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