Alienware’s 500Hz gaming monitor will cost you $830

 Alienware’s 500Hz gaming monitor will cost you $830

 

/The first 500Hz gaming monitor you can actually buy in the US will go on sale this month.

It’s expensive, yes, but not unreasonably so for the world’s fastest gaming display.

 Image: Dell / Alienware

Time to ready your bank account — Dell has just revealed the price of its 500Hz Alienware gaming monitor. The Alienware AW2524H will launch in North America on March 21st for $829.99 (or $1,099.99 CA), making this the fastest gaming monitor in the world that you can actually buy at least for now.

 

The 24.5- inch Alienware AW2524H technically has a native refresh rate of 480Hz (which is still blisteringly fast), but this has been overclocked to hit 500Hz. That speed comes with many caveats — namely that it’s limited to a 1080p resolution, though that’s to be anticipated, as utmost high refresh rate screens are also limited because of bandwidth limitations. And speaking of screens, this comes equipped with an anti-glare IPS screen rather than a TN panel, which should be great for colors and viewing angles.

The Alienware AW2524H comes with an integrated headphone stand to keep your desk tidy. Pretty neat.

 Image: Dell / Alienware

The Alienware AW2524H has four 5 Gbps USB-A ports, two standard 3.5 mm audio-out jacks, a DisplayPort 1.4 connector, and two HDMI 2.1 ports though it’s worth noting that you’ll be limited to 240Hz over an HDMI connection. You’re also getting a DisplayHDR 400 certification, Nvidia’s G- Sync and Reflex Analyzer tech, customizable RGB backlighting, and a pull-out headset hanger.

Most people won’t be able to detect a difference between 500Hz and 360Hz

 

At just shy of $830, the pricing isn’t bad. That isn’t to say it’s affordable by any means, but this is a niche product. Considering how much you can anticipate paying for “innovative” gaming displays like the $3,500 Samsung Odyssey Ark, it clearly could have been worse. And given the negligible response time difference between a 500Hz screen and other high refresh displays, it’s doubtful numerous people will want or need a 500Hz gaming monitor anyway. Unless someone has God- suchlike reflexes (of course you do this is about everyone else differently, like your lousy teammates who miss all their shots) or is a licit professional esports player, most folks simply won’t notice the difference above 360Hz.

 

The Alienware AW2524H won’t be the fastest monitor on the market for long, though Asus also announced it had a 500Hz gaming monitor in the works back in May last year. That model didn’t have a release date but was anticipated to beat Alienware to come the first commercially available model on the market.

 

While Alienware beat it to the punch, Asus has announced that the monitor formerly come again, claiming to have overclocked the 24.1- inch full HD panel beyond its original specifications to run at an even faster 540Hz refresh rate. Beyond teasing a “Q2” launch, Asus has remained tight-lipped about the availability and price of the Asus ROG Swift Pro PG248QP. But it’s a ROG, so you just know it’s going to be expensive.