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

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 a few caveats — namely that it’s limited to a 1080p resolution, though that’s to be expected, as most high refresh rate screens are similarly capped 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 has four 5Gbps USB-A ports, two standard 3.5mm 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.

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 expect to pay for “innovative” gaming displays like the $3,500 Samsung Odyssey Ark, it certainly could have been worse. And given the negligible response time difference between a 500Hz screen and other high refresh displays, it’s unlikely many people will want or need a 500Hz gaming monitor anyway. Unless someone has god-like reflexes (of course you do — this is about everyone else, like your lousy teammates who miss all their shots) or is a legitimate 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 expected to beat Alienware to become the first commercially available model on the market. 

While Alienware beat it to the punch, Asus has announced that monitor once 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.