Alienware today unveiled their latest gaming monitor, the AW3418HW. After you've parsed that seemingly unreadable name/product number, you should know that this monitor features a 38090R curved WFHD (2560x1080) display, with full NVIDIA G-SYNC support. Adding to its gaming chops, G-SYNC enables extra fluidity on the monitor's 144 Hz (stock, overclockable up to at least 160 Hz). The monitor has a pretty aggressive, "gaming" design, which definitely won't agree with all potential customers. However, one thing where the Alienware AW3418HW really is looking towards being a jack of all trades is its connectivity department: 1x Line-out port; 1x USB port with Power Charging; 1x Headphone jack; 1x USB 3.0 port; 1x USB upstream port; 2x USB 3.0 ports; 1x HDMI port; and 1x DisplayPort. Now breathe with me after all those connectivity options. That's it.

Alienware has introduced a pair of ultra-large monitors to their lineup at IFA, which boast of Curved, ultrawide displays with a 34" diagonal. Refresh rates are above 100 Hz - especially after these have been overclocked - and both feature NVIDIA's G-Sync tech alongside Alienware's AlienFX lighting and cable management features.

While the AW3418DW will be Alienware's flagship, packing a 3440x1440 resolution on its 4 ms GtG IPS panel, the AW3418HW is much more of a budget option, offering a much more common 2560x1080 IPS, G-Sync panel with the same 4 ms GtG, a 160 Hz refresh rate (when overclocked), G-SYNC, and a less enveloping 3900R curvature. Both displays offer the same 1000:1 contrast ratio, and while we don't know the brightness rating of the AW3418HW (2560x1080) panel, the flagship AW3418DW only offers 300 nits of brightness, effectively leaving HDR out of the picture. Pricing on these is what seems to be a little off, if you were to ask this particular editor. The AW3418DW is an interesting panel (who needs 144 Hz or higher refresh rates at this resolution) but at this point, giving up $1,499 for a non-HDR panel seems wrong. There are other options out there with the same or equivalent specifications at a much lower price tag. And the $1,199 Alienware is asking for their 34", 2650x1080 W3418HW also seems too excessive. But your mileage may, of course, vary. The flagship AW3418DW is available now, while the AW3418HW should be available around the holiday season. I've put a useful guide for screen curvatures below, if you need a reminder of how curvature ratings work.