Alienware AW3821DW Review: The Ultimate 38” Ultrawide for programming, sim racing, gaming

March 28 2025

If you're in the market for an ultrawide monitor that can handle programming, content creation, gaming, and sim racing, the Alienware AW3821DW might be exactly what you're looking for. I’ve been using this as my main monitor for a while now, and I wanted to share my experience—not just specs and numbers, but what it’s actually like to live with this monitor day to day.

First Impressions & Price

The AW3821DW is a 38-inch ultrawide monitor with a 3440x1600 resolution, nano IPS panel, and a 144Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort (120Hz over HDMI). It retails for around $2,450 CAD, but I was able to snag it for about $1,450 CAD during a sale—which made it just slightly more than the high-end 34-inch options I was also considering.

At this size and spec, your choices are limited to this monitor and some LG models using the same panel, both of which are usually priced at a premium. If you find a deal on the Alienware, it's absolutely worth a look.

Unboxing & Setup

The unboxing experience was super straightforward. Instead of cutting through tape, the box opens via corner tabs. Inside, you’ll find:

  • A two-part stand

  • A full suite of cables (DisplayPort, HDMI, USB, etc.)

  • A back cover for cable management

The instructions even guide you to attach the stand before removing the monitor, which makes setup really easy.

That said, I didn’t end up using the stand—I mounted mine to an Ergotron HX monitor arm, which is essential if you want the flexibility to reposition a heavy ultrawide like this.

Why I Chose an Ultrawide

At first, I wasn’t planning on jumping to ultrawide. I played a lot of competitive shooters, so 16:9 was fine. But with sim racing, content creation, and programming all being part of my setup now, I needed something that could do it all.

What really convinced me was a video by Sam Pak, where he used a 49" monitor on an arm that he could move around depending on what he was doing. That flexibility really inspired my current setup.

Real-World Use Cases

💻 Programming & Productivity

This monitor is a game-changer for productivity. I used to work with two separate monitors, but now I can fit my IDE and browser side-by-side with plenty of space. I typically split my IDE into two panels and still have enough real estate to work comfortably. Having one seamless screen helps me focus more and context-switch less.

🎥 Content Creation

Editing videos on an ultrawide is so much better than on a 16:9 display. You get to see more of your timeline, and scrubbing through clips just feels smoother. The color accuracy is also solid, covering 99.7% of sRGB and 86.6% of AdobeRGB, making it reliable for color grading and photo editing.

🎮 Gaming

This is where things get a little more complicated.

I’m running a 2070 Super, which struggles to fully push the 3840x1600 resolution at 144Hz. For competitive shooters like Valorant and CS:GO, I’m locked into a 16:9 aspect ratio, which means black bars on the sides—but honestly, they’re not as distracting as I thought they’d be.

For games like Apex Legends or Final Fantasy, though? Chef’s kiss. The immersion is unreal. I do wish I had a 3080 Ti or 3090 to make the most of it, but for now, G-Sync helps smooth things out and reduce screen tearing.

🏎️ Sim Racing

This was the main reason I upgraded. A 27" 16:9 display just doesn’t cut it for sim racing. With this ultrawide, I can pull the screen closer and get a much better field of view, see corner apexes, and even glance at my side mirrors more easily.

It’s not quite a triple monitor setup, but for someone who also uses the monitor for work and play, it’s the perfect compromise.

Final Thoughts

If you need one monitor that can do everything well—coding, gaming, creative work, sim racing—the Alienware AW3821DW hits all the right notes. It’s not cheap at retail, but if you can catch it on sale between $1,399 and $1,499, it’s a steal.

Would I buy it at full price? Probably not. At $2,450, I’d consider two separate 34-inch ultrawides or a custom setup. But for the price I paid, it’s been an incredible upgrade.

Have questions? Drop them in the comments or hit me up on Discord—I’m active there and happy to chat about the setup. I’ve also got more content coming soon: a full setup tour, a review of my sim rig, and more.