A few days before CES opened, Alienware announced an improved version of its 25-inch AW2518HF gaming monitor. The upcoming AW2521HF is almost identical in size and specs, but the TN (twisted nematic) screen of the previous model has been replaced with a higher quality IPS (in-plane switching) panel without sacrificing speed.

In other words, it retains the same 240-Hz refresh rate as its predecessor, making it suitable for competitive gaming; several large IPS displays that support 240-Hz are already available, including Alienware's AW2720HF. However, I am not aware of any 24- or 25-inch monitors with IPS panels with 240-Hz refresh rates.

IPS panels typically provide better image quality than TN screens by displaying a wider color gamut. In this case, according to Dell, the AW2521HF covers 99% of the sRGB color space. Viewing angles are also good, with IPS panels typically maintaining good images at up to 178 degrees (horizontal and vertical). However, each monitor is different, so you will need to wait until you have the AW2521HF in hand before making a decision one way or the other.

Alienware also claims that the AW2521HF offers a "true" 1ms response time, presumably meaning that it is a gray-to-gray (GtG) measurement, which is the time it takes one pixel to change from one shade of gray to another It seems to me that this is a gray-to-gray (GtG) measurement. Although not explicitly stated, I assume that the 1 ms metric is an overdrive rating. With overdrive enabled, ghosting can occur (DisplayNinja has an excellent article on this subject).

As you might expect, this is an FHD monitor with a native resolution of 1920x1080, the same as the larger 27" models; 1080p is more appropriate for a 25" display.

The AW2521HF also features "FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility. Translated, this means that it is a FreeSync monitor that works with G-Sync, but it is unclear if it will come with a G-Sync compatibility badge that requires certification by Nvidia, or if Alienware is just saying it can handle G-Sync well based on their own testing.

According to Alienware, the AW2521HF will be available worldwide on March 11 for $499.99. It remains to be seen what the selling price will be. Based on specs alone, this could be one of the best gaming monitors available, but the larger 27-inch AW2720HF is currently $409.99 on Amazon.