AW2518H, strange issues

Question

Hello, I recently bought Alienware AW2518H to replace my old monitor but I noticed a few strange issues with it and I am not sure if I should keep it. The monitor is amazing but these problems drives me crazy. 1. When G-SYNC is turned on and when I am in a game or in desktop I don't have any issues, but when I am in a game and I minimize it (with Alt + Tab) I see flickering (the desktop wallpaper start to flickering like an animated wallpaper). And when I close the game the problem disappears. It can't be captured with screen recording software and I should use my phone camera to do that. If G-Sync is turned off and I am using the Fixed Refresh the problem didn't occur when a game is minimized. I tried a lot of things and different settings from the monitor menu and from the NVidia Control Panel, all drivers are updated - including the Monitor profile etc. but nothing really helped. I can leave G-Sync disabled but since I paid for it I would like to be able to use it. 2. From a time to time when the monitor wake up from standby or when I Alt + Tab between games a strange line started to appear on the left side on the screen: https://i.imgur.com/8bhSwOP.jpg The only way to make it disappear is to restart the monitor from the power button or to enable/disable G-sync or to change from 240HZ to lower value and then set it back to 240HZ. I am scared that the next time this line appear again it will be forever...Any advices? I am using Windows 8.1 x64 (fully patched) and my video card is GTX 1060 6GB. Thanks!

DELL-Chris M · Answer

* You should be connected like this =Nvidia GTX video card DP out port --> AW2518H DP to DP cable --> AW2518H DP in port* The PC is freshly restarted* G-SYNC is enabled in the Nvidia Control Panel You need to test all available Hz using all three Response Time settings. So lots of testing = * Press the AW2518H Menu button to open the OSD (On Screen Display)* Go to Others* Choose 'Factory Reset' to reset all settings to the Factory preset values* Go up to Game - Change Game Enhance Mode to Off- Change Response Time to Super Fast* Exit the OSD * Right click the desktop* Open the Nvidia Control Panel* Go to Display- Change resolution* Set the Refresh rate Hz to 60* Click Apply* Close the Nvidia Control Panel* Retest minimize Alt + Tab the game* Exit the game * Then test the game minimize Alt + Tab at 60Hz for Response Time Fast and Normal* Then test all other Hz up to 240 using all Response Time settings (Normal, Fast, Super Fast)

FFreestyleRR · Answer

Hi Chris, Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the problems are still there. The flickering is away only when G-Sync is turned off. I don't care anymore for it since it is overrated and introduce input lags in games like CS:GO and I can keep it disabled but the vertical line still appear from time to time and the only way to make it disappear is to reboot the monitor from the power button or to change the HZ from 240 to lower value and to hit apply and then to set it back to 240. The line appear randomly when the monitor wake up from standby, sleep, screensaver and sometimes when starting a game. I am afraid the next time this line will not go away and will stay permanently. Should I expect a firmware update? My 30 days period is about to expire this week and I think I will return it soon.

FFreestyleRR · Answer

See the screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/8bhSwOP.jpg

FFreestyleRR · Answer

Anyone who is responsible for this issue should definitely fix it somehow (providing a firmware update for it or what else is needed to be done). Another user reported the same issue with a monitor from a different brand: (exactly like my problem in the screenshot in my previous post):

"The screen splits down the middle periodically and shows a mirror image of whatever programs you have open on the left side."

I asked for a return but now I am scared because I don't know what to purchase instead. I will skip G-SYNC and high refresh rates until they get fixed. Probably I will go for U2518D (I would like to test up2718q but it is too expensive for me :) ) or will wait to see what panel will use the NXG251.

Monitors

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