AW2725DF, why HDMI 2.1 limited to 144hz@1440p?

Don't people read anymore?  This is on the product advertisement page.  It shows the resolution and refresh rate for AW2725DF.  It specifically shows what HDMI can do.

@Chino de Oro​ the post is about why the monitor is limited to that refresh rate when the spec allows for way more.

The HDMI 2.1 itself is not a limitation to QHD.  It's the product you bought.  If you purchased a QHD monitor, you will get QHD resolution as advertised.  If you purchase a 4K monitor, you will get 4K resolution.

For example, the HDMI 2.1 port in AW3225QF being advertised that it can support 3840 x 2160 at 240Hz. 

Yes, if I purchase a 4K monitor I should be getting a 4K monitor. If I purchase an HDMI 2.1 monitor, I should be getting an HDMI 2.1 monitor. Claiming a monitor supports HDMI 2.1 when it doesn't actually meet the specification is false advertising. 

To Dell's credit, they mentioned the refresh rate, but it's still misleading, since this monitor does NOT support HDMI 2.1 as defined by the spec.

@pritster5​ It does support HDMI 2.1 though, just not up to the maximum capabilities of HDMI 2.1 spec. I am not aware of any consumer monitor that supports the defined spec of HDMI 2.1, which is 10K at 10240 x 4320.

You can read more about the spec here: HDMI 2.1 spec

I agree that the lack of full HDMI 2.1 support for a higher refresh rate at 1440p on the AW2725DF is a bit of a disappointment and presumably done as a cost saving measure. This monitor is stated to be 360 Hz but the reality is that it can only do this from two of its three video connections. Would have been nice to been able to try HDMI at 360 Hz on my RTX 4080 Founders Edition graphics card.

I am thinking it might have been done to ensure backwards compatibility with HDMI 2.0 connections. That would be my guess as to why.

@Vanadiel​ There are plenty of consumer monitors and TVs that have the full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 output, and the 10k resolution is the theoretical maximum resolution it can display, not the spec itself of HDMI 2.1. Also, like every other display output connection there is, the higher version is always backwards compatible with lower versions so that’s not the reason.

Dell obviously put a lower spec HDMI 2.1 port as a cost cutting measure, most likely assuming that only consoles would be using HDMI, without considering that people may have wanted to use the full bandwidth of it on PC to avoid issues that arise from DSC. Other manufacturers like Asus and MSI of this exact same panel have put the full spec HDMI 2.1 on their 1440p 360hz OLEDs and so the full bandwidth of the monitor can be used without DSC, leaving the AW2725DF to be the only monitor of this panel to have DSC always on.

@toffeesandwich​ For 360 Hz refresh rate you will at 8 bit QHD need 40 GBPS.

Whatever the reason is, the specs state the limitation of the HDMI 2.1 spec. on this monitor and I doubt a firmware upgrade will be able to change that.

@Vanadiel​ - Last year's LG 240 Hz 1440p OLED monitor, the one that was criticised for having low screen brightness, was the only one released with full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports. That meant it was the only 27" OLED monitor released last year that supported 240 Hz via all three of its video connections. Most of the others only supported 240 Hz via DisplayPort.

I was actually considering buying that for that reason but held off due to the other negatives with the screen and decided to wait for the 2024 models instead, specifically the Alienware AW2725DF which I now own and am mostly delighted with bar some disappointments such as the lack of full HDMI 2.1 support. I thought this would have become standard for 2024 monitors but it seems not.

@Doctor Hades​ I have the same issue with my 7900XTX. It supports DP 2.1, yet I am not aware of any monitor that supports DP 2.1.

That's why you always have to carefully read the specs and reviews of the monitor, as the version is often misleading. To give a bit of slack to Dell, I blame the organization that standardizes it by allowing producers to slap the specification number on their products without making it mandatory to support the full standard. 

@Doctor Hades​ Return it and find a monitor that fits your desired specs.

No matter how much we argue; this is a hardware limitation so nothing can be done. 

Your RTX 4080 has 3 DP ports (mine has) so it shouldn't be an issue

@Chino de Oro​ i have the same monitor using displayport 1.4 and I'm unable to use 360 hz on 1440p i cant get  any higher than 240  hz when i specifically bought this monitor for the 360 hz on 1440p res

@Doctor Hades​ for me it hasnt even reach 360 hz on 1 of its ports i think its false advertising for sure ​ i have the same monitor using DisplayPort 1.4 and I'm unable to use 360 hz on 1440p i cant get  any higher than 240  hz when i specifically bought this monitor for the 360 hz on 1440p res is my unit faulty?

@zXessh​ , in your case, if you used the Dell supplied cable and it couldn't get the native resolution and refresh rate, you should contact Dell for a return and order a new unit.  Don't take the exchange offer as you might end up with a refurbished unit (returned from previous customer).