AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD review: The cheapest OLED gaming monitor

OLED gaming displays have steadily been getting extra inexpensive, with 2024 seeing an explosion in choices. Nonetheless, most of them nonetheless value nearer to $1,000 than, say, $500. The AOC Agon Professional AG276QZD, then, is a breath of recent air, as though its MSRP was a bit larger, it’s now commonly obtainable for simply $599.

This extremely low worth for this caliber of show means this AOC display leaps onto our greatest gaming monitor information because the clear go-to choice for these looking for the beautiful colours, distinction, and gaming pace of an OLED panel with out the excessive value. Nonetheless, just like the LG 27GR95QE, its poor textual content readability means it’s not an excellent all-rounder show for work in addition to play.

Specs

Options

The principle characteristic of the AOC Agon Professional AG276QZD is, after all, its OLED panel, which is technically a 26.5-inch display with a 2,560 x 1,440 decision, making for a pixel density of 110 pixels per inch (ppi). Ordinarily, that’s a perfect pixel density for common use, being sharp sufficient to not look blocky and pixelated, however not so fantastic that you just basically waste display house by having to make use of Home windows Scale settings to stretch the picture, as is the case with 4K screens of this measurement.

Nonetheless, OLED panels have an Achilles heel, which is that they aren’t fairly as sharp for any given pixel density as LCDs. This impacts Samsung’s QD-OLED screens, such because the Samsung G95SC, nevertheless it’s even worse on the LG WOLED panel used on this show. We’ll speak extra about how this impacts this monitor within the picture high quality part of this assessment.

The place this monitor’s panel isn’t missing in any respect is in its gaming specs, with it boasting a 240Hz refresh charge and a 0.03ms claimed response time (that’s roughly 100x sooner than most LCDs). There are technically sooner screens obtainable, such because the 360Hz MSI MPG 271QRX, however for the overwhelming majority of players, the efficiency you’ll get right here is a lot.

The display makes use of a matte end, which helps restrict the impression of reflections however can cut back the perceived distinction of a show when in comparison with shiny panels. Whether or not you like a matte or gloss end will largely come down to non-public desire, however we did discover the matte end had some downsides, as we’ll once more focus on within the picture high quality part.

Elsewhere, the AG276QZD is full of extras. In addition to providing peak, rotation, pivot, and tilt adjustment, the stand has a carry deal with on the highest, which is basically helpful for shifting a high-value display comparable to this one.

It additionally homes a flip-down headphone stand on the again, which is a helpful addition, although relying in your setup and arm size, it’s not all the time in essentially the most handy spot to achieve. Detach the stand and you too can affix an adapter that allows you to mount the show on 100 x 100mm VESA mount-compatible monitor arms and stands – AOC even features a little screwdriver to assist set up.

Around the again, you’ll additionally discover the RGB lighting, which consists of roughly 50 RGB lights in a hoop. To the left of this (when dealing with the again of the panel) you’ll additionally discover the one mini D-pad/joystick used to regulate the onscreen menus.

In the meantime, the connections sit alongside the again backside fringe of the panel. These include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs and two HDMI 2.0 ports, together with a USB 3.2 (Gen 1, so principally USB 3.0) hub with two downstream ports. There’s additionally a headphone jack, together with a pair of 5W audio system contained in the monitor.

The audio system are a helpful addition for individuals who haven’t but managed to purchase a pair of the very best laptop audio system, and so they can get surprisingly loud. Nonetheless, they’re skinny and shrill sounding sufficient that we wouldn’t actually wish to use them for correctly listening to music or gaming.

Internally, there aren’t too many further options, such because the good TV modes you get on the Samsung G95SC or the KVM options you discover on another shows. Nonetheless, you get a picture-in-picture mode, plus this show helps Freesync Premium Professional, and it’s additionally G-Sync appropriate, so it could possibly synchronize its refresh charge with the body charge output out of your graphics card.

The same old little gaming extras can be found too, comparable to an on-screen crosshair – helpful for basically dishonest just a little in FPS video games the place there’s no on-screen reticle. Nonetheless, this crosshair doesn’t have a intelligent automated color-shifting characteristic to make sure it’s all the time seen on any background, comparable to on the MSI MPG 271QRX. There’s additionally a “Sniper Zoom” mode, which zooms in on the central portion of the display. We’ve by no means discovered a lot use for these modes, although.

Lastly, there’s after all HDR help. The display is simply rated to the HDR10 commonplace, which ensures it could possibly deal with and ship the 10-bit broad colour vary of HDR. Nonetheless, the display has no VESA DisplayHDR score, which is shocking for an OLED panel.

Design

It is a very smart-looking monitor, apart from one actually unusual addition. Can you notice it within the picture beneath? Sure, it’s that stand. It has a wonderfully fetching colour, and we applaud AOC for making it compact and low-profile – it’s fully flat so you may put desk adornments on prime of it – however its lopsided form is simply odd.  For those who have a tendency to finish up with a messy desk, you most likely received’t thoughts, because it’ll quickly get coated up, however in case you wish to maintain a clear house you might discover it distracting.

In AOC’s protection, the concept right here is similar as on the price range esports stand monitor it launched not too long ago, the primary characteristic of which was merely its small stand that leaves loads of room to your mouse and keyboard to be near the display. AOC highlights the identical characteristic on this show, and we predict it’s an excellent idea, however would favor a symmetrical model of the identical common concept.

That apart, the AG276QZD actually is elegantly appointed and well-made. The stand options a lot of sturdy metallic parts, with a silver paint end that appears just a little extra attention-grabbing than plain black plastic with out being too peculiar.

Likewise, the again of the panel has just a little little bit of aptitude to it, because of its angular form, with out being garish (assuming you flip off the rainbow LED results). The sides of the OLED panel are very slim, which has been a priority with dealing with some bigger OLED panels, however the stand’s deal with saves you from having to choose up the show by these skinny edges.

The lighting right here is additionally well-integrated, so it’s principally an invisible characteristic when it’s turned off fully, and it doesn’t look too foolish when turned on. It’s additionally brilliant sufficient to offer a lovely wash of lighting on the wall behind the panel, although it doesn’t have a mode that makes the lighting match the colours displayed on the display, as with a few of Philips’ new OLED displays. As such, we simply left it set to a heat white glow to offer a little bit of backfill lighting.

Onscreen show menus

AOC has a poor observe report on the subject of its onscreen menus, at the very least in case you return fairly a while. The corporate has improved its menus extra not too long ago, however the usability of this one appears like a step again.

The issue is the way in which the mini d-pad is used to navigate the menus. There’s an inconsistency with what every route does, relying on which a part of the menu you’re utilizing. Press on any route button with out the menu open, and also you activate the short capabilities assigned to these instructions, and also you additionally open the primary menu by urgent the d-pad inwards. You possibly can then navigate the primary menu with the instructions, and enter a menu part with one other press of the d-pad, however from right here the capabilities change.

When you’re in a sub-menu, urgent proper is now how you choose a operate, and urgent left is the way you exit a operate, besides generally you additionally must press within the d-pad. This will result in complicated conditions, comparable to when adjusting the amount or brightness setting, the place you need to press proper to activate it, press left or proper to regulate the setting itself, then press in on the d-pad to exit the setting earlier than urgent left to exit the sub-menu. It’s a multitude.

Fortunately, the menus truly present entry to just about each setting you will have or have to get the show setup how you want. This contains complete colour customization, with fast modes for switching to sRGB and DCI-P3 colour areas – with picture high quality that’s ok to go proper out of the field.

There are additionally a number of OLED care choices, together with a pixel orbiting mode that simply barely shifts which pixels are illuminated to cut back the onset of display burn. There aren’t fairly as many choices as you discover on some displays, such because the reasonably helpful AI-enhanced crosshair or different AI-enhanced static picture anti-burn-in choices on MSI’s newest screens, however there are ample choices to simply get the display arrange and get going.

Picture high quality

Let’s reduce proper to the chase. The LG WOLED panel on this monitor is just not nice on the subject of textual content readability. It suffers from coloured fringing showing across the edges of high-contrast parts like textual content, which may result in a fuzzy look that’s tough to learn.

You possibly can see examples of this challenge within the two pictures beneath, one among which reveals a bigger textual content, as you would possibly discover used for headlines, and the second of which reveals the smaller textual content you often discover on commonplace information articles, emails, and so forth. On the left is the AG276QZD, whereas on the fitting is a 27-inch LCD panel of the identical measurement and backbone.

In these pictures, you’ll see that the left edges of the bigger textual content on the left aspect of the picture have crimson/inexperienced/blue coloured dots/fringing all alongside them. It’s because the show is struggling to work out which of the panel’s white, crimson, inexperienced, and blue sub-pixels to light up to attain the graceful gray edges of the textual content. On the LCD on the fitting, the crimson, inexperienced, and blue sub-pixels are organized in a extra typical method that copes higher with these high-contrast edges.

The coloured fringing can look just a little distracting for bigger textual content and different high-contrast edges however is downright disruptive to your potential to learn textual content when it’s smaller. Within the above picture, you may see how the textual content takes on a very delicate, smudgy look on the left however appears a lot sharper on the fitting.

All that mentioned, the above pictures additionally present that textual content remains to be completely readable, so it’s not like this show and others prefer it are fully unusable. It’s extra that if, like me, you spend all day working at a display studying a variety of textual content, the shortage of sharpness is a significant damaging. For those who’re solely studying the odd webpage right here and there, or catching up on Discord and Twitch chat between gaming periods, although, it’s far much less of a problem.

What’s extra, whereas it’s not wonderful for textual content, this show is superb at most different duties. The inherent potential of OLED shows to provide true inky blacks means you get wonderful distinction, particularly when viewing the display in a darker setting.

In lighter rooms, the matte coating of the display could make black tones look just a little gray, however that is largely eradicated in the dead of night. In the meantime, the matte end does an excellent job of lowering the impression of brilliant reflections in comparison with shiny screens. On steadiness, I nonetheless want the shiny end of many of the QD-OLED panels I’ve reviewed not too long ago, however the matte end right here nonetheless appears nice.

Colours are additionally actually punchy and vibrant, enabling this show to present HDR content material with all of the vividness you’d hope for. That mentioned, the general brightness stage right here, and thus the impression of HDR, is just not all that prime. On common it could possibly solely hit 280nits brightness when at its most, which compares to usually round 400nits for a fundamental LCD display. Most QD-OLED shows I’ve examined additionally go just a little larger, although this display is notably brighter than the LG 27GR95QE, which makes use of an analogous LG WOILD panel. That mannequin topped out at simply 200nits in regular non-HDR modes.

In HDR, this panel’s brightness can enhance even larger however once more not as excessive as QD-OLEDs. What’s extra, non-white peak brightness is far decrease than on QD-OLEDs so very brilliant, vivid colours lack just a little punch in comparison with this display’s rival OLED know-how from Samsung.

One other key issue to notice on the subject of general picture high quality is that, by default, the display comes with an OLED care mode that continually varies the brightness of the display, relying on what it’s exhibiting on the time. All OLED screens do it to a level, however this panel – and that of the LG 27GR95QE – is especially aggressive. This may be fairly distracting however fortunately there’s a repair, which is to have interaction the Uniform Brightness mode. This might in concept cut back the lifetime of the panel barely, however we discovered the display was principally unusable with out it.

Gaming efficiency

The place this display’s OLED panel actually shines is on the subject of gaming efficiency. The mix of its 240Hz refresh charge with a ridiculously quick 0.03ms response time makes for extremely crisp and fast-feeling movement in video games. In our checks, the response time truly averaged at simply over 1ms, however that’s nonetheless far sooner than any LCD panel in real-world checks.

With adaptive sync caring for display tearing and stuttering, you additionally get a very easy picture. The flexibility of a 1440p decision at this display measurement and general pace can also be ideally suited. It means this show can flip its hand to delivering blistering body charges and response occasions in CS2 or Apex Legends, then ship beautiful visuals in additional cinematic titles, with which 1080p screens with sooner refresh charges battle to compete.

It’s not absolutely the final phrase in peak gaming efficiency, as screens that hit 360Hz and even 540Hz do inevitably sooner nonetheless – particularly these with backlight strobing blur discount modes – nevertheless it’s nonetheless sufficient efficiency for all however elite stage aggressive players.

Worth

Though it launched at a barely larger worth, the AG276QZD is now bought at $599.99 in each store we might discover. That makes it both the most cost effective mainstream-brand OLED panel of its sort, or the joint least expensive with the LG 27GR95QE, relying on whether or not the LG display has been discounted. As such, regardless that there are some points of its efficiency that aren’t best-in-class, it’s an excellent worth choice in case you simply wish to get in on the OLED enjoyable with out spending over the chances.

Options

MSI MPG 271QRX

For those who’re seeking to get an OLED display however need barely higher textual content high quality, even punchier colours, and a fair larger refresh charge, the MSI MPG 271QRX is a good purchase. It’s costlier than the AOC, at round $800, and has fewer further options nevertheless it’s a greater display general.

Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQML1A

For an excellent all-rounder display that’s significantly extra inexpensive than the AOC Agon Professional AG276QZD, the Asus TUF Gaming VG27AQML1A is a good choice. It makes use of an IPS LCD panel, so it could possibly’t attain fairly the identical ultra-fast response time and excessive distinction of an OLED, nevertheless it nonetheless has a 260Hz refresh charge, 1440p decision, and G-Sync compatibility, all for slightly below $400.

Verdict

The AOC Agon Professional AG276QZD doesn’t excel in each potential method. Its largest Achilles heel is its textual content high quality, which appears just a little tough in comparison with an LCD panel with the identical measurement and backbone, in addition to QD-OLED shows. It’s additionally missing just a little in peak brightness which, together with its matte coating, barely dulls the depth of its black ranges in brighter environments, and means it doesn’t have fairly the HDR punch of some QD-OLED screens or miniLED shows.

Nonetheless, in each different method, the AG276QZD is a good purchase. It’s full of options, together with audio system, a USB hub, and a headphone stand, and it presents incredible gaming efficiency. Its response time is blazing quick and its 240Hz refresh charge could be very nippy too.

As such, the AOC Agon Professional AG276QZD comes extremely beneficial as a pure gaming show, balancing efficiency, picture high quality, and worth to perfection. For extra of an all-rounder show for work – or the rest the place a variety of taking a look at textual content is required – although, there are higher selections obtainable elsewhere.