You've got to love a bright and contrasty OLED gaming screen, right? Yes, but there's also the matter of money. The new LG UltraGear is incredible. It costs $1,400. Ouch. A pair of new OLED screens announced by AOC is a particularly good thing.
AOC is a brand that knows how to deliver value. Enter the new 27-inch OLED gaming monitors with 1440p resolution and 32-inch OLED gaming displays with 4K resolution from AOC. They don't seem to be breaking any new technological ground. They do, however, achieve the lowest price points for such displays, at least in terms MSRP or recommended pricing.
The 27-inch model costs PS650 in the UK while the 32-inch is PS740. Comparing the LG with the latter, it is a much better value. We have seen 27-inch OLEDs at lower prices than these, but those are not the MSRP prices.
AOC has not yet provided us with US pricing. We'd expect the same figures in dollars. The MSI MAG 321UPX is currently the cheapest 32" 4K OLED. It costs around $900, and is identical to our review of the MSI MPG 321URX.
How did AOC do it? AOC's 4K Samsung QDOLED panel is mature, which is part of the reason. It's bound have come down a bit in price.
The 32-inch AOC Agon PRO AG326UD model, which uses a QD-OLED display, runs at only 165 Hz, compared to 240 Hz for other 4K 32-inch models using the same panel. This includes the MSI and LG models that were mentioned above.
Yes, it's a downgrade. How often do you get 240 fps on the latest 4K games? In most situations, 165 Hz frame rate is high enough. We'd say it's enough for 4K.
You'll also miss out on USB-C compatibility, which is perhaps even more of a disappointment. If you don't care about that, the idea of a cheaper 4K OLED is still appealing.
The AOC Agon ProAG276QZD2 is also a Samsung QDOLED-based model but it's 27 inches in size and has 1440p. The refresh rate is 240 Hz. This is half the refresh rate of the latest 27-inch OLEDs with 480 Hz, such as the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP.
How much do you really care? The 480 Hz refresh rate will be appreciated by serious esports players. For most of us, the OLED experience with 240 Hz at a lower price will be very appealing.
Neither of these panels is cheap. Sometimes, you can find a 32-inch LCD monitor with 4K resolution and 144 Hz for less than $400. A 27-inch LCD panel with 1440p and 240 Hz is also now available for less than $200.
You're still paying handsomely to enjoy the OLED experience. It's still a lot more expensive than before. We hope to get both of these panels in our hands soon so we can tell you just how good a deal they are.
Comments