The display giant continues its market dominance, a testament to its commitment to innovation and gamer-centric design. Today, I’m diving into what makes AGON by AOC my top choice, and just for fun, ranking some of my favourite AOC monitors.
AOC has once again solidified its position as a leader in the gaming industry, having been named the number one gaming monitor brand worldwide for an impressive sixth year in a row. This continued success, as reported by industry analysts IDC, underscores AOC’s dedication to providing cutting-edge technology and features that resonate with gamers of all levels.
The brand’s extensive portfolio, which includes the high-performance AGON series, consistently pushes boundaries with faster refresh rates, higher resolutions, and innovative panel technologies like OLED and Mini-LED. This focus on catering to the diverse needs of the gaming community, from esports professionals to casual enthusiasts, has been a key driver in their sustained market leadership.
Kevin Wu, Head of the Monitors Business Unit at AOC, has previously stated, “Being recognised once again at the top reaffirms our commitment to gamers everywhere. We will continue to evolve alongside the gaming community, creating hardware and gaming experiences that meet the ambitions of today’s most demanding players.” This sentiment is clearly reflected in their product development and the positive reception they receive from both critics and consumers.
I’ve tested dozens of monitors from leading brands, but AOC time and again comes out on top, both in outright performance and in terms of value to us, the consumers. So without further ado, here are my personal favourites, and hopefully you’ll see why I believe that AOC and the AGON brand deserve every one of their accolades.
AOC’s Finest
1. AOC AGON PRO AG326UD QD-OLED Monitor – My ideal (and current) monitor.
The AOC AGON AG326UD is my favourite OLED monitor so far. It is perfectly set up straight out of the box, and the colours and extensive dynamic range inherent to its QD-OLED panel are simply stunning. Like most OLEDs, the blistering responsiveness makes it a gamer’s dream, and it’s also an amazing display for watching your favourite shows and movies. Combine it with one of the best modern GPUs and/or the latest consoles, and you’ve got a sumptuous visual experience that’s hard to beat, especially at this price point.
If you’ve managed to snag an RTX 5090 or you want to plan for the future of your setup, you may want to consider holding out for AOC’s take on the next gen of monitors, with 4K/240 Hz (and dual-refresh/resolution) panels gradually hitting the market, but in the here and now, this is one of the best monitors you can buy.
2. AOC AGON PD32M Porsche Design Monitor: Ultimate HDR – The monitor that showed me how good HDR could be.
It’s hard to believe this monitor came out three years ago, but it’s still one of the most memorable monitors I’ve ever tested.
The AGON by AOC PD32M Porsche Design is an incredible HDR monitor. Thanks to the 1,152 dimming zones and insanely high peak brightness, this is a true HDR experience that you won’t be able to get enough of. The out of the box colour accuracy of the ultra-wide gamut display is good enough for all but the most serious professional creators, and the default settings are essentially perfect. If you like the simplicity of plug and play tech, you’ll love the PD32M.
I’ve tried my hardest to find anything to complain about, but I’m struggling. At a push, if I was into competitive/esports games I’d like the responsiveness to be just a hair faster, but there are other displays specifically designed for that task. A more prominent negative is the massive amount of power this display uses, especially with the recent energy cost increases (in the UK, at least). Although, after using this display for a month, I have to say I didn’t notice any excess usage above my monthly average, so it shouldn’t be of much concern.
Where the PD32M excels is in how well it performs across virtually every conceivable use-case scenario. Whether you love watching HDR movies and shows or taking in the stunning vistas of the latest cinematic gaming masterpiece the AOC PD32M is simply sublime.
3. AOC AGON PRO AG456UCZD – Big, bold, beautiful, and utterly brilliant!
This behemoth is not necessarily the best big screen monitor I’ve tested – the resolution to screen size could be improved, for example – but I still have happy memories of getting lost in movies and grinding the hours away on Diablo 4. It’s an experience unlike almost nothing else, and in true AOC style, keeps up with the limited competition without eating up (all) of your money.
OLED monitors are undoubtedly the kings of gaming, and the AG456UCZD is a perfect example of why. It does everything not just well, but brilliantly. The AGON AG456UCZD has a small amount of competition from rivals but manages to undercut all of them on price without sacrificing quality. Brand allegiances aside, there’s no reason to choose one of the others over this display, aside from maybe the Xeneon Flex and its bendable screen, but you can expect to pay another £200+ for the privilege.
I’ve tested a few smaller OLEDs in various form factors and sizes, but this 44.5” behemoth is perfect for me. Yes, she’s a big girl, but the advantages outweigh almost any negative I can think of. If you need a flat screen for editing purposes or increased resolution so you can cram more data on your screen then I’d recommend looking elsewhere, but if your primary desire is to be entertained by the best games, blockbuster movies and TV shows, this monitor is, dare I say it, almost perfect. Falling into the aforementioned camp of needing more resolution for productivity, I’d still hold out for a 2160p variant of this monitor, but if I absolutely had to get a new monitor right now, this would be the one.
Finally, the lack of HDMI 2.1 is slightly disappointing, as is the incompatibility with consoles due to screen ratio adjustment not always working as intended. This could be a dealbreaker depending on your needs, so it’s important to highlight. Aside from this, the AG456UCZD could be just the giant screen monitor you’ve been waiting for.
4. AOC Q27G4X – Proof that great monitors don’t have to require a second mortgage.
Just like its 1080p sibling, the 27G4X, the QHD AOC Q27G4X is affordably awesome. The colour accuracy, vibrancy, clarity, motion handling and high refresh rate are things I would have been raving about in a premium display a few years ago. The fact that this has trickled down to AOC’s budget range now is nothing short of incredible.
Sure, you forgo a few premium nice-to-haves like expanded connectivity options, speakers and a USB hub, and the uniformity is average, but none of these detracts from just how much of a great deal this is.
More than likely we’ll see a U27G4X 2160p variant, too, and without even knowing if it will exist (but it probably will), I’m confident it will be both a bargain and a high-quality display. AOC has been knocking it out of the park in the budget sector recently, with no signs of slowing down. The Q27G4X is yet another stunning example that affordable shouldn’t mean awful.
5. AOC AGON 4 PRO AG324UX – Old faithful – my daily driver!
I’ve been using this monitor day-in, day-out for over three years now. Jam packed with useful features like USB-C, KVM and the amazing quick-switch puck remote control, this monitor still looks as vibrant and impressive as the day I got it. I did buy a new slimmer stand (easily compatible via the vesa 100 mount), but other than that, I have zero complaints.
From my review; “This monitor was very kindly gifted to me by AOC, for which I am eternally grateful. It’s not hyperbole when I say that this monitor is absolutely perfect for me, and if I was reviewing it as though I was the only one who’d ever get one, it’s a definite 10/10. If your requirements are the same or similar to mine, you will not be disappointed.
In the interest of fairness, though, the final score is marked the same as every other display we test, and although it’s my ideal monitor, the modest peak brightness, huge stand, average contrast and lack of full dimming for HDR stops this display earning a perfect score. This is more than made up for with excellent gaming performance, superb colour and a comprehensive feature set.
In the battle of the big-screen monitors, the AG324UX is a definite winner.”
6. AOC AGON PRO AG276QZD – The first OLED I reviewed, and it blew me away.
Until I tested my first OLED gaming monitor, I wasn’t convinced that the higher price (at the time) was worth it, but how wrong could I be! I’m 100% all-in on OLED now, and you should be too. It’s unbelievably good. This competitively priced (good old AOC) OLED beast showed me what I was missing out on, and I’ve never looked back. Sure, they have vastly improved some of the features (like brightness limiting, which is far less invasive now, and the panel care tech is leaps better, but for a first OLED, this was a compelling option.
From my original review; “The picture quality is fantastic, with wonderfully vivid and accurate colour, superb contrast, and blacks so deep you could drown in them. When it comes to gaming, the response is incredible, and the combination of a 27” screen, 1440p resolution, and a 240 Hz refresh rate is pretty much the benchmark for eSports pros. Throw in meaningful HDR support, and the AG276QZD is the complete package.
The speed at which the brightness limiter kicks in feels too fast and too sharp, but this only bothered me when viewing web pages or creating documents, and can easily be negated by using the screen uniformity setting (albeit with reduced brightness). There was also the slight flickering with G-Sync turned on, but on the rare occasions it occurred, it didn’t bother me too much (and could potentially be fixed with a firmware update).
There’s a bit of competition for the AGON AG276QZD, but its main competitors use the same panel, so any differences are likely to be minor. For many people, price is likely to be the key differentiator that sways their decision, and with the AG276QZD recently getting a price reduction, I can imagine a lot of people going for this monitor.”
AOC’s continued dominance in the gaming monitor market is a clear indicator of their understanding of gamer needs and their ability to deliver high-quality, innovative products. As gaming technology continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how AOC further pushes the boundaries of visual excellence.
