AOC AGON 5 5th Generation gaming monitors are here, with a subtle but significant design update and epic performance
AOC has recently announced the latest generational update to its AGON range of gaming monitors. The new 5th-gen updates feature performance improvements across the board and some aesthetic changes that are most welcome.
If you’ve seen any of our reviews of the AGON 4 series of monitors, there’s one thing we always mention, which is the large footprint of their stands. For the 27″ models it’s not such a big deal, although they are still prohibitively large. On the 32″+ monitors, the stands were just too big, dominating your work/play space.
Responding to this, AOC has shrunk the footprint of its stands. Until I get one on my desk I can’t accurately say how much better this improvement will be, but judging by the press release images it’s clearly a step in the right direction.
The bigger headline here is that the new generation uses a new performance delta – what would have been a premium feature on the older models is now the standard for the entry and mid-range models. This means far more bang for your buck, and considering AOC is arguably the best around for affordability, this is great news for gamers; Wide colour gamuts, high refresh rates, and low input lag will become the norm, and we couldn’t be happier.
No generational launch is complete without a couple of new monitors to showcase it, and AOC has made a statement with its first announcement. Two new QHD displays lead the charge, offering premium performance at a wallet-friendly price. Look at the specs, and you’ll see why I’m so excited about these new displays; You could be mistaken for thinking you’re looking at the AGON PRO specs from the 4th-gen, but no, these are the affordable 5th-gen AGON monitors!
AGON AG275QX
The AG275QX (£339.99) is a 1440p IPS display with a 165Hz (170Hz OC) refresh rate, rapid response, and 10bit (8bit+FRC) colour depth. It’s also Freesync Premium certified and G-Sync compatible, making this ideal for pretty much everyone.
Additionally, the AG275QX has 94% DCI-P3 gamut coverage. This kind of gamut coverage used to be reserved for only the best monitors out there – that AOC has made this available in what is essentially a lower-midrange monitor is incredible.
AGON AG275QXN
The AG275QXN (£279.99) is a 1440p VA panel, also running at 165Hz, but this is no ordinary VA panel – AOC’s AGON AG275QXN is one of the first VA panels in the world with a 1ms G2G (grey to grey) response time. Having cutting-edge tech like this in a £279.99 monitor is unheard of.
Could this signify the end of the dreaded VA smear? With much higher native contrast and faster response, VA panels like this could be the future for gamers who enjoy cinematic games and movies as well as fast-paced competitive games.
Both these new displays have MBR (motion blur reduction), extreme low input lag, and a personal favourite of mine, a four-port USB hub for connecting peripherals.
An interesting new feature on the AG275QX and AG275QXN is Console Mode, which will take a 4K/120Hz signal and downscale it to 1440p. As good as this feature is, Xbox Series X|S actually supported native 1440p from launch and the PS5 is rolling the feature out as we speak, so I’m not sure this feature has come at the right time. Previously, the PS5 used to downscale 4K to 1080p, and then the monitor would be left to upscale to 1440p, but with native 1440p support on both consoles, it’s a solution to a problem that no longer exists.
I can’t wait to get these monitors on my test bench. Premium display tech is about to get a whole lot more attainable!
