What’s better than an epic new 27″ gaming display? Two new epic displays!
Whilst the new wave of GPUs, CPUs, DDR5 memory and superfast storage has been getting a lot of media attention, monitor technology has quietly been improving at a seriously rapid rate. AOC’s newest monitors are a shining example (literally, in the case of the AG274QZM) of how far these displays have come in a relatively short space of time.
The AGON PRO AG274QZM is a breathtaking 27″ 240Hz QHD Mini-LED display with full-array local dimming, capable of hitting 1200 cd/m² peak brightness, making it ideal for mixed-media consumption of cinematic games, movies and TV shows.
The AGON PRO AG274QS is aimed at the competitive and esports gaming sector, and it has one of the first 300Hz QHD displays to be available for purchase.
Specs like these were unheard of just a few short years ago – now, gamers can have flagship technology at an attainable price. At just under £1,000, they aren’t exactly cheap, but as a regular AOC monitor user, they are certainly worth it. No matter what your PC or console has under the hood, I’d argue the monitor is the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to immersion and enjoyment.
With these specs AOC has you covered; whether you’re a competitive gamer looking for every millisecond advantage you can get without sacrificing image quality, or you’re a videophile who wants to get that massive visual impact that only FALD or OLED displays can provide, these new monitors represent some of the best that display technology has to offer.
AGON PRO AG274QZM
The AOC AGON PRO AG274QZM is the new member of the AGON PRO family geared towards the legends of the gaming community: pro-competitive players and esports enthusiasts. Sharing the exquisite craftsmanship of its family, the AGON PRO AG274QZM features an award-winning (red dot design award) form and heavy-duty, ergonomic stand. The stand, with built-in cable management, offers height, tilt, swivel and pivot adjustments for healthy, comfortable gaming sessions.
The 3-sides frameless 27“ IPS panel with 1.07 billion colours features a QHD resolution (2560×1440) and 240 Hz refresh rate, the best combination of features for today’s high-end competitive gaming. The QHD resolution offers a sweet spot for the current GPUs to achieve both high fidelity and high framerates. On the other hand, the 240 Hz refresh rate today represents the new base level for competitive FPS gamers, who were long accustomed to 144 Hz refresh rates and above. With a true 1 ms GtG response time, fast-paced action on the monitor appears smooth with virtually no ghosting. Thanks to the onboard Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, tearing and stutter are eliminated by using variable refresh rate technology.
The main feature of the competitive AG274QZM is its MiniLED backlight with 576 individual dimming zones. By turning on the backlight on only a small portion of the panel, the monitor can reach up to 1200 nits brightness to display bright visual features such as sunlight, fire etc., while displaying deep, dark shadows at the same time. This high dynamic range increases the perceived contrast ratio immensely and provides a rich, vivid and immersive gaming experience. With the included monitor shield, the display can overcome challenges such as bright ambient light or reflections from stage/fill lights, increasing the perceived contrast even more. Certified with VESA DisplayHDR 1000, the AG274QZM offers a true HDR experience, combined with a fast refresh rate and sharp QHD resolution.
Furthermore, the AG274QZM is great for gamers who also work from home or use their PCs for content creation. The versatile monitor offers USB-C connectivity, with 65 W power delivery to charge and power connected laptops. With 4x USB 3.2 ports, the monitor can act as a dock to connect additional peripherals such as keyboard, mouse etc. With a built-in KVM switch, users can swap between two sources (e.g. a gaming pc and a work or streaming pc) while using the same keyboard and mouse set.
To customise the monitor to users’ individual desk setups, the AG274QZM offers Light FX RGB lights on the back, which can be synchronised with other AGON by AOC gear. A logo projector also projects the AGON logo onto the desk for extra flair. The included puck-shaped QuickSwitch controller makes adjusting the OSD settings a breeze, while it can also be controlled via the joystick or the G-Menu software.
AGON PRO AG274QZM will be available from June 2022 at an RRP of £999.99.
AGON PRO AG274QS
AGON PRO’s current models with Full HD, the 25” AG254FG (360 Hz) or the 27” AG274FZ (260 Hz) demonstrate beautifully how exceptional speed can be combined with high-quality IPS panels and award-winning gamer-focussed designs. Now, with the 27” AG274QS, AGON by AOC brings sharper QHD resolution (2560×1440 pixels) up to breath-taking 300 Hz – one of the first QHD displays with such a high refresh rate on the market today.
By having more than twice the refresh rate of common 144 Hz gaming monitors, the AG274QS displays more frames each second, rendering the action with more fluidity and accuracy. Especially in FPS games where milliseconds matter, the quicker the user can see an opponent peeking around a corner, or the faster they can track opponents’ erratic movements in time, the swifter they can react and get the upper hand in competition.
The 3-sides frameless 27“ Fast IPS panel of the AG274QS features a QHD resolution (2560×1440) and 300 Hz refresh rate – dream specs for today’s gamer. Thanks to the 1 ms GtG and 0.5 ms MPRT response times, fast-paced action appears smooth and with virtually no ghosting on the monitor. And since the Adaptive-Sync technology and AMD FreeSync Premium support are on board, tearing and stuttering are eliminated by using a variable refresh rate.
To accompany gamers not only in fast-paced games, but also in photorealistic, immersive single-player experiences, the AG274QS comes with the DisplayHDR 600 certification. The display can push up to 600 nits peak brightness to display bright, eye-catching explosions, or crimson landscapes with jaw-dropping sunlight and harsh shadows at the same time.
The red dot design awarded AG274QS monitor follows the AGON PRO’s proven formula: almost non-existent bezels on three sides for potential multi-monitor setups, a logo projector to remind onlookers of the AGON PRO saga, and customisable and synchronisable RGB effects (Light FX) with other AOC gear thanks to the all-encompassing G-Menu software. Adding to the customisation, the AG274QS features a sturdy metal stand with a wide range of height, tilt, swivel adjustments and pivot orientation.
With 4x USB 3.2 ports, the monitor can act as a dock to connect additional peripherals such as a gaming keyboard, mouse, USB headset etc. With 2x 5W speakers with DTS sound, the AG274QS packs a punch. An integrated headset holder on the monitor further helps to declutter gamers’ battle stations. The included puck-shaped QuickSwitch controller makes adjusting the OSD settings a breeze, while it can also be controlled via the joystick, or the G-Menu software.
AGON PRO AG274QS will be available from June 2022 at an MSRP of £929.99.
