AOC’s AG274QZM will be released in Summer 2022. It’s a 27-inch QHD (2560x1440p resolution), IPS panel that operates up to 240 Hz and is HDR1000 certified. It even has multiple ways to adjust the display, including turning it vertically, but it does require a separate power supply to use, which is unfortunately quite large.
It’s a black monitor with a solid base, and admittedly, it’s a little too big, and it also needs extra vertical space for this feature to work. Fortunately, it doesn’t protrude more than a few centimeters, and usually its depth is worst viewed from the side. The legs are metal and the stand has the typical AGON red paint, although the front of the monitor is black with no AGON logo.
The monitor supports DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 with two different entry points. There are plenty of USB ports to choose from: four USB-A, one USB-B and one 65W USB-C, which also work in DP Alt state. That means it can connect directly to a PC via USB-C. Premium add-ons include a KVM switch, so you can connect two computers to the same monitor, and even choose to switch between keyboard and mouse signals to control both computers.
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There’s a classic navigation joystick on the back of the monitor, which doubles as a power button with a long press. The navigation menu is clear and easy to use. You also get a separate navigation controller, so you don’t have to keep reaching for the back of the monitor. However, the add-on controller doesn’t include a power button, so you still need to go to the back of the monitor to use this feature.
When playing a game, the monitor will show what it does. 240 Hz makes the display lightning fast, and while the colors need calibration, they look great after that. MiniLEDs bring a ton of brightness and contrast, and since you need at least 1000 nits of brightness to get the HDR1000 certificate, that’s apparently more than enough. AOC does claim it has a maximum brightness of 12000 NITS for those looking to push the limits of color. MiniLEDs make blacks very black, and even if you put white cursors on a black screen, the cursors will automatically dim to compensate. Unlike many IPS monitors, this one doesn’t suffer from the typical glare.
The AG274QZM is great for gaming, and poorly optimized stuff tends to have little to do with actual gaming. MiniLED will raise the price of course, you need to be prepared to pay £1000. That’s a lot of money for a monitor that’s only 27 inches. You can buy three mid-range monitors for this price, but if you want the best of the best, the AG274QZM is an excellent choice as you will be impressed by the color, fluidity and performance.
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