AOC G2790PX – Image quality

This display uses a TN LCD panel, so the first thing you’ll note with regards to image quality is its poor viewing angles. Turning the screen from left to right, it stays reasonably consistent. Tilt it up and down, however, and there’s a noticeable lightening and darkening of the image.

This is just the inherent compromise of this screen technology, though. Crucially, the image doesn’t completely deteriorate until the screen is angled far higher or lower than you’d ever use it – unlike the very worst TN displays.

However, you will notice a gradual change in colour across the expanse of the screen, as the angle to your eye naturally changes from one side of the screen to the other.

Related: Best gaming monitors

This mostly goes unnoticed except for the light grey colours, which are often used as borders and backgrounds in apps. Borders round a Word documents, the backgrounds on websites or the folders in Outlook, for example. This can be a little distracting, especially if you spend a long time using Excel, Word, Outlook and the like. It’s far less noticeable when gaming or watching video, however.

These characteristics are all fairly typical of basic TN LCD panels. Some more premium TN displays are noticeably better: the Asus PG258Q, for instance. The G7290PX doesn’t feel any better than the most basic displays in this regard.

***BenQ GL2580HM*** – Non-calibrated image quality metrics

• Max Brightness: 373 nits
• Contrast: 1144:1
• Gamma: 2.44
  
• Colour temperature: 6610K
• Delta E average: 0.2
• Delta E Maximum: 4.71
• sRGB coverage: 92.7%

More impressive than some monitors is this display’s contrast. With a measured ratio of 1144:1, the screen comfortably exceeds the 1000:1 level we’d normally hope for; some cheap TN displays fall well below this. As such, you get a deep, rich-looking image, with none of the washed-out greyness that low contrast results in.

Overall colour reproduction is decent, too. Colours pop but have a realistic quality to them, with no oversaturation or coloured tinge. The white point measures 6610K, which is very close to the ideal colour temperature of 6500K.

Less impressive is the gamma score. The default gamma1 setting is too high (2.44), resulting in an image that looks too dark. Switching to the gamma2 setting is the way to go; its score of ***2.21*** is much closer to the ideal of 2.2.

***BenQ GL2580HM*** – Calibrated image quality metrics

• Contrast: 1042:1
• Gamma: ***2.15***
  
• Colour temperature: 6372K
• Delta E average: 0.14
• Delta E Maximum: 1.43
• sRGB coverage: 93.3%

When all is said and done, this display is fine in terms of image quality for  gaming – colour accuracy is hardly the highest priority for competitive gaming. For general desktop use, however, it isn’t great. AOC has done a decent job of setting up the display to provide a reasonable colour balance, but it’s still a fairly low-quality LCD panel.

When it comes to gaming, though, this display is good. Not spectacular, but good.

The 27-inch size and 1080p resolution works well together for competitive gaming, providing a large, clear image that’s great for spotting your enemies hidden in the undergrowth. 4K gaming is great for single-player games where you just want to luxuriate in the world, but for multi-player games, the bigger the pixels the better.

The combination of the 144Hz and FreeSync works well too, making for a tear- and stutter-free image that feels responsive. However, it’s far from the most cutting-edge gaming experience to be had.

Why buy the AOC G2790PX?

This is an odd mix of a monitor. It has the exterior of a more premium model, with styling that would grace any desk, and a plentiful list of features.

However, the display itself is decidedly mediocre. The 27-inch size and 1080p resolution works well for competitive gaming but looks a little stretched and pixellated for most other tasks.

Meanwhile, the overall image quality is okay for a basic TN screen, but it isn’t really any better than far cheaper models.

It’s the same story when it comes to gaming. The 144Hz and FreeSync combo works well enough, but it’s far from outstanding.

Ultimately, for just £20 more you can get the AOC AG251FZ. It offers better overall image quality, a more balanced 25-inch and 1080p size/resolution combo, and a refresh rate of 240Hz. It lacks the narrow bezel of this display, but it’s still a smart-looking device.

Verdict

A stylish, feature-rich gaming monitor let down by middling image quality.

Trusted Score