This Affordable QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Makes Games Look Real
I'm always a fan of a great, no-frills option when it comes to gaming monitors, and AOC's Q27G4ZD purports to have almost everything a PC gamer could want, with a QD-OLED panel, 240-Hz refresh rate, and Nvidia G-Sync. It may be unexciting, but it's also at least $100 cheaper than its next comparable alternative, which is a great starting point.
In fact, I have very little negative to say about this screen. Its only flaws are relatively minor, fixable, or a matter of preference, which makes it an excellent choice for both gaming and media, thanks to its combination of panel type and high refresh rate. Most 1440p gamers will be very pleased with their purchase, as long as their PC can keep up. If you like gaming and need a good monitor, I recommend this one. QD-OLED Gaming
Photograph: Brad Bourque
The Q27G4ZD's standout feature is the QD-OLED panel, which marries the perfect black levels of individually lit OLEDs with the richer color performance of quantum dot technology. We have a full guide that breaks down different panel types and how they affect monitor performance if you want to learn more. As a result, this AOC panel will instantly look different to a standard LED panel, with a glossy finish that reflects your face like a dark mirror when turned off.
It also looks strikingly different when powered on. The glossy screen and QD-OLED panel made games I've played for hundreds of hours look fresh and new. The contrast between bright, vivid colors and deep, black shadows makes in-game environments really pop. I also really prefer playing at high refresh rates, so it was nice to not feel like I was making a tradeoff to have higher image quality.
Technology-wise, it's in the current sweet spot, in my opinion, for a 1440p monitor—especially with 300-Hz and 360-Hz panels few and far between. Most GPUs will already struggle to keep up with 240 Hz, so adaptive refresh here is basically a necessity, and the AOC comes equipped with Nvidia G-Sync. An important note here is that the HDMI port only supports up to 144 Hz at 1440p, so you'll want to make sure to use a DisplayPort for the full 240-Hz refresh rate. Everyday use
Photograph: Brad Bourque
I'm not as fond of the Q27G4ZD for productivity. The glossy screen doesn't help when I'm spending long hours staring at text and spreadsheets, especially during the day when it's light in my office. All of the gaming features, and the high refresh rate, feel a little odd when I'm just responding to emails. I do like it as a second screen though, thanks to how awesome it is for watching videos.
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