AOC CU34G2X Ultra-Wide Curved 144hz Gaming Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The new AOC CU34G2X/BK 34-Inch Ultrawide Gaming Monitor is available now for around £449.99 in the UK and $449.99 in the US. That’s pretty expensive, but not so much when you consider the sheer size of this panel, the features and technologies you get, and the quality of it. Screens like this were £1000+ not so long ago.

Sure, you can get last years model for about £70 less, but I suspect the stock will dry up soon and it doesn’t have the 144hz refresh rate this one does and the same level of HDR/Sync features.

Overview

It’s easy to see what AOC are one of the leading brands when it comes to high-performance monitors. The AOC CU34G2X shows their progression as a brand. Two years ago I reviewed the AG352UCG, which was £325 more expensive, and while it has a few more bonus gamer features, the cheaper model from this year still has a better panel, a higher refresh rate, and HDR! By that measure, you’ll be getting 200hz+ panels in ultrawide format for about £250 in two years time… albeit, it doesn’t always work that way.

Build Quality

It’s actually really robust, and the metal stand is really impressive when many cheaper models have switched to plastic stands. I thought AOC had cut costs by going for cheaper materials, or even cheaper panels, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. I guess panel production is moving in the right direction, allowing the same or better quality at a much lower price.

The only budget thing here is the OSD, which is basically the same as all other AOC monitors. With most brands pushing a unique gaming OSD, I think it’s time for AOC to match the market here, but it’s hardly a deal-breaker.

Performance

While a 16:9 might cut it for most people, there’s a growing demand for ultrawide. Why have two or even three monitors side by side when you could just get one? No bezels, no triple cables, no awkward setup, but one monitor that’s ready to rock. Plus 3440 x 1440 is a very good resolution for today’s GPUs to push, coming in at 4953600 pixels, or around 35% more than 2560 x 1440p, but still 40% fewer pixels than regular 4K gaming. That means that you can still push higher frame rates on fast graphics cards, and still enjoy a higher resolution.

Should I Buy One?

Ultrawide is like 4K, once you get used to those extra pixels or that extra space, it’s pretty much impossible to go back. The same is true with the higher refresh rate, and with this monitor having all that space, all those pixels, 144hz refresh rate and more, you’ll be crushed the next time you have to use a 16:9 1080p 60hz panel. It’s a LOT of screen and tech for a very reasonable price, I can’t recommend it enough!