AOC GAMING 27G2SPU 165Hz IPS Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The AOC Gaming 27G2SPU 165Hz Gaming Monitor is available for around £260–£280, but I couldn’t find it in stock at any retailers I really know. That doesn’t mean much though, it could simply be out of stock on Amazon today, and back tomorrow, so it’s certainly worth having a shop around. However, you can find more information on the AOC website, including a Where to Buy section here. There’s also a 24″ version of the same specification, which is available for just £199.99.

Overview

AOC is one of the biggest names in the business, with a vast range of monitors ranging from budget office boxes to flagship gaming monsters, so it’s fair to say they know what they’re doing. The AOC Gaming 27G2SPU isn’t their most extreme model, not by a long shot, but it’s impressive the performance and quality you get in this price range. For those looking for their first taste of higher refresh rates or to get a fresh edge in competitive gaming and eSports, this isn’t going to break your bank balance too hard.

I’m a big fan of 4K gaming, but I must admit, my love for it is slipping. I had more fun this week playing GTA Online on a Full HD 165 Hz monitor than I do on my 4K 60 Hz monitor, as the smoothness, clarity and response times are just night and day. Sure, I’d love to game at 4K 165 Hz, but the demands on the GPU would be astronomical.

The 1ms fast response rate, the sync technologies, and the high refresh rate, all combine to make a fantastic gaming experience and there’s no doubt about it, it does improve your performance. You’ll hit more headshots, you’ll see the enemy sooner and more clearly, and you’ll track your shots cleaner. There’s no snake oil here, higher fresh rates are superb. You can get higher refresh rate monitors than this, and they’re fantastic too, but this is a sweet spot in terms of GPU power requirements and improvements in gaming performance. Anything beyond this and you will see a return, but a diminishing return in my opinion.

I would like a few more pixels for my day-to-day work, but I can hardly hold it against this monitor when it’s marketed as a gaming monitor, not a productivity monitor. That being said, for most daily tasks, such as social media, YouTube, email and all that, a full HD monitor is hardly a hindrance.

Should I Buy One?

AOC has a damn fine monitor here, and the 27G2SPU offers up a decent panel size, fantastic ergonomics and decent connectivity too; it even offers a VGA port! The real star of the show, however, is the panel performance, giving you a big taste of high-end eSports thrills at a more consumer-friendly price point. A solid investment for any competitive gamer, but also those who just want to experience silky smooth gaming. Highly recommended.