AOC GAMING U27G3X Gaming Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

As I said earlier in this review, this isn’t a cheap monitor, and you’ll be splashing out a hefty £499.99 for the AOC Gaming U27G3X, which is a lot for a 27″ monitor. However, keep in mind that this isn’t a humble 27″ gaming monitor, as it features a 4K resolution, a very high refresh rate of 160HZ, and some of the most impressive colour reproduction I’ve ever seen. It’s a premium monitor, and it comes with a premium price to match. You can order one from Amazon here.

Overview

This is a great monitor, but it does come with a few compromises that are worth keeping in mind. I think the aesthetics are pretty basic, and while I appreciate the simple and toned-down design, some monitors in this price range do look more “premium”. However, at the same time, if you don’t like shiny monitors with RGB, that’s a pro, not a con.

I think more expensive monitors should have a thumbstick control for the OSD, they’re easier to use and more premium, while this monitor uses a simple five-button input on the bottom bezel, which is pretty basic, but I guess it gets the job done.

The monitor has a semi-gloss anti-glare coating, which catches reflections in a bright environment. However, if you’re like me and do all your gaming in a dimly lit light-controlled room, then that is not an issue. Plus, you can counter light pollution with light pollution as the peak brightness of the monitor is over 450nits, so just crank it up and you’ll be able to game in a brighter room just fine.

The HDR mode is garbage, with HDR400 providing a wider colour gamut, but since it’s edge-lit, it doesn’t really look any better than the SDR mode does with the backlight turned up. My recommendation is to stick with the SDR mode.

However, little quirks aside, the staggering brightness, professional levels of colour accuracy, the fantastic 4K resolution and pin-sharp pixel density, and silky smooth refresh rate make for a truly next-gen feeling experience, assuming you either have a beefy PC to make the most of it or one of the latest consoles to use its 4K120 mode.

Should I Buy One?

If all you want is 4K, there are cheaper monitors, if all want is a high refresh rate, there are cheaper monitors, and if all you want is professional levels of colour reproduction, there are cheaper monitors. However, if you want all three in one package, then most other monitors of this specification are more expensive! There are compromises here, listed above, but this means this is one of the most affordable feature-packed panels on the market, and it delivers when it comes to a flagship gaming experience. The only way it would be better is with a multi-zone mini-LED backlight, but it would easily be twice the price if it had that.