AOC has announced three affordable gaming monitors featuring high refresh rates and low response times. Part of the G42 lineup, these new displays offer a good basis for esports players and mid-range PCs, setting 180Hz as the starting point for the brand’s affordable series.
The G42 series is part of the AOC’s Gaming category, taking inspiration from the G4X and G4XE series. For this launch, the brand is releasing three models, the 24G42E, 25G42E, and 27G42E, all rocking a fast 180Hz 1920×1080 IPS panel with great characteristics for the price. Though not targeting professionals, their 90% DCI-P3 and 120% sRGB gamut coverages should allow for some minor colour work.
The main difference between these monitors is their size but there are some variations in design too. The 24G42E is the smallest of the bunch rocking the highest pixel density at 92.56PPI (Pixels Per Inch) which is welcome at this resolution. Next, we have the 25G42E offering 89.9PPI at 24.5in, striking a good compromise between size and sharpness. Lastly, for those wanting a large screen, the 27G42E tops at 27in, which translates into 81.59PPI.
All models use flat IPS panels rated for 1ms GtG pixel response times or 0.5ms MPRT (using Motion Blur Reduction – MBR feature). Contrast and brightness are typical, sitting at 1,000:1 and 300nits respectively. Adaptive Sync is also present, alongside the usual low blue light and flicker free features.
In terms of ergonomics, you can forget about height, swivel and pivot, you only get -3° to +21° tilt and that’s it. That said, you still have the 100x100mm VESA mount if you want to invest in a monitor arm. You can find some for as low as £25, so it could make for a smart pairing.
Connectivity is on the slim side, namely one DisplayPort 1.4 plus one HDMI 2.0. This is to be expected from a budget product but AOC is at least kind enough to package a 1.8m cable for each header.
AOC Gaming 24G42E, 25G42E, and 27G42E will be available this month for £114.99, £119.99, and £129.99, respectively, backed by a three-year warranty. This puts them among the most affordable monitors on the market where we find many other AOC displays. Any one of these models could provide great value to anyone on a tight budget or just wanting a fast secondary monitor.
