AOC PDS271 Porsche Design Monitor Review

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By Christian Eberle
published

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Conclusion

Over the past five years, we’ve reviewed nearly two dozen AOC monitors; and every one has sported a high level of style with a nod towards beauty. By partnering with Studio F.A. Porsche, the company has upped the aesthetic even further. While we realize it comes down to personal preference, we think the PDS271 is one of the nicest looking displays available right now.

Unfortunately, there are two flaws here that we hope will be rectified soon. The first, obviously, is resolution. We acknowledge that 1920x1080 is still the dominant standard on the desktop, both at work and at home. But with the inevitable evolution of performance and the continued downward spiral of prices, there is no reason we can’t up this standard to a more palatable 2560x1440, especially considering the 27” form factor.

Granted, smaller screens are just fine at FHD’s lower dot count. We think the pixel density sweet spot is around 100ppi, 92 at the lowest. A 27”, QHD panel offers 109ppi while an FHD monitor delivers 92ppi at 24” and 100ppi at 22”. So complaints about resolution become more relevant once you reach the 27” size of the PDS271. And in fairness, there is a 24” version of this display (the PDS241).

We would also be remiss if we didn’t point out the 6-bit+FRC color depth of this panel. There is no good reason for this unless gaming performance is a design goal. Then, the added speed and response make a reduction in bit-depth worthwhile. But any panel intended for general use should be 8-bits native.

Those issues aside, the PDS271 is a very nice monitor. The DCI-P3 native color gamut is a pleasant surprise, although we wish there were an sRGB option in the OSD. The menu is designed to be simple and uncluttered and that is certainly the case here. But two gamut options and a set of RGB sliders would be a welcome addition that would make this display far more competitive.

Who will the PDS271 appeal to? Users looking to make an aesthetic statement in their workspace, for sure. Feature-wise, it’s a little short of the mark, but styling is far ahead of the norm. And measured performance is on par with most other business-class screens. We’ve reviewed many elegant monitors but this one is a cut above. And most of your co-workers will likely envy you before you even turn it on.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

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11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Raven_BC
    It seems we are close to reaching the summit of stupidity. "Porsche design" - what to f...? Just to get higher price and destroy more environment or maybe there is a single reasonable reason to make such a crap? Almost all the electronics is just a crap today and they seem to be working on a more sophisticated crap. All the companies producing that stuff seem to compete is a shit production and who destroys the Nature quicker and on a bigger scale. Really? Are we that stupid, blind, deaf, etc? Turn off your tv and radio and turn on your critical thinking Guys. Enjoy Your Life :)
    Reply
  • dscribner111
    You didn't just sit and read through an entire article of "crap", complain everything is crap, then chastise us for enjoying this crap, only to say turn off tv and radio to enjoy life?

    Ummm, ok?
    Reply
  • 237841209
    It may look nice to some people, but I still don't see any reason to buy one.
    Reply
  • Ieatbrains83
    Raven what are you even doing on toms hardware if you have such a problem with tech. The one. Cable idea is sharp but other than that who cares about another 1080 monitor it's not that cool.
    Reply
  • tamalero
    The monitor seems pretty mediocre. Seems they put all the research and design. And backed it with zero substance and functionality compared to the competitors.
    Reply
  • canadianvice
    I basically only want something that doesn't look like I pulled it out of a garbage dump. Porsche design, I guess, is just a bit too far beyond my uncultured plebian tastes.

    Or at least, not for the amount of extra money they're likely to ask for it.
    Reply
  • AlistairAB
    The fact that the concluding page doesn't mention the word HDR is telling. DCI without HDR and 10 bit support isn't worth it.
    Reply
  • mrmez
    I stopped reading at 1920x1080.
    Think I'll stick with my 5K 27" from 2014 for now.
    Reply
  • reghir
    Amazon must have read the review now price down to $189.31 :)
    Reply
  • Flying-Q
    I saw 'Porsche' and thought this might be good, then I read 1920x1080 and 6bit and was immediately turned off. I have a couple of clients who would lap this thing up, except I would never let them know it existed. I hope they never find out.

    My first thought on seeing the rear view was 'that will sag eventually due to the off centre mounting point.' I like the single cable design, though if you turn the power brick sideways in the natural 'behind-the-stand' orientation the AOC logo will be upside down to the user. It will, however be the right way around to the user's client in a sales room, and all of the rear is clean enough for that environment. I still won't tell my clients that it exists though.
    Reply