Why you can trust Tom's Hardware
I look forward to the day when an OLED gaming monitor costs the same as its LCD counterpart. That means around $400 for a speedy 27-inch flat panel or $500 for a 34-inch ultra-wide model. Today is not that day, but we’re a bit closer than when you started reading this. The AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD shows you can get nearly all the performance of an $800 OLED for $650.
There are a couple of flaws here. There is no variable brightness option, so the measured peak brightness is around 236 nits in both SDR and HDR modes. That’s not a problem for SDR content, which doesn’t rely on strong highlights for its impact. That comes from the AG346UCD’s large color gamut which is the largest of any OLED I’ve reviewed at over 112%. It is without a doubt, very colorful.
I found room for improvement in HDR. In addition to low relative brightness, the most saturated colors weren’t quite saturated enough. In my gamut tests, everything up to around 60% was on target, but shades over that mark fell short. Since the AG346UCD has more than enough potential coverage, I must conclude that this monitor will soon receive a firmware update.
There was certainly no fault with its gaming prowess. It makes as much of 175 Hz as most other OLEDs make from 240. You don’t need to pay extra for more Hertz; the gain is almost zero. I enjoyed smooth motion with crisp detail in both moving and static images. And input lag from my perspective was a non-factor. Gaming with the AG346UCD is both precise and satisfying.
If you’ve hesitated at the entry price for an OLED gaming monitor, consider the AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD. It has it where it counts and is a pleasure to use for both work and play.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
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.
-
Deflott I bought this monitor for 590€ and im super happy with it, only thing I'm not used to is when i play game like kcd without brightness setting and there is night I can't see anything :/Reply -
dave.rara66 I'm sure it's a nice monitor, but for the same price you can buy the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. While it's capped at 165Hz (hardly a noticeable decrease) it has great HDR performance and a better warranty.Reply
Not better as in longer, but better in that they will never make you send in a monitor for repair. They instead ship you a new replacement panel (no deposit required) and you just drop the defective one in the same box and send it back - all prepaid. Best warranty ever (3 years). -
Deflott
I bought agon for 590€ while Alienware one you sent cheapest i could find for 786€dave.rara66 said:I'm sure it's a nice monitor, but for the same price you can buy the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. While it's capped at 165Hz (hardly a noticeable decrease) it has great HDR performance and a better warranty.
Not better as in longer, but better in that they will never make you send in a monitor for repair. They instead ship you a new replacement panel (no deposit required) and you just drop the defective one in the same box and send it back - all prepaid. Best warranty ever (3 years). -
dave.rara66
I should have clarified that the prices I'm seeing are in the USADeflott said:I bought agon for 590€ while Alienware one you sent cheapest i could find for 786€