AOC Agon Pro AG456UCZD 45-inch ultra-wide OLED gaming monitor review: Extreme curve and speedy performance

45-inch 21:9 OLED display with an 800R curve, WQHD 3440x1440 resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10 and wide gamut color.

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AOC Agon Pro AG456UCZD
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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The AG456UCZD is unique at this time, so I’ve brought in 34 and 49-inch OLED monitors for comparison. The group includes Asus’ PG34WCDM and PG49WCD, Samsung’s OLED G8 and G9, and Aorus’ CO49DQ.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

AOC Agon Pro AG456UCZD

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

240 Hz usually means a 4ms panel draw time but the AG456UCZD takes 5ms. When comparing Blur Busters’ motion patterns running at 240fps, there is no visible difference. Smoothness is assured at speeds above 200 Hz with perfect motion resolution for moving objects and panning backgrounds.

The AG456UCZD wins the total lag contest with a 22ms result. It doesn’t get much faster. Only a few 27-inch 16:9 flat OLEDs have gone quicker. I wouldn’t give up this giant curved screen for 3ms. This monitor is competition ready.

Test Takeaway: The AG456UCZD exhibits the perfect motion resolution and super low input lag I’ve come to expect from 240 Hz OLED monitors. It performs at the highest level and since its shape and size are unique, has no real competition. If you’re comparing it to smaller screens, they will have more pixel density but not the immersion factor of the AOC.

Viewing Angles

AOC Agon Pro AG456UCZD

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The AG456UCZD benefits in this test from its non-Quantum Dot panel. While that feature would expand the color gamut, it also introduces a subtle color shift off-axis. With its extreme 800R curve, AOC was right to select this panel. At 45 degrees, there is no visible change in brightness and only a slight blue tone. The vertical view also retains full luminance and gamma. This is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

AOC Agon Pro AG456UCZD

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

I’ve seen excellent screen uniformity from all the OLEDs I’ve reviewed. This technology is less prone to hotspots, bleed, or glow than LCD variants. The AG456UCZD has no visible issues when measuring a 10% gray field pattern. Brighter steps are also free of visible problems. There are no color uniformity anomalies either.

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.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Makaveli
    Looks good but these are a no for me dawg.

    800R curve too aggressive( which you call super immersive) lol
    1440P on 45 inch terrible PPI (so this is strictly a gaming monitor nothing else)

    Also why is is DP 1.2 and not 1.4?
    Reply
  • Findecanor
    Yet another "gaming only" monitor that would be awful for productivity.
    Reply
  • Makaveli
    Findecanor said:
    Yet another "gaming only" monitor that would be awful for productivity.
    Yes I prefer a monitor that allows me to do both.
    Reply
  • oofdragon
    Guys pls stop this cr.. even 24 is too large for 1080p density, why waste time, effort and materials in a monitor so large but with such a poor pixel density? That size is already 4K density, it should def have been 5120x2160, it even costs $1399!! Just no,nsens this to refurb and do right next time
    Reply
  • The Historical Fidelity
    oofdragon said:
    Guys pls stop this cr.. even 24 is too large for 1080p density, why waste time, effort and materials in a monitor so large but with such a poor pixel density? That size is already 4K density, it should def have been 5120x2160, it even costs $1399!! Just no,nsens this to refurb and do right next time
    I was about to reply about the 45” 3440x1440 issue when I saw yours. I totally agree, it was a big letdown when I read 3440x1440….I want to replace my 10 year old 34” 3440x1440 curved monitor but I’m not paying for a side-grade (I regard the worse PPI to offset the larger size of this monitor so “side-grade”)

    This article got my hopes up as a 45” 21:9 2160p ultrawide OLED with an aggressive curvature is exactly what I want lol. Too bad…
    Reply
  • kookykrazee
    Wow! $1400 for a gaming only curved monitor? For this same price I could have a 4K TV that would do the job nearly as well for both gaming and production.
    Reply