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Grayscale, Gamma & Color
For the most part, the AG352UCG comes from the factory with excellent color, gamma, and grayscale accuracy. We suggest a few small tweaks for the very best result, but most users will be satisfied to simply set brightness to taste and play on.
Grayscale Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests are described in detail here.
We begin in the Agon’s default state with Gaming Mode turned off and the color temp on its Warm preset. Contrast is at 50 and Gamma is on preset 1. This gives us decent grayscale tracking with slightly visible errors at 10 and 80-100%. The darker step looks a little blue but only if you know what you’re looking for. If we hadn’t told you about it, you probably wouldn’t see it. The warmth in the brighter steps is even less obvious.
The anomaly at 10% continues in the sRGB preset. This mode fixes output at a bright 315cd/m2 with an average grayscale error of 2.78dE. If you don’t choose to calibrate, we suggest selecting the User color temp. Without any RGB adjustments, it offers slightly better tracking than Warm. More importantly, it fixes a gamma problem which we’ll show you in the next section.
Reducing the red slider by two clicks tightens up tracking from 30-100%, but slight blue errors remain at 10 and 20. The chart is a bit unusual, but overall tracking is good here. Among gaming monitors, this is average performance.
Comparisons
If you’re satisfied with an average white balance error of 2.75dE, then you need only change the color temp preset to User and set brightness to your preferred level. No other tweaks are needed for excellent contrast and image quality. By reducing the red level slightly, we lowered the average error to 1.82dE. It’s a last place finish in this group but still an average result for the gaming category. The first three screens are quite good in this test and rival many professional displays for grayscale accuracy.
Gamma Response
Gamma tracking is the main reason for choosing the AG352UCG’s User color temp preset. All other modes clip highlight detail, which results in visible harshness in the brighter zones of the picture. In most cases, when we see a chart like this, we lower the contrast slider. And indeed, that technique will work here, but it reduces dynamic range by nearly 50%. The better approach is to simply select the User preset. Tweaking the RGB sliders is optional. Gamma is now as close to perfect as any monitor we’ve tested at any price. This is what ideal looks like, and it has a positive effect on color saturation and luminance.
Comparisons
The AG352UCG posts one of the best gamma scores we’ve recorded. Not only does it track an average value of 2.2, its range of numbers is a super tight .12. Several other screens in the group are close, but their tracking misses the spec just slightly. We’re being extremely picky here, but since the subject is premium monitors, high precision should be expected.
Color Gamut & Luminance
For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, please click here.
Many gaming monitors have over-saturated color, and the AG352UCG is no exception. As long as measured color points track consistently and come close to their targets, we have no problem with a little extra vividness. It doesn’t impact detail rendering and, along with high contrast, makes gaming that much more enjoyable.
AOC has taken a panel part with a slightly enlarged gamut and engineered it perfectly. The first two charts show elevated luminance levels, which jibes with the clipped white level we measured. The first one represents the Warm preset and second is sRGB. Neither is desirable thanks to that gamma issue we told you about.
Once the color temp is set to User, the issue is resolved and the luminance chart looks almost perfect. Calibration extracts that last 1% for an excellent gamut test result. Many professional monitors don’t measure this well.
Comparisons
1.29dE is an extremely low average color error. Remember, that represents the average of 36 measurements. We don’t just check the outer gamut points but also the 20, 40, 60, and 80% saturation levels for all six colors. Obviously, the over-saturation we mentioned is very small. It doesn’t negatively impact our test or the display of real-world content.
Thanks to that bonus volume from all three primaries, the AG352UCG exceeds the sRGB gamut spec by 6.55%. This is fine for gaming and any other application except proofing. For that purpose, we recommend a custom profile be created in your color management software of choice. This monitor is suitable for photo and graphics editing.
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