To read about our monitor tests in-depth, \check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test Monitors and TVs. We cover brightness and Contrast testing on page two.
Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
Our comparison group is all about the big-screen gaming experience. To compare the AG493UCX’s performance, we’ve included the Acer Predator CG437K and X35, Dell’s S3220DGF, ViewSonic’s XG350R-C and Samsung’s CHG90. All support HDR and at least one flavor of Adaptive-Sync with high refresh rates.
The AG493UCX is spec’d at 550 nits, but our sample didn’t quite get there. However, over 525 nits is plenty of output for SDR content in any environment. Our only complaint is that the minimum brightness setting only goes down to 120 nits. This is too bright for a completely dark room, where we’d prefer around 50 nits.
The Agon’s VA panel delivers excellent black levels and ranks fourth in our comparison group, due to the top three panels’ dimmer backlights.
That fourth place finish extends to the contrast test, where the AG493UCX posted a respectable 2,961.4:1 score. You’ll enjoy plenty of image depth and bold color saturation, but for ultimate contrast, which we consider the largest indicator of monitor quality, the CG437K is hard to beat.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Despite our calibration (see our recommended settings on page 2) the Agon’s contrast stayed consistent at 2,911.2:1. This is impressive because we had to lower the contrast slider six clicks to resolve all possible highlight detail. AOC has provided well-engineered image controls that work together to optimize the image.
ANSI contrast is only a tad lower at 2,773.2:1. All the monitors in our comparison group exhibit good quality control and careful component selection, particularly in the area of the grid polarizer. This part can make or break an LCD’s intra-image contrast quality, and, in this group, you won’t find a bad choice.
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