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Response, Input Lag, Viewing Angles and Uniformity

The AG276QZD lines up with Corsair’s 27QHD240 and Asus’ PG27AQDM in a direct comparison of 27-inch QHD 240 Hz OLEDs. I’ve also included Philips’ 34M2C8600 and 42M2N89 plus Samsung’s OLED G8.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

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AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD — (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Pixel response takes on a different tone when comparing OLEDs to LCD. The OLED will be smoother for a given draw time because its image persistence, the length of time a pixel stays on, is much shorter than LCD. It’s instantly clear when observing motion test patterns like the Blur Buster’s UFO that the motion resolution of a typical OLED gaming monitor is much higher than an LCD running at the same refresh rate. So, though the OLEDs above have the same screen draw time as their LCD counterparts, the resulting moving image is far smoother. It is also free of trail artifacts, the telltale sign of overdrive in LCDs. The AG276QZD drew a full white field in 1ms more time than the Corsair and Asus monitors. But that difference is not visually apparent.

The AG276QZD had no problem keeping up in the input lag test where it beat the Corsair. The Asus has a slight processing speed advantage at 19ms of total lag. The AOC is, however, completely qualified for competition, professional or otherwise.

Test Takeaway: I have yet to see any OLED gaming monitor that didn’t elevate the experience far beyond what other displays are capable of. Only 360 and 500 Hz LCDs can play in this arena, and they are currently limited to FHD resolution and 25-inch sizes. If you want super smooth and responsive play, the AG276QZD is a more than worthy addition to your gaming rig.

Viewing Angles

The AG276QZD has typical OLED viewing angles, which are excellent. At 45 degrees off-center, the picture is nearly unchanged. You can see a slight coolness in the photo, but this will be hard to spot in real-world content. The top view is also free of change. It’s just as bright and detailed as the head-on view. Though 27-inch monitors are not often shared, an OLED is the way to do that if you must.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

My AG276QZD sample showed visually perfect uniformity when I measured a 10% full field pattern. There were no hotspots or glow. Color was also even-toned from edge to edge. As you can see, OLED excels in this area with far more consistent results than LCDs, in my experience. The Philips can be forgiven for its 10.9% score because it is much larger than the others.

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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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