AOC G2770PQU 27-Inch 144Hz Gaming Monitor Review

Speedy But Not The Speediest

We, along with our enthusiast readers, have long clamored for high-resolution and high-refresh-rate panels to game on. Overlord answered the call with its Tempest X270OC, and Asus now has the PG278Q (ROG Swift). So why consider a TN-based panel with a density of only 82 ppi? The answer will undoubtedly come down to budget and how the display fits in with your particular gaming rig.

For a price-is-no-object setup, you’re probably not even considering anything less than Ultra HD. But for those who have to watch their expenditures, it’s important to measure the abilities of your video board against those of your display.

We all know the best image comes at a monitor’s native resolution. And we all know it takes a lot of power (and money) to game at decent frame rates beyond FHD. There’s no point in buying a QHD or UHD screen when the best your hardware can manage is 1920 x 1080. That is where the G2770PQU becomes relevant.

We’ve talked about balanced performance in the past. If you have a component that out-distances the rest of your system, it’s not only a waste of money, it can even contribute to poorer image quality. The right pairing means making a realistic assessment of your graphics card’s performance and connecting a monitor of the appropriate resolution and speed rating.

There’s no question that GPU technology and performance improves at a far greater rate than display tech. At least now we have several excellent choices among high-refresh monitors. In the past few months, we’ve looked at major products from Asus, Overlord, BenQ, and AOC. Soon, we expect to see more samples of G-Sync-capable screens from the same companies.

We’re in the midst of an exciting evolution in display technology for sure. And for many users, a monitor like the G2770PQU is a perfect match. It offers reasonably accurate color, grayscale, and gamma, along with excellent contrast and stable operation at 100, 120, and 144Hz. That should be more than enough speed for just about any system short of a G-Sync-capable one running a GeForce GTX 780 or better. The only surprise we encountered was input lag that fell behind other 144Hz-enabled screens we’ve tested. Of course, only the enthusiasts with the fastest reflexes will notice a difference of 17 milliseconds.

Like the G2460PQU, this monitor has no blur-reduction feature. We’ve tested backlight strobing on the BenQ XL2720Z and found it useful. But as the refresh rate increases, the need for additional blur-reduction decreases. At 144Hz, motion is very smooth with no obvious ghosting or artifacting. While capabilities like LightBoost are helpful at 60Hz, we’re not sure they're really needed at the higher rates.

For those gaming above 1920 x 1080 pixels, AOC offers a compelling choice. We’re only just starting to see G-Sync monitors hit the market and QHD displays that run faster than 60Hz still only come from Overlord and Asus. If FHD is enough resolution for your particular graphics setup, and you want 144Hz operation in a 27-inch screen size, the G2770PQU is worthy of your consideration.