Dare I say it, prices on the best OLED gaming monitors are trending downward. They’ve been trickling down for a while, but recently I’ve received some new models that have lopped more than $100 off the prices of their predecessors. You’ll still pay more than an equivalent-spec LCD, but not a ton more.

ViewSonic has always delivered good value, and its latest entry is the VX2738-2K OLED. This 27-inch QHD 2560x1440-pixel panel boasts Quantum Dot color, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync and HDR for just $450 as I write this. Let’s take a look.

ViewSonic VX2738-2K OLED Specs

The VX2738-2K uses an OLED panel fronted by a Quantum Dot layer to deliver almost 109% DCI-P3 coverage, according to my measurements. That’s about average for the QD-OLEDs I’ve tested, and it is visibly more colorful than OLEDs or LCDs without the tech. Brightness is claimed to be 200 nits, which I verified with a full-field pattern, and I measured over 300 nits from a 25% window with variable brightness engaged. HDR reaches peaks over 400 nits, earning the VX2738-2K VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification.

Gaming performance is given equal attention with a 240 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync. The VX2738-2K is certified by both AMD and Nvidia for tear-free operation. Being an OLED, it has super quick response as well. Motion resolution is perfect at speeds above 180 fps. And you can achieve that without spending a fortune on a high-end graphics card.

Despite its attractive price, the VX2738-2K isn’t a barebones monitor. You get four video inputs, two HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression (DSC), along with a headphone jack and internal speakers. The only things left out are USB ports and LED lighting. But you do get a nice, solid stand and a premium DP cable. I also found an aiming point that turns on with a down-click of the OSD joystick. And there are plenty of OLED care options to keep the panel safe, along with variable brightness for SDR and HDR content.

ViewSonic is offering a solid display with a stunning picture and excellent gaming performance for $450. It wasn’t long ago that a 240 Hz QHD LCD cost that much. The era of affordable OLEDs may indeed be upon us.

Assembly and Accessories

ViewSonic doesn’t ship the VX2738-2K in look-at-me packaging, opting instead for a plain brown wrapper that just says, “ViewSonic Gaming.” The contents are encased in crumbly foam with the base, upright, and panel going together without tools. Build quality is high, and you get a three-year warranty too. The accessory bundle includes an external power supply and a DisplayPort cable.

Product 360

The VX2738-2K features angular styling with simple shapes and slightly rounded corners. The front is all screen with a narrow flush bezel that ranges in width from eight to 23 millimeters. A badge graces the lower left corner, indicating Nvidia G-Sync certification. It also meets FreeSync Premium standards. Other bits include a small ViewSonic logo and a tiny power status LED.

In the back are more triangles and a central box containing the internals. A joystick operates the OSD along with a separate power toggle button. The stand snaps into place over a 100mm VESA mount. If you want to use an arm, ViewSonic provides four large fasteners that you can tighten by hand if you like.

The stand has full ergonomics with 5/20 degrees tilt, 45 degrees swivel, and a 90-degree portrait mode. The OSD can be rotated manually as well. The height range is 5.1 inches (130mm). Movements are smooth and firm, better than what you’ll find with most budget screens. The package with stand weighs 12 pounds and sits on a thick metal plate base.

Underneath are four video inputs, two HDMI 2.1 and two DisplayPort 1.4 that support Display Stream Compression (DSC), which keeps frame rates at their maximum potential. There are a pair of two-watt internal speakers, and you get a 3.5mm headphone jack.

OSD Features

The VX2738-2K’s OSD is very business-like with six sub-menu headers across the top. It’s reasonably intuitive and has plenty of picture modes and image options to tailor things to your liking.

The fun starts with seven picture modes. The Game mode includes four additional presets, one of which includes a black stabilization slider. This can be increased to brighten shadow areas for better visibility. While it makes the picture less dramatic, it helps you find hidden enemies more easily. Standard is the default mode, and it includes everything needed for a precise calibration. And that’s a good thing because the VX2738-2K isn’t quite on spec out of the box, more on that later.

There are five fixed color temps and a user color with RGB sliders. Don’t be fooled by the one labeled sRGB. It does not change the color gamut from the native space, which covers almost 109% of DCI-P3. You’ll see the VX2738-2K’s full color for all content, be it SDR or HDR. You also get three gamma presets. HDR has no options, but you can turn off the effect if you like. Leaving it on Auto means the VX2738-2K switches without user intervention.

Manual Image Adjust is where you’ll find OLED care options like pixel orbiting, screen refresh and static detection. The one labeled OLED APL is a variable brightness setting. Turning it on raises the peak white level for small areas of the screen.

The Setup menu includes an Adaptive-Sync toggle, OSD appearance options, and power settings. The second screen includes PIP and PBP for viewing two sources at once.

ViewSonic VX2738-2K OLED Calibration Settings

In the VX2738-2K’s Standard mode, I observed a slight purple tint in grayscale patterns and very dark gamma, which gave the image a murky appearance. Fixing the RGB sliders took care of the color, but gamma could only be corrected by turning the OLED APL option on. That means you’ll see variable brightness all the time. While this isn’t my favorite approach, ViewSonic’s VB isn’t super aggressive so there is no obvious image pumping or rapid changes in brightness. It is the way to the best image, so I recommend using it. It’s locked on by default for HDR content. Below are my recommended SDR settings. HDR has no provision for adjustment; just set the HDR option to Auto for an automatic switch.

Gaming and Hands-on

There is no activity that cannot be enhanced by an OLED monitor and the VX2738-2K proved that to me yet again. The broad contrast and saturated color offered by this technology cannot be completely duplicated by LCD, and that includes Mini LED panels.

The VX2738-2K isn’t the brightest OLED I’ve reviewed, but it is more than bright enough to be satisfying. I found that the variable brightness option was required for the best picture. Usually, I use constant brightness for work tasks and variable for entertainment. With OLED APL turned off, the picture was dull in comparison to other OLEDs. This turned out to be due to dark gamma, which you can learn more about on page four. Turning it on addressed my concerns. And it wasn’t aggressive in operation, there were no artifacts like pumping or changes in brightness that lagged behind the moving image. I left it engaged for all content. And it’s locked to on for HDR.

HDR looked spectacular as all OLEDs do. Color was rich and vibrant thanks to the Quantum Dot layer. It’s awesome to get this tech in a $450 monitor. Accuracy was excellent once I had calibrated. A few tweaks to the RGB slider took color, grayscale and gamma to reference-level. That showed in all areas, gaming, video and productivity.

Video processing was exemplary and with frame rates staying at or near the 240 Hz maximum, moving objects were rendered with perfect clarity and full detail. There was no smearing or blur of any kind. The VX2738-2K was extremely responsive to my inputs as well. You’ll see how good it is on the next page as it’s one of the fastest 240 Hz screens I’ve tested to date. To get visibly better performance, you’ll need to go to at least 360 Hz. And only the most skilled gamers would be able to tell a difference. My abilities are not at that level. I would happily frag all day and twice on Sunday. The VX2738-2K has that addictive quality.

For daily use, the VX2738-2K serves extremely well. 27 inches is ideal for QHD resolution; it’s a reasonably pixel-dense 109ppi but not so much that frame rates suffer. My GeForce RTX 4090 was more than stout enough to keep speeds at 240fps with games set to their highest detail levels. And the dot structure is invisible from more than two feet away. You can sit close when working in Photoshop or Premiere Pro. Or relax and sit back when watching videos on YouTube.

My only complaint is a small one. I was glad to see the inclusion of internal speakers but the VX2738-2K’s are quite tinny. At 50% volume, they were reasonably loud but somewhat distorted in the highest frequencies, which made them harsh. They’re fine for system sounds but for music or game audio, they don’t offer much impact or detail. I suggest plugging in your favorite headphones to the provided 3.5mm jack. Speaking of plugs, I noted the inclusion of four video inputs instead of the usual three with an extra DisplayPort in the mix, nice.

Takeaway: The VX2738-2K is an extremely versatile monitor with excellent gaming performance and enough brightness, color saturation and clarity to suit it for photo editing, web browsing or any computing task. It delivers fast and smooth video processing along with accurate and vivid color once calibrated. The internal speakers aren’t the greatest but plug in a pair of headphones and you’ll be fine. Above all, it’s a superlative value at just $450 and that’s the best part.

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27-inch QHD OLEDs come in a wide variety of refresh rates, up to 540 Hz in fact. I tried to find screens closer in speed to the VX2738-2K and came up with Alienware’s AW2726DM and AW2725D, Gigabyte’s MO27Q28G, Asus’ XG27AQWMG, and AOC’s Q27G4ZD.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

I didn’t have enough 27-inch QHD OLEDs to compare the VX2738-2K’s panel response, so I have a different group there. You can see that refresh rate doesn’t always go in lockstep with response time. The quickest screen is a 240 Hz Acer at 0.12ms, and the ViewSonic isn’t far behind at 0.20ms. Even at the slowest 0.24ms, you won’t be able to see any differences at speeds above 180fps. The Acer would have a slight edge between 150 and 180 fps. But these are tiny issues that are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye.

In the lag test, the VX2738-2K proved to be one of the faster screens available, with a total lag time of just 15.7ms averaged over 25 mouse clicks using Nvidia’s LDAT tester and utility. 240 Hz is in no way a limitation when compared to the 280 Hz screens in the group, which are a tad slower. Again, this is a minute difference that anyone outside the Jedi Order will be unable to distinguish.

Test Takeaway: The VX2738-2K is very quick with low input lag and smooth motion resolution. At frame rates above 180fps, moving objects render with the same clarity as stationary ones. It is quicker than at least two monitors with higher refresh rates. It’s safe to say that if you want to beat the VX2738-2K, you’ll need to go at least 360 Hz or faster.

Viewing Angles

Many Quantum Dot monitors show a slight red tint in the 45-degree side photo, but not the VX2738-2K. It looks the same as the head-on image with consistent color, brightness and gamma. The top view has slightly reduced gamma and luminance. This is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

When I first measured the VX2738-2K’s screen uniformity, it was an unimpressive 13.55%, which is much higher than average for an OLED. Some monitors need an initial pixel refresh cycle to look their best, so I ran the procedure and saw a significant improvement to 2.55%. I have encountered this issue before with Samsung monitors, so ViewSonic is not alone. And once I had done it, the uniformity value did not change. Once set up, the VX2738-2K delivers excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

ViewSonic rates the VX2738-2K at 200 nits. This tracks when measuring a full field pattern with OLED APL (variable brightness) turned off. To see its full potential, I turned it on and measured a 25% window for 381 nits. This also improves gamma, which in turn improves image quality by quite a bit. I’ll show more detailed tests on the next page. Black levels and contrast cannot be measured.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration makes no difference to the contrast result. I set 200 nits based on a full field pattern so that meant brightness was turned up all the way. This maximizes the VX2738-2K’s image quality and fidelity. Black levels, static contrast and ANSI contrast cannot be measured.

Test Takeaway: The VX2738-2K delivers contrast performance that’s equal to any OLED monitor. With infinite black levels, the picture has a depth and quality that no LCD can match. To get the best result, I recommend leaving OLED APL (variable brightness) on all the time. It’s not aggressive in operation, so it is appropriate for productivity and color-critical tasks.

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For the grayscale, gamma and color tests, I used the VX2738-2K’s Standard picture mode, which is the default. It offers color temp presets, RGB sliders and gamma presets.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

You can see in the first chart what I meant earlier by skewed gamma. Grayscale tracking isn’t too far off, with just a bit of purple tint seen in steps above 50% brightness. But gamma is dark enough to make the picture look flat and undefined. I normally leave variable brightness off for all tests and calibration, but in this case, its use is necessary.

Turning it on and tweaking the RGB sliders makes the VX2738-2K a whole lot better. All grayscale errors are below 1dE, and gamma is visibly and measurably perfect. This is an improvement that is easy to see in an A/B comparison. With the proper settings, the VX2738-2K is capable of reference-level performance.

Comparisons

With a starting value of 5.01dE, the VX2738-2K needs some attention to look its best. In this group, only the AOC and Asus displays can be enjoyed without calibration. Once adjusted, all screens have perfect grayscale tracking. There would be no visible difference between them. In the gamma test, the VX2738-2K excels with a tiny 0.08 range of values and a perfect average of 2.2, 0% deviation. This is excellent performance.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

You can see how the VX2738-2K’s inaccurate gamma affects color in the first gamut chart. Every color is almost 20% oversaturated, with red looking a bit pink and cyan being too blue in tone. These are clearly visible errors.

With OLED APL turned on and the grayscale calibration in place, color is far better than before, with just some slight oversaturation in red and magenta that is well within visually tolerable limits.

Comparisons

The VX2738-2K’s gamut result goes from 4.49dE to 1.44dE with calibration, which is an obvious improvement. You’ll need to turn OLED APL on and tweak the RGB sliders to achieve this. If you don’t have the means, put in my settings from page one and you’ll be very close to the above result.

With a gamut volume of 108.86% of DCI-P3, the VX2738-2K is average among Quantum Dot OLEDs. The extra three-ish percent shown by the Alienware displays would be hard to spot in a side-by-side comparison. But it’s easy to tell the ViewSonic from a monitor without a QD layer. The sRGB volume is huge at 161.41%. This is because the VX2738-2K has no sRGB mode. There is an sRGB option in the color temp menu, but it doesn’t change the gamut size, and there is no other color space selection in the OSD. You can use it for a DCI-P3 reference only.

Test Takeaway: The VX2738-2K is very color accurate once calibrated. Out of the box, it has a slight purple tint and dark gamma. You must turn on the OLED APL option to fix gamma and adjust the RGB sliders for neutral grayscale tracking. Color covers almost 109% of DCI-P3, which is about average for Quantum Dot displays. And users needing the smaller sRGB gamut for color-critical work won’t find it here.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The VX2738-2K switches to HDR mode automatically if the HDR option is set to Auto in the OSD. There are no adjustments or additional picture modes available.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The VX2738-2K delivers its brightest possible picture in HDR mode with 419 nits measured from a 25% window pattern. Variable brightness is in operation and cannot be turned off. It easily qualifies for VESA DisplayHDR 400 like much of its competition. Asus and Gigabyte drive their panels a bit harder to get 580 and 653 nits peak, respectively. The VX2738-2K has decent impact with deep blacks and infinite contrast, but is not exceptionally bright.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The VX2738-2K’s HDR color is fixed with no provision for adjustment. Grayscale tracking is excellent in the darker parts of the image where there are no visible errors. At levels above 50%, it gets a bit warm in tone. These errors do not significantly diminish image quality. It would be nice to have the RGB sliders available, though. The EOTF runs a bit dark from zero to 40%, then stays close to the reference and a 65% tone-map transition point, which is correct given the measured black and white thresholds.

In the color tests, the VX2738-2K tracks hue points well with only slight variation in magenta. The chart is generally oversaturated like nearly all HDR monitors but with points that progress in a linear fashion. This approach keeps fine detail sharp and clear in all parts of the image. DCI-P3 is fully covered as it should be. BT.2020 runs the VX2738-2K out of color at 90% red, 80% green and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: The VX2738-2K delivers an HDR image of average brightness with infinite black levels and contrast like any OLED display. With 419 nits peak, it has a satisfying impact and makes an obvious difference between SDR and HDR. Color is nicely saturated and accurate enough to be pleasing. No one will complain about the VX2738-2K’s HDR quality, it is very high. I noted slight grayscale errors that could not be corrected, but this did not affect the image in any significant way.

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There was a time when I couldn’t be sure desktop OLED monitors would ever exist. The tech only came in exotic TVs that cost $6,000 for a 55-inch panel. Today, they’re almost as common as bison were in the Wild West. And with the quantity of choice comes cost savings. Prices only trickled down for a time, but now we’re seeing some real values hitting the market. The ViewSonic VX2738-2K is a high-performance gaming OLED with Quantum Dot technology for $450. That’s almost all you need to know for a purchase decision.

Despite its low price, the VX2738-2K doesn’t skimp on image quality or performance. Though I noted some gamma anomalies out of the box, it just took the right settings and a quick calibration to bring it to reference-level. I achieved visually perfect color, grayscale and gamma with little effort. And with the extra color afforded by Quantum Dots, it delivered a great SDR and HDR image. The only miss there is the lack of an sRGB mode. Most users won’t care since they’ll prefer more color even if it isn’t strictly correct. But photographers needing that gamut choice won’t find it here.

Gamers definitely won’t complain about the VX2738-2K’s smooth motion response and low input lag. It’s one of the quickest 240 Hz monitors I’ve tested and it keeps up with its higher refresh rate competition. You’ll need to buy 360 Hz or more to beat it and that victory will be a slim one. Competition gamers looking to add a value-priced monitor to their toolkit should have a look.

The ViewSonic VX2783-2K OLED breaks price barriers by offering a high-performance gaming OLED display for $450. In perspective, that’s about what you’d have spent on an equivalent LCD a few years ago. That’s progress for sure. If you have been waiting for OLED prices to drop, now might be the time to pull the trigger. Definitely check it out.

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What makes a monitor professional-grade? There are many things that pros need to get the job done, and most screens billed as “professional” don’t cover all the bases. You can always expect accurate color, flexible calibration options, and rugged build quality. But do you get a fast refresh rate? Adaptive-Sync? Multiple stand options? Self-calibration?

That’s a lot to ask for, but Asus has baked all those qualities into the ProArt PA27USD. It’s a 27-inch QD-OLED panel with 4K resolution, professional image modes, auto-calibration, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, and wide gamut color. And it’s ruggedly built with two stands included, cable management, a light hood, an SDI input, KVM, USB, and internal speakers — jeez, what doesn’t it have? And it’s not super expensive as far as pro monitors go. Let’s take a look.

Asus ProArt PA27USD Specs

From an image quality standpoint, we can all agree that OLED is the best technology currently available. It offers deeper contrast than any other panel, along with wide gamut color, excellent screen uniformity, and repeatable accuracy. Self-emissive pixels render the picture with minimal polarization, which means wider viewing angles and better clarity.

The PA27USD has a Quantum Dot panel with gamut coverage up to 102% of DCI-P3. It won’t quite do BT.2020, but for any P3 or smaller color space, it is spot on. And selecting parameters is as easy as finding what you want from the seven SDR and five HDR modes, including support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. SDR modes cover sRGB, Adobe RGB, BT.709 and 2020, plus Display and Cinema P3, and DICOM.

It’s rare for a professional panel to be game-worthy, but the PA27USD includes a 240 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync. You won’t find aiming points or sniper modes, but when paired with a fast video card, it delivers low input lag and the smooth response that only a fast OLED can provide.

For video pros, there are a host of features that cater to use in the studio or on set. There are screen-fit markers to aid composition. You get two different stands and a large metal grab handle, which makes the PA27USD great for location shoots. And here’s something I haven’t seen before, an SDI input. SDI (Serial Digital Interface) has long been an industry standard for cameras and professional video. I’m sad that it never made it to the consumer side, and that is because it doesn’t include copy protection. Here, it’s a 12G input, which is sufficient bandwidth for 4K at 60 Hz. I’ll talk more about this later.

The PA27USD also follows current trends with the inclusion of a built-in calibrator. A tiny colorimeter swings up from the bottom of the screen and, using internal patterns and software, calibrates a picture mode in about five minutes. You can adjust any existing mode or create three of your own. You can also calibrate with Asus’ ProArt Calibration app or third-party solutions like Calman and ColourSpace. The ProArt Color Center app lets you manage multiple monitors to keep everything in line.

There are pro monitors less capable than the PA27USD that cost $5,000 or more. Asus is offering this one for $2,199. While that’s a lot for a 27-inch OLED, it’s a bargain in the pro-video world, especially considering its huge list of capabilities.

Assembly and Accessories

The PA27USD comes in a clamshell box packed in fully recyclable molded pulp. Two stands are included, one with two rotating legs and a traditional telescoping type with full ergonomics. You also get cable management bits that attach to the panel sides and the upright. A rigid light hood features light-absorbing felt on the inside, easy toolless attachment, and holes for cabling and light meters. The cable bundle includes three USB, HDMI, and DisplayPort, plus IEC for the internal power supply.

Product 360

The first photo shows the PA27USD’s default stand option. The feet snap into the bottom of the panel and swivel for easy storage. They are ruggedly constructed from cast aluminum. If you want to use the traditional desktop stand, it has a heavy metal base with an equally solid upright. To install it, you first have to pluck the tiny rubber plugs from the 100mm VESA mount threads on the panel, then bolt it up with the included Phillips-head screwdriver. It includes a 5/23-degree tilt, a 30-degree swivel, and a 90-degree portrait mode. The height adjustment range is 5.2 inches. Movements are smooth and solid, making the PA27USD feel nearly indestructible.

The panel is designed for location use with a large metal handle on the back and ports on the sides. On the right, you get a DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 4, which are chainable, and USB-C and A ports for the KVM function. On the left is the 12G SDI port. This means that you can hook a camera or signal distribution hub directly to the PA27USD in tether mode. If you’ve ever watched the guy behind roving cameramen at football games on TV, he’s carrying a coaxial cable. SDI is robust and has a locking bayonet connector.

The PA27USD also includes audio support in the form of a 3.5mm headphone jack and a pair of internal speakers, which play to a reasonable volume in the upper midrange frequencies.

On the bottom front of the panel is the integrated colorimeter. It swings up into place when activated by the OSD. Calibrations can be performed manually or scheduled for later. Also in the front is a row of buttons for quick access to input selection, picture presets and other functions. A joystick controls the OSD and it can be accessed from the Windows or Mac desktop using Asus’ DisplayWidget Center app.

OSD Features

The PA27USD has a comprehensive OSD that covers its multitude of capabilities. It’s divided into nine sub-menus. Calling it up takes two clicks of the joystick.

First up are the image presets, labeled to match industry standards. Native is the default, and it is the same as Display P3 but with a little extra color saturation. The other modes are nearly spot-on with their respective specifications, though I found slight gamma anomalies that I’ll tell you about later. SDR signals get seven modes, while HDR gets five, including HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), and Dolby Vision support. There are also three user memories, which can be anything you like. You start with a target spec, then modify it in the OSD and run the calibration to save it.

The Palette field shows the parameters for each mode including the target brightness. You can adjust the white balance with a two-point RGB slider if you wish. You also get hue and saturation sliders for all six colors.

Remaining image controls are in the Image menu where you get sharpness (edge enhancement), aspect control, input range (black and white thresholds) and a blue light filter.

Calibration is super easy, you just pick a target, or all the modes if you want, make sure the PA27USD is warmed up for 30 minutes, then execute. Or you can schedule it for later when you’re not working.

The QuickFit menu is a staple for ProArt monitors and includes preset and custom markers to aid in camera composition and design tasks. You can also put up a center marker and rulers on the screen.

The input list shows that the SDI port is shared with HDMI 1, which means the total connections can be four at most. There are two Thunderbolt ports, and they are for daisy chaining multiple monitors.

The Settings menu is a catchall for everything else and includes the Dolby Vision and Uniform Brightness toggles. In the second screen of options is Light Sync which refers to the front-mounted sensors that can adjust brightness and color temperature to match changing ambient light conditions. You can adjust the sensitivity or turn the option off. Screen Saver is where you’ll find the panel care options, which include pixel orbiting, logo, and perimeter dimming. The KVM setup is also here and allows the binding of USB ports to specific video inputs.

Finally, two of the keys on the panel’s bezel can be programmed to different monitor functions.

Asus ProArt PA27USD Setup And Hands-on

The PA27USD arrives ready to go out of the box. All the presets are factory-calibrated before shipping. For my review, I set about measuring every mode to verify its accuracy. You can see all the results on page four. For HDR signals, you must choose a specific HDR standard. HDR10, PQ in Asus’ parlance, can be rendered with either P3 or BT.2020 color. If you want to work with HLG or Dolby Vision content, just choose that mode. I noted that for P3, you could choose between D65 and D63 color temps and 2.2 or 2.6 gamma. This corresponds to Display P3 and Cinema P3, respectively. Other SDR modes include sRGB, BT.709, Adobe RGB and BT.2020. Here is a rundown of the SDR modes and their default gamut, color temp and gamma settings.

The calibration procedure could not be easier. In the calibration menu, you simply choose a target and select execute. The meter flips up into place, and the patterns appear beneath it. It takes around five minutes per mode. I tried one run for Display P3 and found that it improved gamma tracking from the default. More on that later. You can also calibrate using Asus’ ProArt Calibration app. Any custom configurations you create are stored in one of the three Calibration memories.

The PA27USD includes a rigid light hood with light-absorbing felt on the inside. It installs easily by snapping it onto the bezel. I noted that the inside fittings used to hold it in place were not covered by felt and they reflected the image. I suspect that there will be users covering them with black tape.

For daily use, I chose the Native preset, which conforms to Display P3 but with a little extra color. The PA27USD covers 102% of DCI-P3 which is a nice bonus for things like web browsing and watching video for entertainment. I noted good sound quality from the internal speakers and easy access to the headphone jack and other inputs from the right side of the panel.

Interacting with the PA27USD’s menus is intuitive using the joystick and buttons but I would like to see a remote included with any pro monitor. There will inevitably be times when you’re not sitting directly in front of it, but you’ll want to control it, perhaps in a group setting in a location tent or a post-production studio.

Gaming had the same addictive quality I find with every fast OLED. My RTX 4090-equipped PC maintained around 220 fps, which is a must for the smoothest motion and lowest input lag. The image was gorgeous, too, and it was nice to finally experience a pro screen that is also a premium gaming display. My Nvidia LDAT tests revealed slightly more input lag than other 240 Hz OLEDs, but this did not affect gameplay in the slightest. Every turn and slide was instant and precise. Moving backgrounds stayed clear while moving objects retained their detail at the fastest speeds. If I had to complain, I’d say include a frame counter, but honestly, that’s a tiny nit at best.

When you look at HDR on a screen this good, it takes on a very different feel. The depth and realism are incredible thanks to spot-on tone-mapping and color tracking. Though the PA27USD isn’t a BT.2020 monitor, it was beautifully saturated for all types of content from rendered games to video from YouTube, Apple TV or 4K Blu-ray.

A monitor like this is certainly overkill for anything but content creation. But it looks so good, I’d gladly make it my everyday screen.

Takeaway: The PA27USD is the most capable and versatile professional monitor I’ve reviewed to date. It covers every color standard currently in use plus every form of HDR signal except HDR10+. The image is bright, clear and colorful in every scenario with excellent out-of-the-box accuracy. It also games well thanks to a 240 Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync. I also loved the side input panel and the inclusion of SDI support. And with two quality stands in the box, you have more installation options.

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Normally, I wouldn’t say much about a professional monitor’s speed and response because most of them top out at 60 Hz and don’t include Adaptive-Sync. The PA27USD has the latter and a 240 Hz refresh rate to go with it. It games just fine, extremely well in fact.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

· Response Time Full black to white transition – 0.24ms

· Absolute Input Lag Full black to white transition – 20.4ms

The PA27USD has panel response typical of the 240 Hz OLEDs I’ve tested. They all transition from black to white (one-inch square) in 0.12-0.24ms, a minute difference. This means motion resolution is visually perfect, moving objects render with the same clarity as stationary ones.

In the lag test, the PA27USD proved a tad slower than other 240 Hz Ultra OLEDs, but only by a few milliseconds. The closest competitor here is Dough’s Spectrum Black, which measured 20ms. The current speed king amongst 240 Hz 4K OLEDs is Asus’ XG32UCWMG, which scored 14ms in my test.

Test Takeaway: The PA27USD is by far the most game-worthy professional display I’ve tested. It isn’t super speedy, but it is more than speedy enough for skilled gamers. It has the same perfect motion resolution as any OLED gaming monitor running at 240 Hz or higher.

Viewing Angles

I’ve noted that Quantum Dot OLEDs show a slight green tint in the 45-degree horizontal photo. The QD layer creates a slight polarization. The PA27USD maintains consistent gamma and brightness though. From the top, light drops by around 10% and there is a loss of gamma which washes the image out a bit.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

· Screen Uniformity Deviation From Center 0% Black Field – 6.62%

I have yet to find an OLED with a non-uniform screen. The PA27USD is about average with its 6.62% deviation from the center zone. There are no visible issues in any field pattern of any brightness level or color. This is excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Maximum Backlight Level

· Maximum White Luminance Native Mode – 446.755 nits

· Maximum Black Luminance Native Mode – Unmeasurable

· Maximum Contrast Ratio Native Mode – Unmeasurable

· ANSI Contrast Native Mode, Uniform Brightness off – Unmeasurable

· ANSI Contrast Native Mode, Uniform Brightness on – Unmeasurable

The PA27USD is certified for VESA DisplayHDR 400, and it delivers that same brightness for SDR content. Since it has the option for variable brightness, I measured a 25% window pattern to get 446 nits peak. Smaller windows would measure brighter. A full field pattern measured 301 nits. When uniform brightness is turned on, the brightness value in the OSD closely matches the actual light output. In other words, if you want 200 nits, set the slider to 200 nits. In all tests, the black level and contrast ratio cannot be measured by currently available methods.

Test Takeaway: The PA27USD delivers the same brightness and contrast performance as a typical Quantum Dot OLED display. It offers variable brightness which takes peak highlight values over 400 nits. Uniform Brightness delivers around 300 nits peak. The picture is stunning to look at thanks to deep contrast that is unmatched by any other display technology.

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The PA27USD is very easy to configure when creating content. Just pick the color standard you want from the list of presets. It’s calibrated at the factory before shipment and if you want to verify or modify any mode, that’s easy to do with the integrated calibrator.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

Above are the grayscale and gamma charts for the PA27USD’s default Native preset and all other SDR modes. Grayscale tracking is very consistent from mode to mode with no visible errors anywhere. However, gamma isn’t quite as solid as I expected. It’s a tad light in general with some variation in the 80-90% brightness steps. These errors aren’t huge, but given the precision I saw in the color tests, there is room for improvement. Luckily, it took me just five minutes to improve one mode. I got the gamma for Display P3 in line with the reference at every point except 10%, which was still a tad light.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The color gamut charts are the definition of professional. This is what one expects from a reference display. All measured points are on target in every mode except for BT.2020 and Adobe RGB. 2020 is an easy one because the PA27USD isn’t a 2020 monitor. It tops out at 102% of DCI-P3. But it hits every point it is capable of. Adobe RGB is also a bit short in green, which is also typical of Quantum Dot screens. A true Adobe RGB monitor is rare these days, thanks to the advent of LED backlights. In the past, Adobe monitors had a special CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent) backlight, which gave the extra green required to meet the Adobe RGB spec. Modern-day LEDs and OLEDs can’t quite get there. But again, the PA27USD hits every target it can.

Grayscale, Gamma and Color Gamut Test Summary

Below is a table with all the measured results for grayscale tracking, gamma range and average, gamut accuracy and gamut volume. I tested the seven SDR modes that cover all signal formats currently used for video and game production

Test Takeaway: The PA27USD is extremely color accurate out of the box. Gamma was a little off the mark in all preses but could be corrected with the built-in calibrator in around five minutes per mode. I noted that P3 could be configured with either D63/2.6 cinema or D65/2.2 display settings. Gamut volume is nearly 100% for each mode except BT.2020 and Adobe RGB. The most colorful mode for non-critical use is Native with 102% coverage of DCI-P3.

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The PA27USD supports every HDR standard currently in use except for HDR10+. That includes HDR10 (PQ), Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) and Dolby Vision. It’s certified for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400.

Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

· HDR White Luminance – 452.1932 nits

· HDR Black Level – Unmeasurable

· HDR Sequential Contrast – Unmeasurable

The VESA DisplayHDR standards use a 25% window pattern to set their parameters and the PA27USD easily surpasses 400 nits with a score of 452 in my test. Smaller windows are claimed at 1,000 nits and I have no reason to doubt this. Black levels and contrast are immeasurable.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The PA27USD offers multiple EOTF options, including PQ Optimized, Clip or Basic. I found that Clip came closest to the reference when measured white and black levels are taken into account. This flexibility lets you master HDR for displays with less accurate tone-mapping. As expected, grayscale tracking is visually perfect. All the HDR modes can be calibrated with the built-in meter or outboard software just like SDR.

For the color test, I had the choice of P3 or BT.2020 gamuts. 2020 came the closest to all saturation targets for both P3 and 2020 references. The 2020 saturations remained linear so points over 50% appear undersaturated. This is a minor error. I also noted slight hue errors in magenta. All of these are easily corrected using whichever calibration method you choose. The BT.2020 chart tops out at 90% red, 75% green and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: The PA27USD is very color accurate in all its HDR modes and can be calibrated to a high standard using the same methods as the SDR presets. It is a P3 monitor so it won’t fully cover BT.2020. You get three different EOTF options for HDR10, which is handy for content creation. It has a brightness similar to other 4K OLEDs I’ve tested, with effective variable brightness that pushes peak highlights up to 1,000 nits.

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I have reviewed many capable professional monitors that meet color standards and offer the flexibility necessary for all types of content creation. But I haven’t experienced one until now that could game well. A few have tried, but only the Asus ProArt PA27USD can truly call itself a high-performance gaming monitor. With 240 Hz and Adaptive-Sync, it stands head and shoulders above the competition.

As a professional content creation display, it excels. It delivers every color standard necessary for video, movie and game authoring. The built-in calibrator keeps it accurate with just five minutes needed to adjust and verify one preset. It also integrates with third-party solutions like Calman and ColourSpace so you can use it with the systems and hardware you already have. And with every possible video input, including SDI, you can connect to computers, distribution hubs, cameras and even gaming consoles.

The hardware is professional grade as well. You get two rugged stands in the box plus a large grab handle in the back and useful cable management with rubber and plastic looms. There’s a nice light hood too that installs and removes easily. I also loved the side inputs, making cable swaps super easy.

The best part here is that you get a tremendously capable and flexible display for $2,100. That sounds like a lot for a 27-inch OLED, but in the pro world, it’s a bargain. And the PA27USD has more features and abilities than any other pro monitor I’ve reviewed. If you’re looking for a do-it-all display for content creation, gaming, entertainment or workday tasks, and you have the budget, you should definitely check it out.

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A robotics and animatronic cosplay enthusiast known as Zibartas has made a real-life NUSA Infiltrator jacket. If you aren’t familiar with the jacket’s lore, it is a bomber jacket from Cyberpunk 2077 with a tall collar that houses a display, here recreated in the “super rare white version.” That feature collar alone packs in $1,200 worth of flexible OLED displays driven by a pair of Raspberry Pi 4 SBCs.

Zibartas begins the video by talking about the inspiration provided by Cyberpunk 2077. As a cosplay enthusiast, the now iconic game has provided a great deal of inspiration for him. With the NUSA Infiltrator jacket design in his sights, the obvious question was – how?

The finished collar is lined with a quartet of flexible OLED displays, costing ~$300 each. Zibartas began by trying to drive them from a pair of Raspberry Pi 5s for portability with enough graphics muscle. However, after a week of pixel wrangling found that the hardware decoders of the Pi 4 were better for this particular task.

Next, the work on syncing the two pairs of displays needed to be done. “At the start, I used direct gigabit network, but it added too much of an overhead. So, I moved to pure hardware GPIO pulses and Python,” explained Zibartas. “In the end, I think I got it to as close as it can get.”

With the techy side of the equation solved, Zibartas moved onto the scissors and sewing stuff cosplayers seem to do a lot of. However, the construction of the curved collar would soon precipitate a tech problem, as the first screen to be fitted was damaged when Zibartas attempted to slide it into its upholstered EVA foam housing. That was a $300 mistake.

After a purported few weeks of extra testing the cosplay fan came up with a semi-rigid understructure for the collar. This bendy new design featured side tracks that resist twisting, so it is expected to prevent the issues that broke one of the OLED screens previously.

With the collar feature of the NUSA Infiltrator jacket now ready to go, we see Zibartas work on other fine details of the design. For example he 3D printed a shoulder-mounted ‘radar jammer’ section in flexible resin. Four indicator LEDs are built into this section, too. All these extra jacket components are finished appropriately in black, chrome, and so on.

As the jacket is fully assembled and finessed we learn that the two Pi 4s and two power banks will be hidden in pockets on the mid-lower back of the jacket and provide about three hours of screen and LED power.

For simplicity, right now, the screens show a pre-baked animation loop. However, Zibartas notes that “since it is Linux and HDMI-capable screens, the sky is the limit.” To prove the point, the video then cuts to the maker and cosplayer enjoying a Cyberpunk 2077 gaming session on the collar display hooked up to a Steam Controller.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an absolute explosion of activity in the OLED monitor space. What was once a niche panel option available on premium laptops has wonderfully spread to encompass the best gaming monitors for desktop PCs. That makes understanding the inner workings of the panels more important now than ever, especially when it comes to burn-in, the most common source of anxiety for potential customers. Below, we'll outline why this occurs, and this guide will also teach you how you can prevent it.

OLEDs differ from traditional LCDs because each pixel in the panel emits its own light when current passes through it. This design means there is no need for a separate backlight to illuminate each pixel, unlike LCDs. So, to display black, the individual pixels can be turned off, allowing true “inky” blacks, infinite contrast, and vibrant colors unmatched by LCD-based monitors. That means the necessary pixels are turned off when representing the color black.

The different types of OLED monitors

There are several types of OLED monitors, with WOLED and QD-OLED among the most popular. WOLED monitors feature red, green, blue, and white subpixels overlayed on a white OLED layer. The white light passes through the red, green, and blue filters to produce color, while the light passing through the unfiltered white subpixel can be used to enhance overall brightness (and to compensate for the inefficiency of the color filters).

QD-OLED monitors, on the other hand, use a blue-emitting layer instead of WOLED’s white layer. Furthermore, the light passes through a quantum dot layer without the need for color filters, which helps to boost color saturation compared to WOLEDs.

LG has been a big player in this space, supplying WOLED panels not only for its self-branded monitors, but also to third-party customers. The company recently announced at SID Display Week 2026 that it is launching 3rd generation Tandem OLED panel technology. LG’s development in this space has come at a rapid clip, as the company only announced its 2nd generation Tandem OLED technology back at CES 2026.

Tandem OLED is the successor to LG’s WOLED panel technology and offers some key advantages. It uses a four-layer stack (blue, green, blue, red) which passes through a filter. Whereas older WOLED panels use a separate white subpixel, the latest Tandem OLED panels use a Primary RGB layout, negating the need for the white subpixel. In practice, Tandem OLEDs tend to be brighter than their WOLED counterparts while offering improved color volume, putting them on more equal footing with QD-OLEDs.

According to LG, its 3rd-generation Tandem OLED panel technology offers peak brightness of 1200 nits and typical brightness of up to 500 nits. Despite these impressive figures (for an OLED), LG claims that it has reduced power consumption by 18 percent, while offering a panel service life of over 15,000 hours. That last figure is a 2x improvement over 2nd-generation panels.

“This advancement is enabled by a newly developed OLED element that optimizes hole and electron movement to minimize degradation while ensuring uniform picture quality, along with the application of a deep blue dopant to further improve color purity, color reproduction, brightness, low power consumption, and longevity,” LG wrote in a press release. “LG Display plans to begin mass production of the automotive panel within this year before later expanding into IT and other applications.”

Of course, these are just manufacturer claims, so we have to temper our expectations until we see the results in the real world. However, if the claims do hold up, the performance of the 3rd-generation panels should go a long way towards alleviating some of the reliability concerns some consumers have about OLED panels.

Should you be concerned about OLED burn-in?

Before we discuss OLED burn-in, we must first explain what exactly makes up an OLED. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. It’s the “organic” in the name that can cause issues with extended use. The use of organic compounds makes OLED panels more fragile and susceptible to power input and high sustained brightness levels.

In addition, OLEDs provide their own light source, as they are self-illuminating. Over time, these self-illuminating diodes will lose brightness and will appear dimmer to the naked eye as their luminescence degrades. When these overworked diodes sit next to diodes that haven’t seen such frequent use, what you’re witnessing is “burn-in.”

An easy example to explain how this can occur is with 24-7 TV news channels. These channels often have a mostly static banner sitting at the bottom of the screen. Because of the banner's persistence, with little movement of text and logos that can appear within it, the pixels see significantly more “power on” time than the surrounding pixels, where there is more dynamic action. If you leave that static banner in place for weeks or months at a time, you’ll eventually notice burn-in if you switch to a solid-color background.

However, there are some best practices you can implement in your daily workflow to help prevent burn-in in the first place.

OLED monitor care tips

• Set your OLED monitor to turn off or switch to a screensaver for 5 or 10 minutes if you’re not active.
• If you use a background on your computer, consider a dynamic background or a slideshow of images that rotate frequently.
• Rather than have a taskbar that is permanently docked, set it to auto-hide.
• Refrain from prolonged use of maximum brightness settings, as this can accelerate pixel decay.
• When possible, use dark mode in your operating system to limit the amount of power passing through pixels.
• When gaming, avoid using HUDs that are static in nature, as lengthy gaming sessions can accelerate image retention

Those are things you can do on your own that will go a long way towards reducing image retention. However, modern OLED monitors include automated mechanisms to help prevent and minimize image retention. For example, I personally use a Philips Evnia 8000 49-inch 240 Hz DQHD QD-OLED monitor for work and gaming. It offers a couple of tools for managing burn-in, including:

• Pixel orbiting/shifting: moves the image a couple of pixels left or right at regular intervals to prevent burn-in from static elements.
  
• Pixel refresh: this feature runs automatically after roughly 4 hours of screen on time, and it measures and adjusts voltage levels for individual pixels in the OLED screen. The feature runs for about 4 minutes.

Each OLED monitor manufacturer has their own specific tools for dealing with the same issues. For example, Asus offers Pixel Shift technology, controls for adjusting logo brightness, manual Pixel Cleaning, and automatic cleaning in standby mode.

I’ve owned my Evnia 8000 for roughly 18 months, and over that time have accumulated 1,800 hours of on-time according to the monitor’s OSD. I ran the XbitLabs Screen Burn-in Test and didn’t notice any issues, which was a relief.

Should you take the OLED plunge?

The two biggest knocks against OLED monitors are continually being addressed. There’s the issue of panel longevity, particularly with burn-in/image retention. However, sticking to common best practices when using OLEDs and enabling automatic panel refresh routines and mitigation strategies offered will go a long way toward ensuring that you get years of useful life out of your monitor. Manufacturers are also stepping up the quality of the components they’re using and reducing power consumption to help extend the life of OLED panels.

Another concern people have is cost. It’s true that OLEDs carry a premium over traditional IPS and VA panel technology. However, that premium is shrinking as production volume increases. We can’t be certain that OLED monitors will eventually reach price parity with their LCD counterparts, but the difference will likely shrink to the point where many customers will gladly fork over the extra money for a superior viewing experience (and given the popularity of OLED panels, many people are already making that jump).

With OLEDs having crossed over into nearly every facet of computing life, from smartphones to tablets, to laptops, to the best OLED gaming monitors, to productivity monitors, to portable monitors, I can say with confidence that it’s time to stop being leery of the technology and jump in with both feet.

OLED monitors have been getting more and more accessible over the past few years as both LG and Samsung iterate on their respective panel technologies. Cheaper models were previously relegated to older panels, but throughout 2025, we regularly saw modern OLED displays for around $500. Now, Alienware has just launched its latest 'AW2727DM' OLED monitor for only $350, marking a new era of OLED accessibility.

• Get the Alienware AW2726DM for $350

The AW2726DM is a 27-inch, 1440p gaming monitor featuring a 3rd Gen QD-OLED panel from Samsung with the updated subpixel layout for improved text clarity. It has a 240 Hz refresh rate, with FreeSync Premium built in, so you're not getting entry-level barebones specs either. The only notable downside is the maximum brightness, rated at 200 nits. Keep in mind that's SDR brightness; your HDR content will still peak at around 1,000 nits and look incredible.

That's because this is still a QD-OLED panel with excellent color volume (better than competing WOLED options), perfect blacks, and a glossy coating to ensure clarity. Alienware is listing 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, and it's a 10-bit panel, so it can display over a billion colors. The perceived contrast enabled by OLED's pixel-level dimming helps make HDR pop more than you'd think, given its on-paper specs.

We've already reviewed the monitor and gave it an Editor's Choice award because there's simply nothing else on the market that challenges its value. Yes, you can find better specs, but you won't find them at this price. The cheapest OLED monitor on Amazon is the AOC Q27GAZD, which goes for $380 right now. The next step up from there is MSI's MAG 274QP X24, which is listed for $430, and that's on sale for $500.

For connectivity, you get 2x HDMI 2.0 ports, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There are extras such as a KVM, speakers, or even a USB port for firmware upgrades. But the monitor does come with a 3-year burn-in warranty, typical for OLED displays these days. The OSD also features various OLED care options, such as pixel refresh, to make sure the panel stays as good as new for a long time.

Not that it matters much, but design-wise, the AW2726DM is a clean-looking unit with no frills. Usually, you'd see RGB on the back of an Alienware monitor, but $350 doesn't buy you that. The build quality is, however, very solid, and we were impressed with the stand included in an otherwise basic package. It has tilt, height adjustment, rotation, and swivel capabilities; more than enough to get you started. Alienware is offering all this at a $350 MSRP; no discount required.

Remember when buying an OLED monitor meant taking out a second mortgage and living in constant, low-level anxiety about UI burn-in? Yeah, those days are (more or less) officially behind us. Users are finally upgrading to the instant response times and glorious, ink-black contrast of OLED in massive numbers, according to a fresh press release from market analysis firm TrendForce that reveals global OLED monitor shipments hit 2.735 million units in 2025. That is a massive 92% increase year-over-year.

The driving force behind this surge in organic LED display adoption? Well, according to TrendForce, it's mostly that brands are actually throwing their weight behind aggressive promotions combined with the explosive popularity of the current display sweet spot: 27-inch, 1440p (QHD) monitors with blistering 240Hz refresh rates. Throw in multiple highly publicized tests proving the durability of modern OLEDs as well as recent models sporting blistering 500Hz refresh rates and improved brightness versus older panels, and you've got a recipe for a market boom.

As for who is actually moving all these panels, ASUS has officially stolen the crown. TrendForce says that Team ROG secured a 21.6% market share for the year, successfully knocking Samsung (19.3%) down to second place. ASUS apparently managed this by blanketing the high-end gaming and creator spaces with genuinely competitive screens. Samsung didn't slouch, though; the Korean megacorp kept the pressure on with heavy year-end discounts on its own 27-inch panels and its ultra-high-end 49" ultrawide displays, like the Odyssey OLED G9.

MSI is sitting comfortably in third with 13.1%, which isn't a surprise; MSI has been incredibly aggressive with both design iteration and marketing over the last year, flooding the zone with rapid product iterations across multiple price tiers to tempt gamers on a budget while shouting from the rooftops about its latest models with smart advertising choices to reach PC gamers. LG (12.6%) and Dell (primarily through its Alienware brand, 9.9%) rounded out the top five, with LG leveraging its near-monopoly on massive 39-inch and 45-inch ultrawide form factors.

Here is the full breakdown of who owned the OLED space in 2025, according to the report:

1. ASUS: 21.6%
2. Samsung: 19.3%
3. MSI: 13.1%
4. LG Electronics: 12.6%
5. Dell/Alienware: 9.9%
6. Others: 23.5%

Looking ahead to 2026, TrendForce is projecting another 51% jump in total shipments. While the rest of the PC component market continues to be a rollercoaster of pricing anxiety, the monitor market is actively healing. If you've been holding out for the right excuse to ditch your aging LCD panel, the hardware gods are practically begging you to make the leap, and it might just be the biggest upgrade you make this decade.

Flagship gaming monitors come in many shapes and sizes, so focusing on one category is impractical. But it is generally accepted that the best format for do-it-all displays is a large 16:9 flat panel. 32 inches used to be the realm of the exotic, but now you can find the best gaming monitors for less than $1,300.

On my planet, flagship means OLED, and this world’s newest resident is Asus’ ROG Swift PG32UCDM3. It’s a 32-inch Quantum Dot OLED with 4K resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, ELMB, and wide gamut color. HDR carries a VESA DisplayHDR 500 certification, and in addition to HDR10 support, you get Dolby Vision too. Asus has added a technology called BlackShield that makes the screen’s front surface harder and improves perceived black levels. Let’s take a look.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM3 Specs

At its core, the PG32UCDM3 is the same tried-and-true 32-inch OLED that has headlined Asus’ ROG Swift series in the past. The resolution is 3840x2160, and the maximum refresh rate is 240 Hz. You also get ELMB, which is handy when you connect to a slower video card. To that end, it operates only up to 120 Hz and is effective at reducing motion blur at low frame rates.

If you have the latest GeForce 50-series or Radeon RX 7000, the PG32UCDM3 has a DisplayPort 2.1a input that supports a full 80Gbps bandwidth. It’s backward compatible with DP 1.4 and includes Display Stream Compression (DSC). Two HDMI 2.1 inputs also support 3840x2160 at 240 Hz, as does the single USB-C input.

The panel includes a Quantum Dot layer for wide-gamut operation, and in my tests, the PG32UCDM3 covered over 107% of DCI-P3, which is on par with the competition. You also get a spot-on sRGB mode if you prefer that gamut for SDR content. Full calibration controls are provided, though my sample proved nearly perfect out of the box. Each sample receives a factory adjustment, supported by a data sheet stored in the monitor’s internal memory.

The other screen layer of interest here is called BlackShield. It adds scratch protection with a higher hardness rating and better manages ambient light, which makes blacks deeper. While any OLED can do this in a dark room, most have a reflective screen that shows bright sources like lamps or sunny windows. Asus’ BlackShield mitigates that effect.

Video processing is top-shelf, with G-Sync and FreeSync support across all inputs at 240 Hz. You also get ELMB, which is rare in the OLED genre. It makes the PG32UCDM3 more flexible by allowing it to perform well with slower graphics boards.

Asus provides its large suite of OLED care options, including logo and perimeter detection, pixel orbiting, and a refresh routine with reminders. A proximity sensor can blank the screen when you leave your desk. There is no concern for burn-in here. Also included is the full array of GamePlus options, including aiming points, sniper modes, timers, a stopwatch, and multiple frame counters. And you get GameVisual with its nine picture modes.

Peripheral features include LED lighting, USB ports, programmable function keys, and Asus’ DisplayWidget desktop app, which lets you control the PG32UCDM3 from a PC or Mac desktop. The only thing missing are internal speakers, but you do get a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The PG32UCDM3 carries a flagship-appropriate price of $1,299 at this writing. That isn’t low but it is better than what a monitor like this would have cost just a few years ago. For that sum, you’re getting a monitor with every available gameplay and image-enhancing technology that is suited for any task, be it work or entertainment.

Assembly and Accessories

The PG32UCDM3 arrived in my studio packed in molded pulp with fully recyclable packaging, kudos, Asus. The screen is well protected by a no-friction sleeve and a plastic layer that peels away. The beefy stand assembles with a captive bolt, then the panel snaps on. The ROG pouch is bursting with cables, including IEC power, DisplayPort, HDMI, and two USBs. You also get extra lenses for the ROG logo projector that shows a graphic on your desktop from the bottom of the stand. If you’d rather use a mounting arm, an adapter bracket with 100mm VESA lugs is also in the box.

Product 360

The PG32UCDM3 maintains the latest ROG aesthetic with a component bulge and the OLED panel attached with its own metal backing. This helps with cooling, which is entirely passive; there are no fans in evidence. The back has multiple backlit elements, including the Lite-Brite ROG logo, the word “Swift” on the moving portion of the upright and the stand’s base, which has backlit trim and a logo projector with multiple lens options. The lens is attached with magnets, so it’s easy to make a change. All these bits can be controlled from the OSD or turned off if you like.

The front bezel is flush and thin, measuring 8 to 14 millimeters wide. With such a large screen and bright image, you barely notice the frame. A small ROG logo, backlit, of course, protrudes from underneath and indicates where the two buttons and the OSD joystick are. They control all monitor functions. Alternatively, you can use Asus’ DisplayWidget Center on the Windows or Mac desktop.

The stand is super solid, with a wide cast-aluminum base that is nearly 11 inches deep. It’s slender, though, so you can slide papers under it if you want. The upright swivels on it, just 15 degrees to either side. You also get 5/20 degrees tilt and a 3.3-inch height adjustment. There is no portrait mode.

The input panel is up and under and split between video and USB sections. For video, you get a DisplayPort 2.1a (UHBR20, 80 Gbps), two HDMI 2.1 (up to 3840x2160 @ 240 Hz), and a USB-C port that mimics DP functions and provides 90 W of power. USB 3.2 is supported with one upstream and two downstream ports. For audio, you get a 3.5mm headphone jack; there are no internal speakers.

OSD Features

The PG32UCDM3’s OSD is Asus ROG standard with nine sub-menus and signal info across the top and a volume level indicator at the bottom. It’s operated solely by the joystick, which gets the job done quickly and efficiently.

Gaming is up first with an Adaptive-Sync toggle, ELMB, GamePlus play aids, GameVisual picture modes and Shadow Boost, which is used to enhance dark area visibility. GamePlus includes aiming points, sniper modes, timers, a stopwatch and display alignment marks. The FPS counter can either be a numeral or a bar graph.

GameVisual has nine picture modes with Racing as the default. It’s close to the mark out of the box and matches the calibration data sheet, which is stored in the PG32UCDM3’s firmware. If you want sRGB, I recommend selecting that option from the Display Color Space menu rather than using the sRGB Cal Mode. That way, you can still calibrate. Using the full gamut for SDR delivers almost 108% coverage of DCI-P3. The PG32UCDM3 is very colorful.

In the Image menu is a new option I haven’t seen before, HDR Format. Yes, the PG32UCDM3 is one of the only gaming monitors available that supports Dolby Vision as well as HDR10. It’s found in games like Halo Infinite, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Its advantage over HDR10 is that it supports dynamic metadata, meaning it adapts its white threshold to whatever display it’s shown on. HDR10 has a fixed peak, usually 1,000 nits. If a display can’t hit 1,000 nits, it has to tone map, basically guess what the intended levels are. Bottom line, Dolby Vision looks better and more consistent from screen to screen. It’s ideal for OLEDs, which are not as bright as their Mini LED counterparts. The PG32UCDM3 offers four HDR10 modes, which can be adjusted for brightness and contrast if you like. Console HDR includes a toggle called Dynamic Brightness Boost, which does just what it says: it increases peak highlights to provide more impact.

For color control, you get color space options, color temp presets with RGB sliders, and gamma presets. You can also tweak each color individually for saturation.

OLED Care has many options to prevent burn-in like a screen saver, pixel refresh, pixel orbiter and detection of static logos and perimeter elements. The Neo Proximity Sensor, when activated, blanks the screen if you leave your desk. The PG32UCDM3 has full PIP and PBP options for those who want to view two video sources at once. Auro RGB and Light In Motion are the LED effects for the large ROG logo in the back. It can play in any color with multiple effects, or static if you prefer.

The four joystick directionals can be programmed to quick access functions like GameVisual, GamePlus, input selection and more. In the System Setup menu, you can see the DisplayPort options, ranging from version 1.2 to 2.1. This ensures backwards compatibility with older graphics boards.

Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM3 Calibration Settings

The PG32UCDM3 looks and measures well in its Racing picture mode. Calibration is not required, but some small gains are possible by dialing in the RGB sliders in the color temp menu. Gamma tracks on the reference, so no change is needed there. And color conforms to DCI-P3, sRGB or wide gamut, which covers over 107% of DCI-P3. You can also choose between fixed and variable brightness; the option is called Uniform Brightness. When it’s off, the SDR peak is just over 500 nits from a 25% window pattern. My settings below reflect both configurations and the monitor will remember the different brightness settings, so you can equalize the two modes.

HDR10 and Dolby Vision signals switch modes automatically. For HDR10, you get four modes and Dolby Vision has three of its own. They can’t be calibrated, but you can tweak brightness and contrast for HDR10 if you like.

Gaming and Hands-on

While there are more immersive gaming monitors like big curved ultra-wides, there are none more useful for a wide variety of tasks than a 32-inch 16:9 flat panel like the PG32UCDM3. And it has more height than a 34-inch 21:9 screen, so that’s a factor as well. There is nothing it cannot do well.

Gaming was super enjoyable thanks not only to the jumbo image, but the gorgeous contrast and color afforded by Asus’ BlackShield tech and the Quantum Dot layer in use. It is about as colorful as you can get for both SDR and HDR. With almost 108% DCI-P3 coverage, it is among the very best. I also noted its accuracy right away. There was no hurry to calibrate, and in fact, I didn’t touch anything except the brightness until the testing phase began. I enjoyed lots of fragging before getting down to work.

The PG32UCDM3 responds quickly to control inputs. Though my gaming skills are average at best, I benefit from a high-performance screen when playing. Movements are precise and instantaneous. A 180-degree turn is effortless and consistent, occurring with just a flick of the mouse. I was able to play at a fixed 240fps thanks to a GeForce RTX 4090. DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC provided enough bandwidth to prevent any hesitation in movement. Blur was non-existent as well. I tried out ELMB at 120 Hz and found it completely usable. Users with older video cards will be able to enjoy this monitor at 120fps with the same smoothness I saw at 240.

As for the effect of BlackShield, I had to turn on a few room lights to see its benefit. If you play in a dark or dim space, the PG32UCDM3 looks like every other premium OLED. But with a bright overhead light, its image is a little deeper than a monitor with a typical shiny front layer. I didn’t test its extra hardness, but the handling of ambient light is clearly superior to the competition. I won’t be surprised to see this tech appear elsewhere.

To check out the Dolby Vision support, I hooked up a Panasonic DP-UB9000 4K Blu-ray player and watched the demo material on Spears and Munsil 4K Benchmark suite. This allowed me to watch the same clips in HDR10 and DV. The difference was subtle but visible. Dolby Vision had more thoroughly rendered highlights which not only exposed more image detail, but it also increased the perception of contrast. Color was equally rich between the two formats, but the extra punch in Dolby Vision’s highlights was easy to see.

For the day to day, the PG32UCDM3 is just what I’m used to. My reference screen is a 32-inch UHD OLED, so the Asus made me feel right at home. Windows looks best to my eyes at a font scale value of 150%. That works well with the monitor’s 140ppi pixel density. You can see the dots at around eight inches away, but farther than that, and you won’t see any jaggies. No edge enhancement or other sharpening aids were required here.

I appreciated the PG32UCDM3’s variable brightness feature and the fact that it would remember each brightness setting, so I only had to adjust it once. That way, the peak is equalized between modes. Turning Uniform Brightness off makes video and games look a little more impactful, while turning it on is better for productivity. Not all OLEDs have this flexibility.

Physically, the PG32UCDM3 is premium all the way. It’s an expensive monitor and it feels that way. The movements of the stand, the button feel, it’s all high-end. You are definitely getting what you’re paying for here.

Takeaway: During my time with the PG32UCDM3, I found nothing to complain about besides the lack of internal speakers. This is a nit-pick on my part, but I feel that every monitor should have some kind of audio besides the headphone jack, even if it’s just for system sounds. But I loved everything else, especially gaming. This is a superlative gaming screen if you have the graphics horsepower to drive it to 240fps in 4K resolution. I can think of no better choice for a high-end PC or Mac if you need the best possible do-it-all display.

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To compare the PG32UCDM3’s performance, I’ve rounded up a group of 32-inch 4K 240 Hz OLED screens. These are all flagship displays. They are Asus’ XG32UCWMG and PG32UCDP, Acer’s X32 X3, Dough’s Spectrum Black, and HP’s Omen 32 OLED.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

Thanks to Nvidia, I’ve recently acquired a new panel response testing instrument, the LDAT or Latency and Display Analysis Tool. It’s a photosensor that attaches to the screen, and with the included software, it can measure real-time input lag and panel response. The latter test has changed for me because Nvidia’s tool measures a small square at the center of the screen, not a full field as I had done previously. That means the new results are not comparable to the old. The PG32UCDM3 measured 0.24ms from black to white in a one-inch square. As I accumulate more data, I’ll be able to chart and compare these values.

The lag test is comparable to what I previously did with a high-speed camera. The sensor connects via a USB cable to my test PC and includes a button that emulates mouse input. I can press it as many times as I like, and the LDAT software will tell me the average lag time. The PG32UCDM3 measured 18ms of total lag (mouse input to screen flash, averaged from 25 clicks), which is on par with the fastest monitors in the segment.

Test Takeaway: The PG32UCDM3 is a very fast display with lower-than-average input lag and the near-instant panel response endemic to OLEDs. There is no motion blur at speeds over 200fps. If you engage ELMB at 120 Hz, it is also free of visible blur with only a slight drop in brightness. The PG32UCDM3’s video processing equals the current state of the art.

Viewing Angles

The PG32UCDM3 has the barely visible green tint common to Quantum Dot OLEDs when viewed at 45 degrees to the sides. This is almost impossible to see in content, so it is a non-issue. There is no change to brightness or gamma, so you can share one of these with a friend if you like. The top view is a tad warm in tone with a 20% brightness reduction and slightly reduced gamma.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

I’ve seen excellent screen uniformity from nearly all the premium OLEDs I’ve reviewed. The PG32UCDM3 sits right in the middle at 7.21%. This is well below the visible threshold of 10% where you might see a glow. The PG32UCDM3 has none of that. The image looks perfect from edge to edge at all brightness and color levels.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The PG32UCDM3 includes the option of variable or uniform brightness. Typically, the former is where you’ll see the highest peaks if you measure a 25% window pattern as I did. That delivered just over 500 nits in my test, making it the brightest monitor in the group for SDR content. In practice, you don’t need more than 250 nits for an indoor environment. With Uniform Brightness turned on, the PG32UCDM3 measured just over 300 nits peak brightness for a full-field white pattern. Black levels and contrast could not be measured. Though the BlackShield film improves perceived black levels, the effect cannot be measured by a contact luminance meter like the i1 Display.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration has no effect on black levels, static contrast or ANSI contrast, they are still unmeasurable. To equalize the white level, I set Uniform Brightness on with a field pattern and Uniform Brightness off with a 25% window. The PG32UCDM3 remembers the two settings, so once you get it to your liking so you don’t have to revisit the brightness slider every time.

Test Takeaway: The PG32UCDM3 offers typical OLED contrast and image depth. It looks a little blacker to the eye but the effect of the BlackShield tech could not be measured by my instruments. In SDR mode, it’s a little brighter than its competitors with just over 500 nits peak. It also stands out with a uniform vs variable brightness option. Many OLEDs don’t offer this. Bottom line, it’s gorgeous with a picture befitting a premium display.

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Like all Asus ROG Swift monitors, the PG32UCDM3 is accurate out of the box and does not need calibration in its Racing mode. But everything you need is there if you want to take it to reference level.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

In the default chart, there are no visible grayscale or gamma errors. Red starts to move up as brightness increases, but it never cracks the 3dE line. Gamma is on the reference except for a small dip at the 90% step, which means it’s a tiny bit too bright there. Again, you won’t be able to see that in content. The PG32UCDM3 is visually perfect out of the box.

After a few changes to the RGB sliders, grayscale is now at reference-level with all errors at or below 2dE. Gamma is a little tighter as well. The monitor went from visually perfect to more visually perfect. This is excellent performance.

I measured sRGB by selecting that option in the Color Space menu rather than engaging the sRGB Cal mode. That way, calibration options remain available. The third chart above shows the default, which is free of errors over 3dE and just has a slight dip in gamma at 90% brightness. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Comparisons

Though the PG32UCDM3 starts out at an impressive 2.27dE in the grayscale test, its competitors are even better out of the box. Visually, there is no difference, but I’m picking nits here. Different samples might measure differently, too. After calibration, it moves up to fifth place with an impressive 0.78dE, awesome but just another day at the office for these OLEDs.

Gamma is very tight with a small 0.12 range of values and a 0.91% deviation from 2.2. The actual value is 2.22. This is on par with other premium OLEDs, which is to say, reference.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

In the color test, you can see the PG32UCDM3’s slight oversaturation of the DCI-P3 gamut. It’s only a little off and the average error is just 1.66dE, very low. There is general oversaturation but nothing that would inspire complaint. Calibration barely makes a difference in this test, but the average error is now 1.21dE. That’s pro-level accuracy.

I saw similar results in the sRGB test, where the error was 1.23dE, also reference level. This is about as close to perfect as it gets, so you can use the PG32UCDM3 for photo or graphics tasks that require correct color. It is completely qualified as a professional screen.

Comparisons

Again, the PG32UCDM3 posts superb color results that are on par with the other monitors. Ultimately, these differences are only visible to the meter, you won’t see any issues when viewing content.

In the volume test, the PG32UCDM3 sits just below 108% coverage of DCI-P3. That’s average for the Quantum Dot OLEDs I’ve tested. In practice, any of these screens would be called colorful, but the PG32UCDM3 and the HP would be more colorful, and fully qualified for color critical applications.

Test Takeaway: The PG32UCDM3 delivers accurate color in the DCI-P3 and sRGB realms both before and after calibration. It is fully qualified as a reference monitor, so you could save a lot of money by buying it over a dedicated pro screen. It switches easily between wide gamut and sRGB and supports individual calibrations for each color mode. Among its peers, it doesn’t break new ground, but it is clearly more colorful than a non-QD display.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The PG32UCDM3 is one of the only gaming monitors that supports Dolby Vision with three dedicated picture modes. It also supports HDR10 with an automatic switch and four specific modes, which can be adjusted if you like.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The peak white level is about the same for all the HDR10 modes, just over 504 nits. This is expected given its VESA DisplayHDR 500 certification. I measured a 25% window pattern to get that result. Smaller areas of the screen will probably hit 800-1,000 nits. The top three monitors push a little harder, but in practice, the difference is almost invisible. The PG32UCDM3 is very bright and dynamic with HDR content. I was unable to test Dolby Vision here, but I did view some content from a disc player, which you can read about earlier in this review on page one. Black levels and contrast cannot be measured, so on that score, all the screens are equal.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The PG32UCDM3 completely aced my HDR color tests. Grayscale is visually flawless with no errors over 3dE. The EOTF tracks almost perfectly with the reference, with slight darkness below 30%, but not enough to obscure shadow detail. Every step is fully rendered and visible. The tone map transition is at 70%, which is correct for the measured black and white levels. This is in the default HDR10 mode, Gaming HDR. I did not turn on Adjustable HDR because it would skew the luminance tracking without making the monitor brighter. It should only be used for personal preference since it is not technically accurate.

In the gamut tests, the PG32UCDM3 shows a linear and general oversaturation like other Quantum Dot OLEDs. Red and blue are a little more vibrant, while green is on point. There are no significant hue errors in the secondary colors. In the BT.2020 test, the PG32UCDM3 runs out of color at 90% red, 75% green, and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: The PG32UCDM3 is an exemplary HDR monitor with high brightness and accurate color. Since it nails the EOTF test, it can be relied on to show every bit of fine detail at every point in the brightness range from the blackest black to the whitest white. It reminds one why OLEDs are the best display tech for HDR.

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For users needing a great all-around display, the 32-inch 16:9 flat OLED is about as good as it gets. This category is still firmly priced at the premium level, but it also reinforces the axiom, “you never regret buying the best.” The Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM3 embodies that principle.

Gamers will love its stunning image and next-level performance. When comparing OLED monitors, there is no real difference in feel or smoothness at speeds over 200fps. While a 330 or 500 Hz OLED is cool, it won’t do much for gaming besides drop input lag by a few milliseconds. And the PG32UCDM3 managed 18ms in my test, making it one of the quickest 4K screens I’ve reviewed. And if you spring for one in hopes of upgrading your PC after the fact, it has ELMB for smooth operation at 120 Hz.

Image-wise, it has no competition outside the OLED genre. It’s colorful, accurate and bright with incredible depth and contrast. HDR looks amazing and the PG32UCDM3 is one of only a handful of monitors to support Dolby Vision. It also looks to the future with DisplayPort 2.1a and HDMI 2.1. Want to hook up peripherals? It has actual USB ports too, something that has been disappearing from screens of late.

If you have $1,299 to spend on a high-end gaming monitor, and you need it to do work too, the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM3 is a stellar choice. You will not regret buying the best in this case. If you have the opportunity, definitely check it out.

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Image retention, commonly known as burn-in, remains a major concern for prospective OLED buyers despite advances in countermeasures. The various benefits of self-lit pixels, such as infinite contrast ratio and instantaneous response times, are often overshadowed by longevity woes. This latest burn-in test from YouTuber Optimum shows that unless you're abusing your display, there's little to worry about.

For two years, Optimum has been using an LG 32GS95UE-B dual-mode 32-inch OLED monitor with native 4K resolution at 240 Hz, which can be doubled to 480 Hz at 1080p. He's logged over 3,000 hours on this bad boy, mostly playing Overwatch (2) and working on DaVinci Resolve and Fusion 360. All three apps have many static elements, so this should be a solid real-world test.

Optimum says they kept all the panel care features at their default settings, with pixel shift disabled. That's actually the most important one, but it can be annoying because the pixel refresh screen can pop up in the middle of a session and interrupt your flow. He keeps everything in dark mode, hides the taskbar, doesn't use window snapping, and prefers 80-100% brightness most of the time.

So, after all that wear, was there any burn in? The answer is yes, mainly from Overwatch, with close to 500 hours logged in the game. The health bar in the bottom-left corner was slightly retained and visible on a grey background, alongside the player card next to it. These dying pixels were very hard to notice, even on cherry-picked fullscreen colors, and Optimum had to edit the pictures to make them easier to see.

The only other burn-in was from DaVinci Resolve's scroll bars in the editing timeline, positioned at the bottom-right corner, but this was even less perceptible. There was no other sign of image retention across the screen, but the overall peak brightness dropped from 262 nits to 258 nits after 3,000 hours. That's still basically as good as new, a sentiment Optimum mirrored in his video.

This usage pattern was fairly realistic rather than the simulated stress applied to displays, as we've seen before with Rtings.com's testing. That's not to say those results aren't valid; if anything, roughing up these OLED screens better demonstrates how they'll hold up over time beyond their warranties. As such, Optimum even advises using the generous 3-year support window you get from most vendors these days if you notice burn-in.

Moreover, his routine included just one game and two apps, which would be a sort of torture-test scenario. If you're switching between different games and changing what's on your screen frequently, you're likely to see better results. At the same time, if you use snapped windows and don't hide your taskbar, those will be the first areas affected by image retention, likely before any in-app elements.

The video repeatedly states that slight image retention is not noticeable in everyday use, even if you look for it. That being said, the Overwatch bits burned-in were caused by an average of 30 minutes played per day, so if your playtime is higher than that for one specific game, there will be a heightened chance of burn-in.

Optimum ends the video by recommending keeping all the panel care features enabled, which we concur with, especially pixel refresh, which shifts individual pixels to help them wear down less easily. OLED burn-in is something that can never honestly go away — it's a byproduct of the tech rather than something conventionally "solvable" — so the best we can do is to be just a bit more careful with our expensive gear.

Samsung Display and Intel have co-developed a new technology for OLED laptops, dubbed "SmartPower HDR," and it's exactly what it sounds like. Unlike traditional HDR-capable displays that keep the panel running at a fixed high voltage to account for brightness spikes, SmartPower HDR will dynamically adjust power to the panel, resulting in up to 22% decreases in battery consumption.

SPHDR will analyze the peak luminance of each frame, ensuring that the voltage remains as low as possible until the content calls for a sudden burst in brightness — only then will the display ramp up to provide the necessary juice. Even in peak brightness scenarios, compared to the regular HDR mode, SPHDR should consume a bit less power without affecting the actual brightness.

That's where the Intel part comes in: this tech is powered by the new Core Ultra Series 3 chips, aka Panther Lake. The integrated Xe2 iGPU will have more precise control over the Samsung-made OLED screen inside the laptop. The SoC will run an algorithm to deduct the required smart voltage draw and communicate with the display's timing controller in real-time to adjust power consumption.

The potential SmartPower HDR carries is enormous, considering how (poorly) Windows handles HDR. In non-color-managed apps like File Explorer, the OS simulates an SDR color space inside an HDR container, resulting in washed-out blacks. For this reason, many choose to keep HDR disabled until they're playing a game or watching something that actually needs it. System-wide, always-on HDR is still a distant reality for most Windows users.

On the other hand, Apple uses Extended Dynamic Range (EDR) inside its Mini-LED MacBook Pro displays, allowing it to handle SDR and HDR content side-by-side through sophisticated dimming zone control. The display's timing controller is aware of precisely which pixels need to be brighter and need more power. Not only is this beneficial for image quality, but it also helps save battery life, so SmartPower HDR is not too dissimilar in concept from this tech.

That ties into the entire point of HDR, which is mostly higher brightness, but those peaks can only be reached in content either natively mastered in HDR or upconverted using tools like AutoHDR or RTX HDR. So, whenever you're interacting with SDR content, simply having HDR enabled in Windows will still lead to higher power consumption since the display is always waiting for/expecting HDR peaks. SmartPower HDR fixes this by making the display intelligent and content-aware.

Samsung says this reduction in power draw can lead to 30-40 minutes of extra battery life, which would only add to Panther Lake's efficiency claims. We don't have details on when SmartPower HDR is actually launching, but we'll likely see it debut on Core Ultra 3 Series laptops shipping this year, including possibly Samsung's own Galaxy Book6 (Pro and Ultra) lineup, which does carry OLED displays.

Samsung is teasing some intriguing new OLED products, ready to showcase at CES 2026 over the next few days. Samsung Display’s press release highlights the flexible solutions that its latest OLED technologies can enable, by outlining “several speaker-type AI assistant concepts.” In addition to the (predictable) cute robot and mood lamps, it shared images of the eyebrow-raising AI OLED Cassette and AI OLED Turntable.

A next-gen lineup of OLED products is promised by Samsung Display for CES 2026, under the banner of ‘A New Era of Experience, Powered by AI & Display.’ The exhibition seems a reasonable proposition, but it is sometimes surprising what products have made it through brainstorming and multiple revisions (we would expect) to make it to the show floor.

What caught our attention in this latest news were the “Edge Device concept models that illustrate how OLED could elevate AI-driven lifestyles when applied to AI-enabled form factors.”

Samsung gently introduces the ideas of an AI OLED Bot and an AI OLED Mood Lamp as demo platforms for its circular OLED displays and AI assistant tech. These seem like well-trodden product ideas, even if the displays are quite special, some of the company’s most advanced.

Sadly, deep details of the headlining pair of devices are not available today. The AI OLED Cassette is built around a pair of 1.5-inch round OLED displays (or more). We can see one features a smartwatch style interactive display, and the other a status page. There also seems to be a lozenge shaped display above these circular OLEDs with an interactive tuning dial, or something like that.

Samsung Display’s AI OLED Turntable is even more intriguing, based around a circular 13.4-inch OLED. The second of its retro-analog devices appears to be touch controlled. What the practical, or fun, use of such a large circular touch display is, in an AI OLED turntable device, isn’t obvious at this time.

Other Samsung Display CES 2026 highlights

We’ve had fun looking at Samsung Display’s productized flights of fancy – even if it prefixes then all with ‘AI.’ However, there’s some really worthwhile advances highlighted in its PR.

For example, the firm is also producing tougher than ever OLEDs, with durability demonstrated by its robot basketball test, steel ball drop test, and refrigerator (cold temperature) tests.

In automotive, Samsung will also demonstrate multiple in-car displays such as an 18.1‑inch Flexible L‑shaped Center Display, a 30‑inch 32:9 Rear Seat Entertainment display, and - OLED tail lamp displays capable of showing warnings like ‘Accident Ahead.’

Road warriors may also appreciate the new UT One (Ultra Thin) OLED, which promises “30% thinner and 30% lighter” panels for laptops, using hybrid thin‑film layers and Oxide TFT for 1–120Hz variable refresh. Color fidelity isn’t neglected, with these 100% DCI-P3 color panels claimed to deliver “deeper blacks by eliminating the air gap between glass substrates.” Other new OLED monitors and TVs are set to offer new always-on modes and 4,500‑nits peak brightness levels.

Last but not least, we’d like to highlight Samsung’s new 1.4‑inch RGB OLEDoS. This XR microdisplay targets headsets with its compact 5,000 PPI display and wide viewing angles.

For a brief moment in time, Asus let one of its cats out of the bag. A webpage showed up on the company's website about a fancypants new 32" display, the ROG Swift PG32UCDM3. This new model has a 4K QD-OLED running panel at 240 Hz, complemented by a BlackShield filter that claims to offer an even deeper black level than the already-inky hue common in OLED displays and dramatically improved scratch prevention.

Technically speaking, the new display is the third generation of the existing PG32UCDM lineup. Note that the specs list we managed to dig up came from unofficial sources, but they all look in line with what we'd expect for a new revision.

The standard OLED fare is present, in the form of an effectively infinite 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio, 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, and factory calibration with a Delta-E average of 2 or under. Things get more interesting with Dolby Vision support, standard HDR10, and DisplayHDR 500 True Black certification, which guarantees at least 500 nits of brightness in HDR mode.

Those are pretty good specs already, especially with the assumption the monitor a fourth-gen LG QD-OLED panel with higher and more stable brightness versus previous offerings. The true star of the show here, though, is the BlackShield Film, which Asus purportedly says offers a 40% deeper black level, along with 2.5x higher scratch resistance than before.

Although OLED displays are self-emissive and have zero black level by nature (and superior to any other display type), any ambient light is reflected on the panel surface, making pure black colors look ever so slightly grey or purple, especially in brightly lit rooms. Glossy coatings are the best to fix that, but those introduce distracting screen reflections, so panel and monitor makers often have to find a balanced trade-off, or come up with novel ideas, as Asus apparently has done.

The rest of the specifications are about what you'd expect from a high-end OLED display: 90 W USB-C power delivery, connectivity options including Display HDR 2.1a UHBR20 and HDMI 2.1, and an integrated hub. It's safe enough to assume that the included stand will be height and tilt-adjustable, and there will be RGB lighting on tap.

Given the specs of this unit, don't expect it to be affordable. The current PG32UCDM is often priced at $900 to $1,000, so the new version should command a premium over that figure.

Ahead of CES 2026 (and just before Christmas), LG Display announced on Tuesday a seemingly revolutionary development in the OLED world — at least as far as its own panels are concerned.

The company has achieved a striped, true RGB subpixel layout in one of its upcoming monitors, a 27-inch 4K display with a 240-Hz native refresh rate, doubled by dual-mode capabilities.

To understand why this is such a big deal, we first have to look at how subpixel structures inform the image quality that you see. Every display has pixels, and each of those pixels are made up of tiny red, green, and blue (RGB) subpixels. However, LG's panels also add a fourth white subpixel in the equation to boost brightness.

See, OLED panels are inherently weak when it comes to being bright because driving those sweet organic pixels as hard as possible will wear them out quickly, leading to burn-in. Therefore, you need ingenuity to tackle this issue, and so far, LG has relied on that white subpixel for the most part, but that comes with a downside.

Even though the inherent luminance of the image is boosted, the color volume is hurt as a byproduct of what white subpixel essentially bleeding over the other colors. This is why Samsung's QD-OLED panels are touted for their superior color performance, since they don't have a white subpixel and instead emit blue light that passes through quantum dots to filter colors.

Now, getting rid of that white subpixel and reverting back to a true RGB structure does hurt brightness outright, at least in the first-gen implementation, but it could be a worthwhile tradeoff. That's why LG is quoting just 1,000 nits of peak brightness, with 250 nits full-screen APL, noticeably decreased from the 1,500 nits max their latest Tandem OLED panels can achieve.

That's one part of the equation; the other is that striped layout, which is just as important. Instead of putting the subpixels in a triangular or rectangular structure — or really any other pattern — LG places the red, green and blue subpixels right next to each other in a straight line, forming a "stripe." But, again, they've always had that white subpixel in the middle, creating a RGWB pattern instead.

What’s up with the variety of OLED sub-pixel arrangements we see today? What benefits does each provide? How can an iPhone reach 2,000 nits of brightness at 460 PPI, but OLED TVs and monitors struggle with 1,000 nits at much lower pixel densities? I have so many questions the more OLEDs I own. from r/OLED_Gaming

Therefore, this is the first time a high refresh OLED panel has had a true RGB stripe subpixel layout. This leads to reduced fringing and distortion in text, since the font engines rendering that expect a more conventional layout. LCDs and such have striped subpixel arrangements for ages, but OLEDs have suffered either because of the white subpixel or just a differently shaped layout altogether, such as in QD-OLED panels.

To be clear, OLEDs with this kind of a layout have existed before, but they're niche and limited to just 60Hz, as LG points out in its own press release, so achieving a 240 Hz refresh rate is quite impressive and nicely brings the tech into the modern day. Keep in mind that LG Display is a separate company from LG. This is just one gaming monitor, so it doesn't represent a broader shift away from WOLED from LG as a whole.

Speaking of, TFT Central reports that this monitor will be part of LG Display's 4th gen family, using a Tandem WOLED panel. The branding is a bit confusing, because the "W" in that WOLED doesn't mean it has a white subpixel; rather, the multi-stack method used by LG emits near-white light that is converted by color filters, which is what forms those RGB subpixels eventually.

Just to clarify, the other "Tandem OLED" designation is reserved for smaller format displays meant for phones, tablets, laptops and cars, and it's similar to LG's RGB OLED where each subpixel produces its own light instead of being filtered through a white base layer. That's what powers the new iPad Pros, but it's not meant for TVs or monitors.

All in all, combining 4K resolution at 27 inches with a 240 Hz refresh rate, on a panel with a striped true RGB subpixel layout that's powered by LG's Tandem WOLED tech — well, that's one heck of a combo and certainly fit for a next-gen flagship. We should learn more about pricing and availability as CES rolls around. Until then, you can check out Samsung's new monitors announcement as well.

Researchers at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Germany, have developed a new form of an organic LED that is many times smaller than existing options - measuring just 300 x 300 nanometers, according to SciTechDaily. If scaled up and built into a standard display, it would enable a 1080p screen that measured just 1mm across.

In the quest for lighter, more detailed, and brighter displays for augmented reality headsets and smart glasses, the most compact individual light-emitting diodes available as of 2025 are micro OLEDs. These measure just under five by five micrometers each, which is absolutely tiny compared to even the mini-LEDs that power many modern high-end TVs. But the new nanometer-scale OLEDs out of this German university and more than 10 times smaller.

“With the help of a metallic contact that allows current injection into an organic light-emitting diode while simultaneously amplifying and emitting the generated light, we have created a pixel for orange light on an area measuring just 300 by 300 nanometers. This pixel is just as bright as a conventional OLED pixel with normal dimensions of 5 by 5 micrometers,” says Bert Hecht, in the study published in Science Advances.

As this technology matures, it has the potential to develop ultra-compact displays for portable devices, saving on weight and power enormously, as well as new, highly-detailed displays (all the better for gaming with). At this scale, enormous pixel densities could be achieved, unlocking lifelike visuals - if you could get the processing power to render it.

The researchers achieved this new feat by modifying existing OLED structures. Simply miniatuizing OLED designs leads to issues with the gold antenna at the heart of each OLED gradually leaching its gold surface into the surrounding organic material, causing a short circuit.

To prevent this, researchers introduced a specially developed insulating layer around the optical antenna within each diode, focusing the currents and enabling long-lasting operation of the nano-scale OLED. Still, this "long" length of time only accounted for two weeks of testing, so building this proof-of-concept technology into something that is viable for real-world products and economies is a whole other ball game.

Researchers will now work on increasing the color gamut that the diodes can emit to the full RGB spectrum and improving their efficiency. As it stands, it's only at one percent, which would make these displays extremely power hungry to run.

Still, if they can nail it, they'll bring about displays so small and light they could be integrated into just about anything, anywhere.

Over 100 TVs and a small cadre of monitors have been put through the ringer by review heavyweights RTINGS.com, as its legendary longevity burn-in test crosses the two-year mark. Forcing the tested panels to endure nonstop uptime, simulating 10 years of average usage, the test has revealed some key truths about recent trends in consumer screens.

We first covered the test's 10-month mark findings back in 2023, when the burn-in was just beginning and the monitors tested still looked good as new. Now, the above picture paints a clear image of the failure and agony stretching across many panels at the end of their lifespans.

RTINGS claims that the most significant finding from the test so far is that edge-lit TVs are prone to failure sooner than direct-lit panels. While edge-lit TVs are cheaper and thinner than direct-lit screens, and theoretically cool down faster after being turned off, nonstop usage subjects the panel to intense, concentrated heat that can warp and crack panels, causing LED burnouts and failures much sooner. In the long term, edge-lit TVs are a potential liability.

The long-term torture test's methodology is simple: each screen runs a 24/7 live stream of a CNN news feed on maximum panel brightness. This stream was chosen both for its accessibility and nonstop nature, as well as for the consistency of elements like the breaking news ticker and centrally-positioned talking heads, which are more likely to contribute to screen burn-in.

Screen burn-in is a phenomenon occurring on LED panels (especially OLED screens, but potentially any screen run for long and hard enough) where certain constantly-shown elements become seemingly baked into the display. While some burn-in goes away after a panel's refresh cycle, for the screens that have been running the gambit for over two years, the burn-in is permanent.

Monitors Tested and Other Major Findings

Three monitors have been part of the long-term research, joining the 24/7 torture test four months after the TVs began. The LG 27GR95QE-B, Alienware AW3423DWF, and Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 are a trio of OLED, 1440p, high refresh-rate monitors of 165Hz or higher that have all been subjected to testing. In contrast to the TVs, which have exhibited rising failure rates in recent months, all three monitors are still going, though burn-in has become incredibly obvious.

All three panels are now clearly showing signs of burn-in at the bottom row of the screen, where the CNN news ticker typically rests. Samsung's Odyssey OLED monitor has the CNN logo specifically burned into its bottom right corner. The LG panel is especially rough, also exhibiting clear evidence of the outline of a talking head in the center of the screen, and displaying colors with significantly less accuracy than either of the other two monitors. The burn-in becomes much starker when viewed in tandem with a look at the three monitors a few months into the test process.

Surprisingly, where most TV screens tested have seen a measured downward progression in their peak brightness values, the three monitors have held steady around their day 1 values. While both the LG and Samsung monitors experienced some fluctuation around the 3,600-hour mark, all three line graphs for these screens appear to be positively parallel with the x-axis. For a better look at these graphs, be sure to check the RTINGS.com written review.

Other noteworthy failures and observations in the test include a high occurrence of backlight failures, causing entire TVs to die. Where some screens saw large regions of their backlights completely die out, with the remainder staying lit, creating an odd half-on, broken look, many TVs in recent weeks of testing have had a single LED in the backlight die, causing the entire TV to be unable to power on.

For more stories of the test's crazy TV deaths, dying panel gore, and other general trends and observations, RTINGS.com's update YouTube video and written post both hold great value to consumers and panel trend followers.

We all start somewhere in our PC building journey, but seldom does an opportunity present itself to make our first system as unique as u/OkDebate6649. That's exactly what happened with the aforementioned Reddit user who built his computer literally brick-by-brick using Lego. Known as "Choi," our resident enthusiast took Lego-style bricks and made not only a full PC case, but also a monitor featuring an OLED panel, along with a mechanical keyboard — desktop terminal style.

My Build from r/sleeperbattlestations

One of the best parts is that this was Choi's first-ever custom PC, as he's only used pre-builts before this. You might think that he's some sort of Lego master builder, but he has no prior experience in that department either. In fact, the only reason he even got his hands on Lego in the first place was to hit the minimum requirement for a discount while shopping online. Once he got the bricks, though, he quickly figured this would make for a fun experiment and got to work.

Choi worked on the case, the monitor and the keyboard separately. Speaking to PC Gamer, he described how everything was constructed with modularity in mind. The monitor, which uses a 1080p OLED panel from AliExpress, is enclosed inside a custom body fully built from Lego. That frame can then attach to a similar keyboard housing and form a desktop terminal, akin to the Apple II. Not only that, but the case itself can be connected below the monitor.

Choi has posted his escapades across different subreddits; we embedded the most detailed post above where he showcases the build from the inside. As you can see, there's no dedicated GPU in there — the PC is powered by a Ryzen 5 5600G because Choi is sacrilegiously a PlayStation gamer and only needs this PC for office work. That 5600G is paired with equally-modest hardware like 16GB of memory, a basic ITX motherboard, and an AMD stock cooler. The build has two 120mm fans mounted externally for air intake.

Now, what if the transforming desktop terminal and the PC case were to get together and have a baby? Thankfully, our curious tinkerer has thought ahead and already made a "retro Commodore-style monitor case." Details on this project are scarce, but Choi has used a 4:3 monitor and put it inside a custom Lego housing that can also fit an entire PC in there. There's a USB hub up front, too, for quick access. Unlike the 5600G build, though, this one has space for a dedicated GPU, but Choi is only using it as a secondary monitor for now.

The DIY madness doesn't stop here, either. Clearly, Choi loved the Lego theme and ran with it even further, building projects like a desk clock powered by an iPhone 6, an audio deck made to look like an old radio, and also a Lego mouse that we spotted in the pictures, which Choi never mentioned in the text. Everything is neatly placed in the corner of a room, encapsulating the perfect Lego setup. Sure, there's no high-end hardware powering this stuff, but the ingenuity behind this is far beyond anything extra money alone could buy.

Monitors Unboxed is continuing its lengthy OLED monitor stress testing video series with a burn-in update at the 18-month mark. The YouTube channel's host, Tim Schiesser, published a new video detailing all of the burn-in effects his MSI's MPG 321URX is now displaying after a whopping 4,500 hours of use. Long story short: some of the display's burn-in artifacts are now showing up during day-to-day use.

For those unfamiliar with the video series, Monitors Unboxed began stress testing an MPG 321URX almost two years ago to record the burn-in susceptibility of OLED displays. To do this, Schiesser replaced his LCD display at work with an MSI MPG 321URX OLED gaming monitor and is using it for day-to-day tasks such as writing scripts, video editing, and photo editing.

The stress Schiesser is putting on his 321URX is significantly more demanding than what most 321URX owners put their monitors through. No gaming is being done on the monitor, and the monitor is being used for 8 hours per day — 250 hours per month. Additionally, Schiesser is further stressing the monitor by running Windows light mode (with the taskbar set to dark mode), calibrating the screen to 200 nits brightness, and setting the screen to only turn off after 2 hours of inactivity.

According to Monitor Unboxed's latest update, the MPG 321URX being used for this stress test is now developing burn-in effects that are visible in specific situations during day-to-day use. A line that has been burning down the center of the screen for months is now becoming visible in game footage. At first Schiesser thought the issue was coming from video corruption from game footage he recorded through a capture card, but, after double-checking, he realized the artifacts he was seeing were coming from the monitor itself. The issue is subtle and hard to spot, but the monitor's burn-in issues have technically reached a point where they are affecting his viewing experience.

Other burn-in effects are also becoming more prevalent at the 18-month mark, though they are not visible during day-to-day use — not yet, anyway. Using a digital enhancement filter, Monitors Unboxed demonstrated that taskbar burn is becoming more apparent compared to the channel's last burn-in update (published at the 15-month usage mark), despite using dark mode specifically for the taskbar in Windows 11. Uneven brightness uniformity has also become more apparent since the 15-month update, thanks to multiple windows being used side by side. This issue is an extension of the aforementioned burn-in line, since the line is created from one side of the display having worse brightness than the other side.

Monitors Unboxed's latest update confirms that modern OLED displays will eventually reach a point where burn-in effects affect the day-to-day viewing experience. The good news is that this subtle amount of visible burn-in took a long time to build — over 4,000 hours of use, all while running a workload composed almost entirely of static desktop windows.

A video chronicling the degradation of an OLED monitor over time has just been published, offering a 15-month update. The Monitors Unboxed update seems to deliver pretty good news, overall. After this quite considerable time of “worst-case scenario” OLED monitor use, key metrics are still acceptable. However, it is estimated that the MSI MPG 321URX under test may need to be replaced for color-sensitive professional usage as early as 9 months later. Also, please bear in mind that this interesting study is based on a single OLED monitor sample, unlike the work of organizations like Rtings.

During Monitors Unboxed testing, the MSI 4K OLED has been subjected to a daily use behavior described as “aggressively burning in.” The channel’s Tim Schiesser hasn’t been purposely causing damage to the display, though. Instead, the idea seems to be to use this OLED with the same amount of care you might with any LCD-technology alternative. It is also used primarily for work, with little to no full-screen media content consumption. Thus, it was probable that static Windows UI elements, and even often-used apps, could cause burn-in on some regions of the display. Indeed, this has happened.

Above, you can see a full rundown of the test conditions. In summary, while Schiesser didn’t try to cause max burn-in damage, and allowed the panel to complete its self-protection and maintenance cycles, he didn’t do anything in Windows to lessen potential burn. Therefore, he used Windows 11 in light mode (as some people prefer), didn’t set up a screensaver (just a 2-hour idle-time screen-off setting), and used apps on the same preferred areas of the screen 95% of the time. This activity takes place “8 hours a day, 7 days a week, 250 hours per month, 3,000 hours a year.”

During the video, you will see some interesting images that chart the extent of the 4K OLED display’s burn-in over 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. There’s little mention of the 3-month milestone, as any ill effects of the ‘aggressive’ use by then were very minor.

Trying to see the burn-in issues escalate over the 15 months isn’t that easy, something which we should be thankful for. Thus, Monitors Unboxed has manipulated or filtered the comparison images to show what is happening slightly below many folks’ perception levels when looking at captured image content in YouTube videos (lossy compression issues).

The major areas viewers should be aware of are the bottom of the screen, where the Windows taskbar remains in typical productivity workflows, and the vertical burn-in artifacts, which are caused by Schiesser’s unwavering app tiling preferences. He explained that much of the time, he will work with a browser on the left of the screen and a word processor to the right.

Color impact

Acer has a sizable range of new monitors at Computex 2025, and the new products sprawl across nearly all monitor segments, covering professional content creators, gamers, and digital road warriors. Thus, there are several new high-spec monitors introduced to Acer's ProCreator, Predator, and portable monitor portfolios. We also took a look at several new Nitro displays, which pack Google TV smart features.

Acer ProCreator monitors

Leading its new professional pack, Acer showcased the ProCreator PE320QXT at Computex. This is a 32-inch monitor with a 6K screen with 6,016 x 3,384 pixels. It has a smaller brother in the shape of the ProCreator PE270XT, offering an impressive 5K (5,120 x 2,880 pixels) resolution.

Both of these flagship ProCreator monitors from Acer can reproduce 99% of the DCI-P3 gamut and boast Delta E<1 color accuracy. They are VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified, too. The PE320QXT we saw was touch-enabled, but whichever model you grab, you will benefit from an integrated 8M webcam and flexible ErgoStand.

If you want an OLED monitor for your professional workflow, Acer also has the ProCreator PE320QK X monitor on show. This provides a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) QD-OLED panel with true 10-bit color and dual color gamut support for 99% of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. Again, users will benefit from a Delta E<1, and this one has VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification. Game creators might also be drawn in by the PE320QK X’s AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible technology, 240 Hz refresh, and 0.01ms response time.

Acer Portable Monitors – dual-screen and large

If you make use of portable monitors, either on the road or in a multi-monitor setup, Acer has a few new interesting options for you, all with VESA mounting compatibility. The Acer PD163QT and Acer PD243Y E portable monitors, with wide viewing angles and dual-screen features, are claimed to be ideal for multitasking.

With these models, you get a pair of FHD 16-inch displays in a flexible clamshell form factor. The PD163QT features touch capability, while the PD243Y E may appeal if you prefer a faster refresh (100 Hz).

Acer’s PM191Q E monitor is a more traditional single-screen FHD monitor, except that it ‘goes large’ with a diagonal of 19-inches. It is purported to be ultra-thin, and this 100 Hz monitor has a convenient built-in kick-stand.

Acer Predator OLED gaming monitors

Acer has added a pair of new premium 27-inch OLED gaming monitors to its Predator series. The new Acer Predator X27U F5 offers an ultra-fast 500 Hz refresh rate at 1440p, while the Predator X27 X delivers 240 Hz at a super fine 4K resolution.

Both the new Predator displays benefit from a DCI-P3 99% color gamut, 0.03 ms (GTG) response times, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, great OLED contrast, built-in stereo speakers, and tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustable stands (or use a VESA mount).

Acer Nitro monitors get Google TV

Adding gaming and entertainment flexibility, the new Acer Nitro GA321QK P and Nitro GA341CUR W0 come with Google TV on board, supporting Google Cast and wireless connectivity for screen mirroring from multiple devices.

The 32-inch GA321QK features a 4K UHD display (3,840 x 2,160 pixels) with a 165 Hz refresh rate and up to a 0.05 ms (GTG) response time. Meanwhile, the Nitro GA341CUR W0 has an immersive 34-inch ultra-wide QHD display (3, 440 x 1440 pixels) with a fast 240 Hz refresh rate and 99% sRGB color.

Last but not least, Acer introduced the portable Nitro PG271K. It says 'portable,' but this is an undeniably large 27-inch monitor despite its “ultra-thin and space-saving” qualities. This monitor has a kick stand (and VESA mount compatibility again). An IPS panel is used here, and the screen offers dual-mode 4K at 72 Hz, or FHD at 144 Hz.

Acer says that precise specifications, prices, and availability of the above products will vary by region. So, if you are interested in any of the above, keep an eye on your local Acer retailer(s).

MSI has shown off its new MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 gaming monitor at Computex 2025. This display is particularly notable for packing in an AI Care Sensor, which detects human presence and modifies what’s on-screen to prevent the chance of image burn-in. Additionally, the X50 boasts great performance specs. Read on for more details of the X50 and several other new gaming monitors we saw at the MSI exhibition space.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50

At the heart of this 27-inch 1440p monitor is what MSI calls a 3rd-gen QD-OLED panel. This helps deliver a heady mix of great color and contrast, plus high performance.

In terms of color quality, the X50 delivers the striking contrast OLED panels are known for, with 99% DCI-P3 color coverage, and backed by certifications such as VESA ClearMR 21000 and DisplayHDR True Black 500.

Performance is also top-notch, with the QD-OLED panel capable of running up to 500 Hz, and with the characteristic speedy response of an OLED, said to be 0.03ms GTG in this model.

As mentioned, MSI has some special AI sauce to elevate the appeal of the X50. Probably the most practical and welcome new AI feature is dubbed the AI Care Sensor. This enables “real-time human detection, dynamically adjusting settings to protect the monitor and boost efficiency,” says MSI. It will also power down the screen when it detects no one is there to view it. This AI relies on the combination of an NPU-based IC with an always-on CMOS sensor, built into the X50.

The AI Care Sensor works in concert with MSI’s established OLED Care 2.0 system, which employs tricks like pixel shift, taskbar detection, multi-logo detection, and others to reduce the chance of burn-in. Last but not least, with respect to this feature, buyers are covered by a 3-year (OLED) burn-in warranty.

MSI’s AI Navigator puts all the new AI features in one place. Here you will find the AI Menu zone, to “effortlessly adjust and optimize MSI’s AI settings in one place,” plus the AI Care Sensor settings.

The X50's MSRP is $899, and it'll be available to buy on July 17.

MSI MPG 242R X60N with 'Rapid TN' panel

MSI also showcased the MPG 242R X60N in Taipei. You can probably decode MSI’s naming scheme yourself to conclude that this is a 24-inch monitor. However, it is aimed at a different gaming scene – those that demand the fastest 1080p performance possible.

The X60N eschews OLED and packs a ‘Rapid TN’ panel, which is capable of up to 600 Hz refresh, paired with a 0.1ms GTG response time. These panels are usually weaker in terms of color quality, so MSI’s specs card sidelined such things, and all we know is that the X60N has VESA DisplayHDR400 certification.

The X60N's MSRP is $999.

Other MSI monitors at Computex 2025

MSI has a new 27-inch dual-mode gaming monitor called the MPG 27RURDFW E16M. We are changing screen technology again, as this one packs a QD-enhanced Mini LED display with 1,152 zones.

As a dual mode, this monitor facilitates one-click switching between 4K / 160 Hz and FHD / 120 Hz modes. Whichever you choose, the response time is 0.5ms GTG.

MSI has a bit more to crow about with the color quality specs here. This model supports VESA DisplayHDR 1000, and has a quoted 98% DCI-P3 gamut, and Delta-E of less than 2.

Samsung has finally announced that its 2025 OLED TV line-up will feature compatibility for Nvidia G-Sync, in what could be a major upgrade for gaming on the big screen. Samsung says that, paired with Motion Xcelerator technology, it will deliver improved visuals and clarity for players.

Nvidia G-sync synchronizes the display refresh rate with your GPU's frame rate to reduce screen tearing and stuttering. Samsung says that when paired with its Motion Xcelerator technology, with support for up to 165Hz, it will deliver "exceptionally fluid visuals and sharp clarity during fast-paced action scenes."

Kevin Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Customer Experience Team at Samsung Electronics, says the 2025 OLED range from Samsung would "deliver elite-level performance for even the most competitive players."

Today's news also heralds the inclusion of AMD FreeSync Premium Pro into the line-up, building on the support for FreeSync that Samsung has offered for a number of years.

The highest tier of AMD's FreeSync tech, Premium Pro is the only offering to deliver AMD FreeSync HDR, as well as a 120Hz max refresh rate in 4K, the latter is also available for FreeSync Premium.

Samsung says Premium Pro's inclusion will increase compatibility and adaptive sync performance across more GPUs. As Samsung notes, FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync support join its Auto Low Latency Mode and Samsung Gaming Hub to form an impressive core suite of gaming features.

Samsung's 2025 OLED TVs will also introduce a new AI Auto Game Mode that can analyze game genres and scene content to make real-time picture and sound optimizations, allegedly eliminating the need for manual adjustments.

A new Game Bar will let users make on-the-fly changes without exiting their game.

Enthusiasts and purists probably won't be replacing their best gaming monitor with a Samsung OLED TV anytime soon, but the announced improvements are great news for those who want a quick cloud gaming session on the big green.

Samsung's G-Sync compatibility feature will be available starting on the S95F, with subsequent rollout to additional models in the 2025 OLED line-up later this year.

Asus has two new glossy OLED monitors on the way - the new ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG and ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWG. If we take the firm’s PR at face value, these new monitors have been precipitated by popular demand. It indicates that “gamers were quick to ask us for additional options” to the ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, last year. So, here we are with a brace of new 32-inch glossy screen OLED models.

Not everyone likes glossy monitors, but preferences are often rooted in your ‘working’ environment. Monitor (and laptop/tablet) users who have experienced the gamut of glossy vs matte screen coating types will weigh up the more vibrant color, denser blacks, and crisper visuals glossy screens can deliver against potentially suffering from screen reflection misery.

WOLED not OLED?

Asus also makes the distinction between WOLED and OLED here. Its new OLED gaming monitors use the former, which addresses some of the traditional drawbacks of the best OLED gaming monitors by using a single white light layer (hence WOLED), with color filters to build up the visual spectrum.

This LG-designed solution to issues like OLED screen burn is also boosted in brightness by LG’s Micro Lens Array, or MLA, and this may be a key enabler of Asus TrueBlack Glossy tech. In brief, the reasoning seems to be that the Asus “TrueBlack Glossy film pairs a zero-haze optical layer with an advanced anti-reflective stack,” and combined with the extra brightness from MLA, it can make reflections less problematic.

Beyond the WOLED

What else do we know about the new Asus ROG glossy OLED displays? Firstly, we know these monitors offer a 32-inch diagonal screen, with 3,840 x 2,160 ‘4K’ resolution. They also join the burgeoning ranks of displays that can switch down to an FHD mode for faster refresh gaming. Specifically, the new ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWMG lets you pick between 4K 165 Hz and FHD 330 Hz modes, whereas the XG32UCWG gives the choice between 4K 240 Hz and FHD 480 Hz.

Asus is targeting DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification for its new OLED gaming monitors. However, we don’t have some key visual quality metrics at this time, so we can’t quote max brightness or color gamut figures, for example.

Not surprisingly, both new ROG gaming monitors come with G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync Premium Pro tech. OLED displays are renowned for their fast response times, and the quoted ultra-low 0.03ms (GTG) here makes these no exception.

Asus has worked to make these large-ish displays as compact as possible, consuming less desktop real estate, with the fully assembled product boasting a 30% reduced depth. Both new monitors also feature two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and USB DP Alt-mode connectivity. KVM functionality and a two-port USB hub is also standard, with up to 15W charging.

Samsung Electronics is lifting the veil off its latest lineup of monitors which it showed off at CES earlier this year. The Odyssey lineup sees a new addition in the form of a glasses-free 3D gaming monitor, alongside Samsung's first high-density 27-inch 4K OLED offering, and a new 49-inch variant under the G9 family, supposedly designed to be more accessible. However, official prices have not been listed as of writing.

Under the new Odyssey 3D sub-brand, Samsung is debuting the G90XF which is a 4K, 27-inch monitor that boasts a 165 Hz refresh rate, designed to deliver a convincing 3D effect without the need for traditional 3D glasses, also known as an autostereoscopic display. The panel technology is currently unspecified. Samsung achieves this 3D effect through a combination of advanced eye-tracking, a light field display, and lenticular lens tech on the front panel that direct light rays at different angles to create a perception of depth.

Samsung recommends installing the Reality Hub software, which can transform select games to give you an immersive 3D experience. The G90XF also packs an AI video conversion tool that harnesses your GPU's (Nvidia-only) power to convert 2D videos or movies to 3D on the fly, as long as the content is not DRM-protected, much like Nvidia's RTX HDR and VSR technologies.

Next up is a new refresh of Samsung's Odyssey G8 OLED monitor dubbed G81SF. The G81SF carries a 4K QD-OLED panel running at 240 Hz, available in 27 and 32-inch options, with a DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400 and a Glare Free certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Samsung is a tad late to the party, as similar high pixel-density offerings from Asus, MSI, and Dell are already available in the market. The 27-inch flavor offers a pixel density of 166 pixels per inch, currently the highest in the industry for this size, matching other competitors.

For heat dissipation - needed to cool this high-performance display - Samsung advertises the use of its proprietary Pulsating Heat Pipe (PHP) based technology. PHP is claimed to diffuse five times more heat than standard Graphite sheets.

Following is Samsung's Odyssey G9 G91F which aims to bring ultrawide gaming to the masses. Compared to the original model, which launched in 2020 at nearly $1,500, the G91F cuts down on several specifications to save costs. While the monitor retains its staple 49-inch dual QHD panel, it drops the refresh rate to 144 Hz and the HDR specification to DisplayHDR 600, a step back from the original's 1,000 nits of peak luminance. Although you do get HDR10+ certification which is a welcome addition.

Lastly, professionals can expect to see Samsung's new ViewFinity S8 (S80UD) hit shelves shortly. This monitor carries a large 37-inch, 4K display with a 16:9 aspect ratio alongside Ergonomic Workspace Display and Intelligent Eye Care certifications from TUV. Devices can be connected through a 90W USB Type-C connection, while you can plug in peripherals via the included KVM switch.

The Odyssey 3D, Odyssey OLED G8, and Odyssey G9 are available for pre-order starting today. Pricing and product listings are currently available only on Samsung's South Korean site, though global listings should go live shortly.

Laptop manufacturer Compal Electronics has won an iF Design Award 2025 for a previously unseen design with an extending screen (h/t Liliputing). Unlike the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus we saw in December, and the ThinkBook Codename Flip we saw at MWC earlier in the week, the Compal Infinite Laptop's screen extends horizontally, expanding from a 14- to an 18-inch diagonal.

Purchasing a laptop involves some hard decisions and compromises. However, specs that were once set in stone post-purchase are now easier to sidestep than ever. For example, portable monitors are more common and cheaper than ever, so you can have more screen space in your laptop backpack when you need it. Similarly, if you decide on a thin and light with integrated graphics, there are lots of portable eGPU docks around in 2025.

Using the latest rollable OLED screen technology to give laptop buyers a way to summon more working screen space at their will, is even better than having to pack a second screen, though. Lenovo teased laptops with vertically extending and flipping screens for months before showing off the aforementioned ThinkBook Codename Flip. Now ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) Compal has shown there's another way to use the same technology. What do you prefer? Don't say a diagonally extending screen.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Codename Flip screen can be as compact as 12.8-inches at minimum, and up to 18.1-inches when fully unfurled. Its ThinkBook Plus could extend from a 14- to a 16.7-inch diagonal, according to our last report. The iF Design Award pages say that Compal's Infinite Laptop is 14-inches in diagonal, but it can extend to 18-inches.

Sadly, there aren't a lot of tech details shared by the award pages. In the description, it is claimed the Compal Infinite Laptop balances portability and productivity thanks to its screen expansion capabilities, which sounds fair enough, if your workflow can make good use of very wide aspect ratio screens.

Laptop lid LED alerts

We can see in Compal's images that the screen expands both left and right, keeping the machine nicely balanced when fully extended. Compal boasts that the extension mechanism is 'seamless' and ensures both screen quality and durability, which is good. Last but not least, we can see the laptop lid has two arrays of LEDs, which appear to be configurable to show custom alerts like emails arriving.

We've reported on fascinating Compal concepts emerging previously but, sadly, these things sometimes never get commercialized. This innovation seems genuinely useful, though. If it doesn't add too much weight to a laptop, it would be great if the concept technology was picked up by one of the brands that uses Compal as a manufacturer.

Earlier this morning, Samsung Display announced and previewed its participation in Mobile World Congress 2025, where it will be going all-in on showcasing its OLED technology across a wide spread of screen sizes and potential use cases. Among the highlights included a 500 Hz QD-OLED monitor, 240 Hz OLED laptops, a foldable OLED handheld, flexible OLEDs, and the "Seamless Color Studio" - an advancement only made possible by further improvements made to OLEDs at smaller screen sizes.

Looking at the "world's first 27-inch 500 Hz QD-OLED monitor" first, this device promises gamers a superfast refresh, ultra responsive, and color-rich gaming experience. We first heard about this awesome display from Korean sources back in November, last year. Hopefully with this showing at MWC, it is now much closer to retail.

Samsung's "Seamless Color Studio" exhibit, pictured below, uses an OLED smartphone and large monitor on both sides, but highlights how an LCD-based laptop display on the left can't keep consistency with the surrounding displays even when calibrated with the same color accuracy as the OLED laptop display on the right.

This wouldn't be possible if Samsung hadn't further refined its OLED manufacturing capabilities to allow for truly high-brightness (1,000 nit) OLED panels at handheld (6.7-inch) screen sizes, as highlighted in the second slide.

For those unfamiliar, OLED panels are commonly agreed to offer the best visual quality of any modern panel type, but particularly in comparison to IPS (which suffers from poor contrast despite great color accuracy and viewing angles), TN (which shares great responsiveness with OLED, but cheap and with horrendous color compared to higher-end contemporaries), and VA (a technology which benefits from great contrast, but doesn't look as vibrant as IPS or OLED).

Aside from concerns of burn-in and high prices, OLED has long been considered the ideal panel type for gaming monitors, media consumption, and pro work, so long as you get one correctly calibrated for your needs. It's rather impressive that Samsung has managed to get this degree of OLED parity across its range of devices, and its work on flexible and bezel-less OLEDs also looks quite interesting for the future of the market.

Highlighting these advancements in bezel-less and flexible OLEDs, we've included three key images below. There's a Samsung "Flex Gaming" handheld that's fully bendable, a "Flexible Cabinbag" foldable OLED briefcase with a total screen size of 18.1 inches, and bezel-less "OLED Tiles" creating a single display from the use of ten 6.8-inch OLED tiles attached together.

With so many of the best OLED gaming monitors appearing regularly from every major and minor manufacturer, my review opportunities have been prolific. And with no significant exception, their imaging and gaming performance differs by mere minutia. As long as the refresh rate is over 150 Hz, you can expect to see no motion blur and experience low input lag. Perfect black levels and large color gamuts mean a stunning image that outguns the best LCD can offer.

Buying choice comes down to size, shape, and price. In the 34-inch curved ultra-wide 21:9 category, prices hover around $800 for the speediest models running at 240 Hz. But for $650 at this writing, you can have the AOC Agon AG346UCD. It runs at 175 Hz with Adaptive-Sync at WQHD 3440x1440 resolution. It also delivers HDR and a wide color gamut courtesy of Quantum Dot technology. Let’s take a look.

AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD Specs

I won’t build suspense here. The AG346UCD doesn’t offer the 240 Hz and high brightness of Acer’s Predator X34 OLED. But that monitor is $900, and though it is awesome, it won’t perform 28% better. AOC offers a lot of gaming performance and image goodness at a reasonable price compared to other OLEDs.

The panel features Quantum Dot tech which expands the color gamut comfortably past 100% of DCI-P3. AOC claims 99%, but I measured over 112%, a new record in my ever-growing test database of which the AG346UCD is the 414^th member. Out-of-box accuracy is good enough to skip the calibration step, but a few tweaks take the numbers to reference-level.

As a curved 21:9 panel, the AG346UCD creates an immersive feel, but the 1800R radius is gentle. When looking at spreadsheets, there is no image distortion, so it is fit and ready for the workday. But gaming is the focus; to that end, you get aiming points and a sniper mode. There’s also a nice pair of internal speakers with eight watts of power that provide good sound with surprisingly good bass. If you enjoy a light show, there are colored LEDs in the back called Light FX that accentuate the monitor’s angular styling.

Gaming is also supported by a 175 Hz refresh rate, which is lower than the 240 Hz OLEDs I’ve regularly seen. Motion blur is almost non-existent but not entirely eliminated. It’s more visible if you’ve seen as many fast screens as I have. But as you’ll see, there is no impact on input lag; it’s extremely low. The AG346UCD supports FreeSync, G-Sync, and VRR for consoles.

Where is the sacrifice, you ask? It’s brightness, specificlly HDR brightness. The AG346UCD peaks around 237 nits, which is lower than most. If you’re familiar with OLEDs, you know that is a typical number for monitors with their variable brightness feature turned off. The AG346UCD does not have that option, so you’ll miss the bright highlights that make HDR content stand out.

Are these sacrifices worth getting a 34-inch OLED gaming monitor for $650? Once you see the test results, you’ll agree they are. The AG346UCD is an undeniably good value.

Assembly and Accessories

The AG346UCD’s package contents must be extracted from crumbly foam before assembly. I noted the base which is a seriously thick chunk of metal. It weighs more than some entire monitors. Only a concerted effort will knock it over. After attaching the upright with a captive bolt, the panel attaches to the fulcrum with two included fasteners. If you’d rather use an arm, there’s a substantial bracket in the box with screws provided. The cable bundle contains HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB.

Product 360

The AG346UCD displays its Agon branding on the front bezel and in the back. The distinct design element is a hexagon with five unequal length sides. This shape surrounds the stand fulcrum and is ringed by ventilation and an LED array. Effects and colors can be controlled in the OSD. The upright is also a hexagon with a flip-out headphone hook and a small cable management clip incorporated. The panel is finished in black with gray trim while the stand is all gray.

Ergonomics include 3/21 degrees tilt and 16 degrees of swivel. The height range is 130mm (5.1 inches) and moves with a slight click so you can easily lock in your preferred position. The single control is a large joystick that manages power and OSD navigation. You can opt for Windows desktop control using AOC’s G-Menu app.

You may have noticed something cool in the side profile photo above. Yes, the AG346UCD has side USB ports. This feature used to be more common, but now is a rarity. It’s great to see because it’s very convenient. Fishing underneath to plug in a mouse and keyboard is a pain, if you even get USB ports. There’s no KVM though. The video input panel includes two HDMI 2.0 and one DisplayPort 1.4 along with the USB upstream and one more downstream port. You also get a 3.5mm headphone jack. The internal speakers play nice and loud with no significant distortion and decent bass. They’re driven by eight-watt op-amps.

OSD Features

The AG346UCD’s OSD has the same look as all Agon monitors. It has a vertical screen trimmed in sci-fi graphics, with red text on a black background. The bottom ribbon is organized like the one on AOC’s rank-and-file monitors.

There are eight menus in total, starting with Game Setting where you’ll find a selection of game modes that operate separately from the picture modes. The best way to avoid confusion is to leave this off. Shadow Control is provided if you have trouble seeing in dark places. The sniper scope occupies a large window at center screen and features three magnifications. If you want to track the fps count, turn on the Frame Counter. There are aiming points available by down-clicking the joystick. Depending on the background, you can have a fixed red cross or one that changes between black and red.

In the Luminance menu, you’ll find seven Eco modes or picture modes. Standard is the best choice and conforms closely to industry standards. You can enjoy it without adjustment, but I recommend a few tweaks for the best possible image. You also get three gamma presets and three HDR emulation modes. They alter the luminance curve to simulate HDR for SDR content. When HDR10 signals are present, two additional modes are revealed.

21:9 monitors are well suited for PIP and PBP use where you can view two video sources at once. The options here include window size and position and the ability to specify which one outputs audio.

Color options include three fixed color temperatures and a user mode with RGB sliders. You can also choose from Native, DCI-P3, or sRGB gamuts. However, picking one of the latter two will gray out all other image options, so I suggest sticking with Native.

The Light FX feature plays a show with the LED ring in back. You can enjoy a variety of effects and tweak colors to many different combinations. OLED care options are extensive with pixel orbiting and refresh plus dimming of static logos and screen borders like the HUDs in many first-person games. A screen saver can also be engaged.

AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD Calibration Settings

The AG346UCD measures well out of the box in its Standard picture mode with D65 grayscale, 2.2 gamma, and around 112% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Calibration is unnecessary, but reference-level accuracy is achieved with a few changes to the RGB sliders in the color menu and a one-click reduction in the contrast slider. I recommend avoiding the HDR emulation modes as they alter the luminance curve to the point where some highlight and shadow detail is obscured. There are two modes available for HDR signals. Display HDR has the best accuracy, and both it and HDR 1000 Max deliver the same peak brightness. My recommended SDR settings are provided below.

Gaming and Hands-on

If you’ve hesitated to pull the trigger on a curved monitor because you work more than play, the AG346UCD is a great choice. It has a relatively slight 1800R curve, which means it is “only a little curved.” There is no image distortion, and when you’re crunching numbers in a spreadsheet or writing your next novel in Word, you won’t even notice the curve. It is every bit as useful and functional as a flat panel. Its size is practical as well. It’s wide but not tremendously so. You’ll need 32 inches of space to accommodate the width and 12 inches to sit the large but slender base. The legs are skinny so there’s plenty of room to let papers pile up.

The image is bright enough for the workday and when dialed back to a comfortable 200 nits peak, you can stare at the screen for hours without fatigue. Color is beautifully saturated, and contrast is just as wonderful as any OLED. For SDR content, there is almost no difference in image quality between OLEDs. You will notice the extra punch of those Quantum Dots though. The AG346UCD is the most colorful monitor I’ve yet tested.

You’ll see later in my tests that it isn’t as bright as other OLEDs. That is because it lacks a variable brightness option. If you were to turn it off on a screen that has it, you would see roughly the same peak as the AG346UCD offers. The problem happens when you switch to HDR mode. Most graphics-driven games today offer HDR, and an OLED is typically the best way to experience it. The AG346UCD let me down a little here. It doesn’t offer any more brightness, meaning the peak is around 236 nits for SDR and HDR. And I noted some undersaturated color in the most vivid parts of the image. You’ll see what I mean on page five when you check out the HDR tests. However, the contrast I expect from an OLED is there, and the AG346UCD maintains an edge over LCD technologies.

When it comes to the more essential parts of gaming feel, response, and motion processing, the AG346UCD excels. Though it runs at 175 Hz, it matches many 240 Hz OLED screens with extremely low input lag. When looking very closely, I could see a little motion blur in test patterns. But when gaming, there was no blur. Every detail, near or far, was rendered perfectly. Fast movements showed no breakup or stuttering. My aim was precise, and my movements were exact.

Takeaway: The AG346UCD is positioned as a value choice, and it easily meets that goal. It delivers excellent gaming performance with low lag and smooth motion processing. It has beautifully saturated SDR color and is extremely useful for everyday tasks. My only complaint is that it doesn’t have the bright HDR highlights one expects. And there are HDR color anomalies which appear as undersaturation of the most vivid shades. Considering it’s a 34-inch ultra-wide OLED for $650 though, I can’t complain too loudly.

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My database contains mainly 240 Hz OLEDs. To compare the AG346UCD’s performance to at least one other 175 Hz model, I had to activate the time machine for the numbers from my review of the Samsung OLED G8 from 2023. The remaining screens are Gigabyte’s MO34WQC2, Corsair’s 34WQHD240-C, Acer’s X34 and AOC’s AG456UCZD.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

It’s important to remember that OLED gaming monitors make more of a given refresh rate than an LCD. In addition, the differences between 175 and 240 Hz are small enough that most players won’t see a difference in smoothness or control response. The numbers above demonstrate this. Though the AG346UCD takes 6ms rather than 4ms to draw a full white field, the difference in practice is minute. I could see a tiny hint of blur in test patterns but during actual gameplay, there was no difference.

I also noted no appreciable difference in the total control lag times. The Samsung is an outlier, but it is a bit older than the others. Clearly, paying more for 240 Hz won’t get you a lot more speed. The AG346UCD is on par with the faster screens.

Test Takeaway: While it’s easy to ding the AG346UCD for being *only* 175 Hz, the test results show that doesn’t matter. My visual observation was of very slight blur in moving test patterns but nothing that would affect the gaming feel or experience. You can save a bit of money buying the AG346UCD and get the same performance offered by most 240 Hz screens.

Viewing Angles

I’ve observed slight red tints in some QD-OLEDs at 45 degrees off-center, but the AG346UCD doesn’t have this trait. The side view is identical to the on-center photo in color and luminance. Gamma is also unaffected. The top view is a tad red with a reduced gamma. This is excellent performance.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

Also excellent is the AG346UCD’s screen uniformity which is among the best I’ve measured from any monitor. You won’t see any bleed, glow, or hotspots here. It truly doesn’t get better than this.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The AG346UCD has no real weaknesses except for brightness. And how that’s perceived is up to the individual user. Though it peaks at 236 nits, you still get the infinite blacks all OLEDs are known for. Contrast is infinite,l and don’t forget that enormous color gamut. Since there’s no option for variable brightness, the AG346UCD operates like all the other screens would if their variable brightness were turned off. Measuring a full field versus a 25% window made no difference.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Adjusting the brightness to a peak of 200 nits does not affect black levels or contrast. If you set all the monitors for constant brightness, they would look the same except for their color saturation, which we’ll discuss on the next page. The ANSI checkerboard, which measures intra-image contrast, also looks the same on all six panels.

Test Takeaway: With the AG346UCD’s brightness remaining constant for all content, its peak is at 236 nits which is less bright than a monitor with variable brightness. In practice, this manifests as less impactful highlights. Variable brightness gives a panel more pop and verve. The AG346UCD has great color though and that may appeal more to some users than peak luminance.

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To avoid confusion, I recommend turning off the AG346UCD’s Game Mode and sticking with the default Standard picture or Eco mode. This mode is relatively close to the mark but has a little room for improvement.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The AG346UCD’s default chart is slightly deficient in green, but the errors barely crest the visible threshold of 3dE. This is an acceptable performance. The gamma trace rides a bit below the reference line, but since contrast is so high, you won’t see a problem with actual content.

Calibration doesn’t affect gamma which is a good thing. Grayscale tracking is now extremely close to perfection with all errors well under 1dE. This is reference-level performance.

The sRGB gamut option grays out all picture controls but measures well with a 3.29dE average grayscale error and near-perfect 2.2 gamma. Only a slight dip at 90% can be seen in the chart. This makes the AG346UCD suitable for color-critical work in the sRGB realm.

Comparisons

The AG346UCD’s default score of 3.18dE is reasonably close to the mark and shouldn’t be seen as a negative. It can be enjoyed without calibration. But with the tweaks I provided earlier, you can take it to a class-leading 0.26dE. That’s one of the lowest scores I’ve ever recorded. Gamma tracking is extremely tight with a 0.06 range of values and an average that’s 2.73% off the reference. The actual value is 2.14. This error is hard to spot in actual content.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The first chart shows that the AG346UCD is super colorful in its default state. This represents the Native option in the color gamut menu. There is a little oversaturation in all three primaries but not enough to cause a visual problem. The points track in a linear fashion which means all fine detail is fully rendered. The 2.16dE average error is quite low. Calibration tightens up the chart nicely with near-perfect hues across the board. The sRGB chart shows slight oversaturation in red but no visible hue errors. Overall, we’re seeing reference-level color here.

Comparisons

It’s hard for any OLED to stand out in the color accuracy test when the numbers are this good and this close. It is not an exaggeration to say that you won’t find a bad example. The AG346UCD’s 1.62dE score is average among this group but well above average when compared to all other monitors and technologies. This is excellent performance.

It seems the gamut volume record just won’t stand for more than a few days. Quantum Dot OLEDs typically cover around 110% of DCI-P3 and I’ve had some touch 111%. The AG346UCD is the first to crack 112%. While these are minute differences, the numbers don’t lie. The AG346UCD is officially the most colorful OLED monitor I’ve tested. And its near-perfect 100.95% sRGB volume qualifies it for critical applications.

Test Takeaway: Concerns about brightness are largely soothed with color results this good. The AG346UCD is beautiful to look at thanks to deep blacks and color saturation for days. It’s accurate without calibration and even better when adjusted. Gamma is nearly spot on as well which means you’ll see every fine detail the image has to offer. Color accuracy can’t get much better than this.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

When the AG346UCD receives an HDR10 signal, it enables two dedicated HDR picture modes. These should not be confused with the three HDR emulation modes available for SDR content. You get Display HDR and HDR 1000 Max. I’ll talk about the differences below.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

I measured the Display HDR and HDR 1000 Max modes and saw no difference in peak brightness. Both top out at 237 nits which is the same value I noted in SDR mode. There is no option for variable brightness which is what OLED monitors use to achieve brighter peak highlights. Black levels and contrast are still unmeasurable, so HDR looks very good but without the verve most other OLEDs have. This is the AG346UCD’s one real weakness. I verified these conclusions by measuring full field and 25% window patterns and got the same result every time.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

I measured Display HDR and HDR 1000 Max and got very different EOTF curves. The charts above show Display HDR which is the default and best choice. The brighter grayscale steps are a tad warm but nothing that will harm actual content. The EOTF trace runs slightly dark up to the tone-map transition at 70%. Some shadow detail might be hard to see but since the progression is linear, there was no problem in the content I observed. I noted that the 1000 Max mode darkened the picture considerably due to a low luminance curve below the tone-map transition. It also made no difference in peak brightness.

The color chart shows some issues that should be addressed by AOC. Color saturation hits the mark up to around 60% where the points fall short of their targets. The DCI-P3 chart should be fully covered to the 100% perimeter, but it isn’t. Blue comes close but red and green are 10-15% shy. This means the brightest colors will be slightly muted in HDR content. Most material falls in the 40-60% range but the most vivid shades don’t quite render. The AG346UCD is fully capable of this gamut so I can only conclude that this is an unintended result. A firmware update would take care of this issue.

Test Takeaway: OLED monitors need a variable brightness option to render the best possible HDR and the AG346UCD currently lacks this feature. That means its HDR peak is no higher than SDR. I also noted the brightest primary colors were undersaturated. This showed in the tests and in my gaming sessions. The awesome OLED contrast and black levels are there, but color should have a bit more verve.

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I look forward to the day when an OLED gaming monitor costs the same as its LCD counterpart. That means around $400 for a speedy 27-inch flat panel or $500 for a 34-inch ultra-wide model. Today is not that day, but we’re a bit closer than when you started reading this. The AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD shows you can get nearly all the performance of an $800 OLED for $650.

There are a couple of flaws here. There is no variable brightness option, so the measured peak brightness is around 236 nits in both SDR and HDR modes. That’s not a problem for SDR content, which doesn’t rely on strong highlights for its impact. That comes from the AG346UCD’s large color gamut which is the largest of any OLED I’ve reviewed at over 112%. It is without a doubt, very colorful.

I found room for improvement in HDR. In addition to low relative brightness, the most saturated colors weren’t quite saturated enough. In my gamut tests, everything up to around 60% was on target, but shades over that mark fell short. Since the AG346UCD has more than enough potential coverage, I must conclude that this monitor will soon receive a firmware update.

There was certainly no fault with its gaming prowess. It makes as much of 175 Hz as most other OLEDs make from 240. You don’t need to pay extra for more Hertz; the gain is almost zero. I enjoyed smooth motion with crisp detail in both moving and static images. And input lag from my perspective was a non-factor. Gaming with the AG346UCD is both precise and satisfying.

If you’ve hesitated at the entry price for an OLED gaming monitor, consider the AOC Agon Pro AG346UCD. It has it where it counts and is a pleasure to use for both work and play.

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Lenovo is set to unveil a series of new devices at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, with the ThinkBook Flip AI PC emerging as a standout. Renowned leaker Evan Blass has shared renders of this upcoming laptop, showcasing a unique rollable and foldable OLED display that reimagines traditional laptop design.

The ThinkBook Flip features a dual-hinge mechanism, allowing the screen to fold outward and effectively double its vertical size when fully rolled out. This design should provide users with an expanded workspace, ideal for multitasking or viewing extensive content without relying on external monitors. When the additional screen space isn't needed, the top half can be folded back, converting the device into a conventional laptop form factor. This flexibility also enables the upper portion to function as a secondary display, facilitating content sharing during presentations or collaborative sessions.

Unlike previous foldable devices such as the ThinkPad X1 Fold, which was essentially a foldable tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard, the ThinkBook Flip comes with a built-in keyboard. The device's minimalist design includes flat edges which should include essential ports like USB Type-C and USB Type-A, although it is not very clear from the leaked renders. Additionally, there is a webcam positioned within a notch at the top of the screen.

While specific hardware specifications remain undisclosed, it is expected that the ThinkBook Flip will be equipped with Intel's forthcoming Arrow Lake-H or Lunar Lake processor options. There is also speculation about potential AMD variants, possibly integrating Strix Point-based Ryzen AI 7 series chips. Essentially, it could end up being a high-performance device catering to both professional and creative users.

Lenovo has been experimenting with foldable and rollable display technologies for some time. At CES (Consumer Electronic Show) last month, the company unveiled the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6, featuring a rollable display that could expand vertically with just the wave of a hand.

Notably, the leaked ThinkBook Flip AI PC aligns with previous reports, which highlighted Lenovo's plans to introduce a range of new devices at MWC 2025. Among the anticipated releases are nine new laptops and a hybrid 2D/3D 34-inch curved monitor.

The monitor, bearing Lenovo's Legion gaming brand, is expected to target professionals and gamers alike, offering a larger alternative to the existing ThinkVision 27 3D. The leaked laptops include models such as the IdeaPad Slim 3x, featuring a 15-inch screen and likely powered by a Snapdragon X chip, and the ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1, marking the first 2-in-1 form factor in Lenovo's flagship ThinkPad T-series.

Other models, like the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 5, ThinkBook 16p Gen 5, ThinkPad T14 Gen 6, ThinkPad T16 Gen 4, ThinkPad X13 Gen 6, and the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition, are expected to offer incremental upgrades with newer chips and components. Notably, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, a 14-inch laptop powered by a Snapdragon X chip.

If you've been looking for a top-of-the-line gaming monitor, now is a fantastic time to buy one without going broke. The Alienware AW2725DF OLED gaming monitor usually costs around $899, but according to data from Camel Camel Camel, it's currently discounted at Amazon to just $649—its lowest price to date. It's AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certified for performance, and in our experience, it's one of the best monitors you can get your hands on right now.

We had the opportunity to review the Alienware AW2725DF and ultimately gave it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars which isn't something we hand out easily. Our biggest complaint was its lack of audio support but everything else about the screen was just absolutely stellar and blew us away. If you want to get an idea of how this screen stacks up against others on the market, check out our list of best gaming monitors. This display comes in just behind the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP as our top recommendation for OLED screens.

The Alienware AW2725DF OLED gaming monitor features a 26.7-inch quantum dot OLED panel with a QHD resolution of 2560 x 1440px. The refresh rate can get as high as 360 Hz when using the DisplayPort input and is paired with an extremely short response time of just 0.03 ms.

This gaming monitor can reach a maximum brightness of 1000 Nits and covers 99.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. There are a few USB ports to take advantage of, including three USB Type-A ports, one USB Type-B port, and one USB Type-C port. You get one HDMI 2.1 port to use alongside two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs.

Visit the Alienware AW2725DF OLED gaming monitor product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options. As of writing, it's unclear how long this discount will be available.

If you’re looking for value in a high-performance gaming monitor, check out Asus’ ROG Strix line. These monitors typically offer near or the same performance as the more expensive Swift screens and can save you a few bucks. You still get the same rugged build quality and check-this-out styling, with slick LED lighting and glowing ROG logos.

The newest example I've encountered is the XG27ACDNG. This mouthful of letters describes a 27-inch Quantum Dot OLED running at QHD 2560x1440 resolution, with a 360 Hz refresh rate, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400, and a wide color gamut that fully earns the moniker “reference level.” Let’s take a look at what is one of the best gaming monitors currently available.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG Specs

If you want maximum color in any display, Quantum Dots should be on your checklist. This technology increases the coverage of OLED panels to around 110% of DCI-P3. The XG27ACDNG is the first example I’ve measured at over 111%. That color is also incredibly accurate. Asus calibrates each one before shipping and includes a data sheet in the box. My review sample measured so well that I could make no improvement. It nailed every number for gamma, color temp, and gamut. And it delivered this goodness in both SDR and HDR modes.

The XG27ACDNG supports HDR10 and has a VESA DisplayHDR 400 TrueBlack certification. With the Uniform Brightness feature turned off, I saw around 260 nits for a full white field pattern, 427 for a 25% window, and in HDR mode, a 3% window just cracked 1,000 nits. Coupled with the perfect black levels that OLEDs are known for, this means superlative contrast and an image depth unmatched by any other technology.

If you’ve read my past OLED reviews, you know that they are the best choice for high-performance gaming. The XG27ACDNG rises above the 240 Hz rank and file with a 360 Hz refresh rate and perfect video processing. Moving objects are just as crystal clear as static ones, and input lag is perceptually non-existent. Additional options include ELMB up to 180 Hz (instead of Adaptive-Sync) and OLED Anti-Flicker, which addresses the occasional stuttering one sees when using a variable refresh rate. It will also accept signals up to 3840x2160 pixels at 120 Hz.

The XG27ACDNG delivers all the visual appeal of an ROG display with futuristic styling and solid build quality. The back features LED lighting, and the front features a glowing logo to guide your hand to the OSD joystick and control keys. Asus also offers a Display Widget app that puts the OSD on the Windows desktop. You also get a rugged stand with a threaded mount at the top for mics and webcams. USB ports and a KVM function support peripherals.

The XG27ACDNG has everything you need to dominate your game world with a current street price of around $700. It doesn’t cut corners in any area and once you see the test results, you’ll want one.

Assembly and Accessories

I’ve seen a few Asus monitors packed in recyclable pulp, but the XG27ACDNG came in traditional crumbly foam. The panel snaps onto a two-part stand that assembles with a captive bolt. The accessory bundle comes in a nice, zippered bag and you get a slick VESA mount adapter for use with aftermarket arms. Cables include IEC power, two USBs, DisplayPort and HDMI. You also get a cleaning cloth and a sheet of ROG stickers to adorn your gaming PC.

Product 360

The XG27ACDNG puts most of its styling cues around the back. Up front, it’s all business. There’s a thin flush bezel and the bottom trim is quite narrow as well. A glowing ROG logo adorns a small protrusion in the center, which has an OSD joystick and two control keys behind it. The screen has a glossy outer layer, which isn’t too bad at rejecting reflection, but avoiding sunny windows is always a good idea with any OLED.

You can see a large ROG logo in the back made of dots and backlit. The LEDs can be controlled from the OSD and light up in any color with a selection of breathing, flashing or static effects. Smaller ROG graphics are on the beefy stand which has a small cable hole at the bottom. There’s 5/20 degrees tilt and 45-degree swivel along with 120mm of height adjustment and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movements are smooth and firm, with no play or wobble. At the top is a quarter-inch threaded socket for things like mics and webcams. The XG27ACDNG is a premium build in every way.

Other interesting bits include a phone slot in the base. It’s large enough to accommodate all but the biggest phones and hold them solidly. Just under the input panel are molded-in graphics to indicate different functions along with the mantra “For Those Who Dare.” You should dare to buy an XG27ACDNG because it’s awesome. Video inputs include two HDMI 2.1 and one DisplayPort 1.4. The USB-C port mimics DP functions. There are also USB-A and B ports, one upstream and three down, which are supported by a KVM feature in the OSD. A 3.5mm jack provides headphone audio. There are no internal speakers.

OSD Features

The XG27ACDNG has a packed OSD with every conceivable image and gaming option available. Pressing the joystick brings it up, and it’s divided into nine sections.

The fun starts with Gaming, and here you’ll find toggles for Variable Refresh Rate and ELMB. They can’t be used together and ELMB is only available at 180 Hz or below. It doesn’t include variable pulse width and it reduces brightness by around half. But it’s unnecessary because at 360 Hz with AS turned on, motion resolution is perfect. You would only consider using ELMB below 150fps.

This menu also has GamePlus which includes frame counters, aiming crosshairs with a dynamic option, sniper mode, timers and a stopwatch. The dynamic crosshair changes color on the fly to maintain contrast with the background. The picture modes are under the GameVisual heading and number nine in total. Racing is the default and best choice. It’s spot on in every metric and needs no adjustment. If you have trouble seeing in your game’s dark places, there are three shadow boost levels plus a dynamic option.

The Uniform Brightness option lives in the Image menu, with brightness and contrast and the four HDR modes. If it’s turned on, the peak white level is fixed at around 260 nits. Off, it jumps to 427 (25% window). You’ll have to change brightness to compensate, but I noticed that the XG27ACDNG retained separate values for each mode so once you’ve dialed it in, you can toggle Uniform Brightness off and on at will.

In the Color menu, you can choose between three color spaces. Wide Gamut is fine for everything but if you want sRGB, it’s here too. It is a better option than the sRGB Cal picture mode because it retains all adjustments. You also get fixed color temps with a user option and a selection of gamma presets.

OLED Care options are extensive and include compensation for logos, taskbars and graphical boundaries. You can turn on a pixel shift and run cleaning routines. It’s good to see this level of attention to detail but in my experience, there is no need for concern. I’ve been using an OLED monitor for almost a year now and it shows no signs of burn-in. It runs a cleaning routine every few days.

The XG27ACDNG has PIP and PBP options with the ability to view two video sources at once. For the LED lights in the back, Aura RGB includes five different effects and options for all colors. Aura Sync matches the light show to what’s happening on the screen.

Three of the joystick directions are programmable for quick access to often-used functions. You can also save your settings to two memories for later recall. Finally, you’ll find the KVM options in the System Setup menu where you can bind USB ports to video inputs for control of multiple systems with a single set of input devices.

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG Calibration Settings

The XG27ACDNG does not require calibration in its Racing mode and I could not make any improvement when I tried. It’s that precise. The only choices one might make are brightness and color space. To set brightness, turn Uniform Brightness on, find your preferred light level, then repeat the process with UB turned off. The XG27ACDNG retains the brightness value for both scenarios, so you don’t have to readjust when switching back and forth. This is extremely handy. I’ve included commonly used output levels for both situations below.

When HDR signals are detected, the XG27ACDNG unlocks four new modes, all of which are reasonably accurate. TrueBlack is the best choice according to my measurements. If you want to tweak brightness and contrast, there’s a toggle that lets you do that.

Gaming and Hands-on

Though there isn’t much to setting video processing options on any OLED, it’s worth checking out the provided features, and the XG27ACDNG has a few. There’s no overdrive, but there is ELMB. It won’t work with Adaptive-Sync turned on and it maxes at 180 Hz. It has no artifacts, but brightness is reduced by half. There is no adjustment, it’s either on or off. If you have enough processing power to keep frame rates above 200fps, it’s better to stick with Adaptive-Sync. The XG27ACDNG proved compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync in my tests.

A feature unique to Asus is OLED Flicker. Or more precisely, OLED Flicker compensation. This option has medium and high settings and helps in low frame rate situations when you might see a little stutter. If you stay above 200fps, you won’t need it. I noted that switching between HDR modes or toggling on OLED Flicker switched the XG27ACDNG out of HDR mode necessitating a trip to the game’s menu to turn it back on. If you can run over 200fps consistently, stick with Adaptive-Sync and OLED Flicker off. My GeForce RTX 4090 equipped PC managed numbers consistently above 320fps with detail maxed in Doom Eternal’s Horde Mode.

Gameplay was a premium experience with perfect resolution in moving objects and panned backgrounds. There was never any smearing or breakup. Though I’ve played on a few monitors with lower input lag, the XG27ACDNG isn’t far behind the very best and to my perception, it is as quick as anything else I’ve tested. If you’re coming from a slower monitor, you’ll need to adjust your perception a bit as it is very precise. Movements start and stop exactly where you intend with no delay. It’s hard to imagine a better display for any type of game, from casual to frenetic.

Since it can accept Ultra HD signals up to 120 Hz, I tried this option in Windows and while gaming. I do not recommend using 3840x2160 for everyday tasks. Since it is not a multiple of the native 2560x1440 pixels, clarity is significantly reduced. Small text is very hard to read. Gaming at this resolution drops the frame rate to 120fps, introducing visible blur. I returned to QHD signals for the remainder of the review.

The XG27ACDNG is a superb everyday monitor for anything you can do with a PC. The image is stunning in SDR and HDR mode making it a great tool for graphics work. Photoshop images are richly detailed with perfect color. sRGB mode is just a couple of clicks away when you need it. Watching video is always awesome on an OLED. Movement is smooth with gorgeous color and contrast.

Some users might be concerned about resolution, and indeed, there are 4K OLEDs available at higher cost. But consider this: contrast is so good that the picture looks sharp even at 109ppi pixel density. You’ll have to practically press your nose on the screen to see any dot structure. High contrast always delivers higher sharpness. And QHD means faster frame rates in your favorite games, and lower cost of entry.

Takeaway: The XG27ACDNG is pretty much flawless for gaming, video and productivity. 27-inch flat panels are an ideal size for footprint, pixel density and price. QHD resolution delivers high frame rates and the super quick response OLEDs are known for. I can’t imagine anyone regretting this purchase.

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I have some very speedy OLEDs in my database and the quickest ones are here today. At 480 Hz is Asus’ flagship PG27AQDP. 360 Hz is covered by Philips’ 27M2N8500, MSI’s MPG271QRX and Alienware’s AW2725DF. At 240 Hz is Aorus’ FO27Q2. Is that unfair? You’ll soon see that it isn’t one bit.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

Smooth motion is a given with any OLED running at 240 Hz or faster. Like the XG27ACDNG, they will all render moving objects with the same level of detail and clarity as stationary ones. 360 or 480 Hz isn’t better in that regard.

However, input lag is another story, and I’ve found that it doesn’t always go hand in hand with refresh rate. The XG27ACDNG is very quick with 15ms of total lag. But the Philips 27M2N8500 I reviewed recently still hold the all-time record at 10ms. And check out the Aorus. With just 240 Hz, it rocks the chart at 13ms. The PG27AQDP sits in the middle at 15ms. Don’t get me wrong, these are all very fast monitors with performance that most people can’t differentiate. But if you decide between the two Asus screens, the more expensive one won’t be faster even though it has a higher refresh rate.

Test Takeaway: Any OLED running at 240 Hz or more will be super smooth and provide instant response. Differences are easier to measure than to perceive. The XG27ACDNG delivers superb performance with a smooth feel and no perceptible control lag. When it comes to subjective evaluation, it doesn’t get better than this, or any fast OLED. It’s simply the best technology for gaming monitors.

Viewing Angles

Quantum Dot OLED monitors usually show a slight red tint in their 45-degree side photo. That is a byproduct of the extra layer which creates subtle polarization. The XG27ACDNG is like other QD OLEDs in this regard. This is not an issue because there is no brightness reduction nor is there a change in gamma. The image looks the same from all horizontal angles when showing full color content. The top view is solid too with just a small reduction in gamma and brightness.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

I have yet to encounter an OLED that doesn’t have visually perfect screen uniformity. As a premium technology, this isn’t surprising. The XG27ACDNG is just under 5%, which is a very low score in my test. This is excellent performance.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

The XG27ACDNG‘s peak brightness depends on a couple of things. If you turn on Uniform Brightness, the peak level stays the same regardless of screen content and tops out around 260 nits. If you turn CB off, the peak reaches 427 nits when measuring a 25% window pattern. Smaller windows are even brighter, up to 1,000 nits from a 3% pattern. You’ll need different brightness settings to equalize normal content but the XG27ACDNG retains those values which is convenient. The black levels can’t be measured so contrast is theoretically infinite.

After Calibration to 200 nits

On page one, you’ll find the brightness values for 200 nits with Uniform Brightness on or off. Adjusting the light level does not affect contrast; it’s still unmeasurable. The ANSI checkerboard used to measure intra-image contrast is also not affected. The black squares can’t be measured because the pixels are turned off. This is typical OLED performance, which is always excellent.

Test Takeaway: The XG27ACDNG delivers brightness and contrast typical of the 27-inch Quantum Dot OLED monitors I’ve tested. Uniform Brightness can be used to tailor the monitor to different environments and uses. Gaming benefits from it being off so you get punchier highlights. But productivity is less tiring when it’s turned on. This is a feature shared by most OLEDs but the XG27ACDNG stands out in its ability to retain different brightness values when switching back and forth.

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The XG27ACDNG includes a factory calibration, which can be used in the Racing picture mode. If you want to tweak, there are color temps and gamma presets. You can also change the gamut volume between sRGB, DCI-P3, and Native, which is a little more colorful than P3.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The XG27ACDNG’s default grayscale chart is as close to perfect as I’ve ever seen. RGB tracking and gamma are so close to the reference line that you can barely see the traces. It truly doesn’t get better than this. However, no improvement was found when I attempted a calibration, so there are no additional results to show.

The sRGB chart is nearly flawless except for a bump in gamma at the 90% step which means it’s too dark at that level. It manifests as slightly muted highlights, but the effect is subtle. If you need sRGB accuracy, the XG27ACDNG provides it.

Comparisons

I charted the XG27ACDNG’s 0.50dE value against the other screens in both the pre- and post-calibration comparisons and it doesn’t get much better. Only the Philips managed to eke out first place after adjustment. Visually, there is no difference between any of the monitors.

The XG27ACDNG’s gamma is spot on as well. The range of values is just 0.06 and it rides 0.45% off the 2.2 reference with an actual value of 2.21. These errors are wholly invisible in actual content.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The XG27ACDNG is a bit over-saturated like all Quantum Dot monitors. This is not a bad thing. With no visible hue errors and linear saturation tracking, there is nothing to complain about. Again, calibration cannot improve upon the result.

The sRGB chart is reference-level as well. I achieved this by changing the color space option in the Color menu rather than employing the sRGB Cal picture mode. Doing it that way means you can still adjust all image parameters like gamma and color temp. sRGB Cal limits changes to Brightness only.

Comparisons

The XG27ACDNG posts an impressively low color error of 1.68dE, but it should be noted that it is not the only screen that achieves this without calibration. I also left the Aorus and MSI screens at their defaults because calibration didn’t improve them either. It’s safe to say that this category is extremely color-accurate and often does not need adjustment for great color.

The XG27ACDNG’s Quantum Dot tech makes it the first OLED I’ve measured over 111% for color volume when referenced to DCI-P3. It also covers an ideal 101.7% of sRGB. Accuracy is high enough for critical apps in the sRGB and DCI-P3 realms. And it’s currently the most colorful OLED you can buy.

Test Takeaway: There’s not much to say about the XG27ACDNG’s color other than that it is supremely accurate and supremely saturated. It’s a standout monitor that will satisfy anyone with its stunning and colorful image.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

For the best HDR, it doesn’t get better than a QD-OLED like the XG27ACDNG. It doesn’t have the brightness of a high-end Mini LED, but that tech can’t deliver the deep black levels required for truly impactful imagery. The XG27ACDNG switches automatically and offers four HDR-specific picture modes with adjustment capability.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

The XG27ACDNG defaults to Gaming HDR mode, but I found better luminance tracking using the TrueBlack option. This doesn’t affect the peak output, which is just over 434 nits for a 25% window. Asus claims 1,000 nits for small highlights, and I have no reason to doubt this. If you want higher output, the PG27AQDP stands above the others. But for practical use, there is barely a difference between any of the six monitors.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The XG27ACDNG’s HDR grayscale tracking is visually perfect with no errors greater than 1dE which is impressive. The EOTF tracks closest to reference in the TrueBlack mode where it runs just a bit dark until meeting the line at 40%. Some shadow detail might be a little hard to see but this is a minor issue.

In the color test, the XG27ACDNG makes full use of its large gamut to create vivid and saturated HDR. The measured points are past their targets but in a linear progression so there is no loss of detail. Textures are crisp and clean in all areas of the image. And there are no visible hue errors.

The BT.2020 chart is impressive and shows red coverage of around 90%, green at almost 80% and blue hitting 95%. This is excellent performance.

Test Takeaway: The XG27ACDNG’s HDR performance is on par with what I saw in the SDR tests. Color is very saturated and spot-on accurate. Luminance tracking is close to reference so textures and detail is as clear as it possibly can be. This is an awesome monitor for HDR content and whether you watch video or play games, it will look amazing.

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With new speedy OLED gaming monitors appearing on almost a weekly basis, you’d think prices would drop more quickly. Sadly, this hasn’t happened but that doesn’t mean the category lacks value. The image quality and gaming performance offered is simply next level. The only thing other technologies can boast is higher brightness, but nothing can beat OLED’s black levels and contrast.

LCD can’t match OLED’s video processing smoothness and low input lag either. All the examples I’ve tested were super smooth and had no perceptible delays in control response. And you don’t need to run at dizzying frame rates to eliminate motion blur. 360 Hz is more than enough. The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG stands above the 240 Hz rank and file with its 360 Hz and perfect Adaptive-Sync. And it offers the options of ELMB strobing and OLED Flicker compensation.

To this wonderful goodness, it adds some of the best color I’ve ever seen. Not only does it cover 111% of DCI-P3, making it the most colorful OLED I’ve yet tested, it’s unfailingly accurate as well, as in equal to or better than any professional screen. And it nailed those numbers right out of the box, no calibration needed. It’s so good that I couldn’t make even the smallest improvement.

So, you’ve got a stunning image, unparalleled gaming performance and perfect color. The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACDNG has no flaws of consequence. Does that make it expensive at $700? Compared to the broad scope of 27-inch gaming displays, yes. But you’re getting one of the best gaming monitors available and there are certainly more expensive examples that don’t perform as well. If you want the best in a 27-inch flat OLED, this one should be on your shortlist.

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One of the best gaming monitors for pure over-the-top luxurious gaming, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SD) is a superwide 49-inch monitor with an imposing presence on any desk due to its shape and size. With what amounts to two monitors merged into just one single OLED screen, the Odyssey OLED G9 removes the need for a dual monitor setup for an immersive gaming experience and unrivaled picture clarity.

Originally on sale with an MSRP of $1,899, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SD) is now available at both Samsung directly, and Amazon for $1,499 after being discounted by $400 in Samsung's Presidents' Day sale. This brings the price down equal to the lowest-ever price we've seen and is confirmed by the Camelizer price checker for Amazon products.

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SD) comes with some very impressive specifications, and you would hope so for the price. Not only is it huge at a whopping 49 inches, but the delicious OLED panel also gives you amazing blacks and eye-popping colors on the 5120 x 1440 pixel resolution panel‎. The picture is sharp with a pretty solid 110 PPI (Pixels Per Inch) pixel density, which will give you crisp images while you game, and an anti-glare finish for reduced reflections from light sources.

You will need a powerful graphics card to drive anywhere near the possible 240Hz refresh rate of this monitor, but the screen also offers a 0.03ms response time, and a steep 1800R curve, immersing you in your favorite games.

The Odyssey G9 features a 'Picture-by-Picture' mode that splits the screen in half and lets you use two inputs at their native resolution. So, you can still treat this monitor like two separate screens. Samsung's Gaming Hub provides instant access to your favorite streaming platforms and gaming consoles, such as Xbox Games Pass. Connectivity-wise, positioned on the rear of the monitor is 1 x HDMI 2.1 port, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x micro HDMI 2.1, and a USB Hub.

Don't forget to look at our Amazon coupon codes for February 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Amazon.

Over the years, desktop monitor users have taken 4K resolution for granted, and it is the high watermark for gaming. Typically, we see 4K panels in monitors ranging from 27 to 32 inches. But who’s to say that consumers in the market for the best portable monitors can’t enjoy the same high-resolution goodness afforded to desktop users?

ViewSonic offers several 4K portable monitors, including the VX1655-4K-OLED. This monitor has a 4K resolution with a 16-inch panel, translating to an incredible 275 pixels per inch (PPI). As its name implies, it features a vibrant OLED panel with a glossy finish. It also includes one of our favorite features on a portable monitor: an integrated kickstand.

The VX1655-4K-OLED doesn’t come cheap with a price tag approaching $500, but let’s look at how that price tag is justified.

Design of the ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED

The design of the VX1655-4K-OLED is striking for one reason: its thinness. Due to the self-emissive nature of OLEDs, which don’t require a backlight, ViewSonic was able to dramatically reduce the panel’s thickness compared to other portable monitors with traditional IPS panels. On my ruler, it measured just 3/16 of an inch, an incredible feat in this segment. The thinness also extends to the display bezels, which measure just 1/8 of an inch along the sides and top. At an inch thick, the bottom bezel is much larger. It also houses the ViewSonic branding front and center.

However, ViewSonic makes a fair compromise to achieve this thinness — all the ports are built into the integrated kickstand. At Tom’s Hardware, we love kickstands, and the one on the VX1655-4K-OLED is fantastic. It lets you choose your viewing angle easily and incorporates dual USB-C ports (with 60-watt passthrough capabilities), a joystick for navigating the OSD, a mini-HDMI port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The VX1655-4K-OLED’s speakers are also integrated into this do-it-all kickstand.

Another benefit of having all the ports on the kickstand is that they are out of the way, and out of sight. Most portable monitors have their ports on the display panel’s side, meaning that USB-C or HDMI cables jutting out can be an eyesore.

ViewSonic includes many accessories in the box, including two USB-C cables, a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, a 60-watt USB-C power adapter, and a magnetic cover that protects the display's glossy finish while traveling.

ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED Specifications

On-Screen Display of the ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED

Unlike the ViewSonic VG1656N and TD1656-2K I recently reviewed, the VX1655-4K-OLED features a comprehensive on-screen display (OSD). Those former two monitors didn’t feature picture modes, color modes, or even the option to adjust the OSD timeout. However, the VX1655-4K-OLED offers five preset picture modes (Office, Movie, MAC, Mono, and Game), along with contrast/brightness, HDR, color space, and color temperature.

You can even tweak the aspect ratio or enable the blue light filter, if you desire. Finally, there are various OSD-specific tweaks (timeout, size, position, background), ECO mode adjustments, and the ability to set an auto-sleep mode due to inactivity.

You control the OSD using a five-way joystick. Pressing in on the joystick brings up the OSD (and selects an option). You navigate the OSD menu by moving up, down, left, and right with the joystick. A handy directional arrow appears on the screen when in the OSD to tell you which operation the joystick will control depending on the current menu selection.

Image Quality and Audio on the ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED

The VX1655-4K-OLED features a 15.6-inch OLED display with a 4K resolution. OLED displays aren’t nearly as prevalent in the portable monitor arena as they are for desktops, let alone those that sport an expansive 4K resolution (3840 x 2160). However, you must temper any high-fps gaming aspirations that you may have given the maximum 60 Hz refresh rate.

Our instrumented tests largely showed that the VX1655-4K-OLED trailed its OLED-equipped peers in nearly every category. Its 89.3 percent coverage of DCI-P3 and 126 percent coverage of sRGB put it well behind the others. With a maximum brightness of 347.2 nits, the VX1655-4K-OLED came in fourth place out of five.

ViewSonic’s ColorPro VP16-OLED scores better all-around, but its native resolution is just 1080p. The other 4K OLED monitor in this test, the Espresso 17 Pro, also outperformed the VX1655-4K-OLED in every metric, but it has an $800 price tag.

Looking past the numbers, the VX1655-4K-OLED impressed in everyday tasks. Colors looked amazing, and the brightness was more than enough in my brightly-lit home office. I had none of the color irregularities I saw in the VG1656N, with media content looking vibrant and true to life. Everything I played on it, from games to movies, looked great, with colors that popped in the former, and realistic skin tones in the latter. My only issue with the screen was reflections with the glossy display, but some careful angling of the screen using the kickstand was enough to vanquish most of them.

However, the speakers were a different story, as they sounded dreadful. Most portable monitors have speakers that are mediocre at best, but the speakers in the VX1655-4K-OLED are next-level bad. Music is muddled, with non-existent bass and distortion when the volume is increased. Speech is even affected; as I watched a segment of Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update,” the hosts sounded like they were broadcasting inside a plastic tub. Including the speakers was a checkbox addition for ViewSonic with the VX1655-4K-OLED, and it’s a horrid one. ViewSonic would have been better off omitting the speakers, as they are not on the level of the rest of the package that the VX1655-4K-OLED represents.

Bottom Line

The ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED excels at its primary mission: providing a great monitor. Its razor-thin body, slim bezels, and versatile kickstand make a great first impression. Its real-world visuals also impress, with a sharp 4K resolution OLED panel, nicely saturated colors, deep blacks, and excellent viewing angles.

The VX1655-4K-OLED's one big misstep is the integrated speaker system, which sounds horrible. We expect much better from ViewSonic for a portable monitor that costs $460 on sale. While the price tag is rather steep, a comparable 17-inch Espresso 17 Pro will set you back $800 (although you get touch support with that monitor).

If you can swing nearly $500 for a portable monitor, the VX1655-4K-OLED has excellent fundamentals if you need the extra resolution for your daily workflow. However, just don’t use speakers – you’ll thank me later.

A heartily-discounted Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024), which flaunts a 120 Hz OLED screen, a Ryzen 9 8945HS, 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM, a 1 TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD, and a mobile RTX 4060 has caught our eye as a potentially-compelling deal for our readers at just $1099.99. We've previously covered this same model of ROG Zephyrus on sale back in June 2024, but compared to that $300 discount, it now has a much healthier $500 discount. We've also reviewed a version of this laptop with a slightly beefier mobile RTX 4070.

So, let's take a slightly closer look at this laptop and its characteristics. Based on our review of a model with slightly souped-up internals, we can highly recommend the laptop for its vivid OLED display, decent speakers, and good port selection. The OLED display is officially rated for 100% DCI-P3 coverage and Pantone validated, making it ideal for professional work — consistent with our review. HDR support is also enabled, though at just 500 nits peak brightness is slightly limited compared to some higher-end OLEDs (though the final picture should still look significantly better than most higher-brightness IPS panels).

The clean, compact design also makes it pretty good for productivity and gaming on the go, though I'd highly recommend pairing a laptop like this with a cooling pad if you want to use it for intense gaming sessions.

As far as downsides go, the internal hardware is admittedly impressive, but RGB aficionados will be disappointed to know that the keyboard is single-zone, meaning you can change colors but no real exciting visual effects are possible beyond color gamut shifting for the whole board at once.

Additionally, the RAM is soldered on this unit, which means upgrading its memory capacity is impossible. If 16 GB is enough for your needs, this shouldn't be an issue, but some heavier-duty productivity and gaming users, especially those looking to stream, may not be able to overlook that downside.

Generally-speaking, though, the 120 Hz OLED panel is extremely good at this price point. While other laptops with similar specs do exist in this range, their displays are quite lacking in comparison. Additionally, the slim and light build, plus the strong I/O support on this laptop, including support for USB 4, does make it just a bit more modern than most gaming laptops floating around in this pricing range.

The Samsung Odyssey Ark is a rather large and impressive gaming monitor. Not only is this thing the size of your average television, but it also features a large 1000R curved OLED screen to wrap around your peripheral vision and a novel mechanism that allows you to tilt the monitor into a 'cockpit' mode for a different way to view your games and media.

Available at Amazon, Samsung's 55-inch Odyssey Arc (2nd Gen) is on sale for $1,79 a much-improved price from its original $3000 MSRP. it's not the lowest-ever price this monitor has been on Amazon but it's very close. Being the second generation iteration of the Odyssey Ark, this monitor has improved on the original with improved features.

The Odyssey Ark sports a 1000R curve, a large 55-inch Quantom Mini-LED panel, and a 4K resolution, with the ability to rotate the screen vertically into a unique cockpit mode. To enhance your experience further this screen comes with an impressive sound setup, with speakers set in the corners of the monitor and built-in sub-woofers to create a spacial surround sound experience.

The second-generation Arc includes a clever remote control for navigating the On-Screen-Display (OSD) and Samsung gaming hub. You can plug multiple device displays into a single hub so that you can simultaneously display and control multiple input sources all at once on the Odyssey's screen.

Don't forget to look at our Amazon coupon codes for January 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Amazon.

If you're looking for a new monitor or an upgrade to your existing setup, then today's deal is a beautiful monitor from Dell that offers plenty of screen real estate along with high refresh rates, high color gamut, and high resolution. Just in time to pair with one of Nvidia's new graphics cards when they release at the end of the month.

Available on Dell's website you can find the Dell Alienware AW3225QF curved 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor for $999, saving $200 off the original $1,199 MSRP price. This gaming monitor is the complete package if you're looking for a high-resolution screen with an OLED panel and a high framerate for super-smooth gameplay.

The Alienware AW3225QF has a 4K resolution and ample pixel density on a 32-inch QD-OLED panel. The screen also features a 1700R curve for more immersive gaming, a blisteringly fast 240Hz refresh rate, adaptive sync, HDR10, and Dolby Vision. For connectivity, the input panel of the AW3225QF includes one DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 (one upstream and three down), and a USB-C port.

We've had the chance to review the Alienware AW3225QF and were impressed with its performance in our benchmark testing. We awarded the monitor 5 stars along with an Editor's Choice award, noting how the monitor produced a stunning image, broad contrast, and rich color, with excellent OLED color volume compared to most other OLEDs we'd tested, and 110% DCI-P3 color gamut.

Don't forget to look at our Dell coupon codes for January 2025 and see if you can save on today's deal or other products at Dell.

 Lenovo's premium consumer Yoga lineup continues to push the boundaries of technology and style here at CES 2025. The Yoga Slim 9i sports a striking "tidal teal" exterior, under a glass lid, while hiding a 32MP camera under its OLED screen – seemingly a first for a laptop, giving it what Lenovo calls a 98% screen-to-body ratio (although there is still a camera bump on the lid).

The company has also updated its dual-screen Book 9i (Gen 10), stepping up to two 14-inch OLED panels (and stepping the battery size up slightly, to 88 Whr). And the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition gets a 120 Hz OLED display with up to 1100 nits of peak brightness and 100% DCI-P3 color rating.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Now you see the webcam, now you don't

The Yoga Slim 9i offers up a striking first impression thanks to its glossy glass teal-colored lid and exterior. But the 4K, 120 Hz OLED display hides the true innovation here: There's a high-resolution, 32-megapixel camera housed under the screen near the top. Lenovo calls it CUD for camera-under-display, and it's the first we've seen this tech on a laptop.

In the photos we took at a pre-CES preview event in NYC, there is no indication there's a webcam on the laptop at all, save for a camera bump  on the otherwise glass-covered lid. But when you turn the camera on, the pixels in front of the lens seem to become transparent, giving the screen a circular window similar to what we've seen in recent years on many smartphones.

Teal aesthetics and hidden camera aside, the Slim 9i is a fairly typical premium laptop, powered by an Intel Core 7 258V, with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Its 2880 x 1800 OLED screen features adaptive refresh from 30 to 120 Hz. The laptop weighs in at 2.91 pounds and sports a 75 WHr battery. Lenovo says it will be available in February, starting at $1,849.

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10): Dual 14-inch OLED screens

The last time we saw the dual-screen Yoga Book 9i, it had a pair of 13.3-inch screens and weighed 3.14 pounds. The new model (dubbed Gen 10, even though this seems to be the second iteration of the device) ups the ante with a pair of 14-inch OLED screens, a slightly bigger battery, and a significantly lighter, 2.69-pound weight.

Like with the previous model, the 360-degree hinge between the screens includes a small soundbar, and there's a Bluetooth keyboard, Yoga pen, and Folio stand included in the box so you can interact beyond just tapping with your fingers on the glass.

The dual-screen convertible is powered by an Core Ultra 7 255H Intel Evo Edition CPU, with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 2880 x 1800 displays are rated to a peak of 750 nits, and have variable refresh between 48 and 120 Hz. The Yoga Book 9i is expected in May, starting at $1,999. That's not an exorbitantly high price, but if you want two screens (or three with your existing laptop) on a budget, you could also opt for the dual external monitor from Minisforum for just $231.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition

Lastly on the Yoga 9 front is the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition. It's another 14-inch device, this time with a single 120 Hz VRR OLED screen with a peak brightness rating of 1100 nits and 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 color ratings. It sports a 75 WHr battery to power its Core ultra 7 258V CPU and up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and weighs in at 2.91 pounds. This model lacks the bright teal of the Slim 9i, but you do get your choice of blue or gray, and the Yoga Pen looks to be included in the box for all your drawing or note-taking needs. The Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition is expected to arrive in February, starting at $1,599. 

Samsung Display has a bevy of new flexible OLED display solutions at CES 2025. Probably the highlight of its innovative exhibition is what it claims to be the "world’s first 18.1-inch foldable" monitor. This device seems to have no snappy name, with Samsung Display suggesting it can be a "Tablet? Laptop? Monitor? All three!" So, it sounds like it was designed for other companies to integrate into consumer products. The firm also showed three rollable or slidable displays that seem like great options for smart devices.

The 18.1-inch foldable device folds to 13.1-inch, as per user requirement. The demo shows the device running Windows, so one of its first uses may be in successors to 17-inch foldable devices like the HP Spectre Foldable, which we reported on in 2023. Other PC makers like Asus also made devices based on Samsung Display's 17-inch folding OLED technology.

Like its 17-inch predecessor, this 18.1-inch diagonal display appears to be limited to inner display clamshell flexing. As a result, it won't be useful in a tent or presentation mode. But it is still a very big display for those looking for a compact portable PC, particularly when fully flexed and used with a separate keyboard. You can see it being used as a partially flexed large Windows tablet in the main picture. Beyond its standalone abilities, Samsung says it can also act as a display for another computer.

Samsung rollables, which it calls slidables

Is this type of screen finally ready for prime time? Samsung Display showcased three slidable screen options for device makers at CES. As a side note, we have already reported on the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus with a rollable screen finally coming to consumers, spotted in a leak ahead of the New Year.

Samsung's Flex Solo looks great for this kind of laptop, as it can expand from a compact 13 to 17.3 inches at the user's whim. The firm showcased it as a standalone device, though.

Moving down in size, Samsung Display also revealed the Slidable Flex Duet, with a screen that extends from 8.1 inches to 12.4 inches, and the Slidable Flex Vertical, with a screen that extends vertically from a compact 5.1 inches to 6.7 inches. That last screen seems like a great option for smartphones, and we hope that this kind of rollable improves over foldable by exhibiting no creasing when fully unfurled.

Samsung has announced several new monitors ahead of CES 2025, featuring gaming and entertainment-focused variants. The highlights of Samsung's latest lineup are two new Odyssey G-series gaming monitors, purportedly featuring the world's first OLED panel with a 500Hz refresh rate.

The Odyssey G6 and G8 are Samsung's new high-performance gaming monitors, with the former featuring a blisteringly fast 500Hz refresh rate. The G8 variant, the G81SF, is a 27" OLED monitor equipped with a 4k panel offering a 240 Hz refresh rate. At 27 inches, the panel boasts a pixel density of 165 PPI. The G6 has a resolution reduction over its 4k counterpart, featuring a 1440p resolution. But, with that lower resolution comes more than a 2x refresh rate improvement.

It's worth mentioning that 500 Hz monitors, such as the AW2524HF, are already on the market. However, Samsung's G6 is purportedly the world's first to use an OLED panel.

Both monitors offer near instantaneous response times of 0.03ms thanks to OLED technology, and they feature AMD and Nvidia's variants of adaptive refresh rate tech (G-Sync Compatible and FreeSync Premium Pro). HDR 400 True Black is also supported, giving these new G6 and G8 models HDR capabilities in games and video content that supports HDR.

At CES, Samsung will also showcase a 3D-focused display, the Odyssey 3D G90XF. As the name suggests, this panel is focused on 3D gaming/entertainment but does not require glasses. The Odyssey 3D uses a new lenticular lens attached to the front panel to achieve the 3D look without 3D glasses. Samsung also equipped this particular Odyssey model with AI processing to convert 2D videos into 3D.

Hopping on the AI train, Samsung is introducing a new AI-focused monitor, the Smart Monitor M9, featuring "industry-first" AI features that purportedly enhance entertainment and interactivity through smart AI search functions and adaptation.

It is a 32" 4K OLED monitor with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 support, just like its Odyssey counterparts. The monitor features two AI functions: AI Picture Optimizer and AI Upscaling Pro. AI Picture Optimizer purportedly analyses input signals and optimizes the display's settings to optimize the visual experience for whatever content is being displayed. This includes games, productivity applications, and videos.

AI Upscaling Pro upscales lower-resolution content to 4K. Essentially, this feature is similar to Nvidia DLSS but functions off the monitor itself and works with any content that is being displayed. Samsung uses a neural network to upgrade lower-resolution content to 4k quality.

Rounding out the lineup is the ViewFinity S8 S80UD, which is a productivity-optimized monitor featuring an unorthodox (but large) 37" screen. The panel type was not announced, but it probably uses an IPS panel due to the lack of any mention of OLED technology.

It features a 4K 16:9 panel with 99% sRGB color accuracy. A built-in KVM switch has also been integrated into the display, enabling users to operate several systems through the monitor without using different peripherals. There's also a 90W USB Type-C connector for charging supported devices.

It is difficult to overstate the performance of the best OLED gaming monitors running at 240 Hz. Not only are you getting a stunning picture with saturated color and deep contrast, but they also deliver perfect motion resolution with smooth play action and low input lag.

Though this category remains at the high end of the price scale, it is possible to buy a 27-inch QHD OLED panel for less than $600 as long as it comes from AOC’s Agon Pro line. Last year, I reviewed the, AG276QZD and now, I have its successor, the AG276QZD2, for evaluation. It adds a Quantum Dot layer for more color, and in my tests, it proved slightly quicker. Let’s take a look.

AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD2 Specs

With most 27-inch 240 Hz OLEDs costing north of $800, the AG276QZD2 represents a price breakthrough. It isn’t a revolution, but we’re making progress. Resolution is QHD, 2560x1440 pixels, which works out to 109ppi, an ideal density for sharp images and high frame rates. In the OLED world, you’ll want to hit at least 150 fps to eliminate motion blur. Above 200 fps, there’s no blur, and QHD means you can achieve this with a wider variety of video cards.

The AG276QZD2’s main upgrade over the AG276QZD is the addition of Quantum Dot color. Indeed, the gamut is now 14% larger than before. That’s a difference you can easily see in a side-by-side comparison. It also means more impact for HDR content and SDR if you choose to run the native gamut all the time. The AG276QZD2 promises and delivers accuracy with an individual factory calibration for each unit. I confirmed the included data sheet in my tests. Calibration is not required, though I achieved a small improvement with a few adjustments to the color temperature. You also get an accurate sRGB mode should you need it for photo and graphics work.

Gaming is everything I’ve come to expect from a speedy OLED monitor. At the full 240 fps, motion is incredibly smooth, and there is no perceptible input lag. The AG276QZD2 carries FreeSync and G-Sync certifications from AMD and Nvidia. There is no additional strobe feature, but it is certainly not needed here.

So, is there a “but” here? After all, there’s no free lunch; something must be sacrificed at the altar of value. Yes, there is one thing missing, and that’s high brightness. The AG276QZD2 operates with constant brightness, meaning the peak output is lower. It’s rated for DisplayHDR 400, but that level only occurs in small highlights. And SDR brightness peaks at a measured 251 nits. This doesn’t affect contrast; you still get the deep blacks that all OLEDs are known for. But if you need a really bright monitor, this isn’t it. I’ll talk more about that in my test notes later.

The AG276QZD2 doesn’t skimp on other features. You get a pair of internal speakers, USB ports, LED lighting, game aids and solid build quality with slick styling. Ultimately, the value quotient is very high and once you start playing on it, you’ll be hooked.

Assembly and Accessories

A colorfully adorned clamshell box opens to reveal the AG276QZD2’s three main components packed in molded pulp rather than crumbly foam. They mate with a captive bolt and a snap to form a solid package that exudes the high quality one expects from AOC’s Agon Pro line. A separate box houses the external power supply, and you get USB, HDMI and DisplayPort cables. A stamped steel adapter with fasteners is provided for use with arms that conform to the 100mm VESA mount standard.

Product 360

The Agon Pro line of monitors are identified by a signature shape, which the AG276QZD2 uses in the base, OSD button and panel back. It’s an angular form where each side is a different length. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else and it’s pretty cool. The all-metal base is thin with a dark silver matte finish that carries to the upright and trim. The attachment point is ringed by LED lights that glow indirectly in various colors and effects. The back is faceted with an Agon logo offset in the same dark silver.

The stand features a handle at the top and a cable management clip at the bottom. It has full ergonomics with 5/25 degrees tilt, 28 degrees swivel, 5.1 inches (130mm) height and a 90-degree portrait mode. Movements have an appropriately premium feel that is smooth and sure.

The AG276QZD2’s side profile takes advantage of OLED thinness to create a dramatic taper up to the top edge. The screen has similar reflection management to other shiny OLEDs, so you’ll need to take a bit of care when placing it. The bezel is narrow and flush with a 21mm trim strip across the bottom and an LED that glows white when the power’s on and orange in standby.

The input panel is centered up and under and features two each of DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0. USB is version 3.2 and includes one upstream and two downstream ports. The internal speakers play cleanly with five watts of power each and you get a 3.5mm headphone jack with volume control in the OSD.

OSD Features

The AG276QZD2’s OSD appears when you press the hexagonal joystick around the back right. I found a small nit to pick with this shape because it makes the clicks less positive if you press the stick too casually. Occasionally, I would either miss a control input or errantly do a double-click.

AOC sticks with a menu design unique to the Agon Pro line with a vertical format that announces “Agon” at the top. It is ringed by red graphics and divided into eight sections.

Game Setting has six game modes in addition to the seven Eco picture modes. This can be confusing since there are so many possible combinations. My advice is to leave Game Mode off and Eco set to Standard. It allows for a full calibration and offers a choice of color gamuts with three gamma presets and three color temps. You can also engage RGB sliders for a precise result that is free of visual errors. HDR content adds four more modes, and you can use one of three HDR emulations with SDR content.

Game aids include two aiming points, one of which is dynamic in that it changes between black and red to remain in contrast. There’s also a sniper mode, frame counter and shadow control, improving dark scene visibility.

To view two sources at once, you can engage PIP or PBP with full control of window size and position. You can also swap sides and select which source plays the audio stream.

In the color menu is a low blue mode for reading plus a gamut selector (DCI-P3, sRGB or Native) and the color temp presets. The RGB sliders start at center range so it’s easy to dial the grayscale tracking.

Light FX refers to the LED ring in the back and can be programmed for different colors and effects. You can control the light level or shut it all off if you like.

The AG276QZD2 has several panel care options that include a pixel orbiter, refresh routine, corner logo dimming, boundary dimming and taskbar dimming. I left these off for testing, but when they are engaged, they only have a minor effect on the image.

AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD2 Calibration Settings

The AG276QZD2 can be enjoyed without calibration at its default settings. I recommend leaving Game Mode off because it doesn’t improve image quality. The Standard Eco mode meets industry specs for a D65 white point, DCI-P3 color gamut and 2.2 gamma. I eked out a small improvement in grayscale tracking using the RGB sliders with the User color temp option. My SDR settings are below.

In HDR mode, there are four options available. Two of them, Movie and Picture, have considerable edge enhancement, which detracts from the already sharp image. Display is the most accurate choice. 1000 Max is not any brighter and it significantly crushes shadow detail.

Gaming and Hands-on

Later, you’ll read my comments about the AG276QZD2’s luminance and HDR color saturation, but during my gaming sessions and hands-on experiences, I had nothing but love. It delivers everything you buy an OLED for, perfect blacks, bright color, incredible depth and unmatched contrast.

Gaming is also a revelation unless you’ve already played on a fast OLED. In that case, it will be every bit as good as you remember. The AG276QZD2’s QHD resolution is a great balance point for frame rates, and I was able to maintain 240fps in Doom Eternal with detail levels maxed. The picture is super sharp and loaded with fine textures and highlights. It doesn’t have quite the punch of the brighter screens I’ve reviewed like the ViewSonic XG272-2K, but it is no slouch either. I would keep it away from sunny windows but otherwise, it’s gorgeous to look at.

Video processing is on par with every 240 Hz OLED I’ve reviewed. There is no motion blur at all, and input lag simply isn’t a factor. Precise aiming and movement are easier to achieve compared to LCDs running at the same frame rates. I verified the flawless operation of both FreeSync and G-Sync with no frame tears to report.

The wide color gamut enhanced workday tasks with deep reds, rich greens and brilliant blues. Working on photos is always fun on an OLED because color is so vibrant. It’s like viewing a fine photo print with textures and elements that pop off the screen to create a 3D feel. With pixel density at 109ppi, there are no jagged lines or rough font outlines to contend with. Small elements are sharply and smoothly rendered. The AG276QZD2’s size, shape and configuration are ideal for anything one does with a computer from work to play.

Takeaway: The AG276QZD2 delivers gaming performance consistent with all the 240 Hz and faster OLED monitors I’ve reviewed. It is on par with much more expensive screens, so it leads the pack for value. Though I observed less light output than the competition, it didn’t make my gaming or work sessions any less enjoyable. And the larger color gamut is worth an upgrade from last year’s AG276QZD.

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To compare the AG276QZD2’s performance, I’ve collected five other 27-inch QHD OLED monitors. All run at 240 Hz except for the Alienware AW2725DF, which hits 360 Hz. The others are last year’s AOC AG276QZD, ViewSonic’s XG272-2K, Pixio’s PX277 OLED MAX and Acer’s X27U.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

The six monitors are incredibly close in performance except for the AG276QZD’s response result, which is 2ms behind the others. Though visual differences are small, it has a slight disadvantage in smoothness. The newer screens are free of motion blur at 240fps. And there is no measurable performance benefit to the 360 Hz Alienware. In the lag test, it hits the same 19ms as the Pixio and Acer displays. The AG276QZD2 is only 2ms slower, which is a difference that only a highly skilled player will notice.

Test Takeaway: The AG276QZD2 is fully qualified for competition with very low input lag and flawless video processing. It delivers blur-free motion over 200fps and is extremely smooth over 150fps. Adaptive-Sync works perfectly too. You can expect consistent results from any of the OLEDs here, and there is no advantage to running at 360 Hz.

Viewing Angles

The AG276QZD2 looks almost identical at all horizontal viewing angles from on-center to 45 degrees. There is a barely visible red tint, but you’ll never be able to see that in content. Gamma and brightness do not change at all. The top view is also a tad warm with a slight loss of output and lowered gamma. The AG276QZD2 is completely sharable by two users.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

I’ve observed excellent screen uniformity in almost all the OLEDs I’ve reviewed and the AG276QZD2 is one of the best. With a 3.83% deviation, you won’t see anything but perfectly smooth tones from edge to edge. I saw this in all color patterns and at all brightness levels. There are no flaws here.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

AOC claims 250 nits peak brightness for the AG276QZD2, which I measured in my test. The issue here is that there is no variable brightness option like most OLEDs have. This means you can’t get the brighter highlights of that feature. It’s not a big deal in SDR mode unless you really need the 300 or 400 nits offered by the other monitors. But for HDR content, you’ll miss that extra impact that comes from small extra bright bits like reflections from rendered surfaces. The good part is that you still get OLED’s infinite contrast and perfect black levels.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Calibration doesn’t change anything except peak brightness. 200 nits is a good level for indoor use in a space with moderate ambient light. When comparing SDR content, all the screens here have the same depth and contrast, whether static or intra-image. HDR is a different story which I’ll tell on page five.

Test Takeaway: The AG276QZD2 has the same SDR contrast and black levels as any other OLED. Without variable brightness, you can’t run up to 400 nits peak, but that isn’t a problem for most environments. And since it has Quantum Dot tech, there’s a good deal more color saturation to provide image impact.

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The AG276QZD2’s game and picture modes can be confusing as there are many possible combinations. To simplify, I recommend leaving Game Mode off and Eco Mode on Standard, the factory defaults. Calibration is not required, but a few tweaks net a small improvement in grayscale tracking.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

Out of the box, the AG276QZD2 is a tad warm in the brightest steps with gamma that rides just below the reference. The values indicate that it’s too light, but since contrast is so high, there’s no problem. With a few tweaks of the RGB sliders, I got all errors below 1dE while gamma remained consistent. The sRGB mode removes the user color temp option but is accurate enough not to require any changes. Overall, this is excellent performance.

Comparisons

OLED gaming monitors are generally accurate out of the box. The AG276QZD2 doesn’t need calibration like all others except the Pixio which definitely benefits from adjustment. Once they’re all tweaked, the differences are invisible, and the numbers are impressive. AOC wins this contest with a 0.45dE result.

The AG276QZD2 performs well in the gamma test too with a very tight 0.03 range of values and a tiny 1.82% deviation from 2.2. The actual value was 2.16. Though this is a little light, it doesn’t negatively impact content. It truly doesn’t get much better than this.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The AG276QZD2’s color gamut is significantly larger than the AG276QZD thanks to Quantum Dot tech. You can see in the default chart that every primary goes past the DCI-P3 spec by just a little. This delivers more visible color without straying too far from the standard targets. Overall error levels are as good as any professional monitor can boast. Calibration makes a subtle difference by tightening up secondary hues. The sRGB gamut is also very good with just a bit of bonus red. This is excellent performance.

Comparisons

None of the screens have visible color errors, but the AG276QZD2 runs close to the others with a 1.50dE score. As you can see, it doesn’t get much better than that. Even without calibration, the value is 1.96dE so either way, you’re seeing very accurate color.

In the gamut volume test, the AG276QZD2 takes the win with over 110% coverage of DCI-P3. That’s tremendous saturation that can only be equaled by a few pro monitors. In a gaming monitor like this, it adds a lot of texture and vibrance to the image. And if you’re in need of sRGB reference capability, the 103.74% score is nearly ideal.

Test Takeaway: The AG276QZD2 has very accurate grayscale, gamma and color right out of the box that can be slightly improved with calibration. Color volume is among the highest available from any monitor. From a value standpoint, it doesn’t get much better. It is one of the very best in its class.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The AG276QZD2 offers five HDR modes, three of which can also be used with SDR content. The extra two are Display and 1000 Max and have their own unique characteristics that I’ll explain in a moment. Once you select a mode, the switch between SDR and HDR is automatic.

Of the five HDR modes, I strongly recommend avoiding Movie and Picture. They add a lot of unattractive edge enhancement that ultimately reduces sharpness. Game is free of artifacts, but it has a very light luminance curve that dulls the image. 1000 Max suggests a higher peak level, but it is no brighter than the others. It also has very dark shadows that make it unsuitable for gaming. Display is the default and best choice for its accuracy and correct tone mapping.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

It’s hard to ignore the AG276QZD2’s relatively low peak output level in the HDR brightness test. This is because there is no variable brightness feature. That omission is shared by the AG276QZD, but it is visibly brighter in HDR mode, as are the other screens. Black levels and contrast are the same across the board, so you still get the deep image OLED is known for. But the highlight areas don’t quite have the pop that they should.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

In the HDR grayscale test, there are no errors of consequence, just a slight warmth in the brighter steps which does not adversely affect content. The EOTF tracks a bit dark, but shadow detail remains visible.

Color rendering is similar in all five HDR modes, so I’m showing the results from Display. Saturation is on target except for the 100% points, which are a bit under the mark. Most content is unaffected, but images with a lot of bright primary colors will have a little less verve. The BT.2020 chart is much the same with coverage that extends to 85% red, 75% green and 95% blue.

Test Takeaway: Though the AG276QZD2’s color gamut is wider than last year’s AG276QZD, its HDR rendering doesn’t take full advantage of the extra saturation. It definitely looks more colorful in SDR mode but HDR comparisons between the two screens are more alike than they should be. Other than overall saturation, the AG276QZD2 shows excellent color accuracy and solid tone mapping.

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When it comes to OLED gaming monitors, it is still true that you won’t find a bad one. They are super consistent in performance and appearance with tremendous contrast, color saturation, accuracy and build quality. That said, I’ll always laud a monitor that offers good value.

The AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD2 is that monitor. It has the same contrast as any OLED with its unmeasurable black levels. It has a huge color gamut thanks to Quantum Dot tech which is larger than last year’s AG276QZD. Accuracy comes from a factory calibration that can only be slightly improved with adjustment. It also delivers the best gaming performance available from any monitor with perfect motion resolution and low input lag.

My only complaints are that it is less bright than the competition and that the most vivid HDR colors are a bit muted. The brightness issue comes down to its lack of variable brightness. Most of today’s OLEDs have this feature, but AOC has left it out. That means SDR and HDR peaks are just over 250 nits which is lower than the competition. But so too is the cost. At less than $600 at this writing, there isn’t a better deal in the OLED category. And in practice, the HDR color issue was minor. For the price, I can forgive.

If you’ve been dying to put an OLED gaming monitor on your desk but balked at the entry fee, the AOC Agon Pro AG276QZD2 is worth serious consideration. It delivers everything OLEDs are known for including that addictive gaming experience, which makes it worthy of your consideration.

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LG hopes to wow the crowds at CES 2025 with what it claims to be the "world's first bendable 5K2K gaming monitor." The new model is dubbed the 45GX990A and will be one of several UltraGear GX9 series monitors to grace its exhibition. A key feature of this particular 45-inch monitor is its 5,120 x 2,160 pixel 21:9 aspect ratio OLED display, which can flex from a perfectly flat form to a curvy immersive 900R.

As a pre-launch pre-CES reveal, we don't have the entire specification sheet for the LG Ultragear GX9 45GX990A at the time of writing. However, LG has spilled more than enough details in its press release to whet a tech lover's appetite.

OLED panels are generally well-regarded by PC users nowadays, and this one comes with quite a few interesting enhancements. LG says it employs its "advanced WOLED technology" here, delivering high brightness, true blacks, stunning colors, low blue light emissions, and reduced eye strain. Furthermore, the 45GX990A features LG’s Anti-Glare & Low Reflection (AGLR) coating in the hope of banishing uncomfortable and unwanted reflections and screen glare.

The cherry on the cake here is that LG's ultra-high 5K2K resolution (5,120 x 2,160 pixels, 125ppi) display is also flexible, and the design makes good use of it. LG's PR says that this 45-incher "can smoothly transition from completely flat to a 900R curvature within seconds," suggesting some kind of mechanization. We must say 900R is a rather tight curve based on an arc segment from a 900mm radius.

Typical of a modern OLED, the 45GX990A has a very fast response time of just 0.03ms (GtG). We don't have information on refresh rates at this time, but LG says the new Ultragear GX9 is certified for Nvidia G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

Making the most of the flexibility of its "4-side Virtually Borderless design," LG provides a variety of presets mixing resolution, screen refresh rate, and more. Presets are available for FPS, RPG, MOBA, racing simulators, and others.

The only other information we have about the LG Ultragear GX9 45GX990A, which integrates smart functionality via LG's WebOS, regards its connectivity. The PR mentions support for DisplayPort 2.1, HDMI 2.1, and USB-C with 90W power delivery.

LG's new Ultragear GX9 series is spearheaded by the 45GX990A, but it will be joined by the 45GX950A, which is a similar monitor but with fixed 800R curvature. There will also be the smaller (but by no means small at 39-inches) 39GX90SA, which also features a fixed 800R curve. Hopefully, we will catch them all at CES 2025, shortly.

Yesterday, Blur Busters (best known for its UFO Test Refresh Rate testing utility, as well as extensive monitor testing and documentation resources) has released and open-sourced a new CRT filter in the form of a GPU shader that fully simulates CRT beams. It's what Blur Busters and others are claiming to be a CRT-authentic, superior alternative to Black Frame Insertion (BFI) as a method of increasing motion fidelity on modern LCD and OLED displays, especially OLEDs.

If you aren't familiar with CRTs, you may not know why is move is being so widely celebrated across retro hardware and retro gaming circles on Twitter, BlueSky, and other places the announcement has been disseminated.

Basically, classic CRT TVs and monitors had one key advantage over nearly every modern panel type: flawless motion fidelity with near non-existent motion blur, which usually also meant no input latency. While CRTs were typically limited to sub-HD resolutions and were also heavy and prone to flickering, they could also have superb contrast and color depth. Some even argue that the common tube design of CRT screens provides more 3D depth to the images within, though this is a bit subjective.

These benefits of CRTs are why they're still so prized in certain groups, particularly competitive gaming communities, like the Super Smash Bros. Melee scene that still relies on CRT TVs, and retro hardware enthusiasts in general. Some retro gamers are particularly outspoken about missing CRT displays, and not for shallow reasons, either— most classic pixel art games were made with the expectation they would be shown on a CRT, and the pixel art often looks a lot blockier and less convincing on a modern display type.

Blur Busters' CRT simulation shader was developed as a collaboration between founder Mark Rejhon and former AMD and Nvidia employee Timothy Lottes. The shader has been released on both GitHub and Shadertoy platforms, and the system requirements are actually quite high.

While the shader is recommended for OLEDs, it can technically be used with LCDs, too. It just won't provide an effect that's as accurate to CRTs. The shader is made just for smoothing out 60 Hz content on modern high refresh rate displays, with higher refresh rates (120 Hz, 240 Hz, etc) all being used to improve the accuracy and fidelity of the CRT simulation effect. This should provide a major motion blur reduction, especially on 240 Hz+ OLED displays, and ensure that retro titles reliant on CRTs for authentic visuals can still be seen as they were meant to be seen on a modern-day monitor.

The best gaming monitors don’t have to be pretty to be functional. Top performance is certainly a key element, but gaming is much more fun when your display looks the part. Many manufacturers add an attractive aesthetic to their gaming screens, but AOC’s Agon line goes up a level from the rest thanks to a relationship with the famed Porsche Design.

Porsche Design isn’t only known for penning legendary sports cars with engines in the back. It also lends its name and expertise to various products, from watches to sunglasses. And it was indeed founded by F.A. Porsche, who conceived the original 911. If that isn’t a timeless piece of rolling art, I don’t know what is.

AOC has produced several gaming monitors with Porsche Design’s help, and the latest example is the Agon Pro PD49. It brings high performance and high style to a 49-inch 32:9 QD-OLED panel with 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR400 and wide gamut color. Let’s take a look.

AOC Agon Pro PD49 Specs

Curved monitors have gone from the answer to a question no one asked to an essential gamer’s tool in just a few years. The pinnacle of the format is the 49-inch 32:9 category. This layout is becoming more popular as an alternative to putting two 27-inch screens on the desktop. With DQHD 5120x1440 resolution, you can have 109ppi pixel density and lots of screen area with no dividing line.

The PD49 brings every bell and whistle to the party. It’s an OLED with an 1800R curve, which is enough for greatness on its own. To that, it adds a Quantum Dot layer for wide gamut color. And it’s very wide; indeed, I measured over 115% coverage of DCI-P3 in my tests. That’s a whole lotta color. There is bonus saturation in every primary. Out-of-box accuracy is decent as well. Calibration isn’t strictly required, but there has been some improvement after a few tweaks.

The PD49 is certified for HDR 400 TrueBlack, and it easily met this spec in my tests using a 25% white window. With constant brightness turned off, you can expect peaks around 1,000 nits from small highlights. And as a premium OLED, it delivers the same perfect black levels as every other OLED I’ve reviewed. The picture quality is stunning.

With a 240 Hz maximum refresh rate, smooth motion is no problem. There is no need for overdrive, and there is no strobing option. But it isn’t too difficult to run at 240fps. And at speeds over 150fps, there is no motion blur whatsoever. Measured input lag is also very lo,w so you won’t have a problem dominating opponents in your favorite virtual battles.

Physically, the PD49 is nothing less than industrial art. The stand is a substantial piece of cast aluminum that weighs more than some complete monitors. The back of the panel is adorned with vertical lines and logos that glow with soft LED lighting. There are plenty of inputs, all the latest versions, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 and a USB-C for video. KVM is supported by one upstream and four downstream USBs. A pair of eight-watt internal speakers deliver quality audio with DTS tuning and user tweakability.

The PD49 sells for $1,200 at this writing, which is on par with other monitors in its class. The small upcharge for elegant design is appropriate. You can save a few bucks if you just want a competent 49-inch OLED gaming monitor but none I’ve seen look as good when the power is off.

Assembly and Accessories

The PD49 comes in a coffin-like enclosure with its contents protected by flexible foam rather than the crumbly stuff. The stand is already assembled and bolts onto the back of the panel with four included fasteners. A nice Phillips-head screwdriver is included for that purpose. If you’d rather use an arm, a 100mm VESA mount is provided. The cable bundle includes IEC power, two USBs, DisplayPort and HDMI. A USB thumb drive, by Porsche Design of course, contains manuals, drivers and an app to make the OSD accessible from the Windows desktop.

Product 360

It’s hard for today’s thin bezel monitors to set themselves apart from the front view, but the PD49 has a stand that can only be described as monolithic. It’s made from six heavy aluminum castings fused into a super solid mass that is a pleasure to look at. It offers full ergonomics with 3/13 degrees tilt, 20 degrees swivel and a 5.1-inch height adjustment. Movements are firm and smooth with the feel of a finely tuned machine. The PD49 is incredibly overbuilt and should endure many years of use.

The screen sports a thin flush bezel that’s a half-inch wide around the top and sides and one inch at the bottom. The front logo says Porsche Design, while AOC and Agon get their visibility in the back, where those logos include LED backlighting. That can be set to flash, breathe or remain steady in a variety of colors. Or you can turn them off for a stealth look. Another LED adds a soft glow to the desktop. The vertical line theme carries over with shiny molded in bits set off against a matte background. The stand includes a small cable management clip.

The 1800R curvature strikes a good balance between immersion and practicality. There are curvier screens out there, but the PD49 avoids any possibility of image distortion. It is extremely useful for productivity as well as entertainment. It is just like having two 27-inch QHD monitors, except there’s no dividing line.

The input panel is well stocked with one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 and a USB-C for video sources. HDMI supports 2560x1440 resolution at 120 Hz for consoles. PCs can enjoy the full 5120x1440 at 240 Hz through DisplayPort or USB-C. There is also a KVM hub with one upstream and four downstream USB ports. A 3.5mm jack supports headphones and there are two internal speakers driven by eight watts of clean power. DTS tuning raises the audio quality to a high level, and you can tweak eq settings in the OSD.

OSD Features

All Agon Pro monitors, like the PD49, get AOC’s cascading menu rather than the bottom of the screen ribbon. A small joystick in the center of the panel’s bottom edge controls everything. Or you can use the app included on the thumb drive to change settings from the Windows desktop.

The OSD is divided into eight sections, starting from the bottom with Game Setting. It has a selection of Game Modes, shadow control and boost for lighter blacks and a color slider to increase saturation. Game aids include a sniper mode and two aiming points that can be toggled by clicking the joystick towards you. One is always red and the other changes between red and black to maintain contrast with the background. You can also engage a frame counter.

The Luminance menu has picture modes (Standard is the only one you’ll need), three gamma presets and the Uniform Brightness option. Turn this off to see the PD49’s maximum light output. I did all my tests and gaming with it off. When it’s on, the picture is darker in tone and somewhat dull unless you turn all the room lights off and play at night.

The HDR options are found in Image Setup, where four additional HDR picture modes provide subtly different luminance curves to suit different content. Hint: stick with HDR TrueBlack for the best picture in all situations. HDR emulation is possible in SDR mode with the other three HDR modes. This menu also has PIP and PBP options to view two video sources at once.

In Color Setup, you can choose between three fixed color temps and a user mode with RGB controls. There are 10 gamut options that cover all standards currently in use from sRGB to BT.2020. Panel Native is the best choice there because it uses the PD49’s full capability which covers over 115% of DCI-P3.

The Audio menu offers five DTS sound modes plus TruVolume HD which enhances sound dynamically. If you want to tweak, there’s also a five-band equalizer. Light FX is the LED lighting feature, and it can be set to a variety of effects and colors. It employs the two backlit logos on the back plus a soft pool of light for the desktop.

The final menu, Extra, has several panel care options including a pixel orbiter and refresh tool. You can also set an off timer, change the image aspect ratio and return all settings to their factory defaults.

AOC Agon Pro PD49 Calibration Settings

The PD49 measured well out of the box in my tests and doesn’t strictly need calibration, but I found the image to be a tad warm in tone. A few tweaks of the RGB sliders took care of that and tightened up color saturation tracking as well. The improvement is subtle but worth the effort. My recommended settings are below. For HDR content, stick with TrueBlack as it is the most accurate choice with correct luminance tracking and near-perfect color. I also recommend leaving Uniform Brightness off for maximum image impact.

Gaming and Hands-on

Though OLED gaming monitors represent a premium (expensive) category, one thing about them is undeniable, all examples at a particular refresh rate perform the same. Where LCDs can differ in the quality of their overdrives and strobe features, OLEDs will always provide perfect motion resolution above 200fps. The PD49 showed no motion blur, no frame tears, and no artifacts at any time during my gameplay sessions. And its input lag is among the lowest of any monitor. A professional player might want the super low lag of a 500Hz screen but for most of us, the 21ms delivered by the PD49 will be plenty quick.

In my experience, this means precise aim and movement. I always play Doom Eternal because it’s familiar so comparisons are easy and accurate. Every 240 Hz OLED I’ve reviewed gives me the same feel. Run and gun maneuvers are easy because I can turn and shoot without overcompensating, even when the action is frantic. The aim point stops precisely on target, so I don’t waste ammo. And difficult jumps are nearly always successful. There’s nothing worse than erasing game progress with a fall off a cliff. The PD49 keeps that from happening.

The picture is a stunner as well. HDR is an addictive experience both for its bright highlights and rich color. The PD49 lets you play SDR games with that same wide color gamut but it’s more effective in HDR titles because that’s the way they’re encoded. Black levels are incredibly deep but never lacking in shadow detail. Though the PD49 includes two shadow enhancer controls, they are completely unnecessary because low-end gamma is on the mark. I noted gamma issues in the brighter areas though where a few highlight areas seemed disproportionately bright. This is a small problem that is more obvious to someone who plays on a lot of different gaming monitors, but it is worth noting.

For daily tasks, the PD49’s 1800R curve is perfect for keeping multiple documents and windows open. If you are a fan of multiple screens, a 49-inch 32:9 monitor delivers that same functionality without the dividing line. And at current prices, it’s less expensive than buying two 27-inch QHD OLEDs.

Things unique to the PD49 are, of course, its high style and build quality. I am not blessed with the means to own a Porsche automobile, but this monitor delivers the same feel as a luxury sports car. It’s gorgeous to look at and it drips with premium style. Moving the panel through its adjustments is an uplevel experience from most of the monitors I encounter.

I also noted the PD49’s excellent sound quality. Large monitors make it possible to include better speakers and AOC has delivered here. While there isn’t a ton of bass, the sound is rich and full, with excellent clarity. At half volume, I more than filled my personal space with game music and effects. The DTS modes are useful too with distinct differences heard between them.

Takeaway: The PD49 performs on par with the other 49-inch 240 Hz QD-OLED monitors I’ve tested. It’s extremely colorful and accurate. It delivers the contrast all OLEDs are known for. It’s the perfect gamer’s tool with no motion blur and super quick response. And it’s equally well suited for work and play. Plus, it rises above the rest with premium styling and build quality.

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I filled out the PD49’s comparison group with 49 (and one 45) -inch OLEDs running at either 144 or 240 Hz. They are Philips’ 49M2C8900, Samsung’s OLED G9, AOC’s AG456UCZD, Aorus’ CO49DQ and Asus’ PG49WCD.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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

240 Hz typically means a 4ms draw time for a full white field pattern. The PD49 meets this standard. Like all OLEDs, it has no motion blur above 150fps. There is no strobe option here, but none is needed. I saw no flickering or artifacts whatsoever.

The PD49 takes the input lag contest by 1ms over the other AOC and Philips displays. If control response is your priority, 240 Hz should be a minimum requirement. The two 144 Hz screens won’t hold up a casual gamer like me, but if your skills are high, so should your frame rates. It’s worth the price premium to have a monitor and PC that can keep the action over 200fps.

Test Takeaway: The PD49 is fully qualified for competition with super low input lag and perfect motion resolution. Though most gamers won’t be toting a 49-inch monitor to LAN parties, it is the perfect display for those who battle from their basements. To get the most from it, I recommend a well-equipped PC that can keep the fun at 200fps or higher.

Viewing Angles

The PD49 shows a slight red shift when you move to 45 degrees off-center. This is typical of the QD-OLEDs I’ve photographed. The extra screen layer that delivers more color also has a slight polarizing effect. But there is no loss of light output, nor is gamma changed. The PD49 is completely shareable. The top view also retains its brightness and gamma with no apparent change in color.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

With a 1.86% deviation from the center zone, you’d think the PD49 would have set a record for my test database which as of this review, contains 407 monitors. But that title still belongs to the Asus PA32UCG I tested in 2021 which scored 1.05%. No matter, this is still an incredible result. There is no doubt that the PD49 is all about quality, inside and out.

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To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

OLED tech hasn’t come up to the brightness level of Mini LED yet, but the PD49 and its competition deliver more than enough output for any indoor space. With any OLED, I always recommend leaving Uniform Brightness off so the panel will modulate brightness dynamically. It allocates power to the brighter elements and ultimately gives the image more pop. For this reason, I measure a 25% window pattern for all OLED reviews. The PD49 peaks at the same 449 nits as the PG49WCD, excellent performance. Black levels are too dark to be measured by currently available instruments so contrast cannot be determined.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Adjusting the 25% window to 200 nits lowers the peak brightness just enough to be comfortable in a dim-to-dark room scenario. Black levels and contrast are unchanged. The ANSI test shows the same results. I can’t measure the black squares of the checkerboard pattern so intra-image contrast is theoretically infinite.

Test Takeaway: OLED isn’t the brightest tech out there but with its perfect black levels, it provides the most realistic and textured image possible in a display. The PD49 is on par with all OLEDs in all size and resolution categories. It looks stunning, but no more so than any other OLED.

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The PD49 can be enjoyed right out of the box without adjustment. But I found the picture a tad warm in tone when using the default Standard picture mode. You can tweak to taste or calibrate the user color temp as I did.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

The first chart shows the PD49’s slight red errors that can be seen in areas above 70% brightness. They are small enough to be forgivable and won’t significantly impact most content. The gamma tracking chart shows a dip at 90% which means some bright bits will be too bright. In most cases, this isn’t a big deal, but some content might show a little less clarity of detail in highlight areas.

After adjusting the precise RGB controls, there is no visible grayscale error, but gamma is unchanged. The other presets are further off the mark, so I stuck with Gamma 1. This isn’t a huge issue, but I would prefer to see closer adherence to the 2.2 reference.

If you choose the sRGB gamut option, there is no visible effect on grayscale which is a good thing. The color temp options are grayed out in this mode. This chart shows that the PD49 is qualified for color grading or photo editing.

Comparisons

The PD49 has grayscale performance similar to that of its competition. All the screens here are good, and there are no significant issues to report. In the gamma tests, the PD49 is close to the others in average value, but its range of values is a little larger than the rest thanks to the dip at 90% brightness which cannot be adjusted away. This is a minor issue that is far from a deal-breaker.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The PD49 excels in all its color gamut measurements. I checked out Panel Native and sRGB which closely match DCI-P3 and sRGB standards, respectively. The other modes also adhere to industry specs. You can have Adobe RGB if you want, which is something rarely found outside the professional realm.

The initial run shows a hue error in magenta and slight over-saturation of all colors. If you want to get closer to DCI-P3, that option is available and delivers an average error of just 1.82dE. However, a few users will complain about more color. Panel Native was my choice for gaming and general use. Calibration reduces saturation slightly and brings magenta closer to its targets.

sRGB is spot-on apart from the red primary, which is a tad over-saturated. However, with an average error of 1.75dE, it is close enough for critical applications.

Comparisons

OLED monitors constitute a tough crowd when it comes to color accuracy comparisons. The PD49 finished fifth, but with a 2.29dE score, it is free of any visual errors and more than accurate enough for its intended purpose. The big win comes in the gamut volume test where it cracks the 115% mark. It is the most colorful OLED monitor I’ve tested to date. And with 105% coverage of sRGB, it is nearly ideal when that gamut is needed.

Test Takeaway: The PD49 isn’t quite perfect out of the box, but it’s close enough that calibration isn’t required. But with a few tweaks, the picture hits the reference level for grayscale and nearly so for gamut accuracy. A slight gamma anomaly keeps it from attaining perfection, but this is a minor complaint. The PD49 delivers a gorgeous image dripping with saturated color to the naked eye.

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The PD49 accepts HDR10 signals and switches modes to reveal four additional presets. TrueBlack is the default and best choice because it’s color-accurate and follows the correct luminance curve so that detail remains clear in all parts of the image. The other modes have slightly different looks and can be used as emulators with SDR content if you wish.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

In my travels thus far, only the AG456UCZD has exceeded the 600-nit barrier for ultra-wide monitors. And it’s 21:9 versus the others’ 32:9 so it’s something of an outlier. All the 49-inch models look the same in a side-by-side comparison with nearly the same output levels. The only difference will be in color saturation, where the QD models stand apart. The PD49 is one of those so its HDR image is a sight to behold. I measured the other modes and found no differences in peak output or contrast. There is no brightness penalty for sticking with TrueBlack.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

The PD49’s HDR grayscale tracking has the same slight warm tone that I saw in the SDR tests. This is a minor issue that will be hard to spot in content. There is no calibration option, but that’s not a problem. The EOTF chart shows tight tracking with slightly dark levels from zero to 40%, then a tad above the line until the tone-map transition at 65%. This is excellent performance.

In the color tests, the PD49 is a bit over-saturated across the board which is typical of the HDR monitors I’ve tested. This gives the image more impact and sets it further apart from SDR content. Detail rendering remains sharp and clear with no loss of detail. In the BT.2020 test, the PD49 covers 90% red, 80% green and 95% blue. This is more than any non-QD monitor can boast. You won’t find more color anywhere.

Test Takeaway: The PD49 delivers a stunning HDR image with bright highlights, sharp detail and beautifully saturated color. Accuracy is high and there are no visible issues to report. If you want the best possible HDR, get an OLED like this and you’ll never go back to LCD.

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In the world of large gaming monitors, the 49-inch 32:9 category is the most extreme. It’s ideal for first-person gaming, whether you play shooters or racing sims. And if you can afford an OLED, the experience is truly up-level.

For those able to spend a little more money, there’s AOC’s Agon Pro Porsche Design PD49. It offers the same superb video processing and stunning image of other QD-OLEDs, but it adds high style and unsurpassed build quality for a little more money.

Performance-wise, the PD49 is on par with its competition. Motion resolution at high frame rates is entirely free of blur. Input lag is very low, 21ms in my test. This makes it the quickest 49-inch 240 Hz OLED I’ve tested. Gaming on it is an addictive experience.

The image is stunning, like every OLED, and further enhanced by Quantum Dot tech. The PD49 is currently the most colorful OLED I’ve reviewed, with over 115% coverage of DCI-P3. Though I noted a slight gamma anomaly, it can be enjoyed without calibration. The picture is very accurate, and my adjustments made only a small improvement.

Sound quality is definitely above average. With eight-watt internal speakers, excellent clarity and volume, and DTS tuning with multiple modes, you can enjoy an immersive experience without headphones.

The PD49 is a premium gaming monitor in every respect. From its superb build quality and styling to its high performance and stunning image, it is a purchase that no one will regret. And since it isn’t priced significantly higher than its competition, you’re essentially getting that Porsche Design cachet for only a small upcharge. At this writing, it’s selling for around $1,200, so if that is within your budget, the PD49 should be on your short list.

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Valve has introduced the Steam Deck OLED to its certified refurbished program. Gamers can now buy the OLED variant refurbished directly from Valve at a heavy discount. The refurbished OLED models are 20% less expensive than their vanilla brand-new counterparts.

The 1TB OLED and 512GB Steam Deck OLED models are available with the refurbished program. The 1TB model is priced at $519, and the 512GB at $439. By comparison, buying the new 1TB version costs $649, and the 512GB version costs $549, representing a $120 discount for the 1TB model and a $110 discount for the 512GB model. Valve's pricing means gamers can get the 1TB OLED model for $30 cheaper than the 512GB OLED model brand new.

The only Steam Deck variant that users can buy new that undercuts the refurbished OLED model pricing is the (technically previous generation) 256GB LCD variant, currently sold for $399. Valve sells certified refurbished versions of its LCD Steam Deck, but all three models—the 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB—are out of stock. The 512GB and 64GB LCD models can no longer be bought new.

It is easy to forget that the Steam Deck OLED version is a much more significant upgrade than the name implies. Beyond the apparent upgrade from an LCD to an OLED display, the display alone has been upgraded to a 90Hz refresh rate and a 7.4-inch form factor with HDR support, 400 nits of brightness, and 1000 nits of peak brightness in HDR mode. The LCD version was a 7-inch model that lacked HDR support and peaked at 60Hz, 400 nits of brightness.

Under the hood, changes were also made; the battery got a noticeable upgrade from a 40Whr unit to a 50Whr unit. Valve claims the 50 Whr unit can power the OLED Deck anywhere between 3 to 12 hours, depending on the game. Valve advertises a 2-8 hour battery life for the LCD version. RAM was upgraded on the OLED from 5500MT/s LPDDR5 to higher clocked 6400 MT/s LPDDR5, and the AMD APU saw a process node shrink from 7nm to 6nm.

Refurbished Steam Deck OLEDs are only available in certain regions, including Canada, the EU, the UK, and the US. Refurbished units come with the same one-year warranty as new units. However, it could be longer, depending on your country of residence.

ASRock unveiled three new OLED gaming monitors with high resolution and fast refresh rates. The lineup includes the PGO32UFS, PGO27QFS, and PGO27QFV, with screen sizes varying from 27 inches to 31.5 inches and resolutions from 1440p to 4K.

The company is offering these monitors in two sizes—27 inches and 32 inches—with the former boasting QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution and the latter equipped with an Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) panel. All these displays also cover 99% of DCI-P3 and Delta E<2 color accuracy and are certified VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, ensuring they will deliver the most accurate and vibrant colors. They also have a 0.3ms GTG response time, ensuring you get the crispest images on your display with near-zero motion blur and smearing.

Aside from the fantastic visuals of these displays, they offer many convenience features. The 32-inch PGO32UFS has a native refresh rate of 240 Hz, but it provides a faster 480 Hz when you bring down its resolution to Full HD. This display also features a KVM switch, so you don’t have to keep swapping your peripherals when switching between devices, and two built-in 5-watt speakers. And if your PC isn’t getting the best possible Wi-Fi signal, the built-in 7dBi Wi-Fi antenna built into the base of this display will allow you to get a stronger, cleaner signal from your router or access point.

If you want a smaller 27-inch screen, ASRock gives you two options with its new OLED displays: the PGO27QFS and the PGO27QFV. The QFS model offers a slower 240 Hz refresh rate but features a few more. It’s equipped with more USB ports, allowing the monitor to also serve as a USB hub, and its two 3-watt speakers should give you good audio without needing to clutter your desk. On the other hand, if you want to gain an advantage over your opponents, the QFV’s faster 360 Hz refresh rate and built-in 7dBi Wi-Fi antenna in the base will ensure that you can respond quickly to their actions.

All these displays also include features to help extend their longevity, like advanced cooling, pixel cleaning, and automatic brightness adjustments. These help resolve image retention and other issues that OLED displays face over time. Unfortunately, we don’t have the pricing for these monitors yet, but we expect them to land on store shelves and e-commerce pages soon.

If you're in the market for an AI-ready laptop with a screen that's built to impress, you've got to check out this deal. Right now at Best Buy, you can find the Acer Swift 16 AI laptop for just $899, saving $300 off the asking price of $1,199. This sleek laptop features a 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen panel and is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor. As far as laptops in this class go, this is definitely an offer worth taking a closer look at.

You don't want to be hasty when it comes to picking out a laptop. There's a lot to take into consideration, from its processing power and memory to little details that will make or break your experience. If you want to see what we recommend for folk with an eye on the sleek Ultrabook market, check out our list of the Best Ultrabooks and Premium Laptops 2024 to see what's leading the way and how the Acer Swift 16 AI stacks up against the competition. Keep in mind this Acer deal nicely undercuts those premium rivals.

This edition of the Acer Swift 16 AI features an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, which is designed with AI functionality in mind. It has a base speed of 2.2 GHz but can reach as high as 4.8 GHz. The Acer Swift 16 AI has a 16-inch OLED touchscreen for video output with a 3K resolution that measures 2,880 x 1,800 pixels. This screen can also get fairly bright, reaching as high as 340 Nits, or HDR500. The hardware is encased in an aluminum, lightweight chassis with a 1,440p QHD camera mounted in the top center of the screen's bezel.

This particular Acer Swift 16 features 16GB of LPDDR5X memory, which is soldered, so consider this RAM limit very carefully. As far as storage goes, you get a 1TB internal SSD. It has four USB ports total including two Thunderbolt 4 (USB4) ports and two USB 3.2 Type-A ports. It comes with an HDMI 2.1 port for convenient video output. It has a built-in microphone as well as a 3.5mm jack for audio devices.

It's not clear for how long this laptop offer will be available but you can check it out right now over at the Acer Swift 16 AI gaming laptop product page at Best Buy.

Today at Amazon, you can find the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 34-inch QD OLED WQHD gaming monitor for its lowest price. It debuted at $799, but right now, it's available for just $569. This is a big screen with plenty of high-quality specs to back up its beefy price tag, including an AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certification.

This monitor is one of our favorites. We had the opportunity to review the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 last year and gave it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 for its high-quality performance. Our biggest complaint was its lack of RGB color temperature adjustment options. However, its overall performance was excellent and left a wonderful impression.

The Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 features a 34-inch quantum dot (QD) OLED panel with a dense WQHD resolution measuring 3440 x 1440px and a curvature graded at 1800R. The refresh rate can reach as high as 175 Hz, while the response time can reach an impressively low .03ms.

It has a USB hub that includes one USB Type-B port, one USB Type-C port, and four USB Type-A ports. For video input, it has a DisplayPort 1.4 input and two HDMI 2.0 ports. You also get a 3.5mm audio jack and two integrated 5W speakers.

We're not sure how long this offer will be available, but you can check out the Philips Evnia 34M2C8600 product page at Amazon for more details and purchase options.

Before Cyber Monday, the Phillips Evnia 34M2C8600 has gone on sale for 29% off, costing just $569.99 instead of its original $799.99 MSRP. This monitor, released mid-2023, is a 34-inch 175 Hz OLED 21:9 Ultrawide monitor with support for DisplayHDR True Black 400, a curved screen, and a resolution of 3440 x 1440 (WQHD). This is a genuinely feature-rich monitor, and our original review rated it 4.5/5 stars, even at its original pricing.

Beyond the OLED crash course, our original review praised this monitor in nearly every facet. Of course, there is still some room for improvement. For example, this OLED display is rated for just 450 nits brightness, which allows it to achieve the DisplayHDR grade of True Black 400. However, compared to the substandard DisplayHDR grade of just "400", which isn't HDR, True Black 400 can leverage OLED's infinite per-pixel contrast and turn around a stunning image at a much much lower brightness than IPS HDR monitors, which generally aren't considered good until you reach the maximum HDR grade of "1000" for 1000 nits.

For those who may not know, the core appeal of OLEDs is always found in their near-infinite contrast. Barring a rare few entry-level OLEDs that somehow manage to fumble this, nearly every OLED on the market will have perfect, inky black levels thanks to the fundamental nature of the display panel type. OLEDs, like VA panels, are capable of full per-pixel dimming, which can completely power off a pixel in dark scenes...but unlike VA panels, they are also far more vibrant and responsive. 

OLED panels are even more vibrant and responsive than high-end IPS panels, with some boasting near-instant response time comparable to classic CRT displays. This makes them ideal for gamers in a way other modern panel types are not.

Regarding genuinely unique features, we highlight the Phillips Evnia "Ambiglow" feature in our original review. Ambiglow takes industry-standard RGB lighting behind the monitor and matches it to the content onscreen, adding an extra, subtle immersion factor for your peripheral view, especially in a dark room.

We are working hard to find the best deals for you this Black Friday. If you're looking for other products, check out our  Black Friday Computer Hardware Deals Live blog for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized  SSD and Storage Deals Live blog,  Monitor Deals Live,  Graphics Card Deals, or  CPU Deals pages.

Are you tired of your IPS monitor's dull colors and backlight bleed? This Black Friday, look at the most affordable OLED monitor—the AOC Agon PRO 27-inch, which is available for a historic low of just $399. Long gone are the days when you'd have to spend $1000 or even more to get a decent viewing experience.

The AOC Agon PRO lineup has many flavors, but we're looking at the 27-inch OLED QHD version. The monitor offers a 2.5K resolution (2560x1440) running at 240 Hz, supporting HDR10 while promising 101% DCI-P3 and 136.7% sRGB coverage. It is FreeSync and G-Sync compatible, so you won't have to deal with screen tearing.

The viewing angles hold up pretty well at 170 degrees, though they fall slightly short of other, more expensive offerings. Likewise, its OLED design offers a near-infinite contrast ratio and an impressive 0.03ms GTG response time. However, per our extensive testing, it does underperform in the HDR brightness department, which we suggest you go over if you plan on purchasing this monitor.

Regarding connectivity, the AOC Agon Pro 27-inch features two HDMI 1.4 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, two USB Type-A 3.2 ports, one USB Type-B port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. As of this writing, the AOC Agon Pro is the most inexpensive OLED monitor at Amazon, making it an absolute steal if you're in the market for an upgrade.

Head to the official Amazon page to snag this monitor before inventory runs out.

We are working hard to find the best deals for you this Black Friday. If you're looking for other products, check out our Black Friday Computer Hardware Deals Live blog for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals Live blog, Monitor Deals Live, Graphics Card Deals, or CPU Deals pages.

OLED displays have become more standard across the PC and console gaming marketplaces. Gamers know that OLED provides industry-leading gaming performance, contrast, and color accuracy— albeit at a significant price premium, at least until we spotted this great Black Friday deal from Corsair. The Xeneon 27QHD240 is now just $499which, which is half off its original MSRP.

A 27-inch OLED monitor would be unthinkable at this price point a year ago. Now you can get a 27-inch OLED with a 240 Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits brightness for superb DisplayHDR 1000 support for a steal. Add in the expected gaming features like Adaptive Sync (G-Sync/FreeSync) support and glowing reviews from several reputable outlets, including our own Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240 review, and it seems the entry to high-quality OLED desktop gaming has never been cheaper.

In our original review of the Corsair Xeneon 27QHD240, we praised the monitor on every key point. We loved its deep contrast and saturated colors, its near-perfect, calibration-free accuracy, and next-level gaming performance in a package with premium build quality. Our issues were with its original price point (now very mitigated) and some minute HDR color inaccuracies.

Black Friday deals like this are sure to be snatched up quickly, so act fast if you've been waiting for a great OLED gaming monitor at a reasonable price point! Considering OLEDs at this grade have been regularly priced at and above $1,000 (pricing comparable to much larger but slower entry-level OLED TVs), $499 is an absolute steal.

We are working hard to find the best deals for you this Black Friday. If you're looking for other products, check out our Black Friday Computer Hardware Deals Live blog for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals Live blog, Monitor Deals Live, Graphics Card Deals, or CPU Deals pages.

Samsung reportedly develops the world’s first 27-inch OLED panel with a 1440p resolution and a 500 Hz refresh rate. This breakthrough, aimed at high-performance gaming monitors, sets a new benchmark for OLED display technology, surpassing the current maximum refresh rate of 480 Hz featured in models like LG’s UltraGear 27GX790A-B and Asus’s ROG Swift PG27AQDP.

Although Samsung’s release date and detailed specifications remain unconfirmed, industry sources indicate that the company is leveraging its cutting-edge QD-OLED technology. By combining Quantum Dot and OLED technologies, QD-OLED panels offer superior color vibrancy, deeper contrast, and improved performance compared to traditional LCDs. This aligns with a broader trend among display manufacturers like LG Display and Samsung Display, who compete to push the boundaries of high-refresh-rate OLED monitors in various sizes and resolutions.

The panel is reportedly in the final stages of development, with discussions underway to commercialize it in collaboration with leading monitor brands. Gaming monitors featuring this 500 Hz panel are expected to launch in the first half of next year. However, the race for innovation isn’t limited to refresh rates.

In a separate report by FlatPanelsHD, FlatPanelsHD also predicts that the coming year will witness a new trend for 27-inch QD-OLED and WOLED monitors. Light Soul, a Chinese monitor brand, plans to release a 27-inch QD-OLED monitor with 4K resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, and 1000 nits of peak brightness. This panel may also be used in products from other brands.

Additionally, for gamers who want a large screen experience, a third trend for 2025 points to a 45-inch WOLED panel with a higher resolution than the existing 3440x1440 pixel resolution, possibly a jump to 5120x2160 pixels. The LG 45GX950A, recently spotted in a Korean certification database, could be one of the first models to showcase this high-resolution large-screen technology.

While these developments push technological limits, it’s important to note that the average consumer or PC gamer may not benefit from a 500Hz refresh rate. Such performance is primarily relevant for competitive e-sports, where achieving ultra-high frame rates is critical for gameplay.

Applied Materials has announced a transformative development in OLED display technology with its new MAX OLED platform. This innovation is said to redefine the scalability and efficiency of OLED manufacturing, enabling high-quality displays across a broader range of devices, including PCs, and TVs.

The core advancement is said to lie in transitioning OLED production from Gen 6 to Gen 8 glass substrates. This shift allows manufacturers to produce larger and more cost-effective OLED panels as Gen 8 substrates provide higher yield efficiency, reducing costs by optimizing the number of displays produced per sheet of glass. This scalability directly addresses the growing demand for larger and more versatile screens, especially in consumer electronics like tablets and laptops.

MAX OLED technology also promises significant improvements in display performance. Panels produced using this system are said to achieve up to 3x brighter screens, offer 2.5x higher resolution, and enjoy a 5x longer lifespan compared to traditional OLED displays. Additionally, these advancements are achieved with 30% lower power consumption, making the technology more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

The platform integrates new materials and precision engineering processes to overcome historical challenges in OLED manufacturing, such as uniformity and material waste. Its unique co-evaporation process enhances material deposition accuracy, while proprietary tools streamline production workflows. By improving material utilization, MAX OLED not only reduces costs but also minimizes environmental impact.

Leading display manufacturers, including Samsung Display, Visionox, and Japan Display, are adopting this new system, signaling a shift in the display industry. The ability to produce cost-effective, high-quality OLED displays at scale opens opportunities for expanding OLED adoption beyond premium smartphones and TVs. As a result, consumers can expect more affordable OLED technology across a wider array of devices.

Recently we saw TCL announcing its commitment to inkjet-printed OLED display technology. Similar to MAX OLED, the company emphasized the cost-effectiveness and scalability of this manufacturing process, which could potentially lead to larger, more affordable OLED screens. TCL says that its new inkjet-printed OLED offers high contrast, better brightness control, and reduced production waste compared to traditional methods, making them suitable for both consumer electronics and professional use. These developments are part of TCL’s broader efforts to enhance OLED and Mini LED technologies to stay competitive in the high-performance display market.