AOC 24G2U review

Our Verdict

92%

A truly fantastic bargain of a gaming monitor.

Showing just what an impressive number of features and great value modern budget screens can offer, the AOC 24G2U is a truly fantastic combination of features, performance and low price.

For its low price, this screen includes a fully adjustable stand, speakers, a four-port USB 3 hub and even has a VGA input. All this and it has a 1,920 x 1,080 (1080p) IPS panel that tops out at 165Hz and has a stated 1ms response time. It also includes both a backlight-strobing blur reduction mode and adaptive sync support (FreeSync/G-Sync) that works with AMD and Nvidia graphics cards.

The 24G2U doesn’t disappoint when it comes to build quality and styling either. It’s not the best-looking bit of industrial design, but it’s no ugly duckling either. The stand is also stable, with smooth adjustments and, again like all the other displays on test, it can be removed to reveal a VESA mount for use with alternative monitor arms.

The ports all face downwards on the back, making for a quite crowded array, given that you have four USB ports and the extra VGA port, along with a DisplayPort input and two HDMI sockets, plus a headphone jack, line-in and power socket. However, it’s fantastic to get such a broad selection, and the power supply is internal too, so there’s no annoying power brick. The speakers and headphone jack even sound nice and clear, though the former are of course thin and trebly sounding.

The onscreen menu controls slightly let the side down, consisting of a row of four buttons on the underside of the bezel. The labelling on the front provides some guidance, but the buttons aren’t particularly easy to press. Thankfully, the menus are logically laid out and offer all the settings you need to get the image looking as you like.

Speaking of which, image quality is very good. Out of the box, the colour balance isn’t technically perfect, but it’s good enough for most uses while contrast is decent for an IPS panel. The gamma curve is near perfect, though, and Delta E colour accuracy is very good. Meanwhile, the viewing angles are excellent and the IPS glow wasn’t particularly egregious either.

What’s more, you get an extended colour gamut to make for brighter, bolder colours, as well as a proper sRGB mode that pulls in the colour gamut and also offers a near-perfect image in every other regard. Unfortunately, the sRGB mode fixes the brightness at 236nits, which is a bit brighter than we normally use, but it’s fine for occasional colour critical work.

Gaming performance is also top notch. The IPS panel responds quickly, making for a minimum of smearing in fast motion, while the adaptive sync takes care of tearing and stutter. Switch on the blur reduction (which requires turning off adaptive sync) and it’s even nippier, offering an experience that’s ample for competitive online first-person shooters. Only the LG UltraGear 24GN600 offers a snappier response in this class of display.

AOC 24G2U pros and cons

Pros

• Excellent image quality
• Loads of features
• Fantastic gaming performance

Cons

• Slightly underwhelming design
• Clunky OSD controls
• sRGB mode has fixed brightness

AOC 24G2U specs

The AOC 24G2U specs list is:

AOC 24G2U price

The 24G2U price is just $235, making it a very cheap gaming monitor, as its 24-inch size and 1080p resolution would suggest. However, its 165Hz refresh rate and IPS panel make it decent value.

Price:  Expect to pay $235 (£180)

AOC 24G2U review conclusion

The AOC 24G2U is an astonishingly accomplished monitor for a great price. It’s packed with features, offers great image quality and its gaming performance is right up there too. The LG UltraGear 24GN600 offers a slightly snappier response but also has relatively low contrast and few extra features. All told, the 24G2U is good enough to earn a place on our best gaming monitor list.