I tried AOC

The AOC Gaming Q27G4ZR monitor is a fast IPS display that is capable of a 240 Hz refresh rate. That’s good news for gamers, animators, and motion graphics artists. I love the connectivity options, although it would be further improved if it were extended into a USB hub. I was glad to see the monitor boasting VESA certification, but at only DisplayHDR 400, it’s far from the highest standard. I found the monitor to perform well, especially given the bargain-level sub-£200 price.

27-inch monitors are widely considered the best size if you’re creating a desk setup that includes two monitors side by side. Not only will they fit on most desks, but they’re also relatively affordable. You could go for 32-inch alternatives, but you’ll want to make sure you have the space for that.

Towards the back end of 2024, I reviewed the AOC Gaming Q27G4XF and awarded it 4.5 out of 5 stars. I was impressed by the refresh rate, responsiveness, and its QHD resolution. Despite this, I knew AOC could do better, which is why I was glad to get my hands on the more premium Q27G4ZR.

AOC GAMING Q27G4ZR: Key specifications

Design and build

• A black plastic build with a couple of bright red splashes
• Ergonomic stand for perfect placement

Almost all of the visible parts of the monitor are made of plastic. That includes the main chassis, back panel, and all the bezels. These help to provide rigidity while keeping the overall weight of the unit down. It doesn’t feel particularly ‘premium’, but at under £200, it’s hard to complain.

The materials are almost all black, with the only touches that make it stand out being the red cable tidy hole and the red circle that encompasses the area where the stand meets the display panel. I would have liked a few more of these design touches to be incorporated into the main chassis, but maybe that would have been too flamboyant.

The stand is ergonomic, which means it provides almost all the tilt, height, swivel, and pivot adjustments you could ever need. Just don’t ask it to go vertical because you’ll break its back if you try. The stand includes the aforementioned cable tidy, which does a fantastic job of keeping all your cables neatly packed away.

In terms of sustainability, the housing is PVC/BFR-free, and the packaging materials are 100% recyclable. It’s great to see AOC adopting this voluntarily, but I’d like to see monitor manufacturers go even further in the materials they use.

Design and build score: 4/5

Features & Performance

• Fast IPS with 2560×1440 pixel resolution
• VESA Certified DisplayHDR 400
• 240Hz (260Hz Overclocked) Refresh rate

The AOC Q27G4ZR monitor has a range of features which help to set it apart from super-budget alternatives. That being said, the fact that it has an IPS panel and only DisplayHDR™ 400 VESA certification reminds us that the feature set is good but not outstanding.

The 27-inch Fast IPS panel has a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. The size is ideal for a dual-monitor setup, but I would have preferred an OLED instead. You just can’t beat their ability to produce perfect blacks, an infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times.

That being said, I do love the greater than Full HD resolution. It’s not 4K, but if you’re not working with that resolution content, then who cares? I appreciated having a few more pixels packed in compared to what I’m used to, and this was noticeable when working on photos and videos.

The refresh rate of 240 Hz can be overclocked to 260 Hz, although given the subtlety of the gains, I doubt many people are going to bother doing this. The rate is more than fast enough for almost all types of games, and creatives will love the buttery smooth motion it delivers.

The monitor is capable of producing HDR images but only to an entry-level VESA Certified DisplayHDR 400. That means it only delivers 400 nits of peak brightness. I didn’t have any problems with visibility when I used the monitor in my evenly lit office, but users working in super-bright rooms could run into problems. 400 nits of brightness is the bare minimum that most users would want.

I experienced no problems with distortion or accuracy, even at the full extents of the display panel. The images produced were reliable and vibrant, although colour graders and photo retouchers will require a greater colour gamut coverage.

In terms of customisation, you’ll benefit from AOC’s G-Menu software, which is simple and easy to use. If you’d like to have presets for different workspaces and workflows, then you can dial in gaming profiles without too much trouble at all.

Features & Performance score: 4/5

Price

At $268/£199, the AOC Gaming Q27G4ZR monitor is relatively affordable, especially if you’re satisfied that the specs cover your needs as a creative. If you’re looking for something more premium, then you could go for the BenQ PD2706UA at $629.99/£549 or the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV at $800/£800. Both of these are significantly more expensive and will more than likely be well out of budget if you’re looking for a dual-monitor setup.

Scorecard

Who’s it for?

• Gamers and creatives where colour accuracy is not paramount

The Q27G4ZR is unashamedly a gaming monitor, but it serves up all the features and performance that a broad range of creatives will love. If you’re working in video, animation, or motion graphics, then you’ll especially value the refresh rate. VESA certification of DisplayHDR 400 is nice to have, but if colour accuracy is important to you, then you’ll want a monitor more dedicated to your needs.

Buy it if

• You’re creating a dual-monitor setup and value affordability
• You’re a creative who games on the side
• You like to keep all your cables neatly tucked away

Don’t buy it if

• Colour accuracy is important to you
• You work in a super-bright environment
• You need your monitor to also double up as a USB hub

AOC Gaming Q27G4ZR

The AOC Gaming Q27G4ZR monitor is a fast IPS display that is capable of a 240 Hz refresh rate. That’s good news for gamers, animators, and motion graphics artists. I love the connectivity options, although it would be further improved if it were extended into a USB hub. I was glad to see the monitor boasting VESA certification, but at only DisplayHDR 400, it’s far from the highest standard. I found the monitor to perform well, especially given the bargain-level sub-£200 price.

Paul is a digital expert. In the 20 years since he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science, Paul has been actively involved in a variety of different tech and creative industries that make him the go-to guy for reviews, opinion pieces, and featured articles. With a particular love of all things visual, including photography, videography, and 3D visualisation Paul is never far from a camera or other piece of tech that gets his creative juices going. You’ll also find his writing in other places, including Creative Bloq, Digital Camera World, and 3D World Magazine.

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