When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more...
Should you buy an AOC Monitor? | The Budget Option for Gaming
AOC is a Taiwanese company that has been making monitors since 1988. They have grown to be one of the largest monitor manufacturers in the world, with multiple production facilities worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- AOC is a pretty good choice if you’re lookin’ for a solid monitor that won’t break the bank. But, as your budget goes up, you might find monitors from other brands that have way better features for around the same price.
- Prices go from like $85 for budget monitors all the way up to $1500 for the fancy ones.
- They’re made outta plastic and are pretty compact with thin bezels, so they’re great for multi-monitor setups, ya know?
- The low-end AOC monitors kinda have wobbly stands, which can make the monitor shake and tremble when you’re using it.
- Game Mode lets you change the monitor settings depending on what game you’re playing, which is cool.
- Their customer support doesn’t have a live chat feature, so it can be kinda tough for folks who need help right away.
- You get a 3-year warranty, but just a heads up—it doesn’t cover user error or damage from accidents or misusing the product.
Pros
- Affordable monitors with good performance for their price.
- Minimalistic design.
- Thin bezels.
- The AOC Agon series is excellent for gaming.
- Ideal for people on a tight budget.
- 3 years of warranty.
Cons
- Poor customer support.
- Budget monitors come with a plastic stand which decreases stability.
- Not the best brand for those who want top-quality displays.
Pricing vs Quality
AOC monitors are inexpensive because they were made to be accessible to the majority of computer users. Their general pricing varies from $85 for a budget option to $1500 for the high-end ones.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a great monitor at a low price, AOC is the way to go. In terms of quality, they are decent for gaming, viewing movies, and performing creative tasks.
This is because of the panels that the specific brand uses(mostly IPS), so it’s not something that’s “AOC exclusive”.
Overall, the AOC displays are an appealing option for those who want a monitor but don’t want to necessarily break the bank because they offer great value at an affordable price.
Don’t expect these monitors to surpass the quality of their premium competitors considering the fact that they cost about 30% less.
Design
AOC monitors are made of plastic (like almost every other monitor on the market) but they don’t give you that cheap feeling that other affordable brands have.
And the best thing is that they are fairly compact, allowing you to also save space on your desk.
Their thin bezels make them perfect for multi-monitor setups if that’s something you are interested in.
You should be aware that low-end monitors don’t have the most sturdy stands, which is a significant drawback.
Given that it is constructed using plastic, it is less stable than aluminum or steel support. When you are using the monitor, this may cause it to tremble and shake. Luckily, this is not a phenomenon that you’ll experience with their high-end models.
Gaming | AOC Agon Series
Are AOC monitors good for gaming?
AOC displays are reliable and not only ideal for gaming on a budget but also for people who are willing to pay something extra and purchase a premium product like an AOC Agon monitor.
So, if you are the type of person that enjoys playing competitive games like CS:GO, League Of Legends, and Valorant, make sure you give these monitors a shot.
With the launch of the Agon series, AOC also manufactured some peripherals but I am not gonna rate them here since they literally made 2 mice, 2 headsets, 1 keyboard, and 1 mousepad.
Game Mode
AOC displays come with the classic feature called “Game Mode”. This feature allows you to change the monitor settings depending on which game you are playing.
For example, if you are playing a first-person shooter game such as Call of Duty or Battlefield, your screen will appear more vivid and bright.
If you play an RPG game such as World of Warcraft or Dragon Age: Inquisition, your screen will appear more colorful.
This allows gamers to enjoy every moment of their playtime without having to worry about adjusting the settings manually every time they switch games!
The default Game Mode presets that most brands use are not ideal so if you want to change the settings and create a custom profile, be sure to download G-MENU.
Customer Support & Warranty(My own experience)
The AOC Customer Support is below average at best. There is no other way to say this…
Based on my experience, there are many things that need to be improved, but I will focus on one in particular: the lack of a live chat feature which makes it difficult for people who need quick support because they don’t have access to their computers all day long.
I would really like to see them add this feature so that people can get fast answers without having to wait for hours on end just so they can get some sort of time-limited response!
Furthermore, their support staff does not appear to be the most helpful and they take a lot of time to respond so you can expect to wait many days for your problem to be resolved. Just take a look at TrustPilot and you’ll see what I mean.
Overall, if your monitor malfunctions for any reason, they will eventually fix the problem but it’s gonna be a wild and long ride.
AOC monitors come with a 3-year warranty. The warranty covers damage from normal wear and tear and malfunctions that arise from the manufacturing process. It does not cover user error or damage caused by accidents or misuse of the product.
Don’t expect to punch and break your monitor after you misplay and get it replaced for free.