Performance Analysis

This isn't a wide-gamut monitor, so sRGB gamut coverage of 96 percent is acceptable.

As is common on monitors today, the out-of-box brightness is rather high at over 350cd/m2 (it's set to 90 percent by default), but thankfully the AOC G2790PX has a wide brightness range that will easily accommodate the preferred long-term measurement of 100-150cd/m2. Another positive is that regardless of the brightness setting the contrast ratio is very good, especially for a TN panel.

A default white point of 6,700K is a very strong result, as very few people will be able to tell the difference between this and the ideal 6,500K. The 'Normal' preset at 7,500K caters well to those who prefer a slightly bluer image.

Colour accuracy is an area that could be improved; we generally prefer average delta E values to be below 3, so 3.82 is not terrible, but it is outclassed by numerous other screens. On the plus side, no single measurement was way off the ideal value.

Our colorimeter suggests that 'Gamma2' is the optimum out-of-box gamma setting for the AOC G2790PX, as both 'Gamma1' and 'Gamma3' end up being a bit darker than they should be in the mid-range. Only 'Gamma3' is an extreme result, however; 'Gamma1' may be preferred by some since it arguably adds a greater perception of depth and contrast – fans of Instagram, rejoice!

The uniformity of this display, both in terms of raw luminance and colour accuracy, deserves some praise, as it nestles in near the top of the graph in both cases. This is particularly important on big TN panels like this, because they're especially sensitive to viewing angles, and the G2790PX is no different in that regard.

Flicking through our normal set of test images, we admit that performance was better than expected from a TN panel, although it does of course have its limitations. Still, there are no major flaws, and if you happen to have a colorimeter, calibration definitely helps: We reduced our delta E average from 3.82 to 1.76.

Having a 144Hz refresh rate is already beneficial when it comes to minimising screen tearing, as imperfections are displayed for a lot less time than they would be on your typical 60Hz monitor. However, the this combined with FreeSync is hard to match; regardless of frame rate, the gaming experience is smooth and satisfying on the AOC G2790PX. Ghosting was apparent in more extreme situations, but the monitor offers tools to help control this, and it was never a major issue in regular gameplay.

Conclusion

While 1,920 x 1,080 is not as demanding a resolution as it once was, it's still a tall order to run the latest AAA games at high fps (especially above 100). We definitely wouldn't recommend a 1080p PC monitor any bigger than 27”, and we would advise anyone for whom media creation/productivity plays an important role to step up to a higher resolution. However, the combination of high frame rates, big screen size, and the variable refresh rate (FreeSync) that the AOC G2790PX offers makes it a compelling proposition for gamers in our eyes – you can easily achieve an excellent gaming experience that showcases the best advantages of PC gaming here.

With a fair sub-£300 price tag given the display, adjustment, and connectivity options, this one is an easy recommendation provided it ticks the core boxes of what you're looking for in your next monitor.