I can multi-task with this monitor -- using it as two separate 27 monitors, or by using multiple windows. Windowed gaming is very easy, with more than enough space for OBX controls, and chat, on either side of the Gaming window (center). Anyway, what about speed? AOC offers user-configurable overdrive in the OSD menu. In truth, the various levels of overdrive don’t look terribly different subjectively. But at least the fastest mode doesn’t suffer from obvious overshoot and inverse ghosting. In any case, response is best considered good but not quite as sharp as the best 1ms IPS gaming monitors. VA panels typically have great contrast, however, the AG493UCX2 has an advertised contrast of 3000:1. It wasn’t until I calibrated the display that I was able to reach this figure, which reinforces my opinion that the factory calibration could have been much better. It should be noted that the previous model had much better contrast, so this could just be a one-off, but I can only review based on what’s in front of me.

There is also a USB-B upstream (to connect to your PC), and 3 x USB 3.2 downstream ports for connecting peripherals (including one fast-charge B.C 1.2). The monitor’s USB ports can be set to USB 2.0 or 3.2 Gen1*, which is handy if you have external drives or controllers that require a higher standard of USB. Update. To get my MY M1 MacBook Pro working correctly through one of the thunderbolt 3 ports was to shut game mode. It now is displaying at 5120 X 1440 120 Hz and my key board and mouse now work well so I don’t need as many keyboards and mice on my desk which for me was 3 each now down to 2, I should have got a KVM switch a long time ago. The 5120×1440 resolution provides you with 108.99 PPI (pixels per inch) on the 48.8″ viewable screen of the AOC AG493UCX2 monitor. As a result, you get plenty of screen real estate with sharp details and text. You also won’t have to use scaling to make small text readable. The maximum number of colors, which the display is able to reproduce, depends on the type of the panel in use and color enhancing technologies like FRC.Information about the maximum horizontal viewing angle, within which the image on the screen is of acceptable quality. Information of the number of pixels in a unit of length. With the decrease of the display size and the increase of its resolution, the pixel density increases. Information about the minimum amount of time, in which the pixels change from one color to another. Very often the manufacturer provides the response time for transition from grey-to-grey (G2G). The storage temperature shows the range from a minimum to a maximum temperature, within which storing of the display is considered to be safe. The display itself is brilliantly bright and vivid, peaking at over 600 nits, and because it’s a VA panel, the contrast is visibly better than most IPS alternatives. Colour accuracy has seen a significant improvement, too, with an average DeltaE of just 0.68 in sRGB mode (compared to 1.6 on the AG493UCX).

Double the in-game immersion with the curved AG493UCX2: thanks to the vast screen space of 49" (32:9) and a stunning Dual-QHD 5k resolution, you face a razor-sharp image whichever way you look. A gushing refresh rate of 165Hz and FreeSync Premium Pro ensure the smoothest images for even more realism. This monitor spec says it only support the higher 5120x1440@60Hz res using DisplayPort and cable has to support 8K which the one out of the box does. As with the old model, the AG493UCX2 is excellent when used with DisplayPort, but there are too many limitations if that is not going to be your primary display connection.Finally, if you don’t need a KVM or USB-C, we recommend the Samsung Odyssey G9 for gaming and the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 for HDR, as far as 32:9 ultrawide monitors go. You should also consider the Dell AW3423DWF with a 21:9 OLED panel. What it’s not, is a great HDR performer. Overall, the panel looks subdued in HDR mode. In fact, games that support HDR like Cyberpunk 2077 actually look better in SDR mode on this panel. It’s probably a calibration issue and it’s really not a major problem given no monitor with mere DisplayHDR 400 certification is really a true HDR panel.

I bought this primarily for playing racing and flight sims primarily wanting something with a wider field of view than my 32 inch 4k monitor. So far I love the monitor, setup was simple enough, works great with both my windows PC and my M1 MacBook pro. The MacBook will only allow me to set the correct resolution 5120 X 1440 through the display port on my doc, it doesn’t work correctly via thunderbolt which isn’t a huge deal but the KVM switch only works between my windows pc and Mac via the thunderbird bolt port so I’ll be trying to work around that little issue. To learn more about monitors and ensure you’re getting the model most suited for your personal preference, visit our comprehensive and always up-to-date best gaming monitor buyer’s guide. Conclusion Gaming on this behemoth of a display is stonkingly good fun, especially if you have a GPU capable of propelling the AG493UCX2 to its max refresh of 165Hz. The 1800R curved display completely fills your field of view, giving you a commanding view of your surroundings. It comes into its own when you’re admiring scenic landscapes, and if you’re a fan of driving games but don’t have space for a triple-screen setup, this strikes a superb middle ground that gives you the peripheral view you otherwise miss on single monitors and even 21:9 ultrawides. The most trustworthy reviewers have not posted anything on those models, though, which is why I am asking you: Is there anyone here with first-hand experience that he or she wants to share? :)

User reviews

On a positive note, PBP (picture by picture) mode now lets you adjust brightness and contrast without having to switch to single-source mode to make adjustments. It’s a very welcome and significant improvement. According to the documentation this machine can support One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors (see here - https://support.apple.com/kb/SP795?locale=en_US) The operating temperature shows the safe temperature range (from minimum to maximum), within which the display will function flawlessly. Outside this range it might operate improperly and/or fail entirely. The monitor is based on a 49″ 5120×1440 super-ultrawide panel, which is basically equivalent to two 27″ 2560×1440 monitors put side by side, just without the bezels in between them!

As for this monitor, it's very close to what I'm looking for, I'll probably end up buying either this or the Samsung equivalent. I don't want multiple monitors, I already sold the other two quite a while ago and now I'm suffering the productivity consequences of being confined to one screen! It's frustratingly constricting. The only thing I'd like is for it to be taller than a 27", same ratio just a few inches larger, but I don't think a monitor like that will be coming any time soon and I've already waited two years so I'm going to settle. Another constant niggle I had was when switching display inputs, as it takes a painfully long time to switch, often in excess of 12 seconds. I also had issues with the AG493UCX2 not switching on automatically with an HDMI source. It can take over 20 seconds to activate the screen from standby (compared to 1 to 3 seconds with most other AOC panels), which makes it frustrating when it doesn’t turn on at all, as you have to wait just in case it’s dragging its heels. I am looking at getting my first ultrawide monitor ever and am planning to immediately go up to 32:9, because ... why the hell not??? No, seriously, I want to replace multiple monitors with this and use it for gaming (nothing hardcore, mostly singleplayer stuff) as well as general productivity, where that aspect ratio seems like a good solution.

The AG493UCX or AG493UCX2 respectively are currently my favorites in that category, since they offer a KVM switch, which would come in quite handy (generally a feature I am very happy is increasingly being offered across different product lines). Keep in mind that 5120×1440 is almost as demanding as 4K UHD on your CPU/GPU, so make sure you’ve got a good enough PC rig to maintain the desired frame rate in games! We didn’t have to stray far from the default settings when calibrating the AG493UCX. While it doesn’t require adjustments, we saw visible improvements after a few tweaks. Another interesting feature, which is hidden in the ‘Eco Mode’ along with some other presets (Movie, Game, Sports, etc.) is the Uniformity Mode – it improves brightness and color temperature uniformity across the screen at a cost of overall picture brightness and contrast ratio. If the USB setting on the monitor is set to USB 3.2, the max refresh of USB-C is limited to 5120×1440 @ 60Hz or 2560×1440 @ 60Hz in PBP.