AOC AGON PRO AG456UCZD review: ultrawide curved monitor is a 240Hz beast

AGON by AOC is one of the biggest and best producers of gaming monitors and with the release of the PRO AG456UCZD, they're proving why. At 44.5-inch (113 cm) this is an ultra-wide monitor with a sharp 800R curve to die for. As a result, users will be transported right into the heart of any game and enjoy one of the most immersive gaming experiences on the market at the moment.

The OLED display is beautifully clear and benefits from an unbelievable 240 Hz refresh rate, which leads to some of the fastest response times currently available. This is most definitely an ultrawide monitor for pros and the specs attest to that. The 21:9 aspect ratio delivers 3440 x 1440 WQHD resolution, which only just falls short of a true 4K resolution.

After very carefully unboxing this beast, I placed it on my desk and proceeded to put it through its paces. Over several weeks, I ran a number of different programs, mostly graphics-related, and also watched 4K films and TV on it. But because this is primarily a gaming monitor, I made sure to see if it could handle some of the most demanding games.

AGON PRO AG456UCZD: Key specifications

Design and build

The AGON PRO AG456UCZD will eat your desk for breakfast. Thanks to the curve, the 44.5-inch (113 cm) display only takes 39 inches (99cm) of width, but considering the average desk size is around 120cm, this doesn't leave much room for a docking station, laptop, mouse or any other peripherals. But it's not just the width; the large metal stand means the depth of the monitor protrudes out so far that any standard desk won't have enough room to comfortably fit a keyboard. Depending on your desk size, you might need to factor a new desk purchase into your buying calculations.

Choosing to clearly separate the display from the box of internal electronics results in an elegant design. The display panel is razor thin, with a thin border on all four sides, leaving maximum room for the 3440 x 1440 resolution. All of this puts the gaming experience front and centre, and even when looking at it from the side, it just looks like a wafer-thin monitor from left to right. This design ethos leads to a super-immersive gaming experience.

The box of electronics is restricted to the rear-centre part and takes the form of an equally striking design. A seriously angular case with an awkwardly offset shape makes it stand out from any other design I've seen. The abundance of LEDs around the back 'pentagon' shape looks great but will go largely unseen by most people.

The 800R curve is perfectly proportioned with enough backing strength to ensure it won't get bent by accidental knocks. That being said, I would have liked to have seen a little flexibility in the curve profile. The Corsair Xeneon Flex is one such example but it does have the downside of having to put up with two large grip handles, one on either side.

The rear panel includes a joystick control that doubles up as an on/off button. It's rather uncomfortably positioned and would have benefited from being closer to the edge of the monitor. This is a clear downside to making the display panel separate from the electronics. You'll find yourself needing to use the remote control instead, which is a shame, as I can never find those things when I need them.

Even though you won't have much room for a docking station, the monitor itself has a range of USB ports, including 4x USB-A on the side of the electronics box, which makes them far easier to access than the USB-C and HDMI ports on the bottom. I loved being able to hook up my laptop through the USB-C port, enabling me to also enjoy 90-watt power delivery. The USB-C and DisplayPort connections are required to benefit from the full 240Hz refresh rate.

Features and performance

The AGON PRO AG456UCZD is most definitely a monitor for gamers. The 44.5-inch panel delivers one of the most immersive gaming experiences I've ever had. After a little while of any gaming session, you find yourself completely lost in the world of the game, something that is only exaggerated if you adopt headphones for sound.

The ultrawide display is not so great for any other type of user. I tried doing some photo and video-editing on it with multiple windows open at the same time but unfortunately, it all just felt too much. I had to rotate my neck far too often and it made for a very uncomfortable experience.

The 3440 x 1440 resolution is great for gaming but becomes far too stretched when you're honing in on specific pixels for editing. There's also the added problem that comes with curved monitors and that's the fact that your windows look curved rather than square and that's not ideal when working on documents or in an editing environment.

The OLED panel provides gorgeously bright colours with a good level of contrast. The monitor advertises 100% sRGB and 98.5% DCI-P3 (CIE 1976) colour gamut coverage but there are reports of some colour deviation. I didn't experience any problems myself and the perceived colour experience was incredibly satisfying. But there is a lot of difference between perception and reality. If you are working on graphic or visualisation projects that require absolute accuracy, then I would look elsewhere.

Colour replication was not a problem while gaming, nor were the brightness levels. The default 100% was perfect for all situations and I wouldn't have wanted it any lower. The monitor comes with an anti-glare treatment, which was effective in my studio setup. As you'd expect, it struggled if any light sources were pointing more directly at it, and it was completely overwhelmed by sunlight. The brightness of the screen was enough to provide a bright image during all tests, though.

The built-in HDR mode was helpful for games with a greater dynamic range. The HDR Picture mode was able to bring out more detail in darker areas, although I rarely found myself using it as it did reduce the level of contrast quite considerably. It's nice to have the option, though.

The highlight of the AG456UCZD is the 240 Hz refresh rate, which kept all of my games running smoothly. The 0.03 ms GtG response time is an essential quality for gamers needing that level of accuracy. This is a monitor that can be trusted to deliver during any gaming experience, even at professional standards.

One problem that I did have was with the ultrawide aspect ratio. Not all games are set up to support this and it can result in either black strips on either side or a displeasing stretching of the image. If you know the main games you play support this aspect ratio then fine but if not, you'll be paying for a whole load of monitor that you won't necessarily be benefitting from.

Price

At £1129.99 / $1399, the AGON PRO AG456UCZD goes pretty much head-to-head with the Samsung CRG9. The latter has a far superior resolution at 5,120 x 1,440 pixels but only has a refresh rate of 120 Hz compared to 240 Hz for the AGON. The decision between the two monitors can largely come down to which of these qualities you value the most.

It's also worth questioning whether you need an ultrawide solution. If you're happy dropping a few inches, then there are cheaper alternatives, including the LG UltraGear 38GN950. If you're after a super-cheap option, then the BenQ Zowie XL2540 is rated the best 1080p gaming monitor in our best gaming monitors in 2024.

Should I buy the AGON PRO OLED AG456UCZD?

If you're in the market for an ultra-wide curved monitor, then the AGON PRO AG456UCZD has some fantastic specifications and is fairly reasonably priced considering it's size and resolution. The stars of the show are most definitely the 240Hz refresh rate and lightning-fast response times of up to 0.03 ms GtG, which are perfect for competitive gamers.

Before purchasing, you'll want to make sure you are set up to accommodate a 44.5-inch monitor. It'll take over any mid-size desk and is not ideally suited for all types of games. If you must have every square inch of display that the monitor industry can provide, then the latest monitor from AGON is a great choice.