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AOC CQ27G2 Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Aug 28, 2020 at 07:56 am
Latest change: Retest Apr 18, 2023 at 10:51 am
AOC CQ27G2 Picture
6.8
Mixed Usage
7.2
Office
7.5
Gaming
6.7
Media Consumption
7.0
Media Creation
3.2
HDR

The AOC CQ27G2 is a decent 27 inch, 1440p monitor with a VA panel. It has a simple design, with a wide stand that supports the monitor well and okay ergonomics. Like most VA monitors, it has a high native contrast ratio, which delivers deep blacks, but this comes at the expense of viewing angles, which are disappointing. It delivers a great overall gaming experience, with low input lag and a fast response time, but like many VA monitors we've tested, there's noticeable motion smearing in dark scenes, which may be distracting. Room choice is important with this monitor, as it can't get very bright, so glare might be an issue in a bright room. Although it has a high contrast ratio, it has bad black uniformity, so it's also not a great choice for a pitch-black room.

Our Verdict

6.8 Mixed Usage

The AOC CQ27G2 is a decent monitor for most uses. The low input lag and great response time deliver a great overall gaming experience. It's also a decent choice for office use or multimedia, but the limited viewing angles might be an issue for some users. Although it has decent reflection handling, it can't get very bright, so it might not be the best choice if you're in a bright room.

Pros
  • High native contrast results in deep blacks.
  • Low input lag.
  • Excellent SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Image degrades at an angle.
  • Mediocre peak brightness.
  • Bad black uniformity.
7.2 Office

The AOC CQ27G2 is a decent monitor for office use. The 27", 1440p screen is great for multitasking, as you can comfortably work with multiple windows open, and it has good text clarity. It has decent reflection handling, but it might not be bright enough if there's a lot of natural light. The stand has an okay range of ergonomic adjustments, so it should be comfortable for most people.

Pros
  • High native contrast results in deep blacks.
  • Low input lag.
  • Excellent SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Image degrades at an angle.
  • Mediocre peak brightness.
  • Bad black uniformity.
7.5 Gaming

This is a great monitor for gaming. The AOC CQ27G2 has a fast response time at the max refresh rate, similar to other 144Hz VA monitors we've tested, but there's noticeable motion smearing in some dark scenes. It has low input lag for a responsive gaming experience, and it supports FreeSync variable refresh rate technology for a nearly tear-free gaming experience.

Pros
  • High native contrast results in deep blacks.
  • Low input lag.
  • Excellent SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Noticeable motion smearing in dark scenes.
  • Image degrades at an angle.
  • Mediocre peak brightness.
  • Bad black uniformity.
6.7 Media Consumption

This is an okay monitor for multimedia. The AOC CQ27G2's 27", 1440p display is great for watching videos, thanks to the high-resolution screen, high contrast ratio, and excellent uniformity. It has decent reflection handling, but it might not be bright enough if you're in a room with lots of natural light. It also has disappointing viewing angles, so it's not a good choice if you like to watch videos with other people.

Pros
  • High native contrast results in deep blacks.
  • Low input lag.
  • Excellent SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Image degrades at an angle.
  • Mediocre peak brightness.
  • Bad black uniformity.
7.0 Media Creation

The AOC CQ27G2 is a decent monitor for media creation. The 27" 1440p screen makes it easier to see more of your work at once. It has an outstanding SDR color gamut, with great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, and excellent uniformity with no noticeable color bleed. Unfortunately, it's best enjoyed from directly in front due to the disappointing viewing angles, so it's not a great choice if you often share your screen with a colleague or client.

Pros
  • High native contrast results in deep blacks.
  • Low input lag.
  • Excellent SDR color gamut.
Cons
  • Image degrades at an angle.
  • Mediocre peak brightness.
  • Bad black uniformity.
  • 6.8 Mixed Usage
  • 7.2 Office
  • 7.5 Gaming
  • 6.7 Media Consumption
  • 7.0 Media Creation
  • 3.2 HDR
  1. Updated Apr 18, 2023: Confirmed that 1440p works on this monitor with the PS5.
  2. Updated Nov 24, 2022: Added the AOC C27G2 and AOC C27G2Z models to the Variants section to point out the differences.
  3. Updated Jun 16, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.2, resulting in changes to the results and scores with the Response Time and Input Lag. Added tests for Console Compatibility and macOS compatibility and made minor changes to other tests, which you can see in our Changelog.
  4. Updated Aug 28, 2020: Review published.
  5. Updated Aug 25, 2020: Early access published.
  6. Updated Aug 06, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Aug 03, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Jul 21, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 27 inch AOC CQ27G2, which replaces the AOC CQ27G1, which we've also tested. There are similar 144Hz models available from AOC, some of which are listed below. In Europe, the CQ27G2U is the equivalent model. It appears to have the same hardware, but the stand is entirely black.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their CQ27G2 doesn't correspond to our review, please let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests such as gray uniformity may vary between units.

Model Size Resolution Refresh Rate Curve
 C27G2 27"  1080p 165Hz 1500R
 C27G2Z 27" 1080p 240Hz  1500R
CQ27G2 27" 1440p  144Hz 1500R
CQ27G2U 27" 1440p 144Hz 1500R
CQ27G1 27" 1440p 144Hz  1800R
CQ32G1 32" 1440p  144Hz 1800R

You can see the label for our unit here.

Compared To Other Monitors

The AOC CQ27G2 is a great gaming monitor overall, but not quite as good as some of the other 144Hz gaming monitors we've tested, including the Samsung CHG70.

See our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best 1440p monitors, and the best 27 inch monitors.

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A is much better than the AOC CQ27G2. The ASUS has an IPS panel that provides wide viewing angles, it has better ergonomics, a quicker response time, a higher max refresh rate, and supports HDR. However, the AOC has a VA panel with a much better contrast ratio and it has a slightly lower input lag.

Samsung Odyssey G5 C27G55T

The AOC CQ27G2 is much better than the Samsung Odyssey G5 C27G55T. The AOC has significantly better ergonomics, faster response time, and lower input lag, especially when playing at 60Hz. However, the Samsung provides better visibility in well-lit rooms due to its higher peak brightness and better reflection handling.

Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51

The AOC CQ27G2 and the Samsung Odyssey G5/G51C S27CG51 are both entry-level 1440p gaming monitors with a few similarities. The Samsung has a slightly higher refresh rate, but motion handling is similar between each. The Samsung has better reflection handling and gets a bit brighter, making it a slightly better choice for use in well-lit rooms. The Samsung also supports HDR, which the AOC doesn't, and it has swivel adjustment, making it easier to place in an ideal position.

Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0)

Although the AOC CQ27G2 and the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0) are both 1440p gaming monitors, there are many differences between them. Gaming-wise, the Gigabyte performs better because it has a higher refresh rate of 170Hz and a much faster response time. The Gigabyte has an IPS with wider viewing angles, while the AOC has a VA panel that makes it a better choice for dark rooms. The Gigabyte offers more features, like a USB-C input, HDR support, and a Picture-in-Picture mode. It also gets much brighter to combat glare.

Gigabyte G27QC

Overall, the Gigabyte G27QC is a bit better than the AOC CQ27G2. The Gigabyte has a higher refresh rate, faster response time at 60Hz, and gets brighter. However, the AOC has better ergonomics and a Black Frame Insertion feature to help improve motion clarity.

ASUS TUF VG27AQ

The ASUS TUF VG27AQ is much better than the AOC CQ27G2. The ASUS uses an IPS panel, which results in better viewing angles but worse contrast. The ASUS has better ergonomics, a higher peak brightness, and faster response times. Unfortunately, the ASUS supports HDR, but this doesn't add much. On the other hand, the AOC has much better contrast, so blacks look black in a dark room instead of gray.

AOC CQ27G1

The AOC CQ27G1 and the AOC CQ27G2 are nearly identical, and most of the differences we measured can be attributed to panel variance. The newer CQ27G2 uses a slightly different panel structure and has clearer text than the CQ27G1, and it has a slightly more aggressive curve (1500R vs. 1800R).

ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM

For most uses, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM is significantly better than the AOC CQ27G2. The ASUS gets brighter, its IPS panel has much wider viewing angles, and it has better motion handling due to its higher refresh rate and faster response time. It also has better ergonomics and supports HDR. The AOC is a better choice for dark room gaming, though, as it has a VA panel that can produce deeper blacks.

Gigabyte G32QC

For most uses, the Gigabyte G32QC is a bit better than the AOC CQ27G2. The Gigabyte has higher peak brightness, a higher refresh rate, and supports HDR. However, the AOC has a higher contrast ratio, better ergonomics, and better color accuracy out-of-the-box.

Dell S2721DGF

The Dell S2721DGF is much better than the AOC CQ27G2 for most users. The Dell has much better ergonomics, higher peak brightness, better reflection handling, and much better motion handling. The Dell also has wide viewing angles. On the other hand, the AOC has better contrast, so it might be a better choice for a dark room.

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27WQ1B

The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27WQ1B is a bit better overall than the AOC CQ27G2. The ASUS gets brighter, supports HDR, has a quicker response time at 60Hz, and a higher max refresh rate. However, the AOC has much better ergonomics, a quicker response time at its max refresh rate, and a lower input lag.

LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B

The LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B is much better than the AOC CQ27G2 for most uses. They use different panel technologies, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The 27GL850-B has wider viewing angles, much faster response times, and higher peak brightness. The 27GL850-B supports HDR, but this doesn't add much. On the other hand, the AOC CQ27G2 has a much higher native contrast ratio, resulting in much deeper blacks.

Samsung C27RG5

The AOC CQ27G2 is much better than the Samsung C27RG5. The AOC has better ergonomics, a higher-resolution screen, and a much faster response time. The AOC is more versatile, as the variable refresh rate (VRR) feature is available over HDMI and DisplayPort, and it has an optional black frame insertion feature. The Samsung we tested has much better black uniformity, but this varies between units.

Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx

The Acer Nitro XV340CK Pbmiipphzx and the AOC CQ27G2 are very different monitors. The Acer is an ultrawide with much wider viewing angles, faster response time, and gets a lot brighter to combat glare. On the other hand, the AOC has a VA panel that can produce deeper blacks, and it has better color accuracy out-of-the-box.

Dell S2721HGF

The Dell S2721HGF and the AOC CQ27G2 score similarly overall; however, there are a few differences between them. The AOC has a higher 1440p resolution compared to the Dell's 1080p, making it a better choice if you also use it for work, but its response time isn't as good as the Dell's, especially in dark scenes. Both monitors have VA panels that are well-suited for dark rooms; however, the Dell is better for well-lit rooms because it gets a lot brighter. If you often share your screen with others, the Dell has wider viewing angles, but it doesn't allow for any swivel adjustment, which the AOC does.

Samsung CHG70

The Samsung CHG70 is much better than the AOC CQ27G2 for most users. The CHG70 has better ergonomics, higher peak brighteness, and it supports HDR. On the other hand, the AOC has a much better response time at 60Hz, making it a better choice if you're planning on gaming on a console.

MSI Optix MAG271CQR

The AOC CQ27G2 and the MSI Optix MAG271CQR are very similar overall. The AOC has better ergonomics, so it's easier to place it in an ideal viewing position. On the other hand, the MSI is much brighter, and it has better reflection handling, making it a better choice for a bright room.

Dell S3221QS

The Dell S3221QS is better than the AOC CQ27G2 overall; however, they aren't intended for the same use. The Dell is an office monitor with a much bigger screen, a higher resolution, and it gets a lot brighter. The AOC is a gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, a much faster response time, and lower input lag.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
Yes
Curve Radius
1500R

The AOC CQ27G2 has a very similar design to the AOC CQ27G1, but with a silver stand instead of black. It has a slightly more aggressive curve, which is noticeable, but not as distracting as the 1000R curve on the Samsung Odyssey G7. The E.U. equivalent model, the AOC CQ27G2U, has a black stand and looks nearly identical to the AOC CQ27G1.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures N/A
7.5
Design
Build Quality

The AOC CQ27G2 has good overall build quality. Although almost entirely made of plastic, it feels decently solid. There are no noticeable gaps, and the bottom of the border is uniform. AOC doesn't appear to have made any changes to the overall construction compared to the AOC CQ27G1.

7.6
Design
Ergonomics
Height Adjustment
5.1" (13.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-20° to 5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
-30° to 30°
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

The AOC CQ27G2 has okay ergonomics, with a great height adjustment, good swivel range, and great tilt range. It doesn't rotate, but this is normal for curved monitors. It's much better than the Samsung C27RG5.

The back has a simple design similar to other AOC monitors we've tested. There's no RGB lighting, but there's a small hole in the back of the stand for cable management. There's also a quick release button on the back.

Design
Stand
Base Width
17.2" (43.7 cm)
Base Depth
9.1" (23.0 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
7.7" (19.5 cm)
Weight (With Display)
11.9 lbs (5.4 kg)

The stand is wide, but there's plenty of space in front to place small objects. It supports the monitor well, with very little wobble.

Design
Display
Size
27"
Housing Width
24.1" (61.1 cm)
Housing Height
14.4" (36.6 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
2.9" (7.3 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
9.0 lbs (4.1 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.3" (0.8 cm)
Design
Controls

The AOC CQ27G2 has the same control scheme as the older AOC CQ27G1, but they've changed the buttons a bit.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
Internal

  • Power cable
  • HDMI cable
  • DisplayPort cable
  • Manual

Picture Quality
8.3
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
3,858 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
N/A

Like most VA monitors, the AOC CQ27G2 27" has a great contrast ratio, resulting in deep blacks in dark scenes.

0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
No
Backlight
Edge

This monitor doesn't support local dimming. The video is provided for reference only.

6.3
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
225 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
196 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
196 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
197 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
197 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
197 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
196 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
196 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
196 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
197 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
197 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000
Minimum Brightness
38 cd/m²

Unfortunately, the AOC CQ27G2 27 has mediocre peak brightness. It's slightly dimmer than the AOC CQ27G1 we tested, although this is likely due to panel variance. While it's bright enough for most rooms, it might not be bright enough if you have a lot of natural light. If you want a similar monitor that can get brighter, check out the Gigabyte G27QC or the Samsung C27RG5.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
No Certification
Real Scene
N/A
Peak 2% Window
N/A
Peak 10% Window
N/A
Peak 25% Window
N/A
Peak 50% Window
N/A
Peak 100% Window
N/A
Sustained 2% Window
N/A
Sustained 10% Window
N/A
Sustained 25% Window
N/A
Sustained 50% Window
N/A
Sustained 100% Window
N/A
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
N/A

This monitor doesn't support HDR.

5.5
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
25°
Color Washout From Right
25°
Color Shift From Left
41°
Color Shift From Right
42°
Brightness Loss From Left
28°
Brightness Loss From Right
28°
Black Level Raise From Left
16°
Black Level Raise From Right
16°
Gamma Shift From Left
18°
Gamma Shift From Right
17°

Like most VA monitors, the horizontal viewing angle is disappointing. This monitor is best enjoyed sitting directly in front of it. Note that our tests don't account for the curvature of the screen.

5.1
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
26°
Color Washout From Above
27°
Color Shift From Below
41°
Color Shift From Above
40°
Brightness Loss From Below
29°
Brightness Loss From Above
30°
Black Level Raise From Below
11°
Black Level Raise From Above
11°
Gamma Shift From Below
11°
Gamma Shift From Above
10°

Disappointing vertical viewing angles, which is normal for VA panels. This isn't a good choice if your monitor isn't mounted at eye-level, or if you often share your screen with someone standing beside you.

8.1
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.124%
50% DSE
0.152%

Overall, the AOC CQ27G2 27" has excellent uniformity. There are some noticeable dark patches throughout the display, and the sides are a bit darker, but it's not very noticeable with regular content.

3.0
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
3.987%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
N/A

Unfortunately, the AOC CQ27G2 that we tested has bad black uniformity. There's noticeable flashlighting along the top and bottom bezel, and it can be distracting if you're in a dark room. This varies between units, though, so let us know if you get one with better black uniformity than ours.

7.7
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Standard (sRGB)
sRGB Gamut Area xy
105.6%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
4.06
Color Temperature (Avg.)
7,316 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.31
Color dE (Avg.)
2.97
Contrast Setting
50
RGB Settings
sRGB
Gamma Setting
Gamma 1
Brightness Setting
90
Measured Brightness
188 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
Yes

Out of the box, the AOC CQ27G2 has great accuracy. There are no noticeable issues in shades of gray, and most colors are displayed accurately. Gamma is almost flat, close to 2.2 instead of following the sRGB target curve, so some scenes are darker than they should be.

9.5
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
Standard (User)
sRGB Gamut Area xy
97.3%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
0.68
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,512 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.19
Color dE (Avg.)
0.62
Contrast Setting
50
RGB Settings
51-50-45
Gamma Setting
Gamma 1
Brightness Setting
38
Measured Brightness
101 cd/m²
ICC Profile
Download

After calibration, the AOC CQ27G2 is extremely accurate. There are no noticeable issues with the white balance, gamma follows the target curve almost perfectly, and most colors are displayed accurately, except for pure blue, which is significantly undersaturated.

9.1
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
97.5%
sRGB Picture Mode
Standard
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
81.4%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Standard

Excellent SDR color gamut, with essentially perfect coverage of the sRGB color space used by most content. It also has great coverage of the Adobe RGB color space often used for professional photo editing.

9.7
Picture Quality
SDR Color Volume
sRGB In ICtCp
99.0%
sRGB Picture Mode
Standard
Adobe RGB In ICtCp
89.4%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Standard

Outstanding SDR Color Volume. It can display dark, saturated colors thanks to the high contrast ratio, and most colors are as bright as pure white. Unfortunately, pure blues aren't very bright, but this is pretty common for LCDs.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
N/A
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
N/A
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
No HDR
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
N/A
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
No HDR

This monitor doesn't support HDR.

0
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
DCI-P3 In ICtCp
N/A
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
No HDR
Rec. 2020 In ICtCp
N/A
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
No HDR

This monitor doesn't support HDR.

7.4
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.8%
Indirect Reflections
3.8%
Calculated Direct Reflections
2.0%

Decent reflection handling, good enough for most rooms.

7.5
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
VA
Subpixel Layout
RGB

Good text clarity, better than the AOC CQ27G1. It's recommended to run the ClearType tuner in Windows, as diagonal or curved lines are noticeably clearer, as seen in the top photo.

8.2
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
8 Bit

Great gradient handling, almost identical to the AOC CQ27G1. There's noticeable 8-bit banding in darker shades, but this shouldn't be an issue for most people.

Motion
8.3
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
N/A
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
N/A
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC
Compatible (Tested)
VRR Maximum
144 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes

The 144Hz refresh rate is excellent for gaming and desktop use. It's FreeSync certified, and although it's not officially certified by NVIDIA, we could enable G-SYNC compatible mode when connected to our RTX 2070 Super over DisplayPort.

6.4
Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Strong
Rise / Fall Time
6.6 ms
Total Response Time
15.1 ms
Overshoot Error
1.0%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
20.4 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
36.9 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
7.8%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
offChartTablePhoto
weakChartTablePhoto
mediumChartTablePhoto
strongChartTablePhoto

Great response time at the max refresh rate. There's some overshoot in a few transitions, and dark scene transitions are significantly slower, causing noticeable motion smearing in dark scenes. This can be seen in the dark lines to the left of our logo in the pursuit camera photo. The level of overdrive can be adjusted, but there's very little difference between them, so we recommend the highest setting, 'Strong'.

Overall, motion looks similar to other 144Hz VA monitors we've tested, like the LG 32GK650F-B and the Nixeus EDG 34.

6.5
Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Strong
Rise / Fall Time
6.3 ms
Total Response Time
15.3 ms
Overshoot Error
1.6%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
19.7 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
33.7 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
9.8%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
offChartTablePhoto
weakChartTablePhoto
mediumChartTablePhoto
strongChartTablePhoto

6.1
Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Strong
Rise / Fall Time
5.2 ms
Total Response Time
21.4 ms
Overshoot Error
5.7%
Worst 3 Rise / Fall Time
9.5 ms
Worst 3 Total Response Time
44.4 ms
Worst 3 Overshoot Error
23.1%

Overdrive SettingResponse Time ChartResponse Time TablesMotion Blur Photo
offChartTablePhoto
weakChartTablePhoto
mediumChartTablePhoto
strongChartTablePhoto

The 60Hz response time is decent. Like at the max refresh rate, there's very little difference between the overdrive settings, and 'Strong' is still the best. There's significant overshoot in dark scenes, causing noticeable motion smearing in dark scenes, which is somewhat common for VA panels.

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Yes
Maximum Frequency
144 Hz
Minimum Frequency
100 Hz
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
186 cd/m²
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
68 cd/m²
Pulse Width Control
Yes
Pulse Phase Control
No
Pulse Amplitude Control
No
VRR At The Same Time
No

Max Refresh Rate:

BFI SettingMotion Blur Photo
mbr-1Photo
mbr-10Photo
mbr-20Photo
boostPhoto

120Hz:

BFI SettingMotion Blur Photo
mbr-1Photo
mbr-10Photo
mbr-20Photo
boostPhoto

The AOC CQ27G2 has a decent black frame insertion feature. BFI can be activated through the "Boost" overdrive setting, or by adjusting the MBR setting. Our measurements and photos were taken with the "Boost" setting, which appears to be either a specially tuned BFI mode, or a combination of overdrive and BFI. Increasing the MBR setting decreases the amount of time each frame is visible on the screen, causing the apparent brightness to decrease, but improving the appearance of motion.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The backlight is completely flicker-free at all brightness levels.

Inputs
9.0
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
3.7 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
5.0 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
8.6 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
5.1 ms

Outstanding low input lag, even for console gamers at 60Hz. As there are two BFI modes: Boost and MBR, we measured both. The posted results are with the Boost mode; with the MBR mode at 20, we measured 5.5ms of input lag.

8.0
Inputs
Resolution And Size
Native Resolution
2560 x 1440
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Megapixels
3.7 MP
Pixel Density
109 PPI
Measured Screen Diagonal
27.0"
Screen Area
310 in²

The 27", 1440p screen delivers a sharp image that should please most people, and doesn't require a top of the line graphics card to achieve decent frame rates when gaming.

3.0
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
No
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
No
VRR
No
5.8
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
No
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes
HDR
No
VRR
Yes
Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 1.2)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.0)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
No HDMI 2.1
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
HDR10
No
3.5mm Audio In
No
3.5mm Microphone In
No
Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
0
USB-A Rated Speed
No USB-A Ports
USB-B Upstream Port
No
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Upstream
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Rated Speed
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Power Delivery
No USB-C Ports
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
No USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
No
Inputs
macOS Compatibility

Unfortunately, there are some issues when using this monitor with a recent MacBook. SDR works fine with a fixed refresh rate, but the variable refresh rate feature doesn't work at all, both in-game and on the desktop.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
No
RGB Illumination
No
Multiple Input Display
No
KVM Switch
No

There are a few extra features on the AOC CQ27G2:

  • Shadow Boost: allows you boost shadows in dark areas.
  • Custom Crosshairs: You can add custom crosshairs to any game.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)