The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED is a 48-inch monitor with an OLED panel. Like all displays with OLED panels, it delivers deep, inky blacks with no blooming around bright objects, and it has wide viewing angles. It's very similar to the LG 48 C1 OLED but with connectivity options that are more in-line with a traditional monitor, with a DisplayPort connection and built-in USB hub, and even a keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) switch. It has a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crystal-clear motion behind fast-moving objects, as well as low input lag and support for FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible variable refresh rate.
Unfortunately, it's not very bright, and the automatic static brightness limiter (ASBL) causes some issues with desktop use, as the screen dims automatically after a few minutes of relative inactivity. This can be an issue when typing or reading a webpage with a lot of text, as the screen doesn't change enough to trigger the timer. Like all OLEDs, there's also a risk of permanent burn-in, although there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of this problem.
Our Verdict
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is an excellent monitor overall. The large, high-resolution screen is superb for multitasking or media creation. It's amazing for gaming in SDR and HDR, thanks to the low input lag and near-instantaneous response time. The nearly-infinite contrast ratio and perfect black uniformity are excellent for watching videos, especially in the dark. It's also great for office use, but it's a bit limited by the lack of ergonomic adjustments, and the screen dims when it's nearly static for a few minutes, which can be an issue when typing.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Superb reflection handling.
- Superb viewing angles.
- Inky blacks and perfect black uniformity.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Fringing around text due to the WBGR subpixel layout.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is a great office monitor. The large, high-resolution screen is superb for multitasking, and it has exceptional gray uniformity. It also has superb reflection handling, so glare shouldn't be an issue, and the image remains accurate at an angle. Unfortunately, there's a possibility of permanent burn-in, and the automatic static brightness limiter decreases the screen brightness considerably when the screen remains nearly static for a few minutes. It also has just okay text clarity, with some fringing around text.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Superb reflection handling.
- Superb viewing angles.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Exceptional gray uniformity.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Dims considerably when the image is nearly static (ASBL).
- Fringing around text due to the WBGR subpixel layout.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is an amazing gaming monitor. The OLED panel delivers a near-instantaneous response time, resulting in crystal-clear motion with no blur behind fast-moving objects. It also has low input lag, and it supports both FreeSync and G-SYNC Compatible VRR. It has a fast refresh rate, and the large, high-resolution screen delivers an immersive gaming experience. It also has superb reflection handling and fantastic viewing angles, so it's a great choice for co-op gaming, even in a brighter environment.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Fast refresh rate and VRR support.
- HDMI 2.1 support.
- Inky blacks and perfect black uniformity.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is an excellent monitor for watching videos. The large, high-resolution screen and the wide viewing angles are superb for watching videos with friends. It has a nearly infinite contrast ratio and perfect black uniformity, great for watching movies in a dark room. It supports HDR and can display a wide color gamut, but it doesn't support any dynamic HDR formats like Dolby Vision or HDR10+. Unfortunately, it has a fixed stand with no ergonomic adjustments, and it can't get very bright.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Superb reflection handling.
- Superb viewing angles.
- Inky blacks and perfect black uniformity.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Exceptional gray uniformity.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is a great monitor for media creators. The large, high-resolution screen makes it easier to see more of your work at once. It has wide viewing angles, so the sides of the screen remain accurate, but the stand is fixed with no ergonomic adjustments. Unfortunately, there's a possibility of permanent burn-in, and the automatic static brightness limiter decreases the screen brightness considerably when the screen remains nearly static for a few minutes.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Superb reflection handling.
- Superb viewing angles.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Exceptional gray uniformity.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Dims considerably when the image is nearly static (ASBL).
- Fringing around text due to the WBGR subpixel layout.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
- Large 48 inch screen.
- Very good HDR color gamut.
- Risk of burn-in with constant exposure to static elements.
- Unremarkable peak brightness in HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 23, 2023: Retested the Backlight Strobing (BFI) with firmware F06. You can now enable it at 60Hz, but the backlight still flickers at 120Hz.
- Updated Dec 13, 2022: Retested the Response Time using a different methodology so that it isn't affect by the ABL, and updated the test results.
- Updated Oct 27, 2022: Added that this monitor has a different screen finish than the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ in Reflections.
- Updated Oct 12, 2022: We bought and tested the LG 48GQ900-B. We've added a few relevant comparisons so you can see how they compare. See our full comparison here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 48-inch Gigabyte AORUS FO48U monitor, which is part of Gigabyte's AORUS gaming lineup. There are many other monitors in the AORUS lineup with various configurations, some of which you can see in the table below. As they each have different specs, we don't expect our review to be valid for any of the other models.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FO48U | 48" | OLED | 3840 x 2160 | 120Hz |
| FI27Q-X | 27" | IPS | 2560 x 1440 | 240Hz |
| FI32U | 32" | IPS | 3840 x 2160 | 144Hz |
If someone comes across a different type of panel or their Gigabyte FO48U doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in April 2021; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U is an amazing gaming monitor that delivers exceptional picture quality and a responsive gaming experience. The OLED panel delivers inky blacks with perfect black uniformity, but there are some distracting issues with dimming, and there's a possibility of permanent burn-in. There aren't many OLED monitors available, but we've also tested two LG TVs as monitors, the LG 48 C1 OLED and the LG 48 CX OLED, and both of them are better choices overall than the Gigabyte.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best 4k HDR monitors, and the best 34-49 inch monitors.
The LG 48 CX OLED is slightly better than the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED. They have deliver nearly identical performance, but the LG is a bit brighter in HDR. The Gigabyte has slightly better viewing angles and a wider SDR color gamut, but this could be unit variance. The LG has a built-in smart interface and more advanced image processing options. The Gigabyte has better connectivity, though, as it has a DisplayPort connection and a built-in USB hub with a keyboard, video, and mouse switch.
The LG C1 48 OLED is slightly better than the Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED. Both of them use very similar, if not identical panels but the LG is brighter in HDR, and it has a more versatile black frame insertion feature. The LG also has a built-in smart interface and more advanced image processing options. The Gigabyte has better connectivity, though, as it has a DisplayPort connection and a built-in USB hub with a keyboard, video, and mouse switch.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED and the Gigabyte G27Q use very different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The FO48U uses an OLED panel, which has a nearly-instantaneous response time and can display deep, inky blacks with perfect uniformity. Unfortunately, the FO48U also has a risk of permanent burn-in. The G27Q uses an IPS panel, which has no risk of burn-in, but it's brighter in HDR, especially with very bright scenes.
The Gigabyte AORUS FO48U OLED and the Gigabyte AORUS FV43U use different panel types, each with strengths and weaknesses, but the FO48U is better overall for most people. The FO48U uses a larger OLED panel, which has perfect inky blacks and a nearly instantaneous response time. Unfortunately, the OLED also comes with a risk of permanent burn-in. The FV43U is worse overall, with a smaller screen, but there's no chance of burn-in.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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