When it comes to gamers who have esports aspirations, there’s no such thing as “too fast” when it comes to framerates. And so it follows that there’s no such thing as a monitor that’s too fast, either. AOC’s latest design caters to the speed freaks with a 540Hz panel. And while that’s impressive, I’m even more impressed that this isn’t some unattainable monstrosity — it’s a 24-inch 1080p design.
That makes the AOC Agon AG246FK at once one of the fastest monitors on the face of the earth — Nvidia was calling 500Hz the “world’s fastest” just a year ago — it also means that it might just be affordable for gamers who don’t have a trust fund. According to KitGuru, this thing is going on sale in July for €699 in Europe, which is a tad under $750 USD. Expensive, but not impossible, especially since American prices tend to go a bit lower thanks to lighter taxes.
How did AOC get a monitor so fast? Well first of all, it’s using a TN panel. That means it’s based on older tech, which isn’t all that bright or color-accurate. But if you need all speed, all the time, it’ll get the job done with an equally speedy .2ms response rate. If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of speed for more color accuracy, you can get the same design with an IPS panel that has “only” 390Hz. That version, the Agon AG256FS, is also slightly larger at 24.5 inches and cheaper at just €449.
Both monitors come with 100 percent SRGB coverage, HDR400 support, and 400 nits of brightness. For input they have DisplayPort plus dual HDMI ports with four USB 3.2 ports for some bonus connectivity, and the same pair of .5-watt speakers we seem to see in every gaming monitor. (Seriously, who uses those dinky things? Why are you wasting everyone’s time with them, monitor manufacturers?) They also have a fold-out stand for your headphones and a bit of RGBling ’round the back.
Currently AOC doesn’t seem to have an English site up featuring these two monitors, but there are pages for them on the Russian Agon site. Is a 24-inch screen enough if you want the maximum speed possible? Is three quarters of a grand too much to pay for said speed? That’s up to you, gamers. You have until July to decide.
Further reading: The best gaming monitors we’ve tested
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who's been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.