Increasingly, users looking for a new screen are looking for more universal models. Those that will prove useful in working with a computer, but also in the consumption of widely understood entertainment. Models with an aspect ratio of 21:9 with image refresh rates above 100Hz have become surprisingly popular, and they will perform well in both games and office work. I have such a monitor myself, the AOC AGON AG352QCX, which I wrote a few years ago. Today, even though my monitor is several years old, I still consider it one of my best choices. I appreciate the screen size, refresh and ability to run multiple Excel sheets side by side, which makes my work very easy. However, my habits may change because one fine day, a slightly breathless courier placed a horribly looking cardboard box with a new screen for testing in front of my door. In a cardboard box, comparable in size to many refrigerators, a real beast came to me for testing, namely, the 49-inch AOC AGON AG493UCX monitor with a 32: 9 screen format.

So it’s time to describe what this “baby” is worth.

Customize

Diagonal: 49″ (124 x 46 cm) curved

Panel: VA, matte finish

Backlight type: WLED

Physical Resolution: 5120 x 1440 @ 120Hz DQHD

Picture Format: 32:9

Brightness: 400 cd/m2

Static Contrast: 3000: 1

Dynamic Contrast: 8000000: 1

Response time: 1ms

Number of colors displayed: 16.7 million

Viewing Angles: Horizontal/Vertical: 178°/178°

Image refresh rate: 120Hz

Spot: 0.2331 mm

PPI: 108

Signal Input: HDMI 2.0 x2, DisplayPort 1.4 x2, USB-C 3.2 x1

USB hub: x2 (version 3.0)

Headphone output: Yes

Built-in Speakers: 2 x 5W

Supports FreeSync Premium Pro, DisplayHDR™ 400 and Shadow Control

VESA Standard 100 x 100 mm

Product dimensions without stand: W x H x D: 369.40 x 1194.40 x 153.24 mm

Product Dimensions with Stand: W x H x D: 567.60 x 1194.40 x 308.00 mm

Weight (without box) 14.4 kg

Warranty: 36 months

MTBF (without matrix): 50,000 hours

building

Let’s face it, this monitor is really bulky and hardly fit in my large sized desk. It’s a beast, to put it simply, two monitors connected from two regular 16:9 monitors, each with a diagonal of 27 inches and a resolution of 2560 x 1440, which gives us 5120 x 1440. Interestingly, some people have misidentified the resolution of this architecture as 5K, which is not Right, because 5K is 5120 x 2880 (ie 4x QHD), while 5120 x 1440 should be referred to as Double Quad HD (DQHD). The matrix is ​​almost devoid of bezels, because it has a narrow bezel only in the lower part of the screen, where the menu controls are placed. The rest is a very large screen, which is not surprising with a 32:9 format and a diagonal of 49 inches. The number of connectors on the back of the monitor will make everyone happy because we have two HDMI 2.0 versions, a DisplayPort 1.4, a USB-C 3.2 port, and a headphone or HUB out with two USB 3.0 ports.

In addition, in the housing we find two 5W amplifiers, about which you can not say many good words. They play fairly well, but don’t expect any great quality from them. We can hang the monitor on the wall with a standard VESA 100 x 100 mm, but remember that this beast weighs more than 14 kg and not every hanger or wall would be suitable for this purpose. As is usually the case with AOC products, the set comes with a solid and fairly wide, but still tasty base, with which we can adjust the height of the screen. And, as is usually the case with the company’s products, everything looks beautiful, although it takes up too much space on the desk. If you decide to place this monitor on your desk, make sure that you have enough space, because sitting near a monitor of this size deprives it of many advantages and working with such a device becomes tiring.

This model uses a 49-inch curved VA matrix with a matte finish in 32:9 format. What gamers will be especially pleased with is the fact that we are dealing with a response time of just 1ms and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The 5120 x 1440 resolution is impressive not only when watching movies from Netflix, but also in games, although I must admit from the duty of a historian that not every game is made for DQHD. I am the proud owner of a 35-inch AOC AGON AGON AG352QCX monitor also with a VA matrix, but what I have to sadly admit, today’s entry hero outperforms its older brother in picture quality and color. Interestingly, in this model we will not find the AOC QuickSwitch, which has always been associated with the prompts of the AGON chain and with which we can easily configure the device according to our needs. This time the AOC positively surprised me and in the group I found a wireless remote to control the menu, which at least for me is a much better solution.

summary

I must admit that the early days of working with the monitor described here were not easy. I had to get used to its size, which, as you can see in the attached photos, was not the easiest task. Sight didn’t always capture the whole picture, but it gets better with time. When I complimented on Facebook this miracle I received for auditions, one of my friends asked me “…what column appears in the normal view – some A-Z speakers?” I would like to take this opportunity to greet some model designers from a certain large retail chain. Finally, I had a screen showing the entire Excel file on one screen. 🙂 Of course, when no one forces us to work on such wide documents, we can easily run up to three or even four sheets of paper on one screen. Working on many documents at the same time has never been so easy for me. Here, I quickly realized the massive workspace of the monitor, which really simplified my tasks.

However, I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t check out how this beast works in games. I had some concerns about whether the more powerful RTX 3060Ti would be able to display enough FPS at this resolution, but to my surprise, the card did the job. First, I went to Battlefield 2042, which is the biggest disappointment for me in 2022. As a fan of the Battlefield series, it hurts twice. However, I do play it occasionally, and despite the threats I might remove it after each session, somehow I haven’t yet. Coming back to the point, with a mix of medium and low settings, I had a max of 96fps in the game and the biggest drop was around 64fps. I must admit that the end result surprised me very positively. Playing on a screen as big and as great as it is without a doubt, the AOC AGON AG493UCX can be really fun. Especially when we play with a sniper rifle. :

It was no different in the case of other games such as STAR WARS Squadrons, STAR WAR Battlefront 2, or World of Warships, where the screen size was my big advantage. It was very easy to see the enemy and shoot accurately. It must be emphasized that playing on such a large screen was a pure pleasure for me. Especially in Battlefront 2 in my favorite mode, which is undoubtedly Fighter Assault. It was much easier to understand the battlefield and plan tactics. Let’s add that with a refresh rate of 120Hz, the game, even on such a behemoth, is smooth and looks simply beautiful. Initially, the only scratch I encountered when playing Rainbow Six: Siege was where, despite choosing the nominal resolution of 5120×1440, I had visible black stripes on the side … One day, after a small update from Ubisoft, the game image started To view in full screen mode. Just unparalleled charm. 🙂

AOC AGON AG493UCX is undoubtedly a great monitor, designed not only for work, because it will also work on the desk of many avid gamers. We get excellent equipment that will undoubtedly prove useful in almost every task. At the same time, I would not be myself if I did not notice that the price of this device is very high. And I know we’ll definitely find similar 32:9 displays that offer similar resolution and workspace. However, I’m not sure if they’ll offer us the same functionality or better screen than the AOC described here. At least he won my heart despite the first little mistakes.

Today I can recommend him with a clear conscience not only as a player 🙂

Benefits

1. Picture refresh rate 120 Hz
2. Response time 1 m/s
3. Unique design
4. many connectors
5. screen work surface
6. A set of cables included in the kit
7. Wireless remote control instead of AOC QuickSwitch
8. versatility of use

Negatives

1. price
2. Carton size, like after a small refrigerator 🙂
3. Did I tell you the price?