SubJeff on 17/2/2018 at 19:25
I don't mind spending a few hundred more for a good monitor that will last me.
I've an 8Gb GTX 1070 with G-sync. I'm looking at the AOC Agon AG352UCG right now because I fancy a curve to it. I've never heard of AOC before though. Are they new?
Corsair on 18/2/2018 at 19:23
I've had this one for over a year now.
(
http://us.aoc.com/product_feature.php?id=25)
It'll have to be a really good deal for me to ever go back to standard widescreen format. Ultrawide is far more enjoyable for me. AOC is a good brand. Haven't confirmed it, but I think I read that they use panels from more expensive companies and slash the prices. So the guts are just as good as monitors twice the price.
I currently have 277 games in my library and haven't had any issue getting them to run in 3440x1440. Worst case scenario, I manually change an ini file for it to work. Most games are natively supporting this format now.
The productivity angle is good too. I Photoshop often so it's nice to split screen with YouTube on one side while I work on the other.
No comparison if you watch movies/tv on your desktop. Ultrawide gives it a more immersive feeling.
Your 1070 should be enough to run games at a 3440 resolution, but if you're going for 2560x1080 then it will be more than enough. Keep in mind I had to use 2 1070's (now have a single 1080ti) to run my games at max with a steady 60 fps at 3440.
IDK if the monitor I listed is still for sale, but I will give a quick PRO /CON list.
Pros
Ultrawide (duh)
IPS panel
Slim bezel
Not curved (cause photoshop)
60 hz
Paid $500
Supports display port
Cons
No gsync/freesync support
Does not support hdmi 2.0 (have to use dp to get 60 fps)
Screen occasionally vertically desyncs (left and right side go out of sync, fixed by cycling power)
AOC expects you to pay for shipping if it's defective (drawback to paying less up front)
heywood on 20/2/2018 at 00:05
AOC is a Taiwanese company who's been making TVs and monitors for a long time. Some history here:
(
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOC_International) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOC_International
My local Microcenter store had the AG352UCG on the floor for display. I took a look at it yesterday. Some quick impressions:
+ Good build quality
+ 1800R curve
+ Good black levels (typical of a VA panel)
+ Picture doesn't lose too much dynamic range as you turn the brightness down from torch mode
+ Color temp and gamma seem to be about right*
- The styling has more gamer bling than I prefer
- Colors are a little oversaturated for photo work
* I did change the color temp to User per (
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/aoc-ag352ucg-curved-g-sync-gaming-monitor,5280.html) this review
One knock against VA panels is that the picture varies more with viewing angle than with an IPS panel. I noticed this with the Samsung C34F791, which was noticeably brighter on-axis vs. off-axis. It wouldn't be an issue if you're viewing it from the sweet spot, but if you're viewing it from a distance in a dark room while watching a movie or something, it might be a downside. I looked for this with the AOC and didn't really notice it was any worse than the 34" IPS models they also had on display in the store.
Based on Tom's review and some brief impressions in the store, the AOC is probably the one I would buy in that class, so I would say go for it.
Keep in mind that with a GTX 1070, you might not benefit from G-sync too much in the latest games when running at that resolution. You might be looking for a new card next. I know I probably will. I have a GTX 1060 which was playable for me at 1920x1200 on High settings in every game I tried, though not butter smooth in some of them. But higher resolutions really drag down my frame rates. For example, Mankind Divided is unplayable at 3440x1440 and 3840x1600.
EDIT: By the way, when I was at the store, I ended up purchasing an LG 38UC99-W. It was a bit more than I wanted to spend, but it was marked down a couple hundred $ so it wasn't that much of a stretch. I ended up choosing the larger size just because I'm getting old and my near vision isn't as sharp as it used to be.
SubJeff on 20/2/2018 at 19:16
The 1070 supports G-sync so it should be okay. I don't do FPSs so for things like Company of Heroes 2 it should be fine.
I'm really after a curved screen so I'll check out the AOC (Age Of Conan? lol) ones. Thanks for the info guys.
Corsair on 25/2/2018 at 01:48
Here's a video JayzTwoCents posted yesterday regarding GPU power needed for 3440 x 1440.
(
https://youtu.be/ahW5oUxM6l0)
Sample size is admittedly small given he only used one game to test multiple GPUs.
SubJeff on 26/2/2018 at 20:13
Looks like my 1070 will be fine then.
Thing is, do I get an ultrawide now or just a second 27" and use the savings to buy a big TV???
heywood on 27/2/2018 at 18:48
Quote Posted by Corsair
Here's a video JayzTwoCents posted yesterday regarding GPU power needed for 3440 x 1440.
(
https://youtu.be/ahW5oUxM6l0)
Sample size is admittedly small given he only used one game to test multiple GPUs.
Unfortunately, the two games I'm most keen to revisit now that I have an ultra-wide are Dishonored 2 and Mankind Divided. Both games are notorious for poor performance and need to be set at 2560x1080 with no MSAA to get an acceptable frame rate with my GTX 1060.
And now is a terrible time to buy a graphics card. The performance bar hasn't been raised in a while (>18 months since GeForce 10 was released), and thanks to the bitcoin miners, the high end cards are selling for 50% more today than they sold for 18 months ago. And the midrange cards are more like double.
SubJeff on 25/3/2018 at 01:02
I've ordered a 34" Samsung. I'll let you know how good it is.
heywood on 29/4/2018 at 12:33
Congrats. How do you like the curve?