- Overall
The AOC I2490PXQU presents a stylish and sophisticated take on regular IPS monitors designed for daily use in homes and offices. This model is the smaller version of the Q2790PQU which provided excellent imaging capabilities but lacked some refinements for casual gaming. But the real questions is if the AOC I2490PXQU can match its luxurious aesthetic with an equally pleasing performance for meticulous users.
AOC I2490PXQU Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
- Response Time: 4 ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 2 Watts)
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes 100 x 100
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4x 1, VGA x 1, USB 3.0 x 5,5mm Jack (In/Out) x 2
- Dimensions(W x H x D): 21.28” x 14.65” x 7.05”
- Weight7.05 lbs
Design and Features
The AOC I2490PXQU sports a clean and sleek design that includes functional sophistication and a premium appeal. The matte silver color makes the display unique in a sea of black without steering too far away from the usual look of most builds. This iteration is identical to the G90 gaming variants in the sense that they all share bezel-free faces.
The device has very modest proportions, starting with its thin and discrete chassis which is very easy to mount. The whole monitor once assembled will only consume seven inches of desk depth, so you can use this device in tiny nooks such as study corners. Build quality is solid and reliable since we did not notice any cheapness or weak materials on the AOC I2490PXQU.
The AOC I2490PXQU has a plain matte black rear panel with an AOC logo and some perforations which act as air vents. But what we love about this area of the display is the OSD joystick which is a joy to use when browsing through the decent OSD of the monitor. This characteristic helps to personify the premium nature of the model compared to outdated OSD buttons which aren’t user-friendly in most cases.
The AOC I2490PXQU comes with a flexible stand which is fully adjustable and stable once planted to a desk. You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the screen, so attaining a perfect view that suits your needs is doable. The monitor is still VESA compatible, so users can opt for armatures or mounts with 100 x 100 adapters.
The AOC I2490PXQU is a sophisticated business monitor from the ground up, so it includes a variety of connectivity features to suit every need. The layout includes a DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4 slot for video inputs, along with a VGA connector for legacy devices. There is also a total of five USB 3.0 slots for peripherals along with two 3.5mm audio passthrough jacks.
It’s interesting to note that this smaller variant does not have a USB hub on the side with all of the receptacles placed at the rear panel. The former would be more convenient, but the USB ports are easily within reach from the front and center of the device.
The AOC I2490PXQU rounds its sexy chassis up with a pair of 2-watt speakers concealed behind perforation holes in the lower part of the rear panel. We like that there is an option for audio, but the quality isn’t worth writing home about.
Display and Performance
The AOC I2490PXQU sports a 24-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 4ms response time. This model has a weaker 250 cd/m2 backlight and a typical contrast ratio which is usually found with business use monitors. These aren’t gaming grade specs, but this model focuses on reliability and excellent quality which many professionals look for in a product.
The 24-inch form factor of the AOC I2490PXQU is perfect with the 1920 x 1080 resolution compared to the less crisp 27-inch variant. Images won’t look jagged or too soft, plus users will find it easier to place or set the device up in smaller spaces such as study corners. It’s also easier to find multi-display mounts since this model is as light as a feather and quite slim.
The AOC I2490PXQU produces a decent 96% of the sRGB gamut, but it fails to impress in accuracy ratings with an average Delta E of 3.0 which is the limit before regular eyes can spot the inconsistencies instantly. Calibrating with a colorimeter can reduce this score drastically, but most users do not have access to one or would rather not spend the extra bucks to get a unit.
Color temperature, at least, is pretty decent since it biases towards a brighter white balance instead of warmth. Many prefer the latter when it comes to sRGB monitors, but we think cooler screens are easier on the eyes, especially for models designed to display a lot of white from documents or browsers.
But on a positive note, the AOC I2490PXQU excels in the contrast department where many IPS monitors failed to reach a decent level. This model tops out at 1320:1 which is comparable to the outputs of LG’s top-end Nano IPS models. Lowering the brightness to 50% or less will drop the ratio to around 1280:1, but that still is excellent at providing improved black levels and color separation.
Panel uniformity isn’t an issue for the AOC I2490PXQU since the test model didn’t suffer from massive backlight bleeding or poor illumination spreads. The lighting on every quadrant stayed with 12% deviation, while colors from each are limited to DeltaE 2.8 or below from the D65 standard. But please do take note that this is an IPS model, so each unit could vary drastically due to BLB or leaks.
The AOC I2490PXQU handles motion with ease thanks to a fairly responsive pixel response time, but its 60Hz refresh severely limits blur reduction. The screen shows some trailing in fast-paced games like Apex Legends, especially in sequences with contrasting colors or lighting. Playing slower-paced titles isn’t an issue, but some persistence is still visible depending on how visually sensitive the user is.
The AOC I2490PXQU doesn’t include FreeSync and the G-Sync compatibility mode that follows it like its bigger brother, the Q2790PQU. This model isn’t a gaming variant, after all, so you might want to check out the G2590VXQ if you want snappier performance and adaptive sync. Input lag tops out at 10ms which means there are no delays, so you can still use this model for casual titles without any problems.
Thoughts on the AOC I2490PXQU
The AOC I2490PXQU did not perform as good as we had hoped, especially if you compare it to its QHD variant. The image quality department needs some improvements, but the contrast ratio is exquisitely higher than we expected. The monitor is responsive and lag-free, but its lack of gaming features makes the TN-based G90 series better picks for our favorite hobby.
The AOC I2490PXQU looks good and well-dressed for business spaces or professional workstations, but unfortunately, its qualities do not follow suit. This model is also more expensive than fantastic offerings such as the Dell U2417H which is more accurate and better tuned for work applications.
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