- Overall
The AOC I2790PQU from the brand’s fantastic 90 series of displays offers a premium IPS panel in a sleek and sophisticated package for professionals. This model belongs to the group where the G2590PX came from, but it lacks the gaming pedigree the latter provides. Let’s find out if the AOC I2790PQU can offer a stunning imaging performance that will make up for its premium price.
AOC I2790PQU 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(Wx H x D): 24.12” x 15.71” x 7.86”
- Weight: 12.79lbs
Design and Features
The AOC I2790PQU sports the slick aesthetic design with a premium appeal that we love so much. The unique silver finish looks fantastic, compared to the matte black used by almost all of this model’s competitors. The G90 series sports modest proportions and a bezel-free face which makes them some of the most attractive in their respective brackets.
Placement is effortless for the AOC I2790PQU even if its a 27-incher thanks to the slim and discrete chassis and base. The placement of the upright towards the rear makes it doable to push the monitor as close as you can to a wall for a clutter-free desk. This gives users the freedom to enjoy deeper keyboards with wrist rests or a large mouse mat without having to worry about spacing.
The rear of the AOC I2790PQU shares the same matte black cover found on its siblings with no unnecessary extra features. There is, however, a uni-directional joystick which will make it easy to manipulate the OSD in case you prefer to tweak the screen regularly. Frankly, all monitors should have this feature by now since its not too expensive to implement, even for the budget models.
The AOC I2790PQU isn’t your typical office monitor, so it’s premium nature also includes a fully articulate stand. You can tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height, so VESA mounts which are compatible are mostly unnecessary. Getting a preferred view angle is already readily attainable, so there’s no reason to add to the cost unless you want a multi-display setup.
There is also a good variety of connectivity ports on the AOC I2790PQU which you can maximize with various host devices. The panel offers DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, and VGA for video inputs, along with a five-slot USB hub for your peripherals. The latter is also located at the rear instead of a hub on the side, unlike the QHD variant.
There is also a pair of 3.5mm jacks for audio in/out passthrough in case you want cleaner cable management for your desktop. AOC included a pair of 2-watt speakers for convenience, but they are not suited for entertainment purposes other than listening to background music while working.
Display and Performance
The AOC I2790PQU provides a 27-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 4 ms response time. The backlight is limited to 250 cd/m2, while the contrast is rated at 1000:1 like most IPS panels. These numbers are not designed for gaming, but casual users can still enjoy our favorite hobby if the device is responsive enough.
A 27-inch screen is the absolute limit for 1080p since anything larger will reveal the pixels too much due to the looser pitch. Many users already complained about the image softening and the loss of some details when using this form factor, but it still has its merits, especially for the AOC I2790PQU’s target audience. Small objects like text are instantly upsized, so reading and legibility is higher, which in turn, will make workflows like document processing much easier on the eyes.
Unfortunately, the AOC I2790PQU is the worst performer in the bunch when it comes to color quality due to its lower scores. Gamut rendering is decent at 95% sRGB volume, but inaccuracies are higher due to an average Delta E of 2.8. That score is still within acceptable limits, but what makes this model less preferable its variance in color temperature, which biases towards the warm side.
Gamma is also decent at 2.1 which produces a brighter image overall, but there is a slight washing out in the colors as a result. Contrast is excellent at 1150:1, exceeding our regular expectations for IPS panels with no special coatings or treatments. This aspect gives us a richer black balance which is difficult to find in many IPS offerings in the market.
Another characteristic we’d like to point out is the AOC I2790PQU’s backlight, which looks slightly dimmer than the 24-inch variant due to the larger screen surface. It’s maximum 251 cd/m2 output is more than sufficient for daily use, but the adjustment range is a bit limited. We recommend staying at 30-40% power for the best results and balance since anything lower could be too dim for users.
Uniformity for the AOC I2790PQU exceeds its siblings, but the sample unit had a backlight leak at the lower corner. The rest of the screen looks balanced even when viewing darker images, but there is some clouding at the lower left edge. This model is an IPS variant, so this aspect could vary from unit to unit.
The AOC I2790PQU has the slowest pixel response time of the bunch, with blurs occurring regularly when you pan the screen to quickly. You can boost this with an overdrive feature, but we recommend picking the median setting since pushing it to max will induce overshoot artifacts.
One of the lowest points of the AOC I2790PQU is its exclusion of FreeSync which comes standard with almost every modern monitor. 60Hz 1080p isn’t easy to run, but some games with extreme graphics like Metro Exodus could use the VRR tech in many instances. Input lag sits at 10ms, so there are no delays or “de-synced” instances when gaming.
Thoughts on the AOC I2790PQU
The AOC I2790PQU gives us mixed feelings due to the ups and downs of its performance numbers. The monitor is responsive enough for casual play, but its imaging qualities could use some improvements from the factory. We love the design, but this expensive premium series needs to ramp up its imaging qualities to enhance its value.
This model is still a decent option for regular day to day use, but there are better-priced options if you want a better overall screen output. Only consider the AOC I2790PQU if you have the means to calibrate it with a colorimeter without having to buy it at the same time.
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