AOC Agon AG405UXC Review (40in Ultrawide)

The AOC Agon AG405UXC has been a very interesting monitor to review. I've never used a 40inch 3440×1440 ultrawide screen before – we are very used to testing 34in screens with the same resolution, but the AG405UXC is the first of its kind to pass through our doors.

In some areas, it absolutely excels. Contrast, for instance, hit 1340:1 which is a great result for an IPS panel, while out of the box colour accuracy is hugely impressive and we saw perfect gamma tracking, too. I also like the relatively low-key design, while the OSD and included remote control make adjusting settings a breeze.

There are clear downsides though, one in particular being the very poor response times on offer. Simply put, the AG405UXC is one of the slowest monitors we've tested over the last year or two, with a best-case response time of 9.16ms using the most aggressive overdrive mode on offer. That means it is hard to really think of this as a 144Hz refresh rate monitor, as so many of the transitions are slower than they need to be to meet the 6.94ms refresh window.

The larger screen size also reduces the overall sharpness of the image, relative to a 34in screen of the same resolution, as pixel density drops from 109.7 PPI to 93.2 PPI. I didn't find myself noticing this while gaming, but text definitely looks softer so it's a trade-off you will have to be willing to make.

You'd also have to prefer a flat ultrawide, as opposed to a curved panel. This is entirely subjective but I did find myself using the AG405UXC and wishing it was curved. The sheer size of it means the corners are a fair distance from your eyeballs and I did notice some IPS glow while gaming in a darker environment. On the other hand, you may hate curved screens so it is very much ‘horses for courses'.

Taken as a whole, for £530 I can see that the AOC Agon AG405UXC would appeal to a certain type of gamer – I'm imagining someone who mainly plays slower-paced games, perhaps real-time strategy or other sim-style titles, and wants a screen this big to enjoy them fully. It won't be for those who play fast-paced FPS or racing games, but if you can live with the slow response times, there is a lot to like here.

We found the AG405UXC on Amazon UK for £529.99 HERE.

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Pros

• Large, ultrawide display.
• Excellent contrast for an IPS panel.
• Great out of the box colour accuracy.
• Gamma tracking is as expected.
• Fairly understated design.
• Easy to use OSD with included remote control.
• Gmenu application is useful.
• Integrated KVM.

Cons

• Very slow response times with poorly optimised overdrive settings.
• Larger screen size does reduce pixel density.
• Some may prefer a curved screen at this size.

KitGuru says: The AG405UXC would be a fantastic screen if it had better response times – as it is, its appeal will be limited to those who play slower-paced games – but it still offers enough at the £530 asking price to be worth buying.

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