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Most things in computing get smaller over time, so you get more of them in the same space for less money. But while screen fabrication technology obeys this law too, the popular sizes of monitors have been increasing. After 19in came 24in, and now 27in is becoming ubiquitous. Nevertheless, for certain room sizes, the 24in class is still a sweet spot, particularly if you don't have £500 to spend on your TFT. AOC's G2590PX comes in at less than half that, yet is still packed with features for the avid gamer.
The G2590PX is a 24.5in screen, and like the majority of screens in this class it uses a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. It's also based around the more cost-effective TN panel type, which lacks the sheer image quality of IPS or VA, but has advantages for gaming. In particular, the response time is 1ms, where IPS and VA are typically slower than this.
There are some other worthwhile features that aren't connected to the panel technology, too. But the headline is the 144Hz refresh rate, which will be great when playing games involving lots of action like first person shooters. This is allied with support for FreeSync, the AMD adaptive refresh synchronisation technology that keeps the screen in time with your graphics card's frame rate delivery, although only if it's an AMD graphics card.
There are some promising specifications elsewhere, too. Although 1,000:1 contrast is a bit pedestrian, 400cd/m2 brightness is good for TN. You also get a four-port USB 3.0 hub built in, plus stereo 2W speakers. The video connections are reasonably extensive, too, with a pair of HDMI 1.4 ports, DisplayPort 1.2, and VGA for legacy devices.
There's tilt, swivel and height adjustment available, plus the ability to pivot into portrait mode. With a street price under £220, this isn't quite a budget monitor, but you do get a lot of gaming features for your money, at least on paper. Read on to find out if the practice lives up to the theory.
Specification:
Screen size: 24.5-inch, 16:9 aspect
Native resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Refresh rate: 144Hz
Panel type: TN
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 (typical)
Brightness: 400cd/m2
Response time: 1ms Grey-to-Grey
Display inputs: HDMI 1.4 x 2, DisplayPort 1.2, VGA
USB hub: 4 x USB 3.0 (one with Fast Charge)
Tilt: 3.5 degrees forward, 19.5 degrees backward
Raise: 130mm range
Swivel: 45 degrees each way
Other: Audio output, audio input, 2W stereo speakers
Retail Price: £218.58 (inc. VAT)
