AOC Q29630 29" UltraWide IPS LED Monitor Review
Subjective Analysis
While DisplayMate lays out a monitor's performance in black and white (and blue and green and red and...), we also take into consideration a subjective analysis. After all, you're not purchasing a monitor to view test patterns for hours on end. To see how the Q2963PM performs in the real world, we viewed a series of high definition movies and fired up a few games. Torturous, we know, but hey, you guys are worth every minute of our entertainment.
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Wolverine @ 1080P
The benefit of a 21:9 aspect ratio for movie buffs is the near elimination of top and bottom black bars, as it's close to what cinemas use. There's a catch, however. Standard 1080p content is more widely available in 16:9, and if you're viewing widescreen content on this display, you can expect bars all the way around.
Nevertheless, the HD movie samples we fired up on the Q2963PM looked great. Skin tones weren't over exaggerated, and the monitor handled both dark and brightly lit scenes with aplomb. Visuals aren't a concern here, though audio might be.
The built-in speakers are some of the worst we've ever sampled in a monitor. They're especially lethargic when it comes to bass, but overall, they're weak, tinny, and just not very good for anything more than having access to audio in a pinch. If you're going to watch movies or play games, or do anything that requires sound, you'll want to invest in a pair of external speakers or headphones.
Nevertheless, the HD movie samples we fired up on the Q2963PM looked great. Skin tones weren't over exaggerated, and the monitor handled both dark and brightly lit scenes with aplomb. Visuals aren't a concern here, though audio might be.
The built-in speakers are some of the worst we've ever sampled in a monitor. They're especially lethargic when it comes to bass, but overall, they're weak, tinny, and just not very good for anything more than having access to audio in a pinch. If you're going to watch movies or play games, or do anything that requires sound, you'll want to invest in a pair of external speakers or headphones.
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Dirt 2 @ 2560x1080
Gameplay was surprisingly fluid on the Q2963PM. AOC isn't pitching this monitor to gamers, though it might as well be. The extended viewing angle in games allows you to become more immersed in the virtual world, and we didn't notice any ghosting or other hiccups during fast moving scenes. Combined with its excellent color accuracy, the Q2963PM isn't a bad choice for gamers, provided your video card supports 2560x1080.
