Gotta Go Hz: Popular gaming monitor brands are rushing to achieve the fastest refresh rate they can, even though almost no one has enough GPU power to sustain it. Now, AOC is resorting to overclocking to push even beyond an already impossibly fast 1,000Hz refresh rate.
AOC introduced the AGP257FT monitor earlier this year. Now, the Taiwanese manufacturer is announcing that its first foray into the extremely high-refresh-rate market will arrive in stores starting next year. AOC monitors are usually cheaper than the competition, but we bet a 1,000Hz display is still going to cost a lot.
The AOC Agon Pro AGP257FT is a 25-inch Full HD IPS gaming monitor capable of reaching an ultra-fast 1,000Hz refresh rate. Even better, AOC says the monitor supports overclocking up to 1,050Hz. A 1,000Hz display can allegedly compete with the motion clarity of obsolete CRT monitors, putting out a new video frame every millisecond.
Additional specs include a 0.1ms response time (0.3ms GtG), Motion Blur Reduction Plus technology for minimizing perceived blur during rapid movements, and basic HDR support with VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. The monitor is also G-Sync Compatible, providing a potential solution to stuttering and screen tearing with Nvidia GPUs.
Connectivity options include two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 2.1 port, and USB 3.2, along with an audio output. Furthermore, the display includes a "hardware-based" Low Blue Light solution designed to reduce potentially harmful blue-light emissions directly at the backlight source. The TÜV Rheinland-certified Circular Polarization technology should provide more natural lighting while reducing glare and eye fatigue.
AOC said the AGP257FT has been designed for professional esports competitions and gamers with a very particular focus on video performance. Curiously enough, the company states that its new monitor is compatible with Windows 8.1 through Windows 11 – a specification we don't see listed very often on next-generation monitor models.
Is an overclocked 1,000Hz monitor going to provide a real competitive advantage to esports professionals and online players? Manufacturers are investing heavily in this extreme-performance trend, asking gamers to spend more to get better at their favorite (shooting) pastime.
Besides competitive titles with unlocked frame rates and some incredibly well-optimized graphics engines such as id Tech 7, very few popular titles are going to benefit from such an extreme refresh rate. Most definitely, the AGP257FT is a gaming monitor that few gamers will be able to take full advantage of for years to come.