AOC CU34G2X/BK 34″ Curved Gaming Monitor
design
Despite its gamer focus, the AOC CU34G2X runs with a pretty muted aesthetic. There’s no funky lighting or outrageous design choices here, the CU34G2X is pared back and quite traditional in appearance, making it a nice dual purpose option that would neatly fit into a standard office setup. It’s not boring though, in fact it’s quite fetching with a few flashes of red trim breaking up the otherwise plain black frame. Build quality is largely good across the board but I did notice a couple of areas where the all-plastic trim doesn’t seamlessly line up, mainly around the larger bottom bezel. It’s far from a problem and not something you’re likely to notice without looking for it but it’s a clear indicator of where AOC chose to allocate resources and budget here.
The AOC CU34G2X 34″ monitor stand is rather clever in its simplicity. My desk is littered with different bits of tech, Stream Decks, audio mixers, capture cards, USB-C docks, there’s a lot to fit in and real estate is at a premium. Thankfully, while the total wingspan of the CU34G2X stand is noticeably wide, the skinny design means little desk space is actually blocked off. I was able to stagger my other devices around the legs, taking advantage of the negative space inside the stand, meaning it never really became a factor.
There’s a good range of movement from the AOC Gaming CU34G2X monitor stand, with plenty of vertical travel as well as rotation and tilt. I didn’t have any problem getting the oversized screen to stay where I wanted it but there was a noticeable amount of bounce and movement when the monitor sat higher on the stand. It wasn’t a major issue on my desk and the CU34G2X/BK quickly settled and didn’t prove distracting during gameplay, but on less stable desk setups it may be more of a factor. You can also do away with the stand entirely thanks to VESA wall mounting connections on the back. The screws you need for the standard 100×100 mount are included but at just over 8kg you’ll need to make sure your monitor arm choice is up to the job.
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The rear panel of the AOC CU34G2X is stacked. You’ll find four video inputs split between two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 ports which offers plenty of flexibility, though they are quite tightly packed together so a little fiddly when running a full house of cables. There’s also a nifty four port USB hub with a dedicated fast charging port, which as someone who’s forever maxing out their USB ports, was a very welcome addition. Sim racers in particularly will also be pleased to see the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, great for setups where you’re not sitting directly next to your PC.
performance
I recently looked at one of AOC’s newest gaming monitors, the Q27G4X, and one thing was immediately clear when testing out the older CU34G2X/BK after that. AOC knows what it’s doing with gaming monitors and has done for some time.
The AOC CU34G2X is an excellent ultrawide monitor that should deliver impressive results for mid-range sim racers and general gamers. I make a point of continually referencing the AOC CU34G2X’s price point because it’s an important factor in what makes this such a compelling choice. This isn’t a high end monitor and it’s not trying to be one. It’s not an OLED panel, there’s no 4K, HDR is at the minimum levels needed for the label and yet it’s wonderful to use across different titles.
The WQHD 3440×1440 resolution produces sharp, crisp images and the 144Hz refresh rate did a good job at keeping up in high movement situations. Jumping into the Playseat Trophy and joining the grid in EA F1 23 I was impressed with what the CU34G2X/BK offered overall. The bright McLaren papaya livery stood out nicely from the dark tarmac but without particularly dazzling as colours are a little muted at times, something I noticed across different games. Colour replication is accurate enough and certainly looks natural, but never really threatens to really push the limits to a standout level.
While the AOC CU34G2X curved monitor will try to tell you it has HDR and it’ll be recognised by Windows as supporting it, the term is noticeably absent from AOC marketing materials and for good reason. While it’s technically there, it’s not worth using and in testing I found I was able to generate a better overall picture by ignoring SDR than trying to make the most of the CU34G2X’s lacklustre overall brightness. There’s just not enough oomph available to really shine (if you’ll excuse that pun) but contrast is still strong, you’ll never generate truly rich blacks with a VA panel anyway so this result was ultimately to be expected.
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The AOC CU34G2X’s 34” panel is aggressively curved and it makes quite a difference during gameplay. The 1500R curvature is immersive and engaging, particularly when sim racing as it feels like it wraps the edges of the cockpit around you. What’s more, I was quick to forget this was a curved monitor while gaming, a good sign that the wrap-around effect is actually enhancing my experience rather than being a gimmick and proving a distraction. A reasonably thin bezel around the top three edges means a pair or even trio of CU34G2X/BK gaming monitors will sit nicely side by side creating a near seamless wall of screen for sim racing cockpits.
The CU34G2X’s on-screen display is a little tricky to navigate with a load of options thrown at you, but there’s plenty of customisation options available including a few baked-in default profiles for different game types which provide a good jumping off point. The buttons themselves are small and surprisingly firm though, making them quite hard to reliably press and often putting quite a lot of movement through the monitor as a whole in the process. I’d have liked a little joystick to make life easier. For a budget-friendly gaming monitor though I was particularly pleased to see how generous AOC has been with their included cables in the CU34G2X box. It’s such a minor detail, but including both a 1.8m HDMI and 1.8m DisplayPort cable alongside a USB upstream cable makes a big difference to that initial unboxing satisfaction.
summed up
The AOC CU34G2X curved gaming monitor is an excellent choice for gamers with budget on their mind. Despite a pretty richly packed spec sheet, this 34” ultrawide monitor carries a price tag that makes it an accessible choice for those looking to improve their setup. The WQHD resolution coupled with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate and snappy response times delivers all of the core quality gamers need with few compromises to spoil the experience.
This isn’t the best gaming monitor out there, but it’s also not really trying to be as AOC has made smart decisions on where to pull back in the name of cost-saving. While there is a lack of overall brightness and near non-existent HDR performance, neither has a major impact on day to day use and even a couple of years on from its debut, the AOC CU34G2X remains an excellent choice for gamers.
