AOC CQ32G2S (CQ32G2SE) 165Hz WQHD VA model
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~32″ WQHD models offer an immersive experience and reasonable pixel density, without being overly demanding on the GPU. The AOC CQ32G2S (CQ32G2SE European designation) is one such model, in curved VA flavour with a high refresh rate. The aesthetics are in-keeping with the ‘G2’ series of gaming monitors to which this model belongs. A four-legged stand base, plenty of matte black plastic and a few dark red elements for a little visual contrast. In practice these elements are more subdued than they appear in the press photo below. The image below shows the ‘SE’ model – the stand base is silver rather than black on the ‘S’ model. The OSD (On Screen Display) is controlled by buttons on the underside of the bottom bezel, towards the right side.
A 31.5″ Samsung SVA (‘Super’ Vertical Alignment) panel is adopted, with 1500R curvature and light mate anti-glare screen surface. This curve is designed to draw you into the experience a little, without feeling unnatural, whilst potentially enhancing viewing comfort. With this in mind, LBL (Low Blue Light) settings are also featured. The monitor has a 165Hz refresh rate with support for Adaptive-Sync, including AMD FreeSync Premium with a 48 – 165Hz VRR range (plus LFC). A 3000:1 static contrast is specified, alongside 178° horizontal and vertical viewing angles and true 8-bit colour. A flicker-free WLED backlight is employed, offering a 300 cd/m² typical maximum luminance and 90% Adobe RGB colour space coverage (121% sRGB) for extra vibrancy and saturation. A 1ms MPRT response time is specified with the included MBR (Motion Blur Reduction) strobe backlight feature active. As usual, don’t pay too much attention to such figures. The included stand offers tilt as the only ergonomic flexibility, connected using a quick-release mechanism. It can be removed to reveal 100 x 100mm VESA holes for alternative mounting. The ports face downwards and include; DC power input (external ‘power brick’), 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, DP 1.2a and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the ‘SE’ model, 2 x 5W speakers are included for potentially quite powerful sound output. Further information can be found on the official product page. The monitor is listed for ~$340 in the US and has an RRP of £329 in the UK.
