When you’re a media professional on a budget (who am I kidding, aren’t we all?), the sound of an affordable monitor for the workplace has an undeniably pleasant ring to it. Taiwanese electronics company AOC wants to make that the case with its newly announced Q2963PQ display, which boasts some impressive specs considering the modest price tag.
Featuring an LED-backlit 29-inch ultrawide display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a 2,560 x 1,080 resolution, and in-plane switching, the IPS panel ships complete with a 5ms response time as well as a maximum brightness of 300 cn/m². Other specs include a 50 million:1 contrast ratio, a color gamut of 16.7 million, and 178-degree viewing angles.
Additionally, it exhibits an expected family of connection ports including DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, and VGA. Plus, if you’re looking to use the monitor in conjunction with a mobile device, there’s HDMI MHL support to appease those customers as well.
Interestingly enough, included in the box is a 3.5mm audio cable, despite the website listing suggesting that there is no audio port location immediately on the machine. The monitor’s Amazon listing, however, contradicts the company’s own claims specifically mentioning the inclusion of an audio line in/out port.
Unfortunately, adjusting the display is limited to tilt, but you can use the included 100-mm VESA mount to alleviate some of the inconvenience. Making the deal even better, also embedded in the display are a pair of 2-watt speakers, negating the need to purchase your own separately.
While it’s disappointing that the resolution doesn’t exceed 1080p and the remaining specs aren’t anything particularly distinct, $340 for a 29-inch monitor isn’t too shabby. And hey, there’s even a three-year warranty included in that price. You can pick one up for yourself now at a number of different retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.
If you’re looking for an ultrawide monitor, but want the very best, check out our favorite 21:9 displays.
