I got to spend 30 days with AOC's G2460PQU gaming monitor to see if it stood up to my hardcore gaming lifestyle.

So you just spent a small fortune putting together the rig of your dreams, but now you need a monitor to show off your all your hard work. As it turns out, choosing the right monitor is just as crucial as choosing your video card. AOC's G2460PQU is targeted to the hardcore gamer who spends a good chunk of his/her free time 25 inches away from a screen fragging dudes and swearing into a headset.

Right off the bat I fell in love with the G2460PQU's adjustable display, which can also pivot to be put in portrait mode. This is great if you work in an environment that requires a second or third screen. My workspace often gets crowded with clutter like bobble-heads and dinosaur toys, making the PQU's height-adjustable stand a god send considering the large widescreen 24" display. The red trim is also a nice touch, adding some personality to this gaming display.

The four 2.0 USB ports (one of them a fast-charge USB port designated with a cute thunderbolt) are conveniently place in on the side and underbelly of the monitor. The video connections give you some flexibility with VGA, DVI, HDMI inputs. This AOC display is clearly trying to be as accommodating as possible, which I appreciate since most gaming monitor are actually quite limited in this regard. This display spoiled me since my personal monitor has no USB ports.

The monitor's input lag seemed low enough with the response time of 1ms(millisecond); I was able to to perform admirably in Titanfall on the Xbox One and Killzone: Shadow Fall on the PS4. The advertised 144 Hz refresh rate left minimal ghosting compared to the typical 60 Hz refresh rate you'll find with most monitors.

What does this mean? Smoother action on screen with low amounts of screen tearing. When playing twitch shooters, this is could mean the difference between getting a headshot or being headshot. For the competitive gamer, it also means a good monitor to stare at for long stretches of time. The response time from button press to action on screen felt immediate, which is the most important thing.

You'll have to plug in a decent pair of headphones, since the built-in speakers lack any "ooomf" in the bass department. I never expect much from a monitor's speakers since most of my PC gaming is done through headphones anyway, but it would be nice to just unplug and enjoy a movie without investing into external speakers. Audiophiles will be let down by the PQU's lackluster performance.

My biggest issue is that a lot of color seemed to be washed out and muted. When trying out Borderlands 2, the colors don't come off as vibrant as they usually are, even with image boost turned on. However, when playing something like Killzone, whose color palette consists of grey and black metallics, you don't really notice the weird color inaccuracies.

There are presets for movie, sports, games and generally web browsing that adjusts the screen's brightness. While I did complain about the colors, you could go in and adjust the RBG yourself if you're a stickler for getting things to look right. This seems like a dangerous road to go down since you'll most likely drive yourself nuts making things perfect.

Since you guys love numbers, here's a list of the G2460PQU hardware specs:

• 24” with 1920 x 1080 resolution @ up to 144Hz

• 144Hz refresh rate with 1ms response time

• VGA, DVI-Dual Link, HDMI, Display Port, 4 USB 2.0 ports (includes 1 fast charger)

• 7 different display modes

• Sleek-design with tilt, pivot, and height adjustability

With the retail price of $249.99, the G2460PQU is a decent monitor for any modest gaming PC, or just anyone with limited space. It's versatility makes this display a perfect choice for a first-time PC architect who plays marathon sessions of League of Legends.

7.5/10