Samsung’s latest 5th Gen QD-OLED tech really rocks in the MSI MPG 341CQR X36. It’s brighter and faster, the purple tint thing is reduced and you get true RGB-stripe pixels, too. The only problem is the price. But this new AOC monitor offers exactly the same Samsung panel, just cheaper. Nice.
Key specs: 5th Gen QD-OLED | 34-inch ultrawide | 3440 x 1440 | 360 Hz | 300 nits SDR / 1300 nits HDR | DP 2.1 and USB-CView Deal
The new MSI MPG 341CQR X36 is one of our very favourite gaming monitors. There’s just one problem. It’s hella expensive with an MSRP of $1,099. Well, now there’s a new AOC monitor with the very same, sizzling 5th Gen Samsung QD-OLED panel, but it’s significantly cheaper.
Actually, price isn’t the only problem with the MSI MPG 341CQR X36. Availability is, too. Seems like we’re not the only ones who like it and the thing keeps selling out, despite the painful price. It’s currently sold out on Amazon, Newegg, BestBuy and Walmart. Yikes.
So, the good news is that the new AOC Agon PRO AGP346UCSD is now out and you can actually buy it right now on Amazon for $829. Indeed, the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN also uses the same 5th Gen panel but is even more expensive than the MSI at $1,299.
The caveat here is that we have yet to review this AOC offering. However, the key attraction is that very same 5th Gen Samsung QD-OLED panel. And that means several really significant upgrades over previous QD-OLED panels.
For starters, it’s brighter with a 300 nit full-screen rating. In practice, it’s even brighter than that rating implies because QD-OLED doesn’t rely on a white subpixel like LG’s WOLED panels, so colour brightness as opposed to white brightness really pops.
Samsung has also reduced the purple tint of the panel in bright ambient light to the extent that I reckon it’ll be a non issue for most use cases. Oh, and the panel is now good for 360 Hz refresh, up from the 240 Hz of earlier 34-inch QD-OLEDs.
The final flourish is a true RGB-stripe subpixel structure, which helps with stuff like crisp font rendering. Really, the only objection you could have bar price with the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36—and so by implication this new AOC, too—is the basic form factor. If you don’t like 34-inch ultrawide 1440p monitors, then it’s not going to be for you.
The merit of the AOC Agon PRO AGP346UCSD specifically is really going to come down to fine tuning and calibration. But AOC generally gets that stuff right (and has also recently improved its OSD), so it all bodes pretty well.
One final minor note involves connectivity. The MSI monitor has a USB-C interface with 98 W of power delivery. This AOC also has USB-C, but only with 15 W of power delivery. So, the MSI is probably the better pick if you’re planning to share a monitor between a gaming desktop and a work laptop, or similar.
If that sounds like you, it may be worth waiting for the MSI to come back into stock. Despite its lofty MSRP, it’s been selling for as low as $899. That’s arguably not a huge premium for a more usable USB-C port when it comes to keeping a laptop charged.