AOC Q27T1 monitor review: Looks great both on and off screen

AOC's usual line-up of PC monitors follow the same design as most monitors on the market. They're usually made up of black slabs of plastic with metal stands, but the Q27T1 — designed in partnership with Studio F. A. Porsche — is a little different. Not only is it a solid monitor for the price, but it also looks ridiculously good.

What you'll love about the AOC Q27T1

Monitors aren't exactly pretty to look at. They usually involve a simple black plastic slab of plastic to hold the LED panel and components, with a black or chrome stand, traditionally made from metal. Displays don't really need to look good since it's all about the on-screen content, but AOC and Studio F. A. Porsche teamed up to create a unique display that goes against this.

As soon as you unbox the AOC Q27T1, you immediately notice the design. The main panel is a 27-inch LED display with a glass layer and a frameless border. This is all joined by a piano black strip along the bottom, housing all necessary controls.

The rear of the monitor is clean, aside from the rather large AOC logo. You've got a removable cover that hides away the installed ports, which can help with cable management when you're hooking everything up. Finally, there's the non-removable stand, which is a single piece of metal. It all looks stunning.

Because of the thin nature of the display, AOC had to bundle a power brick with the Q27T1, which does mean you'll have an ugly black slab of plastic sat on your desk, unless you're able to hide it somewhere. But this does mean the cabling between the brick and monitor itself is much thinner than your usual power lead.

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Still, everything can be hidden behind a removable cable management cover, which provides access to all the available ports. These include a single DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 1.2 ports — no HDMI 2.0 ports here. FreeSync is available should you have an AMD GPU connected to the display, which will help to keep both the PC and screen synchronized.

Out-the-box calibration is also pretty good. The monitor managed to score 100 percent sRGB and 88 percent AdobeRGB in gamut testing, which is just what you need for working with design and other creative use. It's not the most accurate monitor you can buy for serious designers, but for the price, it'd be hard to find a better deal on a more accurate display.

What you'll dislike about the AOC Q27T1

This monitor wasn't designed with gaming in mind. You shouldn't consider this for a gaming rig build at all, and the 75Hz refresh rate hurts not only gaming performance, but also productivity. Even while in Windows desktop using apps, it's easy to tell the difference between 75Hz and 120Hz by merely moving the cursor.

You also won't be able to hang this monitor on any mounting arm since there's no VESA compatibility. That's a shame, but it is understandable since the stand plays a significant role in the overall look and feel of Porsche's unique design. Just be sure to have ample desk space for a monitor to sit on it.

So should you buy the AOC Q27T1?

The AOC Q27T1 is all about design. If you're not one who cares much for how the monitor looks, you may want to look elsewhere since you sacrifice a little in terms of functionality here with a low capped refresh rate. Still, if you can overlook those shortcomings, this is a great-looking monitor that makes content pop on-screen.

Factory calibration is pretty good, scoring well in color tests, and the monitor produces some stunning results with content displayed. AOC has plenty of monitors that perform just as well with VESA support and the ability to remove the stand if you desire to do so, but the Q27T1 is all about looking good, and the two parties nailed it.