The AOC 25G42E is a compact 24.5-inch gaming monitor that enters an already crowded market. However, this one manages to stand out by packing impressive gaming features into an affordable package—just £119.99.
The question is, does offering so much for so little come at a cost? Surely, some compromises must be made to keep the price down. After putting the AOC 25G42E to the test myself, here’s how it stacks up.
Unboxing and Design
As touched on above, the AOC 25G42E is a compact and lightweight monitor, measuring just under 25 inches. Thanks to its small footprint and relatively slim base, it takes up minimal desk space, making it an excellent choice for those with limited room.
It requires no tools to set up—all I had to do was slot the two base pieces together, then the screen onto the base unit, and the monitor was ready to hook up and use.
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+ 6Unfortunately, my first issue arose when plugging it in—not with the ports themselves, but with the limited number of them. You get just three: one HDMI 2.0, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio out, along with the power input.
For basic setups, this might be enough, but if you like to connect multiple accessories,, such as an RGB light strip or additional peripherals, you may find the lack of USB ports disappointing. I certainly did, although your personal levels of disappointment will all depend on the number of accessories you have.
click to enlarge + 6From an ergonomic standpoint, the AOC 25G42E performs fairly well, offering several adjustments to help you dial in the perfect setup.
It has tilt adjustment ranging from -5 to 23 degrees, which I found useful when setting it up as a secondary screen. I angled it slightly upward and towards me for a more comfortable viewing experience.
Additionally, it’s VESA-mountable (100x100mm). While I didn’t test this feature myself, the mounting points are neatly concealed behind a circular panel with a red ring, making wall or arm mounting a convenient option.
The only slight negative is that it's not height adjustable. I imagine this won't be an issue for most, but if you need to raise it for whatever reason, you're going to need to look for something to stand it on.
click to enlarge + 6Other notable design features include the frameless edge that maximizes the screen area and gives it a sleek, clean look. This is especially useful for multi-monitor setups, where fewer bezels mean a more seamless viewing experience.
One of the standout design elements, though, is its anti-glare panel, which performs exceptionally well. Despite my desk being right next to a large window, I never experienced any annoying glare—even under bright sunlight.
Features and Performance
I want to preface this section by saying that, for its price, the AOC 25G42E performs impressively well. However, that wasn’t immediately the case.
When I first plugged it in, I encountered noticeable ghosting, even in a game as graphically undemanding as Football Manager. It was unexpected, especially given the monitor’s specs, and left me puzzled. I double-checked the refresh rate and resolution settings, and everything seemed in order.
After some troubleshooting and tweaking a few settings, including Overdrive, and performing a restart, the issue seemed to resolve itself. From that point on, the monitor ran incredibly smoothly, with no further ghosting issues.
click to enlarge + 6Once properly calibrated, the Fast IPS panel and Adaptive Sync technology worked well together to take full advantage of the 180Hz refresh rate. Motion felt fluid and responsive, making it a solid choice for fast-paced gaming.
The WLED display also delivered, especially with HDR enabled. However, out of the box, I found the colors somewhat flat at first. Thankfully, the monitor includes several preset modes, including FPS, Racing, and three other game-specific settings, each designed to tweak visual output.
Switching to FPS and Racing modes immediately boosted vibrancy, and with HDR turned on, its 16.7 million color range became much more noticeable.
click to enlarge + 6One thing worth mentioning is the resolution, which taps out at 1080p. For a gaming monitor in this price range, this is perfectly standard, and most competitive players will prioritize speed and smoothness over pixel density anyway.
That said, coming from a WQXGA (2560x1600) setup, I did notice a slight drop in sharpness and detail. While it’s a non-issue for high-speed competitive games as I say, story-driven or immersive titles would undoubtedly benefit from a higher resolution, even if that does mean spending a little extra.
I didn’t get the chance to rigorously test its 1ms GtG response time or 0.5ms MPRT, but in my experience, input lag was never an issue. Paired with its 180Hz refresh rate, everything felt snappy and responsive, with no noticeable delays holding me back.
Software and Customization
Software-wise, the AOC 25G42E is compatible with AOC's G-Menu—a simple yet effective tool for customizing and managing almost any AOC product you can think of.
For this particular monitor, G-Menu allowed me to adjust resolution, orientation, input sources, and even access cool extras like a framerate counter that can be placed in any of the four corners.
That said, a few options, such as Eco Mode and Game Sync, were greyed out for me. I assume these aren’t compatible with this specific model, but their presence does hint at the broader customization options available across other AOC displays.
click to enlarge + 6Despite the missing options, the software itself is smooth, visually appealing, and intuitive. More importantly, it provides a convenient alternative to navigating the monitor’s built-in menu, which can often feel tedious and clunky to adjust manually.
G-Menu also includes a Macro section, which wasn’t relevant for this monitor but would likely be useful for AOC peripherals like mice and keyboards. If you're already within the AOC ecosystem, this could be a nice extra for customizing multiple devices from one place.
Verdict
The AOC 25G42E is a very good budget-friendly gaming monitor, offering an impressive balance of size, features, and performance for the price. Once I resolved the initial ghosting issue, it was an absolute pleasure to use, delivering smooth gameplay and fairly decent visuals.
That said, a few small drawbacks hold it back from being truly exceptional.
The limited port selection might be a concern for those who like to connect multiple accessories, and while 1080p resolution is standard for this price range, some higher-end gaming monitors do offer sharper visuals.
I also wouldn’t have minded more adjustment options, particularly height adjustment, to fine-tune ergonomics further.
On the plus side, though, it comes with a three-year warranty, which adds peace of mind.
Overall, I would say it's a cheap and cheerful gaming monitor that delivers great value, making it well worth considering for gaming and most daily tasks.
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