AOC has just introduced two new monitors to their line-up, offering some respectable, if ordinary, specs. The Q2781PS and the Q2781PQ are both 27" screens featuring AH-IPS panels running at a 2560×1440 resolution, with up to 350 nits brightness, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, 178°/178° viewing angles, a 5 ms response time and a 60 Hz refresh rate. AOC claims that the Q2718PQ and the Q2718PS displays can reproduce 16.77 million colors at full sRGB coverage.

These monitors break some ground on the aesthetics part of the equation, though, with extremely thin bezels and an asymmetrical L-shaped stand that must be one of the most tastefully designed I've ever seen. One thing differentiates both panels, though, and this is where we cautiously ravage the "acquired tastes" label: while the AOC Q2781PQ has a silver stand and a regular black back panel, the AOC Q2781PS comes with a rose gold base, and a back panel decorated with Swarovski crystals.Overall, the monitors present an interesting design language, and are clearly meant as much as a decorating piece as a utalitarian I/O for your computer, but the Swarovsky-infused monitor will certainly open an abyssal line between lovers and haters. However, all can agree that adjustable tilt is good, while non-adjustable height is bad (though that's probably related to the monitor's stand design).

As for connectivity, the AOC Q2781PS and Q2781PQ displays offer 1x DisplayPort, 1xHDMI, 1xD-Sub as well as a 3.5-mm headphone output. D-Sub does not support HDCP, however, which means that certain content may not playback. AOC mentioned that the Q2781-series monitors also feature the company's Clear Vision video engine to upscale SD content to HD quality.

The AOC Q2781PQ is available now at Amazon.com for $349.99 - below the MSRP of $499. The rose gold version with the Swarovski crystals will be available in the coming months for $599. I, for one, am glad to see different ideas being delivered on a product, but stand expectant in that Swarovsky "bling" doesn't become the next be-all end-all craze (and here I'm looking straight at you, RGB). But as of yet, no photos are available of the rose-gold, Swarovsky-touched Q2781PS, so it can pend towards the subdued and tasteful, or the flashy and "blingy" side of the equation.