Connectivity

In terms of video inputs, the AOC U28G2XU2 is equipped with a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports. HDMI 2.1 has enough bandwidth to hit the max 144 Hz refresh rate at the native 4K resolution, but if you use one of the HDMI 2.1 inputs to connect a console, you can limit it to 120 Hz in the OSD (OSD Setup > HDMI1 or HDMI2 > 120 Hz). This is also the default setting for both HDMI 2.1 inputs.


The four-port USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) hub is physically separated from the video inputs. Here you'll find four USB Type-A downstream ports and a single USB Type-B upstream port, which you have to connect to your PC by using the supplied cable. One of the USB ports is marked with a yellow color; that one supports fast charging and remains active even when the rest of the system is off. It works even if the monitor isn't connected to the PC via a USB Type-B upstream cable, as it uses the monitor's own power supply. AOC doesn't specify the supported power output of this port, so we're left guessing.


The AOC U28G2XU2 also has a 3.5-millimeter headphone output. You can also use the integrated 3 W stereo speakers, although you can't expect much in terms of their quality. They aren't unusable, but can't be considered a permanent solution either.

Power Consumption

The power supply unit is integrated, so there's no external power brick we need to deal with. A simple IEC power cable will be enough to power the AOC U28G2XU2. I've used the Meross MSS315 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Plug and the accompanying mobile app to determine the monitor's power consumption at various brightness levels, as well as in Power Saving mode, which it enters as soon as the PC goes to sleep. My power consumption measurements are summed up in the chart below. They were made after resetting the monitor to factory defaults.



The power efficiency of the AOC U28G2XU2 is within expectation for a 28-inch 4K 144 Hz gaming monitor. It's worth noting that the actual brightness range isn't very wide. At the lowest setting, the monitor sits just below 100 cd/m², and it doesn't go past 280 cd/m² in SDR mode at maximum brightness. A higher measurement is achievable by manipulating the color temperature, but that's not what we're interested in; the numbers above show the situation with the white color temperature sitting around 6,500 K. Even though the available brightness range is subpar, I didn't have issues using the AOC U28G2XU2 in a brightly lit room. As long as you don't have direct light hitting the panel, such as a large window or a lamp directly above or behind you, you should be fine in most environments.