Though I’m not a competitive gamer by any stretch, I can still appreciate a monitor that pushes the limits of gaming technology and delivers something truly exceptional. The AOC AGON PRO CS24A is one such display, boasting an astonishing 610Hz refresh rate when overclocked.
That makes it one of the fastest monitors in the world, and a serious contender for anyone chasing every possible millisecond of advantage in titles like Rainbow Six Siege, Warzone, and CS2, which this screen is themed around.
To find out whether it lives up to its almost unbelievable specs in real-world use, I put it to the test.
Design and Build Quality
The AOC AGON PRO CS24A immediately sets itself apart with its Counter-Strike-inspired design — a 24.1-inch, three-sided frameless display finished in sleek matte black and gold, complete with subtle CS-themed branding on the base. It’s an eye-catching aesthetic that does give it quite a premium look.
As is the case with most AOC monitors, putting it together is quite simple. With clear instructions on the box, attaching the stand arm and base is a quick, painless process, with a unique system that involves leaving the screen in the box while you assemble its arm and base. Once together, it feels sturdy, though there’s a catch — the stand arm sticks out quite far, which isn’t ideal if your desk space is on the smaller side.
Cable management is a slight miss. There’s a small hook on the rear of the arm, which realistically only fits the power cable (and maybe a thin USB), but it’s nowhere near enough for all your DisplayPort/HDMI and USB leads alongside the power cable. This isn't a massive gripe, but it's a bit annoying as setup neatness is sacrificed a bit.
Screen-wise, it boasts WLED backlighting and features an anti-glare (AG) panel across the front, which is excellent. Even with the monitor facing direct sunlight, as it was in my case, being adjacent to a window, the AG finish did an impressive job of cutting reflections, which is a genuine advantage for daytime gaming or bright rooms.
Finally, a quick note on audio: the CS24A doesn’t include built-in speakers, despite having volume controls in both the on-screen display (OSD) and AOC’s G-Menu software. This threw me off at first, but I think these controls are designed for any headset or external speakers plugged directly into the monitor, not internal ones. Just keep this in mind if you don't use a headset or have speakers as part of your PC setup currently.
Display Specifications and Connectivity
Here's a quick rundown of all the AOC AGON PRO CS24A's key specs —
Full Specs
Unleash the ultimate competitive edge with the 24-inch 610Hz Counter-Strike 2-branded AGON PRO CS24A.
For ports, you get a solid range of options. The CS24A comes with two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, a USB hub with one USB 3.2 (Gen 1) and four USB-A, plus a USB 3.1 Type-B connection for the included OSD control pad. There’s also a handy audio-out port for your headset or speakers.
It’s a great selection overall. The dual HDMI 2.1 ports make it ideal for console players chasing high refresh rates (though keep in mind, it’s still 1080p, not 4K/120Hz), while the DisplayPort 1.4 is your ticket to the monitor’s peak 610Hz refresh rate. The abundance of USB ports is also genuinely practical for charging peripherals or plugging in accessories.
The only real omission is the lack of USB-C, but given the number of USB ports you do get, plus the two HDMI 2.1s, it’s a small compromise that, in reality, makes minimal difference to a complete gaming setup (i.e., you'll likely have more USB ports on your PC itself).
Image, Colors, and Refresh Rate Performance
Let’s start with the obvious headline here: the AOC AGON PRO CS24A boasts an eye-watering 610Hz refresh rate (600Hz native, overclockable to 610Hz). That’s one of the highest refresh rates in the world, but I do have to admit here that my rig couldn't actually reach that 600Hz+ max. consistently. In fact, I'm confident in saying very few PCs can, which does suggest that a 600Hz+ screen is a tad overkill, especially when the nuances between really high refresh rates are tricky to tell apart. Still, getting anywhere close to 600Hz is mighty impressive, and, overall, it’s clear this display is built with elite esports players in mind.
Out of the box, I did experience some ghosting and light stuttering, but this was quickly fixed by tweaking both my PC’s refresh rate (it defaulted to 60Hz for some reason) and some settings within the OSD menu. Thankfully, that’s easy to do thanks to the dedicated OSD control pad, which offers quick access to presets and settings, particularly when it comes to mid-match adjustments.
Once properly configured, motion clarity was superb. Even without reaching its full potential in my case, the CS24A delivered smooth, consistent visuals with next to no delay. That’s exactly what you want from a competitive gaming monitor: responsiveness over visual quality.
Now, on to the color performance. You’re looking at 16.7 million colors, 500 nits of brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, and 99% sRGB coverage here. On paper, this seems impressive, but in practice, I thought the results were slightly mixed.
With all presets off, the colors appear a bit flat and washed out, and while CS Mode brightens things up, it’s still not quite vibrant enough for more cinematic titles. The preset FPS modes range from overly bright to overly dark as well, though I did find the "FPS3" setting hits a decent balance between clarity and contrast.
Still, the TN panel shows its limitations here. Color uniformity isn’t perfect, with slight darkening around the edges, and gradients can look a touch harsh. HDR counters this somewhat, but doesn’t transform the image into something jaw-dropping like you would find if you were to invest in a top OLED screen or an IPS-panelled monitor instead.
In terms of image quality, the 1080p resolution is definitely more suited to fast-paced competitive action, and less so for open-world or cinematic games, where detail matters more. Unfortunately, I had a 1440p display alongside it during testing, which did showcase quite stark differences in image quality between the two resolutions. The CS24A's image just isn't as sharp and as detailed, and does require quite a bit of adjusting in the settings to counter its quite poor image quality when at its default setup.
Again, though, it's worth keeping in mind what this monitor is built for. This isn’t meant to be a do-it-all monitor; it’s a specialist piece of kit designed for speed, precision, and esports-level performance. I would say in that department, it does deliver, even coming from someone who couldn't fully capitalize on the competition-leading 610Hz refresh rate.
Gaming Performance
As mentioned in the section above, I did initially notice some ghosting, playing FC 26 specifically due to the fast, multi-player movements on the pitch. That said, a bit of tweaking quickly sorted things out. After fine-tuning both my PC and the monitor’s settings, then running a few motion tests, I found the ghosting dropped to being virtually non-existent, even in motion-heavy scenes.
This impressive smoothness comes down to a combination of technologies: the CS24A is G-Sync compatible, supports Adaptive Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, and delivers a blisteringly fast 0.5ms GTG response time (or 0.3ms MPRT with MBR+ technology). That response time is very low, though it's worth noting that it's not the lowest response time you can find on the market. Still, you won't find many monitors better than this.
Of course, you can’t talk about this display without mentioning its 610Hz refresh rate. Even though I couldn’t fully push it to that limit with my current setup, I have been able to notice just how smooth this monitor is. Scrolling, tracking, and fast transitions all feel precise, giving a distinct edge in competitive play.
Now let's talk about it in action while playing CS2. Resolution-wise, the 1080p output didn’t bother me much in this game, in particular. Don’t get me wrong, it is noticeably not as detailed as some monitors I’ve used — namely the 1440p display I had alongside it — but its resolution is perfectly serviceable for a game like CS2.
The inclusion of Low Input Lag Mode, Motion Blur Reduction, and its Counter-Strike-specific preset all work together beautifully. That preset, which you can toggle instantly using the OSD button pad, nails the tone and color balance for CS2. It might look a little washed out in more cinematic or vibrant titles, but for spotting enemies quickly and reacting faster, it’s bang on.
Even as a somewhat casual player, I could feel the difference in responsiveness, as movements felt effortless, tracking was easier, and yes, I definitely found myself topping the scoreboard more often than usual. Though I couldn't properly test that 600Hz output, I can safely say I've not experienced many monitors as quick or as smooth as this. And though it won't improve your skills per se, it will give you all the tools you need to make whatever skills you do have shine.
Ergonomics and Adjustability
The AOC AGON PRO CS24A scores some big points when it comes to adjustability. It’s a monitor designed to fit into just about any setup, whether that’s a single display, a dual-monitor layout as I used, or even a triple-stacked battlestation.
You’ve got a tilt range of -5 to 23 degrees, 150mm of height adjustment, swivel of ±28 degrees, and a full pivot of ±90 degrees. That level of flexibility is genuinely impressive for a monitor aimed squarely at competitive gamers.
That said, if you do plan to rotate it into portrait mode, be warned, as you’ll need to lift the monitor slightly to stop the bezel edge from hitting the base. It’s not a huge issue, but it does make rotating it solo a bit fiddly. Then again, I can’t imagine many players flipping this screen vertically, unless they’re streaming or coding on the side.
A VESA mount is included, too, if you prefer to wall mount or use an arm, though I didn’t test that myself.
As is the way with most AOC monitors at the moment, the CS24A features an asymmetrical pentagonal base. I think this design is intentional to give right-handed players more room for mouse movement. However, personally speaking, I’m not a fan of the off-balance look, as I like things clean and symmetrical across my setup, but that’s more an aesthetic gripe than a functional one.
Viewing angles come in at 176/170 degrees, which is fine for a TN panel, but it does lag behind what you’d get from an IPS display. The color and contrast start to shift slightly off-center, though in fairness, this isn’t the type of monitor you’ll be crowding around to watch a movie on — it’s built for straight-on, high-speed competitive play, and in that regard, the viewing angles and ergonomics, in general, are more than capable.
Customization and Software
There are a few ways to customize this AOC monitor, one way being on the OSD. It's a classic AOC OSD for anyone familiar with how it looks, but, thankfully, the accompanying button pad makes navigation of the options easier than using the power button on the back you usually have to use.
Through the OSD, you can tweak everything from luminance and color setup to game-specific settings. But if you want an easier route, the AOC G-Menu software is the way to go. It's quite simple software, but it's really easy to use and navigate, giving you control over color balance, contrast, brightness, and more advanced tools like Dark Boost (formerly Shadow Boost), which brightens shadowy areas to make enemies more visible.
There’s also a what-feels-like-cheating Sniper Scope overlay, which zooms in on the screen’s center for a closer look at your target. Perhaps a bit of a gimmick, but it might appeal to those who love squeezing every advantage out of their setup.
The standout feature for me, though, is the Dynamic Crosshair. Designed with CS2 in mind, it’s incredibly accurate and even changes color depending on what (or who) you’re aiming at — enemy, ally, or environment. You can toggle it easily via the down button on the OSD pad as well, which is a clever addition that makes switching it on and off mid-match and between games really, really easy.
Other settings like Low Blue Light mode, HDR toggles, and Eco Mode options are all accessible from G-Menu too. And if you’re into your lighting, there’s AOC’s RGB LIGHT FX, giving you around 16 customizable lighting presets. You can adjust brightness across three levels or simply turn it off entirely if you're like me and don't care too much about RGB lighting.
Value for Money
The AOC AGON PRO CS24A lands at around £599, though prices can fluctuate depending on where you look.
On paper, that feels like excellent value, especially considering you’re getting one of the highest refresh rates in the world. For competitive esports players chasing ultra-smooth motion, investing nearly £600 in a monitor that can hit 600Hz is far from unreasonable.
To put it in perspective, other 600Hz monitors, like BenQ’s ZOWIE XL2586X+, to name one of the few that equal it, retail for around £1,000/$1,000, making the CS24A comparatively affordable for elite performance. However, the TN panel technology definitely feels a bit dated compared to modern OLED options that can reach 360Hz+ at similar price points. That being said, TN panels still excel in motion clarity and speed, and that's exactly what matters most in a competitive FPS, and it is, above all else, what this monitor is designed for.
The main question for potential buyers is whether they actually need a 600Hz display and have a rig capable of keeping up. If you’re a serious esports player, then the CS24A is definitely a compelling option, in my opinion, offering a genuinely top-tier refresh rate and low input lag at a fraction of the price of other elite options.
The flip side of that is that, for casual players or those who enjoy a broader range of games, this monitor is definitely overkill, and really not that well-suited to your needs. You could find cheaper, more well-rounded alternatives that better balance color, resolution, and versatility for general gaming. But for anyone focused on fast-paced, competitive shooters, the CS24A is a high-refresh-rate powerhouse that I do think justifies its price tag.
Pros and Cons
Here's a quick list to make things easier —
Pros
- Blisteringly fast 610Hz refresh rate (600Hz native) — one of the highest in the world, delivering elite-level smoothness for competitive play.
- Extremely low input lag and fast 0.5ms GTG response time (0.3ms MPRT) — superb motion clarity once settings are dialed in.
- Dedicated CS2 game mode and Dynamic Crosshair features make it perfect for competitive FPS titles.
- Excellent adjustability and ergonomics — height, tilt, swivel, and full pivot give solid flexibility for various setups.
- Anti-glare panel — great for bright environments.
- Great value for its class — significantly cheaper than other 600Hz monitors on the market.
Cons
- TN panel has its drawbacks, namely, with color accuracy, contrast, and viewing angles.
- 1080p resolution limits visual sharpness — fine for esports, but noticeably less detailed for cinematic or open-world games.
- Color uniformity issues — darker edges and uneven gradients visible in some tones.
- Cable management is lackluster — single hook on the stand isn’t practical for multiple cables.
- Asymmetrical base design may not appeal to users who prefer a cleaner, more balanced setup.
Final Verdict
The AOC AGON PRO CS24A is a seriously impressive piece of kit that feels purpose-built for hardcore competitive gamers.
Its blistering 610Hz refresh rate, ultra-low input lag, and fast TN panel make it one of the smoothest, most responsive monitors I’ve ever used, even if few rigs can truly push it to its limits. Sure, its 1080p resolution means it's quite limited to competitive gameplay, and nothing beyond, but that's really the purpose of it — just look at its Counter-Strike branding if you're not sure what it's made for.
So, for those chasing every possible edge in CS2, Siege, or Warzone, this is a top-tier choice that delivers elite performance at a relatively accessible price. For everyone else, though, it’s probably overkill.
