Pg27Uq review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Review: Worth Every Penny

27 марта, 2021

Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Review: Worth Every Penny

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The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of the best (and priciest) 4K gaming monitors around.

Editor’s Choice

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

Aside from cost, the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ has no flaws of consequence. It’s extremely capable for gaming, video, color-critical work and general tasks. And once you’ve experienced games at Ultra HD resolution and 144Hz, it’s hard to imagine playing any other way.

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Pros
  • +

    Stunning image

  • +

    144Hz in Ultra HD

  • +

    Amazing SDR and HDR contrast

  • +

    Over 90 percent DCI-P3 coverage

  • +

    G-Sync

  • +

    Build quality, styling

Cons
  • —

    Expensive

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Features & Specifications

Editor’s note, 4/17/20:

We originally shared our Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review testing back in October 19 , 2018. Despite that, the monitor still sits proudly on our Best 4K Gaming Monitors page and is even among the best HDR monitors available today. With an impressive refresh rate, especially at this resolution, and advanced backlight technology, the monitor is still a worthy contender over a year after release. When we reviewed this monitor in 2018 it was $2,000; currently it’s selling for $1,300.  That affects any value claims made in our original review below. 

Original review, 10/18/2020:

Ask 10 users what constitutes the ultimate gaming monitor and you’ll likely get 10 different answers. A few common threads will emerge though. There can never be too much resolution, and there’s no such thing as a refresh rate that’s too high.

We have reviewed many Ultra HD gaming displays, but none have been able to deliver frame rates past 60Hz – until now. Asus’ new ROG Swift PG27 is a 27-inch IPS panel with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate with overclock, G-Sync, HDR10, DCI-P3 color and true 1,000-nit brightness capability.

  • Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ (HDR LED) at Amazon for $2,700.06

We’ll lay it all out right up front. This monitor will reduce your net worth by $2,000. But after spending many hours testing and gaming, we think it’s worth every penny.

Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Specifications

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Panel Type & Backlight IPS / W-LED, 384-zone backlight, full array w/ local dimming
Screen Size & Aspect Ratio 27 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution & Refresh 3840×2160 @ 120Hz; 144Hz w/overclock; Density: 163 ppi
Native Color Depth & Gamut 10-bit (8-bit+FRC) / DCI-P3, HDR10, DisplayHDR 1000
Response Time (GTG) 4ms
Brightness SDR — 600 nits; HDR — 1,000 nits
Contrast SDR — 1,000:1; HDR — 50,000:1
Speakers ✗
Video Inputs 1x DisplayPort 1. 4; 1x HDMI 2.0
Audio 3.5mm headphone output
USB v3.0: 1 x up, 2 x down
Power Consumption 54.2w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel DimensionsWxHxD w/base 25 x 17.2-21.9 x 9.5 inches / 634 x 437-557 x 268mm
Panel Thickness 3.7 inches / 94mm
Bezel Width Top & Bottom — 0.8 inch / 20mm; Sides — .6 inch / 16mm
Weight 20.2 pounds / 9.2kg
Warranty 3 years

If you’ve gotten over the sticker shock long enough to read the specs table, then you can see why the PG27UQ is so expensive. It’s only the second HDR screen we’ve seen with a full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight. Like the Dell UP2718Q, it sports 384 independently addressable zones and can hit that magic 1,000-nit brightness level. It also features over 90 percent of the DCI-P3 color space thanks to a quantum-dot film and will run at 144Hz if you engage overclock. There’s a caveat there that we’ll explain in a moment, but the panel’s native refresh rate is 120Hz—not too shabby.

To properly drive this display, you’ll need a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card and the latest drivers to enable not only the fast refresh but HDR10 support. You’ll also need the Windows 10 update from October 2017 to enable HDR. Better yet, get the April 2018 update to add an HDR brightness slider to the Control Panel. This is the first screen we’ve seen that utilizes the bandwidth capabilities of DisplayPort 1.4. Of course, G-Sync is the tear-eliminating tech of choice and surprisingly, there is no ULMB (ultra low motion blur). The panel will also accept 10-bit signals though its native bit-depth is still 8-bits with Frame Rate Conversion (FRC).

To cement its status as a premium monitor, the PG27UQ includes a factory-certified calibration. And we can confirm that it not only meets its claimed specs, but that it’s also one of the most accurate HDR displays we’ve tested. There is a lot to see here, so let’s take a look.

Unpacking & Accessories

Like all the products in Asus’ ROG line, the PG27UQ includes some nice extras. Multiple lenses for the base’s lighting effect project different patterns onto your desktop, and the styling lets you know instantly who makes this monitor.

The input pack is typical of a G-Sync monitor. You get one each of DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 (for a comparison of the two, see our DisplayPort vs. HDMI article). Both include HDCP 2.2 content protection. Fast refresh is only possible through DisplayPort, and HDMI tops out at 60Hz.

The monitor also comes with a high-quality cable and an external power supply. Despite that, the panel has an internal fan that is in operation most of the time. If you have a completely silent PC and a dead silent room, you might hear it if you sit very close. With even the slightest ambient noise present though, the fan is a non-factor.

No tools are required for assembly. Simply snap on your lens of choice to the base and attach it to the already-in-place upright. The hardware is quite solid and features exceptional build quality.

Product 360

Image 1 of 4

From the front, you’ll never guess the PG27UQ is different from any other Asus ROG monitor. The bezel is fairly wide at 20mm on the top and bottom and 16mm on the sides. The anti-glare layer is set back a bit and rejects reflections effectively without causing resolution-robbing grain in the image. The picture is super-clear, stunning in fact, thanks to a tight 163ppi pixel density and the amazing contrast possible when the Variable Backlight feature is on (more on that on page four).

You control the on-screen display (OSD) via three keys and a joystick, which brings up the full OSD if pressed. The fourth button in the photo is a power toggle, and yes, you might push it accidentally sometimes. Here’s a suggestion to Asus and other vendors taking this approach: provide an on-screen confirmation so the user must press the power key a second time to turn off the monitor. Many projectors do this, and it makes sense.

Styling is slightly subdued when compared to other ROG screens, but molded textures are there along with some nice lighting effects. The base projects a pattern onto your desktop, and there is an ROG logo around back that is also backlit. You can control the effects in the OSD and even sync them to other ROG hardware components. There are many options that change colors and brightness with breathing and flashing accents. Or, you can turn the whole thing off if you wish. Meanwhile, the power LED light glows white in normal mode and red when G-Sync is working.

Stand adjustments are firm and precise and include 4.7” inches of height, 45° swivel in each direction, 25° back tilt and 5° forward. You also get a 90° portrait mode.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test Monitors

MORE: All Monitor Content

Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ: Price Comparison

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☆☆☆☆☆

$2,700.06

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Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom’s Hardware US. He’s a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors.

All You Need To Know!

Design:

(5.0)

Display:

(4.7)

Performance:

(4.3)

Price/Value:

(1.5)

3.9

See Price

Back in 2018, the ASUS PG27UQ, along with the Acer X27, was one of the first gaming monitors with a full-array local dimming (FALD) implementation, which allowed it to deliver a true HDR viewing experience.

Most gamers, however, were dissuaded by the $2,000 price tag.

Nowadays, both displays can sometimes be found on sale for as low as $1,300, but there are a lot of brand new monitors available at that price range too. So, how does the ASUS PG27UQ stack up now? Let’s find out!

Image Quality

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ monitor is based on an IPS panel with 10-bit color depth (8-bit + FRC), 178-degree viewing angles and a 4ms response time speed.

It’s factory-calibrated to Delta E ≤  3 and covers 97% of the DCI-P3 color space and 99% Adobe RGB making it fit for professional color-critical work.

So, if you’ve been after a monitor that excels at both gaming and professional use, you might’ve found your holy grail.

Moving on, the ASUS PG27UQ supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) with a contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and a peak luminance of 1,000-nits, resulting in vivid highlights and inky blacks.

In order to deliver such exceptional image quality, the monitor uses a full-array local dimming solution with 384 individual zones that help dim the backlight where it’s needed without affecting parts of the screen that need to be bright.

However, in some cases where a lit zone is surrounded by dimmed zones (for instance, moving your cursor across a black background), the light of the lit area will bleed into the dimmed zones creating a halo/bloom effect.

So, in some specific scenarios, it’s preferred to disable local dimming.

Finally, 4K Ultra HD resolution ensures that there is plenty of details and screen real estate as such high resolution on a 27″ monitor results in a rich pixel density of 163 PPI (pixels per inch).

Performance

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ claims to support 4K at 144Hz and HDR.

But there’s a catch.

What you won’t find on the product page or written on the box is that the ASUS PG27UQ, due to the DisplayPort 1.4 bandwidth limitations, can only do one of the following three things:

  • 98Hz and 10-bit color depth
  • 120Hz and 8-bit color depth
  • 144Hz and 4:2:2 chroma subsampling

Dropping the color depth to 8-bit isn’t really a big deal. The difference between 8-bit and 10-bit color depth is basically unnoticeable in video games. In fact, most games support only 8-bit color.

Chroma subsampling, on the other hand, makes text appear smudgy and fringy, which becomes an issue for desktop use and video games with a lot of text.

Since 4K UHD resolution is quite demanding as it is, we don’t recommend using chroma subsampling as you’ll hardly get 144FPS at 4K anyway. So, you should stick to 4K 120Hz and 8-bit color depth.

Next, the ASUS PG27UQ input lag is only 5ms at 120Hz, which makes for imperceptible delay, while the response time speed of 4ms effectively removes most trailing artifacts behind fast-moving objects. It’s not as fast as modern IPS panels, so some minor ghosting is still noticeable, but it’s tolerable.

G-SYNC Ultimate ensures that the gaming performance is buttery smooth even at lower FPS by synchronizing the monitor’s refresh rate to GPU’s frame rate, thus, completely eliminating screen tearing and stuttering with virtually zero input lag penalty (~1ms).

Features

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ 4K HDR monitor offers an abundance of features!

You will find ASUS’ GameVisual and GamePlus features, which consist of customizable crosshair overlays, on-screen timers, and the FPS, RTS, RPG, Racing, Cinema, sRGB, and Custom picture presets.

In addition, the monitor is flicker-free and has a low blue light filter, so you can game for hours on end without straining your eyes.

Another feature of the ASUS ROG PG27UQ is that it can emit the ‘Republic Of Gamers’ logo as well as customizable lighting onto your desk and/or wall.

ASUS Aura Sync RGB allows you to synchronize the monitor’s RGB lighting with other Aura Sync compatible peripherals and use various glowing patterns and color combinations.

There’s also a light sensor that can automatically adjust screen brightness according to the ambient lighting.

Fans of backlight strobing will be disappointed to find out that the ASUS PG27UQ does not feature NVIDIA ULMB (Ultra Low Motion Blur) or any other form of Motion Blur Reduction. Luckily, there isn’t any prominent ghosting or motion blur in fast-paced games as the pixel response time speed of the monitor is very good.

The appearance of the monitor may seem too flashy to some, even when the RGB LEDs and projectors are turned off, but the design itself is very sturdy with versatile ergonomics including -/+ 35° swivel, 90° pivot, up to 120mm height adjustment, -5°/20° tilt, and 100 x 100mm VESA mount compatibility.

The matte black bezels are a bit thicker due to the FALD implementation, but they look rather nice regardless. For navigation through the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, there’s a joystick as well as three buttons for shortcuts at the back of the monitor.

Lastly, the screen has an anti-glare matte coating, which eliminates reflections, and there’s a relatively silent integrated fan that keeps the display cool.

Connectivity includes HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, a headphone jack, and a dual-USB 3.0 hub. Both display connectors support HDCP 2. 2, so you can watch protected content from Netflix, Amazon Video, etc. in 4K Ultra HD.

Price & Similar Monitors

The ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ price was initially $2,000, but nowadays, it can be found for as low as $1,300.

Acer has their own model based on the same panel as the PG27UQ called the Acer Predator X27 which goes for around the same price.

Its design, however, lacks pivot adjustment and has less customizable RGB lighting, though it does have built-in speakers and two extra USB 3.0 ports.

We recommend considering the Dell AW3423DWF instead. It goes for $1,100 yet offers a much better HDR image quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel with infinite contrast ratio, as well as smoother performance with instantaneous response time.

Another HDR monitor worth considering is the Samsung Neo G7 with an 1196-zone mini LED FALD backlight. It goes for $1,100 but has a steep 1000R screen curvature that won’t appeal to all users.

There’s also the Cooler Master Tempest GP27U 27″ 4K 160Hz IPS monitor with a better 576-zone mini LED FALD system for $800.

Now, if you just want a 4K 144Hz gaming monitor and don’t care much about HDR image quality, you can get the Acer XB283K for ~$600. It even has a faster response time speed and HDMI 2.1 support, allowing you to utilize 4K 120Hz on compatible consoles, however, its HDR image quality is not nearly as good.

To learn more about monitors and ensure you’re getting the model most suited for your personal preference, visit our comprehensive and always up-to-date best gaming monitor buyer’s guide.

Conclusion

While the ASUS PG27UQ offers excellent HDR image quality and performance, there are better alternatives available at this price range.

Specifications

Screen Size 27-inch
Resolution 3840×2160 (UHD)
Panel Type IPS
Aspect Ratio 16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate 98Hz with 10-bit color
120Hz with 8-bit color
144Hz with chroma subsampling
Response Time 4ms (GtG)
Adaptive Sync G-SYNC Ultimate
Ports DisplayPort 1. 4, HDMI 2.0
Other Ports 2x USB 3.0, Headphone Jack
Brightness (HDR) 1000 cd/m2
Brightness 600 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio (HDR) 50,000:1
Contrast Ratio 1,000:1 (static)
Colors 1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC)
VESA Yes (100x100mm)
HDR Certification VESA DisplayHDR 1000
Ultra HD Premium
Local Dimming 384-zone full-array local dimming

The Pros:

  • 384-zone FALD for superior contrast and true blacks
  • 1000-nit peak brightness for stunning HDR image quality
  • Fully ergonomic design
  • Wide color gamut with accurate and consistent colors
  • Low input lag and quick response time speed

The Cons:

  • Expensive
  • DP 1. 4 limitations
  • Visible haloing/blooming in certain scenarios, can be prevented by disabling local dimming

Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ gives an overview of

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The

Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of the first new gaming monitors to combine the high refresh rates of Nvidia’s G-Sync technology with 4K support and HDR (high dynamic range) support for exceptional image quality.

We got to spend some time with the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ at an event held by Nvidia, which aims to make its G-Sync technology synonymous with high-end gaming monitors.

So, with the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ we get HDR 10 support and DCI-P3 color gamut for vibrant colors, a high 144Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay, and an ultra-high resolution of 3,840 x 2,160.

Pricing and Availability

We don’t have an exact price for the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ at the moment, but since it’s a 27″ 4GHz HDR sync monitor, we expect a pretty high price.

Similarly designed G-Sync monitors with HDR support will cost approximately £9$00 ($700, $1,300) and at a showcase event, Nvidia can’t provide pricing but hinted Auss and similar monitors won’t go below

Acer has hinted that its own G-Sync HDR monitor, the Acer Predator X27, will be around £2,199 ($3,000, AU$4,000), so we expect that Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ will be about the same price.

If it comes at this price, it will be a monitor that will probably only be of interest to enthusiasts and pro gamers who are willing to spend that amount.

We don’t have an exact date for when the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ will be available for purchase, but Nvidia has hinted it will be late May or early June 2018. We hopefully get a full monitor

Design and features

The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ was shown alongside the Acer Predator X27, another G-Sync HDR gaming monitor, and while Acer’s design is more subdued, the PG27UQ has a more premium look as we’d expect from Asus’ ROG

The 27-inch screen is a good size for a gaming monitor, and its standard 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio is a monitor that’s big enough to immerse you without dominating your desk like larger gaming monitors do.

A medium-sized frame appears on the screen, and the ROG logo appears at the bottom. The

stand is also eye-catching, with a blade-like design that feels sturdy and an LED light that points towards the table.

On the back you also get buttons to control the OSD.

But it’s the technology behind the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ’s screen that is the real star of the show.

It features LED backlighting that is dynamically controlled through 384 zones, providing impressive contrast between light and dark scenes.

In our opinion, this last feature has the potential to drastically improve the image quality of the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ.

It’s the combination of high resolution, high refresh rate, low latency and HDR support that really sets the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ apart from its competition.

Presentation

We didn’t get much time with the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ at the Nvidia event, but from our brief time with the monitor it looks very promising.

Playing Destiny 2, which has a lot of bright colors and dark places, G-Sync technology certainly does most of the work, resulting in some really impressive visuals combined with 4K resolution — they seem to match and often exceed

The 144Hz refresh rate also did wonders, making the game fast and responsive, and there was no hint of screen tearing.

An early verdict

Our short time with the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ definitely left us wanting more: it has the potential to become one of the gaming monitors of the gamble thanks to its combination of 4K resolution and G-Sync HDR technology that delivers stunning visual fidelity and high

For anyone For the PC gamer who watched with envy as PS4 and Xbox One games get HDR support while their platform continues to be ignored, the fact that companies like Nvidia and Asus are pushing for HDR support will be welcomed.

However, we have a feeling that the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ will be a very expensive monitor, which means it will be out of reach for many gamers.

If you like the HDR look of the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ, you might want to start now.

  • Best Gaming Monitor 2018: Top 10 Gaming Screens of the Year

Asus PG27UQ @ 144Hz

ASUS is familiar enough to users to be reintroduced. At the exhibition in Las Vegas, the company presented a new model of the PG27UQ monitor. Its full name is Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ, where the abbreviation ROG is part of the SWIFT series and stands for Republic Of Gamers. The monitor screen is capable of projecting this logo onto a perpendicular monitor support. If this logo will annoy the user, then there is an option to turn it off.

In a nutshell, the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is the perfect monitor for gamers with a 27-inch UHD display and 144Hz refresh rate. Other goodies include HDR support, a 178-degree viewing angle, 10-bit color support, and many more useful options, which we will try to figure out in a brief review of Asus’ PG27UQ.

The Asus PG27UQ 27-inch 144Hz monitor uses an IPS-type matrix to extend the viewing angle up to 178 degrees. The screen surface is protected by an anti-reflective coating, which contributes to comfortable viewing in any light conditions.

NVIDIA G-Sync HDR

NVIDIA G-Sync HDR is a technology incorporated in this monitor that supports G-SYNC HDR. This technology improves two parameters at once. The first is the variable refresh rate, which allows the monitor to dynamically adjust its refresh rate as needed. This is often used in dynamic scenes in games and movies. Everything indirectly resembles a variable bitrate in a video. The system itself calculates which frequency to «apply» from the available 144Hz for certain scenes. Second is the provision of high dynamic range, which is a key complement to G-SYNC HDR.

Backlight and HDR

Instead of the traditional backlight that works as a separate system component, this model has 384 local dimming zones or 384 individually controllable LED clusters. As a result, some LEDs can shine brightly, while others will glow very weakly. The glow will depend on the dark or bright parts of the image projected on the screen.

The exact value of the brightness ratio is still unknown, but it is already clear that it is well over 1000: 1, which is quite typical for an IPS matrix. The peak brightness of the Swift PG27UQ is 1000 cd / m, which will allow you to «squeeze out» almost the maximum of its properties from HDR support. It is assumed that with such control over brightness, a considerable merit of NVIDIA G-Sync HDR technology. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ 4K monitor uses the HDR10 standard, which provides a wide color gamut and 10-bit color support.

This is most likely an 8-bit + FRC pseudomix. In addition, the display is capable of supporting the DCI-P3 color gamut. This monitor uses Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (Nanosys QDEF) to eliminate annoying flickering. The system response time is less than 4ms, which is ideal for gamers. It is not yet known whether Turbo Key or GamePlus options will be present in the monitor. Let’s hope they add them.

Connectivity

For the Asus PG27UQ 144Hz connection, the device is equipped with the updated DisplayPort 1.4, which not only supports 3840 x 2160 @ 144Hz and G-SYNC HDR, but also provides compatibility with many other devices, including game consoles. In addition to this interface, there is an HDMI port and a USB 3.0 connector, as well as a headphone output. The last two interfaces were not mentioned in the presentation, but we hope that they will be present as a traditional kit from Asus.

Mount and price Asus PG27UQ

The model is mounted on a stand that provides almost any screen adjustment needed for ease of use. These are height adjustment, tilt angle, turn and rotation of the monitor. Given the gaming interest, the monitor is equipped with holes (100 x 100) VESA for wall mounting. Now about the price and availability.

Price PG27UQ

North Americans are expected to be the first to see the Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ 4K for sale, which is no longer a sensation and has become a regularity.