- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Monitors
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've tested over 20 ASUS monitors. ASUS, also known as AsusTek, was founded in Taiwan in 1989. They make a wide range of electronics, and most of their monitors focus on gaming, but they also make monitors for office use and creative professionals at varying price points. Their gaming monitors are often among the best on the market, as they make some of the highest refresh monitors available, with recent releases going as high as 360Hz.
Updates
- 12/13/2021 ASUS ROG Strix XG16AHPE reviewed
- 12/01/2021 ASUS VG248QG reviewed
- 07/15/2021 ASUS ProArt PA148CTV reviewed
- 06/22/2021 ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AMT reviewed
- 06/17/2021 ASUS ZenScreen Go MB16AHP reviewed
Best ASUS Monitors
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Best 1080p Gaming Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 1920x1080Max Refresh Rate280 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateFreeSyncThe ASUS VG279QM is the best ASUS monitor for gaming with a 1080p resolution that we've tested. This is a 27 inch model that delivers exceptional motion handling, enough to satisfy the most demanding gamers. It has an IPS panel with wide viewing angles, so images remain accurate when viewed from the side, great for playing co-op games or sharing content. It provides good visibility in well-lit settings thanks to its decent reflection handling and great peak brightness, but it isn't as well-suited for dark rooms due to its low contrast ratio. The ergonomics are outstanding, including a wide swivel range and rotation to portrait mode, allowing you to adjust the screen to your preferred viewing position. Most people should be satisfied with a 1080p resolution for gaming, and it leaves more headroom on your graphics card to reach that high frame rate.
Sadly, the pixel density is low for work, so text doesn't look as sharp. There's HDR support, but it doesn't add much since it can't display a wide color gamut and doesn't get bright enough to make highlights stand out in HDR content. Performance-wise, it provides an incredibly smooth and responsive gaming experience. It has a superb response time that results in almost no motion blur and a 240Hz refresh rate that you can overclock up to 280Hz to make motion look even more fluid. Unlike most monitors, it has an optional backlight strobing that you can use simultaneously with variable refresh rate (VRR). Regarding its VRR, it supports FreeSync natively and is certified as G-SYNC compatible. All in all, if your primary goal is gaming, this is the best ASUS monitor with a 1080p resolution we've tested.
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Best 1440p Gaming Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 2560x1440Max Refresh Rate170 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateAdaptive SyncThe ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ is the best ASUS gaming monitor with a 1440p resolution. The higher resolution is an advantage for those who like more immersive gaming as it delivers better detail, but it also comes at the cost of a lower refresh rate to not be too taxing on your graphics card. This monitor is excellent for gaming with a native 144Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 170Hz over a DisplayPort connection. Although it's not certified by AMD for native FreeSync support, it still works fully over the entire refresh rate range, and it's also G-SYNC compatible if you have an NVIDIA graphics card to reduce screen tearing. It has low input lag for a smooth and responsive gaming experience, but like some other ASUS monitors we've tested, the 60Hz input lag increases, so it's not the best choice for console gamers.
Sadly, even though it supports HDR10 and displays a wide color gamut, it doesn't provide the best experience because it can't get bright enough to make highlights, has a low contrast ratio, and the local dimming feature is terrible. Also, it's not good for dark room gaming because blacks look gray. Even in well-lit rooms, its SDR peak brightness is just decent, but it at least has good reflection handling. On the plus side, motion looks incredibly smooth thanks to the really quick response time, and it has an optional backlight strobing feature in case you notice any motion blur. It's also great for co-op gaming because it has wide viewing angles and good ergonomics. Overall, if you're on the hunt for a 1440p monitor, this is the best ASUS gaming monitor.
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Best Budget Office Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 2560x1440Max Refresh Rate75 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateAdaptive SyncThe best ASUS monitor for the office in the budget category that we've tested is the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. It's part of their ProArt lineup, which only features a handful of models designed for productivity and content creators. It's an upgraded version of the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV, which may be a bit harder to find and has a few fewer features. The PA278CV has a large 27 inch screen with a 1440p resolution, delivering clear text and enough space to multitask. It's well-built, and the stand has outstanding ergonomics, providing a very wide swivel range and allowing you to rotate the screen into portrait mode. Its IPS panel also has wide viewing angles, so you can easily share your screen with someone else because the image remains accurate no matter where you view it from.
Unfortunately, the monitor doesn't support HDR, which is disappointing for those looking to edit HDR videos, but it's also somewhat expected for a budget-friendly monitor. The HDR support likely wouldn't have added much anyways because it has low contrast and lacks local dimming, so blacks look gray in the dark. On the plus side, photo editors should be happy to know it has very good Adobe RGB coverage, excellent out-of-the-box accuracy, and impressive gradient handling, but there's still some 8-bit banding. It has a great selection of inputs, including a USB hub and USB-C input that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode and is advertised to deliver up to 65W of power, meaning you can charge your tablet or phone with it. Overall, it's the best ASUS monitor if you're on a budget and need something for the office.
Compared to other brands
- Excellent gaming performance. ASUS's monitors mainly focus on gaming, and because of that, they're among the best gaming monitors we've tested.
- Very good build quality. With only a few exceptions, ASUS monitors are usually well-built.
- Excellent ergonomics. Most ASUS monitors have excellent ergonomics, from their office-friendly to the gaming models.
- Not as many ultrawide options as other brands. ASUS does make ultrawide monitors, but there are fewer options than other companies like LG, Samsung, and Dell.
- Limited dark room performance. Only a few of ASUS' monitors have VA panels with good contrast; most of them have IPS panels with a low contrast ratio.
ASUS vs LG
Compared to LG, ASUS monitors tend to have better ergonomics and build quality, and generally speaking, they have better gaming performance due to their higher refresh rates. However, LG monitors tend to be more versatile, and more options support HDR.
ASUS vs Samsung
Samsung tends to make more VA panel monitors, and in recent years, they've focused more on curved and ultrawide gaming monitors. With a few exceptions, they don't perform as well as ASUS monitors for gaming, and they generally have worse ergonomics.
ASUS is one of the biggest manufacturers of monitors, and they offer a wide range of options, from budget models to feature-rich gaming monitors that are among the best on the market. Their monitors are usually well-built and have excellent ergonomics. However, they don't seem to offer as many ultrawide options as other brands like LG and Samsung. Still, if you need a 16:9 gaming monitor, you'll likely find what you need from ASUS.
LINEUP
ASUS makes a lot of monitors and they generally fall into the following six major categories:
- Gaming Monitors: This includes the VG Series, the TUF Gaming, and the ROG (Republic of Gamers) models. The TUF Gaming line is marketed as the model that provides better stability and durability, and the ROG (Republic of Gamers) is the more premium line.
- Professional Monitors: This includes the ProArt (PA) models designed for creative professionals and the ProBusiness (PB) models.
- Designo Monitors: Office monitors with ultra-slim designs and bezels, usually with model numbers starting with MX.
- Portable Monitors: Small portable USB-powered displays for on-the-go use, usually with model numbers starting with MB, except for the ROG Strix XG portable displays.
- Essential Monitors: Budget lineup, usually with model numbers starting with V.
Recent Updates
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Oct 21, 2021: Replaced the ASUS ROG Strix XG279Q and the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV with the newer ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ and the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV because they're both easier to find.
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Jun 23, 2021: Verified accuracy of picks. No change in recommendations.
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Feb 26, 2021: Replaced the ASUS TUF VG27AQ with the ASUS ROG Strix XG279Q as the 'Best 1440p Gaming Monitor' because it performs better overall.
Conclusion
Even though ASUS doesn't just make gaming monitors, it's one of their main focuses given their involvement with esports. Their monitors usually have excellent ergonomics and good build quality and are also among the best for motion handling. Many of their gaming monitors have very heavy gamer designs, which might not be to everyone's liking, but most people should be happy with their performance. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best 4k gaming monitors, and the best budget gaming monitors.
