- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Monitors
- Conclusion
- Discussions
ASUS, also known as AsusTek, was founded in Taiwan in 1989. They make a wide range of electronics, including laptops, smartphones, displays, computer components, and more. Although much of their focus is on gaming monitors, 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. We've tested over 15 ASUS monitors, and below are our recommendations for the three best ASUS monitors you can buy.
Updates
- 03/29/2021 ASUS TUF Gaming VG258QM reviewed
- 03/24/2021 ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B reviewed
- 03/22/2021 ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV reviewed
- 03/18/2021 ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQ reviewed
- 12/11/2020 ASUS TUF Gaming VG27WQ1B reviewed
Best ASUS Monitors
-
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, which includes a wide swivel range and rotation to portrait mode, allowing you to adjust the screen to your preferred viewing position with ease. It has a USB 3.0 port for charging, a pair of integrated speakers, and a few gaming features like the ability to add a virtual crosshair and frame rate counter.
Performance-wise, it's equipped to provide 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 Black Frame Insertion that can be used simultaneously with variable refresh rate. Regarding its VRR, it supports FreeSync natively and is certified as G-SYNC compatible. There's HDR support; however, 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. 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. The pixel density is a bit low for work, so text doesn't look as sharp. In that case, going with the smaller ASUS TUF Gaming VG259QM or a 1440p option might be better. Nevertheless, if your primary goal is gaming, this is the best ASUS monitor with a 1080p resolution we've tested.
-
Best 1440p Gaming Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 2560x1440Max Refresh Rate170 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateAdaptive SyncThe best ASUS monitor we've tested with a 1440p resolution for gaming is the ASUS ROG Strix XG279Q. It's a 27 inch gaming monitor from the premium ASUS Republic of Gamers lineup, and it offers excellent performance and a ton of extra features. It uses an IPS panel with wide viewing angles that are suitable for co-op gaming or sharing content with another person. It's well-suited to productivity or media creation thanks to its high resolution and fantastic color gamut, but where it really excels is gaming. It has a native 144Hz refresh rate that can be overclocked to 170Hz, and it has an incredible response time, resulting in clear motion with very little blur. Even at 60Hz, the response time is exceptionally fast. It has Adaptive Sync VRR support, so it's compatible with both FreeSync and G-SYNC. Finally, it has a remarkably low input lag that makes for a responsive gaming experience, although the input lag increases significantly at 60Hz.
Its contrast ratio isn't bad for an IPS monitor, although blacks still appear grayish when viewed in the dark. Our unit also has a lot of backlight bleed and uniformity issues that make it even less suited to dark room viewing, but uniformity can vary between individual units. It supports HDR10 and gets decently bright for HDR content, making enough highlights pop for a satisfying HDR experience. Unlike a lot of monitors, it has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur even further and a local dimming feature to improve black levels, but neither of these works especially well. On the upside, it also has a bunch of additional features like built-in speakers, customizable RGB lighting, display overlays like crosshairs, and a frame rate counter. Overall, this is the best ASUS monitor for 1440p gaming that we've tested, and most people should be pleased with it.
-
Best Budget Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 2560x1440Max Refresh Rate75 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateAdaptive SyncThe best ASUS monitor in the budget category we've tested is the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV. This is a 1440p model that's intended as a budget option for creative professionals. It has a large 27 inch screen that provides plenty of space for multitasking, and its thin borders make it a great choice for multi-monitor setups. It has a sleek but simple design that fits easily into most office settings, and it has superb ergonomics, allowing for a full 180-degree swivel and rotation to portrait mode. It has wide viewing angles, so images remain accurate when viewed from the side, great for sharing content on your screen with friends or coworkers. Out-of-the-box accuracy is good, and it has an excellent SDR color gamut with nearly full coverage of the sRGB color space. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR, although it's somewhat expected for a monitor in this price range.
If you want to game, it handles fast-moving objects very well. It has a fast response time, low input lag, and a 75Hz refresh rate that makes motion look just a bit smoother than a typical 60Hz panel. It supports Adaptive Sync to reduce screen tearing and is compatible with FreeSync and G-SYNC. There's an optional Black Frame Insertion feature to reduce motion blur, but it causes image duplication due to crosstalk. There are four USB 3.0 ports that you can use for charging or data, and you can use the built-in speakers to play audio from external devices using the 3.5mm analog audio-in port. It has a feature called ASUS QuickFit Virtual Scale, which lets you preview and align documents in their actual sizes before printing. Overall, this is a versatile option that should please most people and the best ASUS monitor in the budget category we've tested.
Compared to other brands
- Excellent gaming performance. ASUS' gaming monitors are among the best gaming monitors on the market.
- Very good build quality. With only a few exceptions, ASUS monitors are usually well-built.
- Excellent ergonomics. Most of ASUS' monitors have excellent ergonomics, even in the budget category, like the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV.
- 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.
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 put more focus 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.
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 models that provide 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
-
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.
Test results
Recommended Articles
Gain early access to all tests results for new products
Prices will now be listed directly in reviews and tables
Have 5 votes per product category to choose which product we’ll review next
Gain unlimited access to detailed test results in tools and results (no blurred results)
