- 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
- 12/11/2020 ASUS TUF Gaming VG27WQ1B reviewed
- 12/03/2020 ASUS ROG Strix XG27UQ reviewed
- 11/20/2020 ASUS ROG Swift 360Hz PG259QN reviewed
- 10/13/2020 ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A reviewed
- 10/08/2020 ASUS ROG Strix XG279Q 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, 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 such as 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.
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Best 1440p Gaming Monitor
Size 27"Resolution 2560x1440Max Refresh Rate165 HzPixel TypeIPSVariable Refresh RateFreeSyncThe ASUS TUF VG27AQ is the best ASUS monitor for gaming with a 1440p resolution that we've tested. This is a great choice for those who want a high refresh rate but don't want to sacrifice resolution. It has excellent ergonomics, allowing you to place the screen at your ideal viewing position, and its wide viewing angles mean you don't lose image accuracy when viewing from the side. It has decent reflection handling and gets bright enough to overcome glare in most lighting conditions, but it isn't quite bright enough to deliver a good HDR experience, even though it supports it. The contrast ratio is mediocre, which makes blacks look grayish, so it isn't the best option for gaming in the dark.
When playing at its maximum 165Hz refresh rate, the response time is excellent, resulting in very little motion blur in fast-moving scenes. It has a Black Frame Insertion feature, and like other ASUS gaming monitors, it's usable while VRR is enabled. Input lag is remarkably low, and there's both FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. The response time is much slower when playing at 60Hz, which might disappoint some console gamers. The newer ASUS TUF Gaming VG27QL1A has a better response time at 60Hz, but it isn't as good overall and costs more. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any USB ports, but there are speakers built-in if you don't have dedicated ones. The backlight is flicker-free at all brightness levels, great for reducing eye strain during long gaming sessions. All in all, this is an excellent gaming monitor that strikes a good balance between resolution and smoothness, as the 165Hz refresh rate is enough to provide fluid gameplay, and the higher resolution is more noticeable, especially at this screen size.
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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, such as 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.
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.
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