The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is a low-cost 27-inch, 1440p monitor that's meant for content creation. Part of the ASUS ProArt lineup, it's a newer and more feature-rich version of the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV, and it sits below the 4k ASUS ProArt Display PA279CV. It competes alongside monitors with similar features, like the Dell U2724D and the BenQ PD2705Q. It comes factory-calibrated and has various picture modes for different color spaces that you may work with, including DCI-P3, but it doesn't support HDR at all. It has useful productivity features, like a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode and 65W of power, and it even supports daisy chaining with a DisplayPort output.
Our Verdict
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is a decent monitor for most usages. It's great for office use as it has sharp text clarity, it gets bright enough to fight glare, and it has a few useful features like a USB-C port and DisplayPort output. It's also good for content creators as it has fantastic accuracy before calibration, but it has more limited coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. While it's decent for media consumption, especially for viewing content in bright rooms, it has limited picture quality in dark rooms due to its low contrast, and the fact that it lacks local dimming. Lastly, it's just okay for gaming as it has a low refresh rate, but it has low input lag for a responsive feel.
- Bright enough to overcome glare.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Remarkable ergonomics.
- Sharp text clarity.
- Extra features like USB-C and DisplayPort output.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Lacks HDR support.
- Some motion blur with fast-moving objects.
The ASUS PA278CV is a great office monitor. It gets bright enough to combat glare in most lighting conditions and has good reflection handling. It also has a ton of ergonomic adjustment options, so you can set it to your ideal viewing position. It has wide viewing angles as well, which is great for sharing content with someone next to you. Lastly, it also has a USB-C port to which you can connect your laptop and charge it with a single cable, and it even has four USB-A ports for other devices.
- Bright enough to overcome glare.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Remarkable ergonomics.
- Sharp text clarity.
- Extra features like USB-C and DisplayPort output.
- Some motion blur with fast-moving objects.
The ASUS PA278CV is okay for gaming. While it has VRR support to reduce screen tearing, it's limited to a 75Hz refresh rate, which is low for most gamers. It also has limited compatibility with consoles as it only supports a few signals with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Luckily, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, and it also has a fairly fast response time, but there's still motion blur with fast-moving objects.
- Supports VRR.
- Low input lag.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Lacks HDR support.
- Some motion blur with fast-moving objects.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is decent for multimedia. It's a good size for watching movies or videos, and its 1440p resolution delivers a sharp image. It also has wide viewing angles if you want to watch with someone else. Unfortunately, its contrast ratio is mediocre, so blacks look more like gray, especially in the dark. It also lacks HDR support and a local dimming feature.
- Bright enough to overcome glare.
- Fantastic accuracy before calibration.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Lacks HDR support.
- No local dimming feature.
The ASUS PA278CV is good for media creation. The 1440p resolution delivers a sharp image, and the 27-inch screen is big enough to place two windows side-by-side. It has an accurate sRGB mode and it displays a wide range of colors, but it has more limited coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. It also has limited picture quality as it has a low contrast ratio, and it lacks a local dimming feature. On the upside, it has wide viewing angles, so the image stays consistent from almost any angle. It also has extra features like a KVM switch and DisplayPort output.
- Bright enough to overcome glare.
- Fantastic accuracy before calibration.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Remarkable ergonomics.
- Extra features like USB-C and DisplayPort output.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Lacks HDR support.
- No local dimming feature.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV Monitor doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 04, 2024: Updated text throughout according to current writing standards.
- Updated May 29, 2024: Added that the Dell P2423D has better Text Clarity.
- Updated Dec 05, 2023: Added that the higher-end ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV supports HDR.
- Updated Apr 18, 2023: Confirmed that 1440p @ 60Hz works on this monitor with the PS5.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV, which is the only size available. It's a newer version of the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV and has more features, and there are other models in the ProArt lineup that share a similar name. You can see the difference between them below, but the results are only valid for this monitor.
| Model | Size | Resolution | USB-C | DisplayPort Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA247CV | 24" | 1080p | Yes | Yes |
| PA278QV | 27" | 1440p | No | No |
| PA278CV | 27" | 1440p | Yes | Yes |
| PA279CV | 27" | 4k | Yes | No |
Our unit was manufactured in December 2020. You can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The ASUS ProArt PA278CV is a good low-cost 1440p monitor for content creators, as long as you don't need HDR because it doesn't support it at all. It has an accurate sRGB mode, and it has more useful features than its predecessor, the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV, like a DisplayPort output and a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode. That said, it's not versatile as it has limited picture quality and a low refresh rate for gaming, so if you want something more versatile, the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 2.0) is a good alternative with a higher refresh rate for gaming.
For other options, check out our recommendations for the best office monitors, the best monitors for photo editing, and the best monitors for the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA279CRV is a higher-end monitor than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV. The PA279CRV has a higher 4k resolution for better text clarity and also supports HDR, which the PA278CV doesn't. They each have a USB hub, but the PA279CRV delivers higher power delivery than the PA278CV, and it also has Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture modes.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV is newer than the ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV with more features, and they perform similarly overall. The PA278CV has an added USB-C port that makes it easy to connect your laptop and charge it with a single cable. It also has a DisplayPort outport for daisy chaining a second monitor.
The Dell U2723QE and the ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV are both 27-inch monitors meant for content creation. The Dell has a higher 4k resolution for sharper text, and because it's a higher-end model, it has more features like a bigger USB hub, HDR support, and a KVM switch. On the other hand, the ASUS is the better choice for well-lit rooms as it has much better reflection handling and gets brighter.
The ASUS ProArt Display PA278CV and the Dell S2722QC are both impressive office monitors, but they have a few different features. The Dell is a 4k monitor with much better text clarity, while the ASUS has a 1440p screen and a slightly higher 75Hz refresh rate. The Dell supports HDR, which the ASUS doesn't have, but it doesn't add much to the Dell anyway because it has a low contrast and lacks local dimming. The Dell also supports Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture modes. On the other hand, the ASUS has much better out-of-the-box accuracy.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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