The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is a decent budget monitor with great gaming performance. It's an IPS monitor with a 24 inch screen and 1080p resolution. Its motion handling is amazing thanks to its 165Hz refresh rate and superb response times. It has both FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility, resulting in a nearly tear-free gaming experience. Its smaller screen size is okay for work if you only have one or two windows open at a time, but it's not ideal for multitasking. Also, it's hard to place the screen in a comfortable viewing position because the stand only allows for tilt adjustment. It isn't recommended for content creation because it doesn't quite cover the entire sRGB color space, and yellows look inaccurate, even after calibration.
Our Verdict
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is decent for most uses. It's great for gaming because it has a low input lag, a high refresh rate, and superb response times. It also has FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing. The smaller screen size and 1080p resolution are somewhat limiting for work and media consumption because there's less space for multitasking, and it doesn't feel as immersive. It isn't recommended for content creation because it doesn't have full sRGB coverage, and it has trouble displaying yellows accurately, even after calibration. Lastly, it doesn't support HDR at all.
- Superb response times.
- Low input lag.
- Great reflection handling.
- Good viewing angles but might not be ideal if you need perfect accuracy.
- Small screen size.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Might not be able to combat intense glare.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is alright for office use. It has a relatively small screen, which should be fine if you only work with one or two windows open at a time, but it might not be enough for heavy multitasking. It handles reflections very well, but its screen brightness is on the lower side, which means it might not be able to overcome intense glare in a bright, sunny room. Unfortunately, the stand only allows for tilt adjustment. The viewing angles are good enough for sharing content with others as long as image accuracy isn't a priority.
- Great reflection handling.
- Good viewing angles but might not be ideal if you need perfect accuracy.
- Small screen size.
- Might not be able to combat intense glare.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is great for gaming. It has incredibly low input lag, a 165Hz refresh rate, and superb response times to deliver amazingly responsive gameplay. Its compact screen size isn't super immersive, but it does make it easier to see the entire screen at once. Likewise, its 1080p resolution might be disappointing for some, but it puts a lighter load on the graphics card so that you can get higher frame rates. The ergonomics are terrible, which makes it hard to get a comfortable viewing position. Also, it isn't ideal for gaming in the dark due to its low contrast ratio.
- 165Hz refresh rate.
- Superb response times.
- Low input lag.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- VRR doesn't work over HDMI.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is okay for media consumption. It has a compact screen and a 1080p resolution, which should be fine for watching videos online. However, it doesn't provide a particularly immersive experience when watching movies, and it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks appear gray in the dark. It's hard to place the screen in a comfortable viewing position because it has terrible ergonomics. While it has relatively good viewing angles, colors begin to fade pretty quickly when moving off-center.
- Great reflection handling.
- Good viewing angles but might not be ideal if you need perfect accuracy.
- Small screen size.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A isn't ideal for media creation. It has a relatively small screen, which means you don't get much space to work with, and its resolution is limited to 1080p. Also, it doesn't have full sRGB coverage, and it has trouble displaying yellows accurately, even after calibration. The ergonomics are terrible because it only allows for tilt adjustment, and the screen doesn't get very bright, so it might not be able to combat intense glare.
- Great reflection handling.
- Good viewing angles but might not be ideal if you need perfect accuracy.
- Small screen size.
- Mediocre contrast ratio.
- Might not be able to combat intense glare.
- Terrible ergonomics.
- Yellows look inaccurate after calibration.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 29, 2024: Added that the AOC 24G15N has better Contrast.
- Updated Oct 30, 2023: Clarified text throughout to reflect changes with Test Bench 1.2, including adding text to the Console Compatibility boxes.
- Updated Jan 11, 2023: Added text for the macOS compatibility box added as part of test bench 1.2.
- Updated Jan 10, 2023: Updated to Test Bench 1.2, resulting in changes to the results and scores with the Response Time and Input Lag. Added tests for Console Compatibility and macOS compatibility and made minor changes to other tests, which you can see in our Changelog.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 23.8" ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A monitor, but there's also a 27" version called the VG279Q1A, which we expect to perform very similarly. There are also other monitors with similar specifications in the TUF Gaming lineup, some of which you can see in the table below.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | HDR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VG249Q1A | 23.8" | IPS | 1080p | 165Hz | No | |
| VG247Q1A | 23.8" | VA | 1080p | 165Hz | No | |
| VG247QR1A | 23.8" | VA | 1080p | 165Hz | No | Sold at Best Buy |
| VG279Q1A | 27" | IPS | 1080p | 165Hz | No | |
| VG279AQ1A | 27" | IPS | 1440p | 170Hz | Yes | |
| VG289Q1A | 28" | IPS | 4k | 60Hz | Yes |
If you come across a different type of panel or your ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in January 2021; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A is a decent budget monitor. It's very similar to the Acer Nitro XF243Y Pbmiiprx in terms of gaming performance, but it has worse ergonomics, and it doesn't get as bright to combat glare. It's still one of the better choices in this price range, as long as you don't mind the inaccurate yellows.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best 24-25 inch monitors, the best 1080p monitors, and the best budget monitors.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A and the AOC 24G15N are both 24-inch 1080p gaming monitors. The ASUS is a better choice if you play a lot of fast-moving games, as it has much better motion handling, and fast-moving objects look more crisp. The ASUS also gets much brighter, so it's a better choice for brighter rooms. However, the AOC displays deeper blacks in a dark room and has better contrast, so you may prefer it if you game in a room without much light.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG259Qm is much better than the ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A for gaming. It has a significantly higher refresh rate of 280Hz, resulting in smoother motion and better responsiveness. However, the VG259QM has slower response times and a higher input lag at 60Hz, so it's not as ideal for 60fps console gaming. That said, it's better suited for productivity than the VG249Q1A because it has a bigger screen, much better ergonomics, and provides better visibility in well-lit settings. It supports HDR, whereas the VG249Q1A doesn't, but it doesn't add much because it can't display a wide color gamut.
The AOC 24G2 and the ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A are similar 24" 1080p gaming monitors. Despite the AOC scoring higher, the ASUS performs better gaming-wise because it has a slightly higher refresh rate of 165Hz and better response times. The ASUS' main drawback is its terrible ergonomics, making it hard to place the screen in a comfortable viewing position. The AOC's ergonomics are much better, and it also gets brighter to combat glare.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q1A and the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQL1A are great gaming monitors but with different specs. The VG249Q1A has a 24" screen with a 1080p resolution, while the VG279AQL1A has a 27" screen with a 1440p resolution. Gaming-wise, the VG249Q1A delivers a better experience because it has much better response times. On the other hand, the VG279AQL1A has significantly better ergonomics, whereas the VG249Q1A only allows for tilt adjustment. The VG279AQL1A has wider viewing angles, gets brighter, and supports HDR.
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.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
