Our Verdict
The Asus VG248QE is a decent monitor overall. It does particularly well with gaming usages due to the excellent motion handling, and its good brightness means it won't look dim even in well-lit rooms. Unfortunately, its mediocre picture quality and very narrow viewing angles make it a bit less versatile.
- Excellent motion
- 144 Hz refresh rate is great for gaming
- Very restrictive viewing angle
- Mediocre picture quality
Average monitor for a productivity-oriented usage. The stand provides many adjustments, making it easy to set up on almost any desk. However, its limited size and resolution reduce the virtual working space available, and its narrow viewing angle makes rotating the monitor to share with co-workers a requirement.
The Asus VG248QE is a great LED monitor for gaming. Its high refresh rate, backlight flicker feature and low input lag make for a very responsive and immersive experience. It lacks modern features like G-Sync, but most gamers will still be pleased by the excellent motion this monitor produces. Unfortunately, the picture quality is only mediocre and even the sides of the monitor look washed out when viewed from up close.
Ordinary monitor for a multimedia usage. The Asus VG248QE's low contrast means that movies and videos won't look particularly good, and the lack of a 4k resolution and HDR related features further reduces its flexibility. The picture quality is mediocre and the low native contrast ratio results in a washed out image in a dark room.
Average monitor for creating a variety of media. The Asus VG248QE comes decently color accurate out of the box, but it cannot reproduce wider color gamuts often used in modern media. Its narrow viewing angle also causes some issues as even slight head movements can cause a shift in the picture that is undesirable for more critical work. The low contrast ratio results in a washed out image in a dark room and the image loses accuracy when viewed from an angle or from up close.
The monitor does not support HDR. Unfortunately, this is reserved only for much more expensive gaming monitors such as the Samsung CHG70.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 23, 2020: Discovered flicker changes according to refresh rate.
- Updated Jul 24, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Oct 23, 2018: We have corrected a mistake in the vertical viewing angle score.
- Updated Nov 10, 2017: Review published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 24" (VG248QE) which is the only size of this monitor available. There are other variants within the Asus gaming range which differ in design, size, and refresh rate. Only the VG248QE supports lightboost (BFI).
| Model | Size | Refresh rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VG248QE | 24" | 144Hz | Lightboost support |
| VG245H | 24" | 75Hz | FreeSync support |
| VG278Q | 27" | 144Hz | FreeSync support |
| VG275Q | 25" | 75Hz | FreeSync support |
Popular Monitor Comparisons
While the ASUS VG248QE is great for gaming due to the high refresh rate and little motion blur, there are newer monitors which may be a better pick depending on your usage. See our recommendations for the best gaming monitors under $200, the best 144Hz monitors, and the best monitors under $200. See also our recommendations for the best mice and the best keyboards.
The ASUS VG248QE is much better than the MSI Optix G27C, despite the smaller size, unless dark room viewing is important to you. The Asus VG248QE has much better ergonomics, making it easier to place it in the ideal position. The ASUS has a TN panel, which has a nearly instantaneous response time, so motion is clear with no blur trail. The Optix G27C has a VA panel, which has much better dark room performance thanks to the better contrast ratio.
The BenQ ZOWIE XL2540 is better than the ASUS VG248QE. The XL2540 has a faster refresh rate, great for gaming, although not all computers will be able to benefit fully from this. The BenQ also supports FreeSync VRR. The Zowie also has a slightly better stand with a wider range of motion for adjustments.
The ASUS VG248QE is better than the Acer G257HU Smidpx. The VG248QE has a higher refresh rate that delivers a nearly instantaneous response time, and the backlight can introduce flicker to further reduce motion blur. The VG248QE has lower input lag, great for gaming. The Acer G257HU has a higher native resolution, but at this size, this doesn't have a significant impact on the overall quality.
The ASUS PB277Q is a bit better than the ASUS VG248QE. The PB277Q is a larger-sized monitor with a higher native resolution, so you can get more done at the same time or better enjoy your games with the larger screen. The PB277Q has a better vertical viewing angle, which is good if you are planning on wall mounting it above eye level. The ASUS VG248QE has a much higher native refresh rate, so motion in games looks smoother if your PC can run it.
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 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
