The ASUS VG279QM is a great gaming monitor. The 280Hz refresh rate delivers exceptional motion handling, with an extremely fast response time, low input lag, and an optional black frame insertion feature. Unlike most monitors on the market, the black frame insertion feature can even be used simultaneously with the variable refresh rate feature. Like most of ASUS' TUF lineup, it also has incredible ergonomics, a simple design, and great build quality. It's a good monitor for most uses, but the low-resolution screen is a bit disappointing, as it's not as good for office use or for multitasking. Unfortunately, it's not a good choice for console gamers, as it has an extremely high input lag at 60Hz and it doesn't support any of the advanced formats supported by the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
Our Verdict
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM is a good monitor. It's intended as a gaming monitor, and it shows. It has outstanding motion with little blur, low input lag at the max refresh rate, and it supports a variable refresh rate. Like most IPS monitors, it has wide viewing angles, but low contrast, so it's not as good for late-night gaming in a dark room. Finally, this monitor is also good for office use and media creation, but the low resolution is a bit disappointing.
- Image remains accurate at an angle.
- Outstanding response time at the max refresh rate.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Great peak brightness.
- Low contrast.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
Overall, the ASUS TUF VG279QM is a good office monitor. It has wide viewing angles, incredible ergonomics, and great gray uniformity. Unfortunately, the low native resolution isn't the best for multitasking, and it has only decent text clarity. It also doesn't support any multiple-input display features, like Picture-in-Picture or Picture-by-Picture.
- Image remains accurate at an angle.
- Very good accuracy out of the box.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Great peak brightness.
- Low contrast.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM is a great gaming monitor. It has outstanding motion handling, resulting in clear motion with very little blur. It also supports a variable refresh rate and is compatible with both FreeSync and G-SYNC devices. It also has outstanding low input lag when gaming at 280Hz, but, unfortunately, the 60Hz input lag is extremely high. It also has limited compatibility with the Xbox Series X and the PS5, so it's not a great choice for console gamers.
- Fast refresh rate.
- Outstanding response time at the max refresh rate.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Low contrast.
- Extremely high input lag at 60Hz.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
The ASUS TUF VG279QM is a decent monitor for multimedia. It has a great horizontal viewing angle, great for watching your favorite streamers with a group of friends. It also has great peak brightness in SDR, and it can easily overcome glare in a bright room. On the other hand, the low native resolution isn't the best for watching the latest high-definition videos.
- Image remains accurate at an angle.
- Excellent SDR color gamut.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Fantastic gradient handling.
- Low contrast.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM is a good monitor for media creation. It has incredible ergonomics, wide viewing angles, and great gray uniformity. It also has an excellent SDR color gamut and fantastic gradient handling. Unfortunately, the low-resolution screen isn't ideal for video editing, and the relatively low coverage of the Adobe RGB color space isn't good enough for professional photo editing.
- Very good accuracy out of the box.
- Excellent SDR color gamut.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Fantastic gradient handling.
- Low contrast.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
The ASUS VG279QM delivers a mediocre HDR experience. It has a low contrast ratio and no local dimming feature, so blacks appear gray and washed out in a dark room. It can't get very bright in HDR, either, so small highlights don't stand out. Finally, it can't display a wide color gamut, so overall, HDR content looks dull and muted.
- Incredible ergonomics.
- Fantastic gradient handling.
- Low contrast.
- Limited 1080p resolution.
- No local dimming.
- Can't display a wide color gamut.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 06, 2024: Fixed the BFI Input Lag result to match the input lag at the max refresh rate.
- Updated Feb 02, 2024: Corrected an error with the Input Lag measurement at the max refresh rate.
- Updated Nov 09, 2023: Clarified that the Input Lag is low at high refresh rates, but starts to increase at 85Hz and below.
- Updated Apr 18, 2023: Tested the monitor's compatibility with 1440p on the PS5, but it doesn't work.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27 inch ASUS TUF Gaming VG279QM, version VG279QM, but it's also available in a 24.5 inch model, and there are other similar ASUS Gaming monitors, some of which are listed below.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | Notes |
| VG279QM | 27" | 1080p | 280Hz | FreeSync, IPS |
| VG259QM | 24.5" | 1080p | 280HZ | FreeSync, IPS |
| VG279Q | 27" | 1080p | 144Hz | FreeSync, IPS |
| TUF VG27VQ | 27" | 1080p | 165Hz | FreeSync, VA |
| TUF VG27AQ | 27" | 1440p | 165Hz | FreeSync, IPS |
| PG279QZ | 27" | 1440p | 144Hz | G-SYNC, IPS |
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their ASUS VG279QM doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
The VG279Q we reviewed was manufactured in March 2020, and you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The ASUS TUF VG279QM is an impressive gaming monitor, delivering an outstanding gaming experience, as long as your computer can maintain a high frame rate. Unfortunately, it's not as good for office use or console gaming.
Check out our other recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best 27 inch monitors, and the best 1080p monitors.
The ASUS VG279QM is a bit better than the ASUS ROG Swift PG279QM. The VG279QM has an optional backlight strobing feature, commonly known as black frame insertion, designed to improve the appearance of motion. The VG279QM also has much better ergonomics and a faster response time at the max refresh rate. On the other hand, the PG279QM has a higher resolution screen, resulting in better text clarity and a sharper image when gaming or watching videos.
There are very few differences between the Acer Nitro XV273 Xbmiiprzx and the ASUS VG279QM. The ASUS has better ergonomics, a slightly faster response time, and a more versatile black frame insertion feature, which can even be used with a variable refresh rate. On the other hand, the Acer has a much lower input lag at 60Hz, making it a better choice for console gamers.
The ASUS VG279QM is much better than the ASUS VG279Q. The VG279QM has a much higher max refresh rate and a much faster response time, resulting in much clearer motion, with little blur behind fast-moving objects. The VG279QM supports HDR, and it supports ASUS' ELMB-SYNC feature, so you can use black frame insertion and the variable refresh rate feature at the same time.
The ASUS VG279QM is slightly better than the ASUS TUF VG27AQ for gaming. The VG279QM has a faster response time, resulting in clearer motion with less blur, especially at 60Hz. The VG279QM is a lot brighter, especially in HDR. On the other hand, the VG27AQ has a higher native resolution, making it a slightly better choice for multitasking.
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
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