ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ Review 27-Inch 2K HDR 165Hz Gaming Monitor
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is a 27-inch gaming monitor that aims to strike a balance between performance and affordability. This monitor boasts a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution, a rapid 165Hz refresh rate (supports 144Hz), and a swift 1ms response time. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ also incorporates Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technology, built-in speakers, G-SYNC compatibility, VESA mount support, and a variety of connectivity options including DisplayPort and HDMI. Currently available for $209 after a 25% discount, this monitor presents an attractive proposition for gamers seeking a high-quality visual experience without breaking the bank. In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the various aspects of the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ, examining its design, features, performance, and overall value to help you make an informed decision. This monitor is designed to immerse you in the gaming world with its stunning visuals and smooth performance. From the moment you unbox it, the build quality and thoughtful design elements are immediately apparent. The robust stand provides excellent stability, while the sleek, minimalist aesthetic seamlessly blends into any gaming setup. The inclusion of G-SYNC compatibility ensures tear-free gaming, further enhancing the visual experience. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ isn't just about gaming; its high resolution and color accuracy make it a versatile display for content creation, watching movies, and everyday productivity tasks. The wide color gamut and HDR support bring images to life, making everything from your favorite games to your cherished photos appear more vibrant and detailed. Whether you're a competitive gamer, a creative professional, or simply someone who appreciates high-quality visuals, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is designed to impress. It's a monitor that understands the diverse needs of its users, offering a blend of performance and features that cater to a wide range of applications. In the following sections, we'll explore each aspect of this monitor in detail, from its technical specifications to its real-world performance, ensuring you have all the information you need to decide if the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is the right choice for you.
Design and Build Quality
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ features a modern and functional design that prioritizes both aesthetics and ergonomics. The monitor sports a matte black finish with sharp lines and a slim bezel design, which helps to minimize distractions and create a more immersive viewing experience. The stand is sturdy and provides excellent stability, preventing wobbling even during intense gaming sessions. The stand also offers a full range of ergonomic adjustments, including tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustment, allowing you to find the most comfortable viewing position for extended use. The build quality of the VG27AQ is impressive, with a robust construction that feels durable and long-lasting. The materials used are of high quality, and the monitor exudes a premium feel that belies its relatively affordable price point. The back of the monitor features a textured finish and subtle ASUS TUF Gaming branding, adding a touch of style without being overly flashy. The inclusion of a VESA mount allows you to easily mount the monitor on a wall or monitor arm, providing even greater flexibility in your setup. The slim bezels not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also make the VG27AQ an excellent choice for multi-monitor setups. When placed side-by-side, the minimal bezel gap creates a seamless and immersive viewing experience. The ergonomic adjustments are a significant advantage, especially for users who spend long hours in front of the screen. The ability to tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height of the monitor ensures that you can maintain a comfortable posture, reducing the risk of neck and back strain. The attention to detail in the design and build quality of the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is evident, making it a standout choice in its class. It’s a monitor that not only looks good but is also built to withstand the rigors of daily use, ensuring it remains a reliable part of your gaming or workstation setup for years to come. From the sturdy base to the slim bezels, every aspect of the design has been carefully considered to provide a premium user experience.
Features and Specifications
Stepping into the technical realm, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ boasts a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution, which provides a significant step up in detail and clarity compared to standard 1080p displays. The 27-inch screen size offers a sweet spot for gaming and productivity, providing ample screen real estate without being overly large. The rapid 165Hz refresh rate (supports 144Hz) ensures incredibly smooth and fluid motion, which is crucial for competitive gaming. The 1ms response time further minimizes ghosting and blurring, resulting in crisp and clear visuals even in fast-paced action sequences. One of the standout features of the VG27AQ is its Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technology, which further reduces motion blur and enhances clarity, especially during high-speed scenes. This technology works by strobing the backlight, effectively shortening the amount of time each pixel is visible and thus reducing motion blur. The monitor is also G-SYNC Compatible, meaning it can synchronize its refresh rate with your NVIDIA graphics card to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering, providing a seamless and immersive gaming experience. In terms of connectivity, the VG27AQ offers a comprehensive selection of ports, including DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices. The inclusion of built-in speakers is a convenient addition, although they are best suited for casual use rather than immersive gaming or media consumption. The monitor also supports VESA mounting, allowing you to easily mount it on a wall or monitor arm for greater flexibility in your setup. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), which enhances the contrast and color range, resulting in more vibrant and lifelike images. The combination of high resolution, fast refresh rate, low response time, and G-SYNC compatibility makes the VG27AQ an excellent choice for gamers who demand the best possible performance. The inclusion of features like ELMB and HDR further enhances the visual experience, making games and other content look more stunning and immersive. The comprehensive connectivity options and ergonomic adjustments ensure that the VG27AQ is not only a high-performing gaming monitor but also a versatile display for a wide range of applications.
Gaming Performance
The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ truly shines when it comes to gaming performance. The combination of a QHD resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time delivers an exceptionally smooth and responsive gaming experience. In fast-paced games like first-person shooters and racing simulations, the high refresh rate and low response time minimize motion blur and ghosting, allowing you to react quickly and accurately. The G-SYNC compatibility ensures that the monitor's refresh rate is synchronized with your NVIDIA graphics card, eliminating screen tearing and stuttering, which can be particularly distracting in competitive gaming scenarios. This synchronization results in a buttery-smooth gaming experience, free from visual artifacts that can hinder performance. The Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technology further enhances clarity during fast-paced action, making it easier to track moving objects and stay focused on the game. While ELMB can slightly reduce brightness, the improvement in clarity is often worth the trade-off, especially in competitive games where every millisecond counts. The HDR support also contributes to the immersive gaming experience, providing a wider color range and higher contrast, which makes games look more vibrant and lifelike. The increased dynamic range allows for deeper blacks and brighter whites, revealing more detail in both dark and bright scenes. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is well-suited for a variety of game genres, from fast-paced action games to visually stunning open-world adventures. The high resolution and color accuracy make games look incredibly detailed and immersive, while the fast refresh rate and low response time ensure smooth and responsive gameplay. Whether you're a competitive gamer looking for an edge or a casual gamer who appreciates high-quality visuals, the VG27AQ delivers an exceptional gaming experience. The monitor's ability to handle fast motion, eliminate screen tearing, and provide vibrant colors makes it a top choice for gamers who demand the best possible performance. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ truly elevates the gaming experience, making it more enjoyable and immersive than ever before.
Image Quality and Color Accuracy
Beyond its gaming prowess, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ also impresses with its image quality and color accuracy. The QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution provides a significant boost in detail and clarity compared to 1080p displays, making images and text look sharper and more defined. The monitor's IPS panel technology ensures wide viewing angles, meaning that the image quality remains consistent even when viewed from off-center angles. This is particularly beneficial for multi-monitor setups or when sharing the screen with others. The VG27AQ boasts excellent color accuracy, covering a wide color gamut that exceeds the sRGB color space. This means that the monitor can display a broader range of colors, resulting in more vibrant and lifelike images. The accurate color reproduction makes the VG27AQ suitable not only for gaming but also for content creation tasks such as photo and video editing. The monitor's HDR support further enhances image quality by providing a higher contrast ratio and a wider dynamic range. HDR content looks more immersive and realistic, with deeper blacks, brighter whites, and more nuanced shades of color. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ also features a variety of picture modes that allow you to optimize the display settings for different types of content. These modes include presets for gaming, movies, and standard use, as well as customizable user modes that allow you to fine-tune the settings to your preferences. The monitor's blue light filter helps to reduce eye strain during extended use, making it more comfortable to work or game for long periods. The flicker-free technology further contributes to eye comfort by eliminating screen flicker, which can cause fatigue and headaches. Overall, the image quality and color accuracy of the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ are excellent, making it a versatile display for a wide range of applications. Whether you're gaming, watching movies, or working on creative projects, the VG27AQ delivers stunning visuals with accurate colors and sharp details. The combination of high resolution, wide viewing angles, and HDR support makes it a top choice for users who demand the best possible image quality.
Price and Value
Currently priced at $209 after a 25% discount, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ presents an exceptional value proposition for gamers and content creators alike. At this price point, the VG27AQ offers a compelling combination of features and performance that is difficult to match. The QHD resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and G-SYNC compatibility make it a top-performing gaming monitor, while the excellent image quality and color accuracy make it suitable for a wide range of applications. Compared to other monitors in its class, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ offers a competitive price without compromising on quality or features. Many similar monitors with comparable specifications can cost significantly more, making the VG27AQ an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers. The inclusion of features like Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) and HDR further enhances the value of the VG27AQ, providing a more immersive and enjoyable viewing experience. The monitor's robust build quality and ergonomic design also contribute to its overall value, ensuring that it will last for years to come. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is not only a great value in terms of its initial price but also in terms of its long-term usability. The versatile feature set and excellent performance make it a monitor that you can use for gaming, productivity, and entertainment without feeling the need to upgrade anytime soon. The comprehensive connectivity options and VESA mount support add to the monitor's flexibility, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly into your existing setup. Overall, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ offers an outstanding balance of price and performance, making it one of the best value gaming monitors on the market. Whether you're a hardcore gamer, a content creator, or simply someone who appreciates high-quality visuals, the VG27AQ is a smart investment that will enhance your computing experience. The monitor's combination of features, performance, and affordability makes it a clear winner in its class.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is a highly impressive 27-inch gaming monitor that delivers exceptional performance and value. With its QHD resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and G-SYNC compatibility, the VG27AQ provides a smooth, responsive, and immersive gaming experience. The inclusion of features like Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) and HDR further enhances the visual quality, making games and other content look stunning. The monitor's excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles make it suitable not only for gaming but also for content creation and general use. The ergonomic design and robust build quality ensure that the VG27AQ is comfortable to use for extended periods and will withstand the rigors of daily use. Currently priced at $209 after a 25% discount, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ offers an outstanding value proposition, making it one of the best gaming monitors in its class. Whether you're a competitive gamer, a creative professional, or simply someone who appreciates high-quality visuals, the VG27AQ is a smart investment that will enhance your computing experience. The monitor's combination of features, performance, and affordability makes it a clear winner in its class, earning our wholehearted recommendation. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ is a testament to ASUS's commitment to providing high-quality gaming products at competitive prices. It's a monitor that not only meets the needs of gamers but also exceeds expectations, delivering a level of performance and value that is hard to find elsewhere. If you're in the market for a new gaming monitor, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ should be at the top of your list.
