It doesn’t matter how great your new PC’s hardware is if you don’t have a decent monitor to show it all off. Even with the best graphics card and processor that money can buy, if you’re using an old monitor, your games are going to look no better than those released on the NES.

Since 2014, the ASUS ROG Swift P278Q served as one of the best gaming monitors available, although it wasn’t without two major problems: restrictive viewing angles and mediocre gamma. With the newer ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q 27-inch monitor, ASUS has gone back to the drawing board to deliver a worthy upgrade, keeping all the benefits of its previous top-rated monitor while eliminating the few problems it had.

Appearance and Function

The first thing you’ll notice when you take the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q out of the box is how similar it looks to the previous model. However, look a little closer and you’ll see that ASUS gives gamers more pixels per dollar by eliminating the wide frame seen on most monitors

With its new frameless design, ASUS puts an emphasis on screen space rather than an unsightly plastic border. With the back panel measuring only 3mm, this monitor can easily fit onto even the most crowded PC desks with ease. The monitor and stand both use a matte black color scheme, meaning that even in broad daylight you won’t need to worry about the light reflecting off your monitor and back into your eyes.

Rather than use the standard circular stand seen on most monitors, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q uses a square stand that provides it with a greater degree of stability. Like most monitors, you can adjust the height, swivel and rotation of the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q to suit your particular needs. While the monitor itself is thin, gamers should take into consideration that its base is quite large — almost three times the size of the monitor itself. If you’d rather not use the stand at all, you can attach the monitor directly to a wall.

One visual effect that gamers are sure to love is the ring of light at the bottom of the base that indicates the status of the monitor at a glance. For example, a pulsating red light means your monitor is in standby mode while a constant red light means your monitor is actively on. If the light ends up being a hindrance, you can disable it through the monitor’s built-in menu.

Lastly, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is a durable monitor, made using only high-quality plastic. While this monitor won’t likely survive a drop from a two-story apartment window, it’s more than capable of handling the occasional bumps and small drops that occur during daily usage.

Connectivity

Like most gaming monitors, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q comes with multiple inputs that make it an excellent choice for both PC and console gaming alike. The monitor includes one DisplayPort 1.2a input so it can connect it to a PC, one HDMI port to connect it to a modern gaming console, a headphone port and two USB 3.0 ports.

No matter what you plug into the monitor, you’ll notice it remains cool to the touch even after hours of use and doesn’t emit any noises, such as humming or buzzing sounds. Whether you’re a hardcore console gamer who wants to spend hours playing Halo 5 or a casual PC gamer just looking to play a few rounds of Hearthstone, this monitor is ready for gaming right out of the box with only one exception.

Speakers

Like most monitors, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q has a pair of 2W speakers built directly into it; unfortunately, like most monitors these speakers are not ideal for gaming in any way, shape or form. The output from these speakers lacks any depth, making explosions sound like pop rocks and gunfire sound like someone shaking a box of cereal. Even the cheapest pair of USB speakers are better than using this monitor’s built-in speakers for your games, so make sure to pick up a pair when you purchase the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q.

OSD Menu

The OSD menu is where the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q starts to separate itself from the pack, with built-in menu options tailored specifically for gamers. While most gaming monitors force users to navigate menus using nothing but buttons, the PG279Q features a built-in joystick that makes menu manipulation as easy as controlling a video game. In fact, you can quickly adjust any setting in under 10 seconds using the built-in joystick!

While this monitor features standard options you’ll see on most monitors, such as settings for tweaking contrast and brightness, it also includes the following options that gamers will love:

• An option to add a crosshair overlay to any game
• A built-in FPS counter
• A timer to keep track of how long you’ve been playing a particular game
• The ability to change your aspect ratio
• The ability to cycle between refresh rates
• Six preset visual display modes tailored to game genres, such as RPGs or shooters

Viewing Angle

As mentioned previously in the intro, the ASUS ROG Swift PG278Q’s biggest problem was its viewing angles: If you weren’t sitting and looking directly at the PG278Q, you were likely looking at a washed-out picture.

The PG279Q uses IPS panel technology that makes this monitor viewable from nearly any angle, with only a slight decrease in brightness and color when viewing this monitor from the side. In addition, this monitor also features an anti-glare coating and proprietary technology that reduce the amount of blue light it outputs, both of which can lead to a decreased amount of headaches and fatigue.

Color and Resolution

Simply put, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q gaming monitor puts out one beautiful picture. From dark blacks to bright whites and all the colors in between, your video games have never looked this good. The 1440p resolution means you can see every grain of sand on a beach or the pores on your virtual character’s face while the G-Sync module provided by NVIDIA means you’ll be subject to fewer instances of screen tearing than with other monitors. This monitor’s color palette is so vibrant that it’s also an excellent choice for watching movies and television shows on. ASUS prides itself on its commitment to lifelike color with this monitor, and it shows on the end result, especially on realistic video games and movies.

Lag

The ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q monitor features a maximum 165 Hz refresh rate, a 4ms response time and a 3.25ms input lag time; in laymen’s terms, this monitor is an ideal fit for both casual and professional gamers alike. You’ll notice no ghosting or blurring, even when playing fast-paced games such as Overwatch or Doom. While there are some moments of flickering when there is a lot of action on the screen at one time, these moments are rare, and you’ll only notice the flickering if you’re actively looking for it.

Price

If this monitor has one major downside, it’s the price. At a cost of around $700 to $800, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is an expensive purchase. While the price is fair due to its many features, many gamers will likely find the price of the monitor a bit offputting: this monitor costs more than your average gaming console!

Conclusion

If you can afford its high price, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is one of the best monitors on the market today. Boasting an amazing color palette, no ghosting or input lag, a wealth of built-in options and sturdy construction, it’s no surprise that professional gamers across the globe recommend this monitor. While casual gamers will likely want to look at a cheaper monitor, if you’re the type of player who spends your entire weekend nestled deep into the hottest new game on the market, then the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is the perfect monitor for you.