ASUS Addresses Backlight Bleed Complaints On ROG Swift PG279Q Display, Offers Free Replacement
The ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q has a lot going for it. ASUS filled the spec sheet with desirable technologies, including the use of an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel. It's also the first monitor to boast both a 165Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-Sync support. But for all that it has going for it, there have been numerous user complaints about an apparent backlight bleed issue. Some have even accused ASUS of shipping out used panels. What does ASUS have to say about the matter?
In a lengthy blog post on the subject, ASUS reassures buyers that it uses the "industry's most stringent screening criteria" and that "only the very best monitors make the grade." As an additional layer of protection against shoddy displays slipping through, every PG279Q monitor sold in North America undergoes a visual inspection in a darkened environment before it's shipped out to a vendor, be it Amazon, Newegg, or wherever.
"Incidentally, that visual inspection is the reason why some new PG279Q monitors received by customers appear to have been opened already. We are refining the inspection process to remove any confusion, but rest assured ASUS does not allow returned or otherwise used products to be sold as new. Monitors that have been opened by customers must be sold as such," ASUS explains.
As for the backlight bleeding that some users claim to see, ASUS reckons it's probably an issue of IPS glow, adding that it's an unavoidable side effect with this type of monitor.
"IPS glow should not be confused with backlight bleed, which occurs when light spills out from the border of the display," ASUS explains. "Backlight bleed is confined to specific points on the perimeter, and it’s usually uneven. The bright spots are static and don’t shift with your view like IPS glow."
ASUS says it's not easy producing an IPS display with an ultra-high refresh rate that, at peak, is nearly three times higher than typical IPS monitors, and that it's normal for the panel to exhibit a slight glow when viewed off-center.
Be that as it may, ASUS ensures owners of the PG279Q that "we're not making excuses. We stand behind our products, and we're ultimately accountable to our customers." With that in mind, ASUS is offering to replace any PG279Q monitors that were purchased before it implemented its additional dark room screening process. This is a one-time exchange program open to customers in North America, and it applies to the following serial numbers:
In a lengthy blog post on the subject, ASUS reassures buyers that it uses the "industry's most stringent screening criteria" and that "only the very best monitors make the grade." As an additional layer of protection against shoddy displays slipping through, every PG279Q monitor sold in North America undergoes a visual inspection in a darkened environment before it's shipped out to a vendor, be it Amazon, Newegg, or wherever.
"Incidentally, that visual inspection is the reason why some new PG279Q monitors received by customers appear to have been opened already. We are refining the inspection process to remove any confusion, but rest assured ASUS does not allow returned or otherwise used products to be sold as new. Monitors that have been opened by customers must be sold as such," ASUS explains.
As for the backlight bleeding that some users claim to see, ASUS reckons it's probably an issue of IPS glow, adding that it's an unavoidable side effect with this type of monitor.
"IPS glow should not be confused with backlight bleed, which occurs when light spills out from the border of the display," ASUS explains. "Backlight bleed is confined to specific points on the perimeter, and it’s usually uneven. The bright spots are static and don’t shift with your view like IPS glow."
ASUS says it's not easy producing an IPS display with an ultra-high refresh rate that, at peak, is nearly three times higher than typical IPS monitors, and that it's normal for the panel to exhibit a slight glow when viewed off-center.
Be that as it may, ASUS ensures owners of the PG279Q that "we're not making excuses. We stand behind our products, and we're ultimately accountable to our customers." With that in mind, ASUS is offering to replace any PG279Q monitors that were purchased before it implemented its additional dark room screening process. This is a one-time exchange program open to customers in North America, and it applies to the following serial numbers:
- F9LMQS064281 to F9LMQS066024
- F9LMQS085294 to F9LMQS085313
- FALMQS088716 to FALMQS089177
