ASUS Unleashes 4K Monitor, Numerous Gaming Peripherals At CES

If there's one constant at CES, it's that ASUS will announce an enormous number of products from a variety of different categories. As we can now see, this event is no different. For this post, I'll be taking a look at the peripherals and monitors that ASUS wants you to know about. So, let's take a deep breath, and RoG this house.

First up is the Republic of Gamers Swift PG27AQ 4K monitor, which looks like a spitting image of the Swift PG278Q 1440p monitor (something that really stands out to me as that's the display I'm looking into right now), and that's a great thing. Like the original Swift, the PG27AQ supports NVIDIA's G-SYNC, which is a technology I'm willing to put my weight behind (and believe me, there's a lot of it).

ASUS RoG Swift PG27AQ Monitor

In addition to its gargantuan 4K (3840x2160) resolution, this monitor boasts a brightness of 300cd/m2, a contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a robust on-screen HUD. If you're familiar with the first Swift, the PG27AQ looks to be identical outside of the higher resolution.

ASUS MG279Q Monitor

For those who don't need to go so high-end with their monitor, ASUS has another IPS solution, called the MG279Q. This 27-inch display comes equipped with a 1440p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. In some ways, that could be considered a perk over the PG27AQ, although the lack of G-SYNC could still be obvious. In exchange for 4K and G-SYNC, though, you gain additional video ports (2x HDMI, 1x mini-DisplayPort, 1x DisplayPort, and 1x MHL). The display also includes a dual USB 3.0 hub.

Up next is a product that might catch you by surprise: NVIDIA SLI bridges. If you've been paying attention to the PC enthusiast universe in the past year, you might have noticed special SLI Bridges that NVIDIA's featured on some of its internal PCs (and then went on to sell itself), as well as EVGA which came out with its own over a year ago. Well, now it's ASUS' turn, and I'll let the photo speak for itself:

ASUS RoG SLI Bridge

On the gaming peripherals side, ASUS has announced three brand-new gaming mice, as well as a gaming keyboard and even a mousepad - yes, a mousepad.

The wireless RoG Spatha is ASUS' solution for MMO gamers. It features six customizable macro buttons, a charging dock, and one pretty incredible aesthetic design.

ASUS RoG Spatha MMO Gaming Mouse

For the first-person crowd there's the Strix Claw, a mouse that focuses a lot on comfort, precision, and giving you the competitive advantage you may demand. It makes use of Omron switches, and a 5,000 DPI optical sensor.

ASUS Strix FPS Gaming Mouse

Wrapping-up the mouse front is the RoG Sica (where on earth does ASUS pull these names from?), an offering that targets the MOBA crowd. Generally, MOBA-specific mice tend to look quite simple, and the Sica is no exception. It packs a 5,000 DPI sensor and what ASUS calls a "Mayan pattern design". Other features are not mentioned, since this mouse is supposed to keep things simple, but it is noteworthy because it features an ambidextrous design.

ASUS RoG Sica Gaming Mouse

Pairing up nicely with the Strix gaming mouse is the Strix gaming keyboard, a black mechanical offering with gold-ish color highlights. Overall, it looks great, but looks are not all that matter here. This keyboard features 13 dedicated macro keys, but if that isn't enough, you'll be able to reassign the F1 - F8 keys to boost the number to 21. Since macros are a big feature here, ASUS gives you the ability to create them on-the-fly - a nice touch.

ASUS Strix Gaming Keyboard

You might notice a couple of buttons situated beneath the spacebar, and at the moment, I can't say for certain what they are (the press release doesn't talk about them). At this point, I'd wager that they're probably related to the macro recording feature. Personally, I'd never want to use a keyboard that had buttons located in this area, but your opinion may differ.

Interestingly, ASUS had more to say about its Whetstone mousepad than it did the Strix keyboard. Designed in major part with the pro-gaming team Taipei Assassins, the RoG Whetstone is a hybrid silicone-fabric mousepad that of course, aims to deliver the ultimate in precision. Once again, Mayan-inspired design can be seen here, and if you're traveling, you'll be able to roll it up. I can't say I often get excited about mousepads, but this one does pique my interest.

ASUS RoG Whetstone Mousepad

Last, but not least, is the Strix 7.1 True Gaming Headset. ASUS calls this a "top-of-the-line" headset, so I'm willing to bet that the price tag will match. It's USB-based, is padded with protein leather foam and is designed to be able to be worn for hours without discomfort. As you can see in the shot below, an audio station is included that implements a headphone amplifier and noise-cancellation for the microphone. You can also use this hub to switch profiles, in case you want to use different ones depending on what you're engaged in.

ASUS Strix 7.1 Gaming Headset

We just covered many ASUS products here, but as I alluded to in the intro, this is far from everything that the company will be unveiling during CES. Stay tuned as we'll be covering ASUS' other key products shortly.