NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 and The Asus VG278H LCD Review

The Asus VG278H monitor is a non-nonsense display that’s unmistakably geared for gamers. The fact that the VG278H will ship with a pair of 3D Vision 2 glasses is the obvious first hint that the display is 3D capable and supports NVIDIA’s 3D Vision technology, but there are other cues throughout that hint at this monitor’s gaming prowess as well.

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For a 27” LCD, the Asus VG278H sports a relatively thin bezel; it’s not tiny by any means, but there is only about .75” of bezel that wraps the top and sides of the screen and about 1” along the bottom edge. Centered along the top, there is an angular protrusion that extends upwards about another .5” that houses the built-in IR emitter. Said protrusion is adjustable so users can set the perfect angle for a good line-of-sight shot at the 3D Vision 2 glasses and it features a small, silkscreened tagline that reads, “Ready for 3D games and videos”.

 
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The Asus VG278H features height and swivel adjustment, a built-in cable guide, and a heavy round-base that is emblazoned with a “3D” logo. The entire enclosure, with the exception of a small area on the IR emitter is a flat black and the screen has an excellent anti-glare, matte finish. The overall look of the screen is somewhat subdued and really nice, in our opinion.

Others features and specifications of the Asus VG278H include:

• Display size: 27″, 16:9 Widescreen, LED backlight
• Panel Technology: TN (Twisted Nematic)
• Resolution: 1920×1080 @ 120Hz
• Contrast ratio: 1000:1 / 50,000,000:1 (Dynamic)
• Brightness: 400 cd/m2
• Response Time: 2ms (gray-to-gray)
• Internal speakers: 3W x2 Stereo
• Connections: HDMI, DVI-D (Dual-Link), D-Sub, HDMI 1.4, Earphone Jack

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In terms of its specifications, there isn’t much that jumps out as extraordinary. The Asus VG278H has a 27” panel with a native resolution of 1920x1080 and a120Hz refresh rate. Brightness is rated for 400 cd/m2, which is above average, and its grey-to-grey response time is a snappy 2ms. Inputs include HDMI 1.4, DVI-D (Dual-Link), D-Sub, 3.5mm audio in and an earphone jack. We should also point out that the monitor has built in speakers and can play audio from both the analog and HDMI inputs. That means users can connect a device like a Blu-Ray player or console, and have audio. And surprisingly, the speakers aren't half bad. Highs and midranges are crisp and clear, but bass levels leave something to be desired. What the specs don’t convey is the uniformity of the backlighting, but we’ll talk more about that a little later.

At the lower, right corner, along the bottom edge of the Asus VG278H is an array of controls, which thankfully use actual buttons. The buttons are clearly labeled with small icons printed on the edge of the front bezel and offer unmistakable tactility. The buttons are big enough, and have enough travel that they can’t be missed which is a nice surprise in this day and age of tiny or touch-sensitive buttons.

Hitting one of the controls brings up an easy to navigate on-screen display that give’s users access to a plethora of options. All of the typical controls for brightness, contrast, color temperatures, etc. are present, along with some options to alter the IR mode and Lightboost settings. There are three IR modes that control the power of the IR signal to minimize interference to nearby devices. The intensity of Lightboost can also be altered, or toggled on or off as well.