ASUS MG279Q 144Hz IPS FreeSync Monitor Review
Introducing The ASUS MG279Q
When we took a look at the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q G-SYNC monitor last year, we praised it for its sleek design, thin bezels, support of NVIDIA’s adaptive refresh rate technology, and high-quality TN panel—relatively speaking. TN (Twisted Nematic) panels generally have fast response times and can be more affordable, but at the expense of color accuracy and viewing angles. The TN panel used in the ROG SWIFT was surprisingly good, but it still couldn’t compete with higher-end IPS panels in terms of overall quality. And because the display was designed for G-SYNC, it was outfitted with only a single DisplayPort input. So, while we really liked the ROG SWIFT PG278Q, it wasn’t without its drawbacks.
If you had asked us back then what we’d like to see upgraded in a display like the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q, we would have said a fast IPS panel and additional inputs would have been ideal. But, IPS panels with ultra-high refresh rates were virtually non-existent last year. That’s not the case today, however. The ASUS MG279Q we’re going to show you here has an IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, a bunch of inputs, and many of the same styling cues we liked on last year’s ROG SWIFT. Take a look...
If you had asked us back then what we’d like to see upgraded in a display like the ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q, we would have said a fast IPS panel and additional inputs would have been ideal. But, IPS panels with ultra-high refresh rates were virtually non-existent last year. That’s not the case today, however. The ASUS MG279Q we’re going to show you here has an IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, a bunch of inputs, and many of the same styling cues we liked on last year’s ROG SWIFT. Take a look...
 |
|
| Display | Panel Size: Wide Screen 27.0"(68.47cm) 16:9 Color Saturation : 100%(sRGB) Panel Backlight / Type : In-Plane Switching True Resolution : 2560x1440 *1 Display Surface Non-glare Pixel Pitch : 0.233mm Brightness(Max) : 350 cd/m2 Contrast Ratio (Max) : 1000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) : 100000000:1 Viewing Angle (CR>=10) : 178°(H)/178°(V) Response Time : 4ms (Gray to Gray) Display Colors : 16.7M Flicker free |
| Video Features | Trace Free Technology : Yes Skin-Tone Selection : 3 Modes Color Temperature Selection : 4 Modes GamePlus(modes) : Yes (Crosshair/Timer) Low Blue Light : Yes HDCP support : Yes VividPixel : Yes GameVisual :6 Modes(Scenery/Racing/Cinema/RTS/RPG/FPS/sRGB Modes) FreeSync technology supported |
| Audio Features | Stereo Speakers : 2W x 2 Stereo RMS |
| Hotkeys | Input Selection GamePlus 5-way OSD Navigation Joystick GameVisual |
| I/O Ports | Signal Input : HDMI/MHLx 2, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, DisplayPort 1.2 USB Port(s) : 3.0x2 |
| Signal Frequency | Digital Signal Frequency : 51.2~221.97KHz(H) / 35~144Hz |
| Power | Power Consumption < 38.7W (based on ES 6.0) Power Saving Mode <0.5W Power Off Mode <0.5W |
| Mechanical Design | Chassis Colors : Black Tilt : +20°~-5° Swivel : Yes Pivot : Yes Height Adjustment : Yes VESA Wall Mounting : 100x100mm Super Narrow Bezel Design : Yes Quick Release Stand Design : Yes |
| Security | Kensington lock |
| Dimensions | Kensington lockPhys. Dimension with Stand(WxHxD) : 625 x 559 x 238 mm Phys. Dimension without Stand (WxHxD) : 625 x 368 x 63 mm Box Dimension(WxHxD) : 753 x 452 x 224 mm |
| Weight | Net Weight (Esti.) : 7.3 kg Gross Weight (Esti.) : 10.5kg |
| Accessories | Mini-DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cable Power cord Quick start guide Support CD Warranty Card |
| Approval | Energy Star, BSMI, CB, CCC, CE, C-Tick, ErP, FCC, J-MOSS, PSE, RoHS, UL/cUL, VCCI, WEEE, WHQL (Windows 8.1, Windows 7), TUV Flicker-free , TUV Low Blue Light, CU(EAC) |
| Note |
FreeSync technology supported (35Hz-90Hz) *1 - 2560 x 1440 at 144Hz (DisplayPort), 1920 x 1080 at 120Hz (HDMI) |
That’s an extensive list of specifications, but we’ll call out some of the more noteworthy items. First is the ASUS MG279Q’s size and resolution. This monitor is packing a 27” panel with a native resolution of 2560x1440, which equates to a pixel density of about 109ppi. We’re not dealing with the same kind of ultra-high pixel densities as seen in similarly sized 4K panels, but 1.8 megapixels on a 27” screen is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, with all of the funky graphical issues associated with pixel scaling in Windows on high-DPI displays, an argument could be made that more mainstream, but still high resolutions like 1440p, are still the way to go.
Brightness on the ASUS ROG Swift PG278Q is rated for up to 350 cd/m², it has an actual 1000:1 contrast ratio, and it can display up to 100% of the sRGB color space. Other features include support for Adaptive-Sync / FreeSync (35 - 90Hz), HDCP, color temperature selection, and everything else you’d expect from a high-end display targeted at gamers.
