The Asus ROG Swift PG279Q is, on paper, the ideal 27-inch gaming monitor. It has an IPS panel, so overall image quality should be superb, plus it can refresh at up to 165Hz and includes G-Sync technology too.

Excellent image quality; IPS quality and fast refresh rate in one; Good build quality; Superb gaming experience

Expensive; Limited connectivity; Quality control issues

Very nice

There’s a lot of things gaming monitors need to nail to be worth the money. The Republic of Gamers Swift PG279Q does nearly that with it’s 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 display, boasting a very low four millisecond gray-to-gray response time, but more importantly, G-Sync compatibility and a maximum refresh rate of 165Hz. That’s the highest we’ve seen yet, and a good 21Hz “better” than the previous maximum of 144Hz. But is the 21Hz jump noticeably better? That’s a key question that must be answered. The PG279Q’s retail price is $800 – extremely steep for a 1440p display, and about $130 more than Asus’ early 144Hz gaming display. In other words, you’re paying about six bucks per extra frame of refresh per second. Let’s see if that’s a good deal. Most monitors are boring to look at, with chunky gray or black bezels attached to drab silver stands. But the Asus’ PG279Q is not most monitors. It combines bezels just a quarter-inch thick with a large, triangular stand neck, and red LED-backlit accent...

Attractive design; Highly adjustable stand; Intuitive controls; Spot-on color accuracy; Insane 165Hz refresh rate;

Limited input options; Gamma is too dark; Expensive for 1440p resolution;

Excellent image quality; IPS quality and fast refresh rate in one; Good build quality; Superb gaming experience;

Expensive; Limited connectivity; Quality control issues;

Out of the box, the ASUS PG279Q does not support 165Hz refresh rates, despite what the label on the packaging might indicate. Instead, buyers will have to go into the OSD and enable overclocking, then, using an adjustable slider in 5Hz increments, select the highest refresh rate they want available.

Asus has been attempting to create the ultimate gaming monitor for a while now. The ingredients are simple enough: gamers need a decent-sized screen equipped with a relatively high resolution.

Excellent for gaming; G-Sync technology works very well; Huge refresh rate spectrum; Looks the business; Excellent adjustments

The price

A full in depth and detailed look at the new IPS ROG Swift from Asus. Combining all the features and design we loved from the PG278Q, now with a high refresh rate IPS panel. Comparisons throughout with the PG278Q.

Excellent gaming performance - G-sync; ULMB; fast response times; high refresh rate; no lag; Good default setup; All round performance from IPS panel surpasses TN Film gaming screens

Glow on dark content is remaining issue of IPS panels; Overclocking refresh rate not much more than a gimmick; Still limited in connectivity and scaler support compared with FreeSync models

The ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q G-Sync monitor is an amazing gaming monitor that elevates your gaming experience to the next level. No doubt it will be pricey no thanks to the G-Sync module built-in, but if you're looking to maximise your gaming experience, this is one monitor you can't go wrong with.

Amazing visuals; Features

None

Gaming monitors have always been a hot topic, because what good is the latest high-end graphics card, if the display you're using can't take full advantage of what's on offer. While a few years ago gaming monitors found themselves separated exclusively by reaction time, the times have changed as...

Very good image quality; Very fluid display with 165 Hz; Bright; high contrast image; Chic and high-quality housing; Good ergonomics features

No brightness and presence sensor; No lateral USB port; Expensive

The ergonomics of the ROG Swift PG279Q like its adjustable height, tilt, swivel, and pivot are among the advantageous features for gamers which most mainstream monitors couldn't offer and it's really good to know that ASUS is actually paying attention to it.