Last week Asus ROG invited me to Silverstone Circuit to test their new ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ and PG42UQ OLED gaming monitors. After spending some time playing games on screens in a typical board game setting and a really cool Vesaro racing sim setup, I’m excited to see these hit the market and fall into the hands of gamers.
The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG48UQ and PG42UQ seem to be worthy contenders for best gaming monitor, but I need them reviewed before I can say for sure. What I do know for certain, however, is that both screens will provide a better gaming experience than their LCD and Smart TV counterparts.
As you’d expect from an OLED panel, these two displays boast all the benefits you’d expect from this technology, including pixel-by-pixel dimming for blazingly high contrast ratios and blazing-fast 0.1ms response times. However, Asus ROG has taken the PG48UQ and PG42UQ even further, breaking the 120Hz refresh rate limit commonly found on other OLEDs to a new overclocking maximum of 138Hz.
This is made possible by the included DisplayPort 1.4 port, which is complemented by a set of two HDMI 2.1 inputs and two other HDMI 2.0 inputs. So you can best experience the PG48UQ and PG42UQ at 4K resolution and 138Hz refresh rate when connected to a gaming PC, but they’re also capable of taking full advantage of any console. AMD FreeSync Premium and G-Sync Compatible certifications are also coming, so you can enjoy gaming without tearing or stuttering.
As someone switching between a 55-inch LG CX OLED TV and a 27-inch LCD gaming monitor, the 42-inch PG42UQ appeals to me more. While I find the large PG48UQ to be a great replacement for a TV, I think it’s too big to sit comfortably next to a gaming table, which is why I prefer it. I couldn’t break any test gear during my time with them, but Halo: Infinite and Project Cars 2 felt and looked fantastic on those screens.
Something I prefer to look at when working with the PG48UQ and PG42UQ is their HDR performance. Asus claims that both monitors are capable of a maximum brightness of 800 nits thanks to a dedicated passive heatsink. This, combined with the inky black color of its OLED panels, should result in an incredibly dynamic and vibrant image in the dark. This doesn’t apply to all settings set to flashy levels, as you can see in the store, as each model is factory calibrated with a Delta E of less than two for the most accurate color reproduction.
Other features include a unified brightness switch that lowers the maximum brightness for a better viewing experience when extended, such as web pages or File Explorer tabs. The PG42UQ and PG48UQ also include what Asus ROG describes as a “single sub-pixel panel layout” which should reduce any distracting fringing in text elements. Monitors also turn off automatically when you turn off your computer, which currently doesn’t happen with TVs.
One feature I’m not entirely happy with is the anti-reflective micro-texture coating. From what I can tell, it does its job of reducing glare and reflections admirably, which will prove to be a boon to anyone using it in a well-lit room. However, I generally prefer a glossy finish to better perceive richness and prefer to play in a dark room. As such, I’ll have to record my final opinion on this when I receive the review block.
There’s no word on a release date yet, but Asus has confirmed UK pricing and it’s coming to the US soon. The ROG Swift OLED PG42UQ will set you back £1400, while the larger PG48UQ will set you back £1500.
Source : PC Gamesn
