ASUS Launches ROG Strix XG27WQ Curved 165Hz Monitor: FreeSync Premium Pro Certified
AMD's FreeSync Premium Pro certification promises quite a lot when it comes to features and quality, but unfortunately there are less than a dozen of such displays available on the market today. Thankfully, that market will be getting one more entry courtesy of ASUS, who recently announced its second FreeSync Premium Pro monitor, the ROG Strix XG27WQ. Touting support for superior capabilities, the 27-inch monitor is one of the most feature-packed FreeSync Premium Pro monitors to date, and it promises to be less expensive than some of its larger rivals.
The ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ monitor relies on a curved 27-inch VA panel with a 2560i-1440 resolution. All together, the monitor offers a peak brightness of 450 nits, a 3000:1 contrast ratio, 178/178 horizontal/vertical viewing angles, a 1 ms MPRT response time, and a 165 Hz maximum refresh rate. The LCD offers one DisplayPort 1.2 inputs and two HDMI 2.0 to connect to its host and also has a dual-port USB 3.0 hub along with a headphone output.
AMD mandates FreeSync Premium Pro (previously FreeSync 2) monitors to support a wide variable refresh rate range (48 - 144 Hz or 48 - 165 Hz in case of the XG27WQ), feature Low Framerate Compensation, be capable of low-latency tone mapping to the monitor's native color space, meet HDR brightness and and contrast requirements roughly equivalent to DisplayHDR 500, and reproduce at least 90% of the DCI-P3 color gamut (92% in the ROG's case). The capabilities of the ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ monitor actually exceed AMD's requirements, which makes it a rather potent choice for gamers.
In addition to VESA's Adaptive-Sync/AMD's FreeSync VRR, the display also supports ASUS's Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) that makes fast-paced scenes look sharper even when a variable refresh rate technology is enabled. The ROG Strix XG27WQ also supports a variety of genre-specific game modes, ASUS's Shadow Boost feature to make dark scenes look brighter, and enhancements like crosshair overlay for easier targeting in FPS titles.
Since we are dealing with an ASUS ROG-branded monitor, the model Strix XG27WQ not only features a stand that can adjust height, tilt, and swivel, but also one that has Aura Sync addressable RGB lighting as well as a projector that projects a logotype onto the table below.
| The ASUS ROG Strix XG27WQ | |
| General Specifications | |
| Panel | 27" VA |
| Native Resolution | 2560 i- 1440 |
| Maximum Refresh Rate | 165 Hz |
| Response Time | 1 ms MPRT |
| Brightness | 450 cd/m^2 (peak) |
| Contrast | 3000:1 |
| Backlighting | LED |
| Viewing Angles | 178/178 horizontal/vertical |
| Curvature | 1500R |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Color Gamut | 125% sRGB/BT.709 92% DCI-P3 |
| DisplayHDR Tier | 400 |
| Dynamic Refresh Rate Tech | AMD FreeSync Premium Pro DisplayPort: 48 - 165 Hz HDMI: 48 - 144 Hz |
| Pixel Pitch | 0.2331 mm^2 |
| Pixel Density | 108 PPI |
| Inputs | 1 i- DisplayPort 1.2 2 i- HDMI 2.0 |
| Audio | 3.5 mm output |
| USB Hub | 2 i- USB 3.0 Type-A connectors 1 i- USB 3.0 Type-B input |
| Stand | Swivel: -50 ~ +50 Tilt: -5 ~ +20 Height: 100 mm VESA: 100x100 |
| MSRP | ? |
Finally, it's worth keeping in mind that ASUS sometimes formally introduces its products well ahead of their actual release date. As things currently stand, the company has not revealed anything about an actual launch date or pricing for ROG Strix XG27WQ, so it remains to be seen when the monitor will actually hit the streets.
Related Reading:
- AMD Announces FreeSync 2: Easier & Lower Latency HDR Gaming
- Dell Rolls Out 32-Inch QHD Curved Gaming Monitor (S3220DGF): Up To 165Hz with FreeSync 2
- HP's Omen X 27: A 240Hz QHD Monitor with FreeSync 2 HDR
- GIGABYTE's Aorus CV27Q Curved 'Tactical' Monitor: 165 Hz QHD With FreeSync 2
- AOC Reveals Agon AG273QX: A 27-Inch 165 Hz FreeSync 2 Monitor
Source: ASUS (via Hermitage Akihabara)