The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ G-SYNC HDR Monitor Review: Gaming With All The Bells and Whistles
by Nate Oh on October 2, 2018 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Monitors
- Displays
- Asus
- NVIDIA
- G-Sync
- PG27UQ
- ROG Swift PG27UQ
- G-Sync HDR
SDR Color Modes: sRGB and Wide Gamut
Pre-calibration/calibration steps of the monitor is done with SpectraCal’s CalMAN 5 suite. For contrast and brightness, the X-Rite i1DisplayPro colorimeter is used, but for the actual color accuracy readings we use the X-Rite i1Pro spectrophotometer. Pre-calibration measurements were done at 200 nits for sRGB and Wide Gamut with Gamma set to 2.2.
The PG27UQ comes with two color modes for SDR input: 'sRGB' and 'Wide Gamut.' Advertised as DCI-P3 coverage, the actual 'Wide Gamut' sits somewhere between DCI-P3 and BT.2020 HDR, which is right in line with minimum coverages required by DisplayHDR 1000 and UHD Premium. That being the case, the setting isn't directly calibrated to a color gamut, as opposed to sRGB.
Out-of-the-box, the monitor defaults to 8 bits per color, which can be changed in NVIDIA Control Panel. Either way, sRGB accuracy is very good, as the monitor comes factory-calibrated. To note, 10bpc for the PG27UQ is with dithering (8bpc+FRC).
SpectraCal CalMAN sRGB color space for PG27UQ, with out-of-the-box default 8bpc (top) and default with 10bpc (bottom)
In 8bpc or 10bpc, average delta E is around 1.5, which corresponds with the included factory calibration result of 1.62; for reference, for color accuracy a dE below 1.0 is generally imperceptible and a dE below 3.0 is considered accurate.
SpectraCal CalMAN DCI-P3 (above) and BT.2020 (below) color spaces for PG27UQ, on default settings with 10bpc and 'wide color gamut' enabled under SDR Input
The 'wide gamut' options are not mapped to either DCI-P3 or BT.2020, sitting somewhere in between, but then again, it doesn't need to be as a professional or prosumer monitor would.
Grayscale and Saturation
Looking at color accuracy more throughly, we look at greyscale and saturation readings with respect to the sRGB gamut. The dips in gamma aren't perfect, and the whitepoints are a little on the warm side.
SpectraCal CalMAN sRGB color space grayscales with out-of-the-box default 8bpc (top) and default with 10bpc (bottom)
The saturation numbers are better, and in fact the dE is around 1.5 to 1.4, which is impressive for a gaming monitor.
SpectraCal CalMAN sRGB color space saturation sweeps for PG27UQ, with out-of-the-box default 8bpc (top) and default with 10bpc (bottom)
Gretag Macbeth (GMB) and Color Comparator
The last color accuracy test is the most thorough, and again the PG27UQ shines with dE of 1.53 and 1.63
SpectraCal CalMAN sRGB color space GMB for PG27UQ, with out-of-the-box default 8bpc (top) and default with 10bpc (bottom)
Considering that this monitor was not designed for professional use, it's very calibrated out-of-the-box for gamers, and there's no strong concern for calibration. If anything, users should just be sure to select 10bpc in the NVIDIA Control Panel, but even then most games use 8bpc anyhow.
SpectraCal CalMAN sRGB relative color comparator graphs for PG27UQ, with out-of-the-box default 8bpc (top) and default with 10bpc (bottom). Each color column is split into halves; the top half is the PG27UQ's reproduction and the bottom half is the correct value
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DanNeely - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
Because I use the same system for gaming and general desktop use. My main display is my biggest and best monitor and thus used for both. At some hypothetical point in time if I had a pair of high end displays as my both my center and as one of my side displays having different ones as my gaming and desktop use might be an option. But because I'd still be using the other as a secondary display not switching off/absolutely ignoring it, I'd still probably want my main screen to be the center one for both roles so I'd have secondaries to either side; so I'd probably still want the same for both. If I were to end up with both a 4k display and an ultrawide - in which case the best one to game on would vary by title it might become a moot point. (Or I could go 4 screens with small ones on each side and 2 copies of my chat app open I suppose.)Impulses - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
Still using the 32" Predator?edzieba - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
"Why not get an equally capable OLED/QLED at a much bigger size for less money ?"Because there are no feature equivalent devices.
TVs do not actually accept an update rate of 120Hz, they will operate at 60Hz and either just do double-pulse backlighting or add their own internal interpolation. QLED 'HDR' desktop monitors lack the FALD backlight, so are not HDR monitors (just SDR panels that accept and compress a HDR signal).
wolrah - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
A small subset of TVs actually do support native 120Hz inputs, but so far I've only seen that supported at 1080p due to HDMI bandwidth limitations.For a while it was just a few specific Sony models that supported proper 1080p120 but all the 2017/2018 LG OLEDs do as well as some of the higher end Vizios and a few others.
resiroth - Monday, October 8, 2018 - link
LG OLED TVs accept 120hz (and actually display true 120 FPS) but at a lower 1080p resolution. They also do 4K/60 of course. Not a great substitute though. If I were spending so much on a monitor I would demand it be oled though. Otherwise I’m spending 1500-1600 more than a 1440p monitor just to get 4K. I mean, cool? But why not go 2000-2500 more and get something actually unique, a 4K 144hz OLED HDR monitor that will be useful for 10 years or so.This thing will be obsolete the second oled monitors come out. There simply is no comparison.
Impulses - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
Regardless of all the technical refresh rate limitations already pointed out, not everyone wants to go that big. 40" is already kinda huge for a desktop display; anything larger takes over the desk, makes it tough to have any side displays, and forces a lot more window management that's just not optimal for people that use their PC for anything but gaming.I'd rather have a 1440p 165Hz 27" & 4K 32" on moving arms even than a single 4K 50"+ display with a lower DPI than even my old 1920x1200 24"...
lilkwarrior - Monday, October 8, 2018 - link
To be fair, most would rather have a 4K ultra-wide (LG) or 1440p Ultrawide rather than multiple displays or a TV.5K is an exception since more room for controls for video work & etc is a good compromise for some to the productive convenience of more horizontal real estate an ultrawide provides.
Most enthusiasts are waiting for HDMI 2.1 to upgrade, so this monitor & current TVs this year are DOA.
milkod2001 - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
This is nearly perfect. Still way overpriced what it is. I'd like to get similar but at 32'' size, 100Hz would be enough, don't need this fancy useless stand with holographic if price can be much cheaper, let it be factory calibrated, good enough for bit of Photoshop and also games. All at $1200 max. Wonder how long we have to wait for something like that.milkod2001 - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
Forgot to mention it would obviously be 4k. The closest appears to be: BenQ PD3200U but it is only 60Hz monitor and 2017 model. Would want something newer and with 100Hz.imaheadcase - Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - link
To be fair, a mix of photoshop an also games at that screen res 60Hz would prob be enough since can't push modern games that high for MOST part. I have that Acer Z35P 120Hz monitor, and even with 1080Ti its hard pressed to get lots of games max it out. That is at 3440x1440.My 2nd "work" monitor next to it is the awesome Dell U3818DW (38 inches) @ 3840x1500 60Hz I actually prefer the dell to strategy games because of size, because FPS is not as huge concern.
But playing Pubg on the Acer 120Hz will get 80-90fps