Experts hailed the ASUS XG27AQM as a high-spec gaming monitor that professional gamers will find very suitable to their needs. Its impressive color accuracy and excellent gradient handling guarantee smooth transitions, but its lackluster black levels and low contrast ratio might end up being deal-breakers. The display’s highly ergonomic stand and high build quality may ensure good long-term performance, but its so-so brightness levels and poor local dimming performance may be too much for some to compromise.
Picture Quality
Black
- Top testers were unhappy about the black levels on the Asus XG27AQM gaming monitor. They noted that its blacks appeared grayish, especially in the dark, and thought that most gamers would have difficulty navigating through dark scenes.
Brightness
- The Asus XG27AQM generally had okay brightness, as reviewers felt quite satisfied with its peak SDR brightness level of about 295 nits. They also acknowledged that the gaming monitor averaged a decent 408 nit brightness when switched to HDR mode, which they thought was reasonable.
Color Accuracy
- Product specialists hailed the Asus XG27AQM HDR gaming monitor for its impressive color accuracy, as they noted that it had a reasonably low 1.14 Delta E rating out of the box. After calibration, they managed to lower its Delta E down to 0.62, which was great since they did not come across any color inaccuracies after that.
Color Gamut
- The Asus XG27AQM pleased expert testers with its wide color gamut, as they confirmed that the display managed to cover an impressive 99.1% of the sRGB color space. The gaming monitor also did not disappoint with its Adobe RGB rating, as experts were pleased that the display averaged an impressive 84.6% coverage of that color space.
Color Gradient
- Certified reviewers were happy that the Asus XG27AQM had excellent gradient handling, and as a result, they did not come across any banding during their experiments. They also noted that the display had an impressive 10-bit color depth, which they attributed as the main reason behind its excellent color performance.
Color Uniformity/Variance
- The Asus XG27AQM had excellent color uniformity, which was very pleasing to expert reviewers. They noted that the display’s gray uniformity was perfect, but because they observed a bit of backlight bleed and clouding during their tests, they concluded that its black uniformity could have been better.
Contrast
- Certified testers felt that the 1,121:1 contrast ratio on the Asus XG27AQM was quite mediocre. They complained that this could have been part of the reason why the display’s blacks appeared grayish.
Resolution
- The Asus XG27AQM was lauded by reviewers for its 2560 x 1440 WQHD resolution, which they credited as the reason behind the monitor’s sharp image quality. They were also happy that its high native resolution allowed for it to hit a high pixel density of 109 PPI, which they thought was perfect for a 27-inch gaming monitor as it had delivered sharp gaming visuals.
Refresh Rate
- Analysts were thrilled that the Asus XG27AQM had a high 170Hz native refresh rate. They were happy because the high refresh rate was the main reason the display delivered a tear-free gaming experience during their experiments. The Asus VG279QM might also be worth considering for ultra-competitive gamers, as it boasts an even higher 280Hz native refresh rate, which guarantees a super smooth gaming experience.
Glare and Reflections
- The Asus XG27AQM delighted reviewers with how well it handled glare and reflections. They attributed this to its light matte anti-glare coating, which effectively dealt with reflections without making the image grainy.
HDR
- Top product testers felt that the Asus XG27AQM had a relatively low DisplayHDR 400 rating, as they concurred that it wasn’t enough to ensure that the display would be able to deliver a cinema-like movie-watching experience.
Image Flicker
- The Asus XG27AQM was complemented by testers for its flicker-free backlight, as they confirmed that this significantly helped to reduce eye strain during their experiments. They were also delighted that the display featured an Ultra-Low Blue Light setting that helped to substantially regulate blue light emission.
Image Retention
- Experts were pleased after finding out that there were no signs of image retention on the Asus XG27AQM. They confirmed this by placing a high-contrast image on the screen for an extended period and noted that there was no burn-in after removing the image from the display.
Local Dimming
- The Asus XG27AQM gaming monitor has a local dimming feature that testers thought was relatively ineffective. They were disappointed that it produced a significant amount of blooming when switched on and noted that it did little to improve the display’s black levels.
Design
Aesthetics
- Critics loved that the Asus XG27AQM had a robust and gamer-oriented design. They felt that its 0.3-inch borders were also quite thin and that they wouldn’t be distracting as part of a dual monitor setup. Gamers might appreciate the ASUS Aura Sync lighting technology used on its rear, as it provides ambient lighting that can be synchronized to light up in response to the gaming action that is going on on display.
Build Quality
- Unlike the Asus VG279Q, which has an ergonomic display, the Asus XG27AQM gaming monitor boasts excellent build quality, as top critics from Rtings and Display Ninja confirmed it felt pretty sturdy to the touch. They did not come across any flimsy parts and were confident that the Asus Monitor would stay in good condition over a long period of use.
Portability
- Certified specialists felt that the Asus XG27AQM would be relatively easy to carry around, as they confirmed that its 11.7-pound weight was very manageable.
Size
- The Asus XG27AQM gaming monitor is likely to take up a lot of desk space, mainly because of its thick stand. Top testers felt largely okay about this, as it happened to be pretty typical of most gaming monitors. Overall, the display stands at about 24.06 x 16.06 x 10.04 inches, which testers thought was neither too large nor too small for a gaming monitor. For users seeking a smaller, more portable alternative, the Asus ZenScreen Go (MB16AP) might be a more viable alternative, as it is much easier to carry around.
Stand and Mounting
- Product testers loved that the ASUS XG27AQM had an ergonomically designed stand, as they were able to easily make adjustments to its height, swivel range, tilt range, and orientation. They also liked that its metal stand had feet that were spread apart and provided enough support to prevent the display from any wobble.
Features
Connectivity and Inputs
- The ASUS XG27AQM boasts a rich range of input options that reviewers thought would impress anyone who values external connectivity. They were happy that the HDR gaming monitor had two HDMI ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, a headphone jack, and two USB 3.0 ports.
Controls
- Expert reviewers felt satisfied with how easy the controls on the ASUS XG27AQM were to use. Located at the rear bottom edge of the display, its joystick and four buttons felt pleasant to their touch, and even though they would require a bit of getting used to, reviewers remained very happy with how they worked.
Bluetooth
- The ASUS XG27AQM does not feature any Bluetooth connectivity.
Menus
- Product testers liked that the service menu on the ASUS XG27AQM was pretty easy to navigate. They appreciated how straightforward it was to make changes on the HDR gaming monitor, as well as how little time it took.
Microphone
- The ASUS XG27AQM does not have a microphone, so experts could not comment.
Speakers
- Reviewers found out that the ASUS XG27AQM does indeed have speakers, but they felt that its speakers could not get loud enough to produce an immersive listening experience.
Webcam
- The ASUS XG27AQM does not feature a webcam.
Gaming
G-Sync/FreeSync
- Expert testers loved that the ASUS XG27AQM was G sync compatible, and at the same time, still had support for FreeSync technology. They noted that this was a massive advantage because the display would be compatible with GPUs that relied on either an Nvidia G Sync or AMD Radeon graphics card.
Adaptive Sync
- The ASUS XG27AQM gaming monitor features support for Adaptive-Sync technology, which testers were delighted to hear as it meant that it could variate its 170 Hz refresh rate to match that of a connected GPU.
Input Lag
- Product reviewers liked that the ASUS XG27AQM had a super low 2ms input lag, and as a result, they did not notice any sluggishness in response or reactions.
Response Time
- The ASUS XG27AQM thrilled testers with its rapid 0.5ms GtG response time. They credited this fast time to its Extreme Low Motion Blur technology and mentioned that professional gamers would find this quite handy, especially when playing fast-paced games. They did not come across any motion blur or ghosting during their experiments.
Text Clarity
- Evaluators confirmed that the ASUS XG27AQM had great text clarity. They were quickly able to make out the text, which improved, especially after turning on ClearType.
Viewing Angles
- The ASUS XG27AQM has great 178° viewing angles, which is typical of conventional IPS panels. Product specialists particularly praised it for its horizontal viewing angles and noted that the vertical viewing angles were not too bad.
