Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS review

High-refresh 1440p panels are far cheaper than they used to be. Prices now start as low as $170 in our gaming monitor deals hub and even if you stipulate an IPS panel you're still only looking at around $200. That immediately makes life a little hard for the new Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS.

It's yours for $299, which would have been a pretty good deal 18 months or so ago but no longer looks like a steal. However, if you take a slightly closer look at the specs, you are at least getting something extra for the price premium.

For starters, the Strix XG27ACS can hit 180Hz instead of the 144Hz of the Gigabyte G27Q, which is one of if not the cheapest 1440p IPS gaming panels currently available. Asus also delivers 1ms response by the more demanding GtG (grey-to-grey) measure, where the Gigabyte is 1ms MPRT, which usually translates into 2ms+ GtG.

What's more, you get a USB-C interface with power delivery for theoretical single-cable connectivity. However, Asus has only equipped the USB-C interface with 7.5W of power delivery which is pretty pointless from a laptop charging perspective.

Screen size: 27-inch
Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440
Brightness: 400 nits
Color coverage: 97% DCI-P3
Response time: 1ms
Refresh rate: 180Hz
HDR: DisplayHDR 400
Features: IPS panel, adaptive sync, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C with 7.5W PD
Price: $299 / £325 (est)

Anyway, as for HDR support, it's the entry-level HDR400 sort, so there's no local dimming. But that does at least ensure 400 nits of basic punch, which is plenty. Other spec details include a fully adjustable stand with support for swivel into portrait and an ELMB or Extreme Low Motion Blur mode for the fastest possible performance, more on which in a moment.

Branded as a Strix, as opposed to a Swift model, the XG27ACS has a value remit, at least by Asus' standards. So it's perhaps not surprising to find it doesn't have fripperies like RGB lighting. However, Asus has carved a slot out of the base to house a smartphone, for what that is