PREVIOUS MONITOR
Since 2016 I've used the Acer XB271HU 1440p, 165Hz, IPS, G-SYNC Module, 27" monitor for everything I did. That includes gaming, 3D modeling (Rhino3D, Maya, ZBrush), 3D rendering (Maxwell, VRay), photo editing (Photoshop, Lightroom), 2D graphics (Illustrator), and it did great for everything. I never calibrated it and colors were still decently good (not perfect) when printing physical copies of my work. For gaming, it was great and I could not have chosen a better monitor when I did for the various things I needed it for.
NEW MONITOR (ASUS XG27AQM)
To preface this, I've also used the Acer XB273U GX and the ASUS TUF VG259QM for several months each and at separate times each. Purchased them at Micro Center just for testing purposes (to see which I liked more) and not for ownership. I know some people prefer 24" monitors for gaming, but I personally can switch between 24" and 27" monitors just fine.
It's only been one day since I received ASUS XG27AQM in the mail, but listed below are my PROS and CONS. Personally, it's worth the upgrade from my previous monitor (especially since I'll be looking to sell my XB271HU now). The ability to feel and play at frames higher than 165fps (especially if sustained and with a crisp frame time graph) is very noticeable and makes fast paced games much more enjoyable. I have not overclocked it to 270Hz because there's currently really no need to in my opinion (refer to CONS).
SIDE NOTE (UPDATED)
I'm also a bit cautious of the OC function because on my previous experience with the Acer XB273U GX and the ASUS TUF VG259QM. Both screens would go black for a few seconds and then the picture would come back. Granted, it also warns you when enabling the OC. I honestly didn't mind it, but it'd happen in the middle of a game which was annoying at times. I purchased an iVANKY DP1.4 cable (since the reviews were great) and the black screen still happened even when trying different ports on the monitors and graphics card. The OC function on my Acer XB271HU never caused the screen the go black, ever. Update: Since writing the review, I've overclocked the XG27AQM to 270Hz, and at least for my unit, the screen does not flicker or go black for a few seconds. Keeping it overclocked for the foreseeable future.
PROS
- 1440p
- 240Hz (270Hz OC)
- Very Responsive (Slightly quicker input lag than my previous monitor, but that's probably due to the increase Hz)
- Good colors (Will most certainly calibrate this monitor though)
- Arrived with zero dead pixels
- No perceptible overshoot at Overdrive Setting 4 (I tried OD-5 as well, but I visually preferred OD-4)
- Motion clarity at OD-4 with ELMB disabled is noticeably improved from my previous monitor
- I have G-SYNC Compatible enabled and it works great (I personally don't notice a difference from a physical G-SYNC Module, and many well documented reviews for monitors only show an input lag increase of <1ms when enabling a Variable Refresh Rate technology) so it's worth it
CONS
- When enabling ELMB, the brightness is too low for me even in a very dark room. Update: I've since enabled ELMB. What I did to combat the brightness drop is set it to 100% brightness first, then enabled ELMB, and finally set Shadow Boost to Level 2. It was plenty usable after that.
- I don't have an RTX 3080 yet to push more frames haha :'( My RTX 2070 Super is great, but an upgrade is definitely needed for this type of monitor. Maybe I'll wait for an RTX 4080 to pair with my i9-10850K @ 5.0GHz.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you haven't purchased a monitor in several years and have been looking for a proper upgrade, here is your monitor, the ASUS XG27AQM. These specs will not become obsolete any time soon. The 1440p resolution provides improved visual clarity from 1080p, the increased refresh rate of 240Hz Native/270Hz OC from 165Hz is noticeable, and the motion clarity improvement is great for the enjoyment of fast paced video games.
If I were asked, "Would you return your ASUS XG27AQM and instead purchase the Acer XB273U GX or ASUS TUF VG259QM?", my answer would be, "No."
But if I were asked, "In hindsight, which would you purchase, the ASUS XG27AQM, Acer XB273U GX or ASUS TUF VG259QM?", my answer would be, "The ASUS TUF VG259QM is 100% out of the question because of the noticeable decrease in resolution and visual clarity. For the ASUS XG27AQM and Acer XB273U GX it would depend on availability. Both 1440p 270Hz monitors are great each with their own pros and cons. The Acer XB273U GX has two usable Black Frame Insertion modes (Off, Normal, and Extreme) vs the ASUS XG27AQM's (On and Off). Colors, motion clarity, and input lag are all comparable. Ultimately, I'd be hard pressed to say one is better than the other, so I'd be happy purchasing either the ASUS XG27AQM or the Acer XB273U GX. But from my own personal experience, there was some noticeable overshoot on my copy of the Acer XB273U GX which is why I did not repurchase it and instead went for the ASUS XG27AQM. No overshoot to be seen on my copy of the ASUS XG27AQM which is why I will be keeping this monitor and not returning it."
Games I Play: Witcher 3, PUBG, Rocket League, Battlefield (4, V, 2042), Apex Legends, Risk of Rain 2, Dragon Quest XI, Ori Series, Trine Series, and Resident Evil 2 Remake.
| Standing screen display size | 43 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 3840x2160 |
| Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels |
| Number of USB 3.0 Ports | 2 |
