Hi, I'm Daniel from RTINGS.com.
Today we're testing the ASUS PG279QZ.
It is a 144Hz gaming monitor with an 1440p resolution IPS panel and is the successor
to the very popular PG279Q which was released about two years ago.
It also has the G-Sync variable refresh rate feature from envidia, also known as NVIDIA.
In this review, we will be closely comparing the performance of these two models, as well
as with the Acer Predator XB271HU and AOC AGON AG271QX.
We'll start by looking at the design, and then go onto the picture quality.
We'll also compare the motion handling and input lag and conclude with a summary of which
one you should buy.
So on to the design.
The newer PG279QZ looks almost identical to its predecessor.
Both models have a rectangular stand with red lighting that can be controlled or disabled
via the on-screen display.
The stand provides great ergonomics, as you can swivel, tilt and pivot the monitor easily.
There is also height adjustment, which makes it very easy to find a comfortable viewing
position.
The stand can also be removed, revealing a VESA 100x100 bracket for those who plan to
mount it.
The borders of the monitor are also relatively thin, so it looks quite good in a multi-monitor
setup.
Overall, this monitor feels quite high-quality and you shouldn't have any issues with build
quality.
The inputs of the monitor are all directed down the back, which can make them a bit tricky
to access.
There are a good range of inputs though, with a DisplayPort and HDMI connection, as well
as two USB 3 ports for connecting external devices to your PC.
The controls are located on the right-hand side of the monitor, and there is a joystick
as well as four buttons.
These controls are intuitive and easy to use which is great.
We'll now move on to the picture quality.
This ASUS monitor has good viewing angles due to its IPS panel, which provides accurate
colors when viewed off-axis.
This means that the sides of the screen remain accurate when viewed from directly in-front.
This is similar to the Acer Predator which also has an IPS panel and is much better than
the AOC AGON that has a TN panel.
On TN monitors like the AGON, the vertical viewing angles are especially bad so when
watching from in-front the top and bottom of the screen appear non-uniform.
For those in a bright room, a high peak brightness can be useful to counteract glare.
The PG279QZ has a decent SDR peak brightness, which should be fine for most rooms but may
not be bright enough in a room with a lot of light.
This is about typical of most monitors we've tested, but less bright than the previous
model PG279Q.
Another important factor for bright rooms is the reflection handling.
This monitor has a semi-gloss finish which works well to diffuse reflections across the
screen.
It reduces the intensity of reflections better than the predator, which is good. and should
be fine for most rooms.
Now, if you use the monitor in a dark room then a high contrast ratio is important to
produce deep blacks.
Unfortunately, the PG279QZ has a mediocre contrast ratio but this is about typical for
IPS monitors.
In the dark, this results in blacks that appear gray.
If you really care about dark scene performance, then a monitor with a VA panel like the Samsung
CHG70 may be a better choice.
These monitors all lack local dimming to improve the contrast, but this is normal for most
monitors.
[Picture Quality - black uniformity] Another important aspect of dark scene performance
is the black uniformity, also referred to as backlight bleed or flashlighting.
Note that this does vary between units depending on manufacturing tolerances, but our unit
is bad with significant bleed at the top right-hand corner and bottom right.
In our case, it is a bit worse than the predecessor.
If you buy this model, then please do let us know how yours compares.
Out of the box, the PG279QZ has good color accuracy.
We found the best results in the 'FPS' picture mode where the gamma follows our sRGB
target fairly well, and the color temperature is close to 6500 kelvin.
This is good for those who might edit photos or videos, or just want an accurate image.
While this monitor doesn't come with a factory calibration, it is more accurate than most
of the other monitors we've tested.
Now for the color gamut.
Coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color gamut is useful for those who work with print media
such as photos that may use this wider color space.
Unfortunately, none of these monitors have support for wider color gamuts so they aren't
really a good choice for professionals in the print industry.
Most people don't use these wider color spaces though, so all these monitors are fine for
typical use.
Smooth display of gradients is good for those working with photos or videos, and for gamers
that want better picture quality free from banding in skies.
Unfortunately, the PG279QZ shows 8 bit banding but it is still quite smooth which is good
and gradients are unlikely to be distracting most of the time.
Unfortunately, none of these monitors support HDR, which is slowly making its way down from
the highest end models.
For a gaming monitor that supports HDR, check out the Samsung CHG70 or the LG 27UK650.
We'll now move on to the motion handling and input lag.
The PG279Q has a very fast response time, so only a short blur trail follows fast moving
objects and there is very little overshoot.
It is possible to adjust the response time with the 'OD' setting for overdrive, and we
found best performance with the 'Normal' option.
This is excellent for fast-paced games and is about the same as the PG279Q.
The PG279QZ doesn't flicker the backlight by default but does have the ability to introduce
flicker to the backlight to clear up motion even more.
This ULMB feature only works with envidia graphics cards and should be enabled for the
clearest image when gaming.
This is better than the AGON, which doesn't have the ability to add any flicker.
The PG279QZ is a 144Hz gaming monitor which has the option in the on-screen display to
overclock the refresh rate to 165 Hz.
It also supports G-Sync, which is great for maintaining smooth gameplay without tearing
as the refresh rate changes.
This works all the way up to 144Hz which is excellent for gamers and in-line with the
best monitors we've tested so far.
Note that use of this feature requires an envidia graphics card.
This monitor has an excellent low input lag of around 4 milliseconds, so it feels very
responsive.
This is great, even for those who play fast paced games like counterstrike go and is one
of the best monitors we've tested.
So overall, the PG279QZ is one of the best gaming monitors we've tested so far.
It is feature packed with a high refresh rate and G-Sync support.
It offers almost the same performance as the PG279Q but isn't quite as bright.
Between these two models, most people should go with the cheaper one unless you really
care about a brighter screen.
The Acer Predator XB271HU also offers similar performance but isn't as good at handling
reflections in a bright room.
It also has a bit less accurate picture out-of-the-box, so the PG279Q may be better for those who
want accurate colors.
The AOC AGON AG271QX has a TN-type panel with a bit faster response time which may be a
small advantage for fast-paced gaming, but much worse viewing angles so the colors at
the sides of the screen lose accuracy.
Overall the ASUS is a bit better, and includes the option of flickering the backlight to
clear up motion So that's it!
What do you think of the ASUS PG279QZ?
Have you bought it?
Let us know what you think below.
You can check out all of the measurements on our website.
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Thank you for watching and see you next time.
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