2024 is the year of OLED gaming monitors. After all, the technology delivers impressive picture quality, deep black levels and virtually non-existent latency. With the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG, the manufacturer delivers a new 27-inch model with a glossy display, 240 Hz and powerful features. We took a closer look at the monitor in our test.
Technical data
The product | Strix OLED XG27AQDMG |
Display size | 26.5 inch |
Display resolution | QHD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) |
Screen refresh rate | 240 Hz |
Panel type | WOLED |
Screen surface | Glossy |
Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
Brightness | 450 cd/m² (typical); 1.300 cd/m² (HDR) |
Contrast ratio | 1.500.000:1 |
Color space | 99 % sRGB; 93.5 % AdobeRGB; 95 % DCI-P3 |
Viewing angle | H: 178° / V: 178° |
Curvature | none |
Response time | 0.03 ms (GtG) |
Connections |
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Audio connections | 1x 3.5 mm jack |
Integrated speakers | none |
Color | Black color |
VESA mount | 100 x 100 mm |
Special features | AMD FreeSync Prenium, G-SYNC compatible, Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free, VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black, pivot function, height-adjustable stand incl. cable management, AuraSync |
Price | € 638.90 * |
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG review: Elegant 27-incher
- high-quality, sophisticated design
- extremely thin
- chic RGB lighting
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG looks stylish. And it is also quick (and tool-free) to install. As with many current gaming monitors, the base and stand simply need to be screwed together and inserted into the back of the display. You’re ready to go.
But ASUS ROG has added a few nice details on top. The polygon-shaped base with the shiny manufacturer’s logo is a nice design accent and offers enough space to place a mouse and keyboard on it. There is also a recess in which a smartphone can be placed, for example.
The stand can also be rotated directly over the base, while it has a 1/4-inch thread on the top to which a webcam, keylight and much more equipment can be screwed. There is an outlet at the back for cable routing.
The monitor itself is surprisingly thin – OLED in fact – but is noticeably thinner at the edges than the LG UltraGear 32GS95UX (our test), for example, which also uses WOLED technology.
Otherwise, the XG27AQDMG is simple and of high quality. Of course, RGB lighting is also a must, which is shown here as the ROG logo on the back. Thanks to AURA Sync, this can be synchronized with other illuminated components of your own setup. The status LED on the front is also illuminated, but here you are limited to a red color (or deactivate the LED completely).
Connections, features and operation
- no HDMI 2.1 and USB-C
- many ergonomic functions
- flawless operation
In terms of connections, things look pretty good. ASUS has equipped the monitor with two HDMI and one DisplayPort 1.4 for image display. Unfortunately, HDMI 2.1 is not available, so you’ll have to make do with the old 2.0 standard.
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG also has two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and one USB-B port. Headphones can be connected via a 3.5 mm jack, but the monitor does not have speakers.
The monitor has a QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels at 240 Hz and an OLED-typical low response time of 0.03 ms.
In terms of features and ergonomics, nothing is left to be desired. The display can be adjusted in height by 120 mm, swiveled between -45° and 45° and tilted between -5° and 20°. A pivot function is also included.
There is also a Low Blue Light and Flicker-Free certification, as well as various in-game improvements that increase the black level (Dynamic Shadow Boost), various picture modes, crosshair and FPS display and much more.
The numerous OLED protection functions such as Pixel Refresh or Pixel Shift, which increase the service life of the display, are also highly commendable.
It is operated via the joystick on the back, which guides you through a tidy and comprehensive on-screen display. There are also two buttons to quickly change the source and switch the monitor on and off.
If you don’t feel like using the OSD, you can use the DisplayWidget Center software from ASUS, which allows you to customize all aspects of the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG in detail.
Picture quality of the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG
- vivid, high-contrast picture
- convincing brightness
- Text display not flawless
There is a lot of movement in the OLED monitor sector this year, and the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG has to fend off a lot of competition. One special feature that it has over many of its competitors is the glossy WOLED panel, which delivers deeper blacks in brighter environments and richer colors in darker environments than its anti-glare counterparts. However, it is of course important to watch out for reflections.
Of course, this alone is not enough of a selling point. Fortunately, the maximum brightness compared to QD-OLED is also at a higher level of around 400 nits, while counterparts such as the LG UltraGear monitor already mentioned only reach 255 – 275 nits. That’s a difference that you can really see.
The resolution and refresh rate are of course perfectly chosen, 4K would be too much of a good thing for the screen diagonal. Accordingly, I really like the picture quality with and without HDR.
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG scores particularly well in HDR display with a vibrancy and rich color tones that I’ve hardly seen on any of its competitors. This naturally ensures impressive picture quality with brightness values of up to 1,300 nits, especially when gaming.
However, the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG reveals a few problems when displaying text. On the one hand, there are slight green and red color fringes, although these are still significantly lower than on QD OLED monitors such as the Alienware AW3423DWF (our test).
On the other hand, some fonts appear a little too sharp, especially in bright colors, which has a negative effect on readability.
Lab test of the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG
Of course, I also took a close look at the ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG in the lab. The monitor scores with excellent color space coverage: 135% of the sRGB color space is covered, AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 93% each.
However, there are weaknesses in the gamma curve in the factory default configuration. With a set value of 2.2, this deviates greatly from the default. However, this can be counteracted with a little fine-tuning, which noticeably improves the display.
However, the ASUS monitor also reveals problems with the color homogeneity, which shows the uniformity of the color representation. At high brightness levels, there are strong deviations of up to Dealta E 7.5 in the lower third.
In contrast, the luminance homogeneity, which describes the uniformity of the illumination, looks much better. The deviations here are a maximum of 5-6 percent, which is an absolutely good value. With maximum brightness measured at 405.9 nits, this means a value of 385.3 nits in the bottom right-hand corner.
In terms of color fidelity, the monitor also doesn’t come close to the manufacturer’s specifications in gaming mode. Here I measured a rather high average value of DeltaE 4.50, which however decreases significantly if you change the color space in the OSD setting and the picture mode to sRGB. The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG is then also suitable for color-critical work.
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG test: Conclusion
The ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG is a very good gaming monitor that scores with a high frame rate, low latency and a great WOLED display. The display is particularly brilliant in games and conjures up rich colors, outstanding details and excellent contrasts on the screen.
ASUS offers all of this at a really convincing price and includes many well thought-out details, a coherent finish and practical additional functions.
What I don’t like, however, is the lack of HDMI 2.1 and USB-C ports. So if you want the full 240 Hz, you have to fall back on DisplayPort. There are also some weaknesses in the factory calibration, especially when it comes to color fidelity and homogeneity. Although (significant) improvements can be made here with a little fine-tuning, many competitors are more accurate in this respect.
ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG27AQDMG
Workmanship
Image Quality
Features
Value For Money
90/100
The monitor scores with excellent picture quality in gaming mode, 240 Hz and a low response time. However, there are a few weak points in the color display and connection selection.