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Asus Republic of Gamers G-Sync Monitor Arrives in August

By - Source: Asus | B 26 comments

Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced on Wednesday the release date and pricing of its upcoming Swift PG278Q, a 27-inch display packed with Nvidia's G-SYNC technology and other "game-centric" features. The monitor will be released in North America by the end of August 2014 with a starting price of $799.

In 2D mode this monitor provides a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. In 3D mode, the panel provides the same resolution, but up to only 120 Hz. There is also an exclusive Turbo key that allows gamers to quickly switch between 60 Hz, 120 Hz or 144 Hz refresh rates.

This new monitor also provides an exclusive GamePlus hotkey with crosshair overlay and timer functions. The former feature provides four built-in crosshairs, perfect for users who don't like the crosshairs provided in-game. The latter feature provides an on-screen timer for tracking build and spawn times.

"An intuitive 5-way navigation joystick provides quick and easy access to OSD settings, allowing users to switch display parameters with a flick of a finger," the press release stated. "The PG278Q is designed for marathon gaming sessions, with a smart air vent design that aids in dissipating heat to keep things cool, even after hours of use."

As for Nvidia's G-SYNC, gamers will need a Nvidia GeForce GTX-powered PC to take advantage of this technology, as it synchronizes the monitor's refresh rate to the GPU. That means no screen tearing, minimized input lag and display stuttering. The monitor is also Nvidia 3D Vision ready, and uses Nvidia's Ultra Low Motion blur technology.

The specifications show that the display has a pixel pitch of 109 PPI, support for 16.7 million colors, viewing angles of 170 degrees (H) and 160 degrees (V), a 100M:1 contrast ratio, a brightness of 350cd/M2, and a 1ms response time. There is also one DisplayPort 1.2 connector, two USB 3.0 ports for pass-through connectivity, and an illuminated stand to light up your desktop.

Next month, North American customers will be able to purchase this monitor at Digital Storm, Falcon Northwest, Maingear and Overlord Computer.

Back in May, Asus rival Acer announced the world's first 4K2K display with Nvidia's G-SYNC technology. Measuring 28 inches, the LED-lit monitor provides a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 170 degree viewing angles, "flicker-less" technology, low dimming technology, and a non-glare panel. Acer said that its monitor is made with post-consumer recycles plastic, and sports a red ring on the base stand, just like the Asus model.

Other device makers expected to launch G-SYNC monitors this year include AOC, BenQ, Philips and ViewSonic.

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  • -1 Hide
    eklipz330 , July 23, 2014 5:51 PM
    once displayport 1.2a makes its debut, i can't imagine gsync staying relevant
  • 1 Hide
    Bondfc11 , July 23, 2014 7:00 PM
    Why is that?
  • -5 Hide
    Innocent_Bystander , July 23, 2014 7:07 PM
    Based on the fast refresh rate it looks like a TN panel... wake me up when IPS monitors (preferably @ 1920x1200) start coming out with GSYNC..
  • Display all 26 comments.
  • 0 Hide
    siman0 , July 23, 2014 8:22 PM
    Free sync is comming in the 1.2a has free sync ie. same thing but free and open source so everyone can implement it, not just ones that pay nvidia. Its a push by amd and vesa to implement it in the new standard. So nvidia amd and intel can use variable refresh. In some cases all that is required is a driver update. Amd and vesa have actually been working on this for quite some time. Even before nvidia released gsync. It was a suprise too me that they spent money on it. But i guess they are hopeing it will take hold like hdmi.
  • 1 Hide
    airborne11b , July 23, 2014 9:20 PM
    It is a TN panel. IPS panels are too slow for gaming. This TN Panel on the ROG Swift is an 8-Bit TN panel with decent uniformity and good enough viewing angles.

    The trade off for an IPS panel's slightly better colors and viewing angles isn't a good compromise considering the trifecta of Gsync + 144hz + 1ms refresh.

    For gaming, especially in fast pace games, the slow response, lack of gsync (or freesync) and the low refresh rates of IPS monitors combines to make a very noticeable and extremely inferior gaming experience.

    Sure, if you're primarily using 3 monitors in portrait mode and doing color-based professional work (editing pictures, design work, etc) you probably want to stay away from the ROG Swift.

    But if gaming is your primary concern, there isn't a single IPS panel on the market that comes close to being as awesome as this monitor is.

    I'm also hoping "freesync" pans out, even though I'm an nvidia fan. Competition is always good. However, I wouldn't count your chickens before they hatch son. Just because they claim they can do something doesn't mean they can do it as well, or that they can provide it with no cost to the end user money wise.

    For all you know Gsync's way of doing it might be superior in some way, or freesync might end up raising the price of a monitor to support it.

    Not saying that is going to happen, but I wouldn't make any bold claims either way until after I see them do it.
  • 7 Hide
    DarkSable , July 23, 2014 9:51 PM
    Quote:
    Free sync is comming in the 1.2a has free sync ie. same thing but free and open source so everyone can implement it, not just ones that pay nvidia. Its a push by amd and vesa to implement it in the new standard. So nvidia amd and intel can use variable refresh. In some cases all that is required is a driver update. Amd and vesa have actually been working on this for quite some time. Even before nvidia released gsync. It was a suprise too me that they spent money on it. But i guess they are hopeing it will take hold like hdmi.


    Do your research, mate... and use a spellchecker.

    Yes, freesync is going to be built into the DP standards... as an optional standard. Monitor companies are still going to have to spend extra to put the control board in their product, and when Gsync already has a substantial market lead...
  • 5 Hide
    DarkSable , July 23, 2014 9:54 PM
    Quote:
    It is a TN panel. IPS panels are too slow for gaming. This TN Panel on the ROG Swift is an 8-Bit TN panel with decent uniformity and good enough viewing angles.

    The trade off for an IPS panel's slightly better colors and viewing angles isn't a good compromise considering the trifecta of Gsync + 144hz + 1ms refresh.

    For gaming, especially in fast pace games, the slow response, lack of gsync (or freesync) and the low refresh rates of IPS monitors combines to make a very noticeable and extremely inferior gaming experience.

    Sure, if you're primarily using 3 monitors in portrait mode and doing color-based professional work (editing pictures, design work, etc) you probably want to stay away from the ROG Swift.

    But if gaming is your primary concern, there isn't a single IPS panel on the market that comes close to being as awesome as this monitor is.


    Exactly. IPS fanboys baffle me. Yes, IPS is wonderful for many things... but to say that you would never touch a TN panel... because you would rather have slightly better color accuracy (at maximum brightness) than you would speed and smoothness of gameplay?

    Seriously, I have a $600 iiyama 1440p IPS screen that I do professional image work on... and sitting right next to it is the $400, 1080p, 120Hz BenQ that I game on. IPS are great for some things, but if you've ever gotten used to playing on a high refresh rate monitor, they don't even compare.

    TN has a huge advantage at low brightness levels, which I prefer, especially at night.

    IPS doesn't come anywhere close to the speeds needed... even overclocked panels. My best friend has a Tempest as his main monitor and agrees that while it's faster than normal, it doesn't compare to my BenQ.
  • 4 Hide
    Bondfc11 , July 23, 2014 10:09 PM
    Really to the comparison? First, you are comparing apples and oranges with the 1080 to 1440. Second if you do want to go there - you may want to brush up on Tom's own review of the Tempest, which killed other IPS and was very close in speed to many TNs.

    The ROG Swift is a great monitor no doubt, but as in all things in life people prefer different things. Some people love TN other IPS - slamming "fanboys" of one or the other makes no sense - it's only a person's personal preference you are crapping on.
  • 1 Hide
    Transsive , July 24, 2014 1:53 AM
    Sadly you can't use Nvidia's Ultra Low Motion blur technology (ULMB) and G-Sync at the same time.
    ULMB is Lightboost (backlight strobbing) that makes the monitor behave like a CRT. It reduces LCD sample and hold motion blur.

    I expect G-sync to make gaming smooth and stutter free, but with a significant amount of motion blur.

    So until they find a way around that, I will stick with my Lightboost monitor.
  • 3 Hide
    ubercake , July 24, 2014 4:24 AM
    At first I was really excited about these monitors, but the delay in releasing them has me thinking about a few things and whether or not it will really be worth buying into G-sync:
    1) Even though I find Nvidia's GPUs and drivers to be superior, I don't like the idea of being locked into any one company's tech.
    2) Why aren't there more planned offerings with this tech? It looks like there's a degree of competition at the 1080p level, but if I want 2560x1440, I have to buy Asus (not really a complaint, but Asus can do whatever they want with pricing), If I want 4K, I have to buy Acer.
    3) My video setup is pretty good with two 780s in SLI and a 120Hz 1080p monitor. The advantages of G-sync (in every review I've read) seem to be more apparent at the 45-60 fps of GPU output and I'm well beyond that for just about anything.
    4) 2560x1440 @ 144Hz regardless of G-sync or not is what I've been waiting for for years. The Asus monitor will be great for gaming.
    5) Why did it take G-sync for a company to produce a 2560x1440p 144Hz TN gaming monitor?
    6) Since they are now producing a 2560x1440 144Hz G-sync TN gaming monitor, will they also produce another model without G-sync that doesn't carry the G-sync premium price point? Why not?
    7) Even the though the dynamic refresh GPU/monitor tech make sense since we've moved beyond the cathode ray tube TV, no manufacturers are even approaching free sync as of yet. It's just a twinkle in AMD's eye. Will Nvidia cards work with free-sync if it becomes a DP standard? Or might free sync as well be a proprietary tech since there are only two real competitors in the gaming graphics world?

    All just thoughts flying around in my crazy mind.

    I'd like to see a review site clarify if there's any real advantage to running G-sync if your GPU setup can already output 120fps performance on a 120Hz monitor.
  • 3 Hide
    ubercake , July 24, 2014 4:28 AM
    Quote:
    Sadly you can't use Nvidia's Ultra Low Motion blur technology (ULMB) and G-Sync at the same time.
    ULMB is Lightboost (backlight strobbing) that makes the monitor behave like a CRT. It reduces LCD sample and hold motion blur.

    I expect G-sync to make gaming smooth and stutter free, but with a significant amount of motion blur.

    So until they find a way around that, I will stick with my Lightboost monitor.


    We don't want the monitor to behave like a CRT because it's limited to static refresh rates. The thing about the backlight strobing is it's incorporated because of the static refresh rate. G-sync uses dynamic refresh so I really don't think there will be a real need for the backlight strobing with G-sync running.

  • 1 Hide
    n3cw4rr10r , July 24, 2014 6:45 AM
    I dont have a nVidia card. The g-sync would be a waste to pay extra for. Also its expensive considering 4k monitors are dropping in price.
  • 0 Hide
    jessterman21 , July 24, 2014 6:52 AM
    Too expensive - waiting for the Acer or ASUS 1080p 60Hz Gsync monitor for $199. Probably not going to happen...
  • 3 Hide
    JackNaylorPE , July 24, 2014 7:49 AM
    IPS - Like the above poster I have a $1,000 Dell and two Asus $250 screens (one 120 Hz and one 144 Hz). When it's time to edit photos, the go to monitor is the Dell IPS, but when it's time for gaming, last one of the 3 kids at the KB gets the IPS. Until ya find an IPS that doesn't do this, I'm not interested:



    If the above image has disappeared agAin, you can find the image of the Dell 2412 here under responsiveness and gaming"

    http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/eizo_ev2436w.htm


    Most TN panels are only 6 bit color .... that's where they have a disadvantage compared to the Dell's where the 8 bit color gives it the edge, however the 8 bit TN panel used in the Swift eliminates most of that difference.

    For a detailed review, see here:

    http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/asus_rog_swift_pg278q.htm

    Tho it doesn't happen to me a lot, I am in agreement with Linus in that "4k is dead to me" ... and .... "I don't remember why 4k ever mattered".

    If ya want IPS, and the lag doesn't bother you .... this is where I'd go
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0i7FjwteQE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnrxNfxRK_4

    Can gather more info here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-u-6i_RJRI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgquRkMHgwE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekXHvEK2bbI

  • 0 Hide
    StarBound , July 24, 2014 8:43 AM
    It won't release soon enough. I need one and I need one ...months ago.
  • 1 Hide
    DarkSable , July 24, 2014 10:09 AM
    Quote:
    Really to the comparison? First, you are comparing apples and oranges with the 1080 to 1440. Second if you do want to go there - you may want to brush up on Tom's own review of the Tempest, which killed other IPS and was very close in speed to many TNs.

    The ROG Swift is a great monitor no doubt, but as in all things in life people prefer different things. Some people love TN other IPS - slamming "fanboys" of one or the other makes no sense - it's only a person's personal preference you are crapping on.


    I'm not comparing apples and oranges with 1080p and 1440p. They're both monitors. :p 

    But no, running 120fps at 1080p is just marginally less difficult than 60fps at 1440p, and I have a graphics card powerful enough to do both. I've read Tom's review of the Tempest, and I've spent a fair bit of time sitting in front of my friend's.

    It's a good monitor, but lacking lightboost makes a difference... and like other IPS panels, that gorgeous color doesn't work nearly so well at lower brightness... so unless you either never play at night or want to sit in a room with all the lights on to play, there's a disadvantage there.

    I reserve the right to slam fanboys of, well, anything really. If you're so stubborn and close minded that you immediately dismiss anything that's not of your 'camp,' it says something sad about you.

    To be clearer, my post was not aimed at people who prefer IPS panels... my post was aimed at people who trash this monitor, or other great offerings, and claim they would never use it in a million years because it's not an IPS panel... when they've probably never even used a very high quality TN panel.

    Do I understand why you would sacrifice smoothness for marginally more 'accurate' color? No. Do I respect the choice to? Absolutely, as long as you don't use it as justification to trash anything that's not what you have.
  • 1 Hide
    Bondfc11 , July 24, 2014 10:09 AM
    Quote:
    At first I was really excited about these monitors, but the delay in releasing them has me thinking about a few things and whether or not it will really be worth buying into G-sync:
    1) Even though I find Nvidia's GPUs and drivers to be superior, I don't like the idea of being locked into any one company's tech.
    2) Why aren't there more planned offerings with this tech? It looks like there's a degree of competition at the 1080p level, but if I want 2560x1440, I have to buy Asus (not really a complaint, but Asus can do whatever they want with pricing), If I want 4K, I have to buy Acer.
    3) My video setup is pretty good with two 780s in SLI and a 120Hz 1080p monitor. The advantages of G-sync (in every review I've read) seem to be more apparent at the 45-60 fps of GPU output and I'm well beyond that for just about anything.
    4) 2560x1440 @ 144Hz regardless of G-sync or not is what I've been waiting for for years. The Asus monitor will be great for gaming.
    5) Why did it take G-sync for a company to produce a 2560x1440p 144Hz TN gaming monitor?
    6) Since they are now producing a 2560x1440 144Hz G-sync TN gaming monitor, will they also produce another model without G-sync that doesn't carry the G-sync premium price point? Why not?
    7) Even the though the dynamic refresh GPU/monitor tech make sense since we've moved beyond the cathode ray tube TV, no manufacturers are even approaching free sync as of yet. It's just a twinkle in AMD's eye. Will Nvidia cards work with free-sync if it becomes a DP standard? Or might free sync as well be a proprietary tech since there are only two real competitors in the gaming graphics world?

    All just thoughts flying around in my crazy mind.

    I'd like to see a review site clarify if there's any real advantage to running G-sync if your GPU setup can already output 120fps performance on a 120Hz monitor.


    LOVE all your thoughts here in this post. I will add my 2 cents for some.

    #2 - more are coming - there were many others making Gsync, but this is not a slap-dash thing. It takes time to produce PCBs in quantity (I am sure you already know all this about developing, testing, building, and marketing a new product.)
    #3 - I have played Gsync on the ASUS 248 at nearly consistent 120FPS and I can tell a difference - especially in the "dips" in FPS. That is where Gsync shines. In my opinion, the value of Gsync doesn't diminish as you reach 120Hz/FPS, but ensures smooth play during those more taxing moments.
    #4 - Agree (although I prefer IPS and that cannot hit 144hz currently).
    #5 - I think this has to do with the Korean 1440 craze and possibly Overlord? Think about it, just a short 2 years ago no major focused on large format gaming screens. It was all uber-expensive IPS, etc for pros. Nothing truly catering to gaming.
    #6 - Great question - they should.
    #7 - Agree - AMD trying to stay relevant. There is scant little real information on freesync, how an OEM would build that into their AD PCBs, what cost (if any) that would add, and how it all would work with existing GPUs. Saying it will become part of X spec sounds sketchy to me since that is only 1 part of a multi-part process to bring a new monitor to market. The only known working model was limited to a particular panel and 2 AMD cards. Sounded very proprietary to me at the time.

    Of course, AMD is saying this will be for the masses, but that will all depend on how OEMs plan to integrate it into new models. Make no mistake this is not simply a patch to current boards - it would require more than that (with the new DP standards). I think it makes sense for AMD to make it proprietary to be honest. While we all would love to see this tech be open to one and all - there are serious R&D costs behind them that both AMD and Nvidia have every right to recoup and how they choose to go about recouping their costs may differ of course.

    I agree on the review for consistent 120FPS rigs. However, with panels getting larger and larger and games getting prettier and prettier - serious GPU horsepower is needed to maintain that rate on larger formats and ultra settings. That is where Gsync shines. If you are running SLI 780s and a single 1080 panel - pssh why? LOL! Surround that sucker!
  • 2 Hide
    Bondfc11 , July 24, 2014 10:22 AM
    Quote:
    Quote:
    Really to the comparison? First, you are comparing apples and oranges with the 1080 to 1440. Second if you do want to go there - you may want to brush up on Tom's own review of the Tempest, which killed other IPS and was very close in speed to many TNs.

    The ROG Swift is a great monitor no doubt, but as in all things in life people prefer different things. Some people love TN other IPS - slamming "fanboys" of one or the other makes no sense - it's only a person's personal preference you are crapping on.


    I'm not comparing apples and oranges with 1080p and 1440p. They're both monitors. :p 

    But no, running 120fps at 1080p is just marginally less difficult than 60fps at 1440p, and I have a graphics card powerful enough to do both. I've read Tom's review of the Tempest, and I've spent a fair bit of time sitting in front of my friend's.

    It's a good monitor, but lacking lightboost makes a difference... and like other IPS panels, that gorgeous color doesn't work nearly so well at lower brightness... so unless you either never play at night or want to sit in a room with all the lights on to play, there's a disadvantage there.

    I reserve the right to slam fanboys of, well, anything really. If you're so stubborn and close minded that you immediately dismiss anything that's not of your 'camp,' it says something sad about you.

    To be clearer, my post was not aimed at people who prefer IPS panels... my post was aimed at people who trash this monitor, or other great offerings, and claim they would never use it in a million years because it's not an IPS panel... when they've probably never even used a very high quality TN panel.

    Do I understand why you would sacrifice smoothness for marginally more 'accurate' color? No. Do I respect the choice to? Absolutely, as long as you don't use it as justification to trash anything that's not what you have.


    Actually comparing 1080 to 1440 is apples to oranges, but I will agree to disagree (especially TN at X rate or IPS at Y rate, but that's cool).

    Actually a properly calibrated IPS panel looks just as good at lower brightness as it does at higher (say 200+). I use two and one is calibrated around 120 for night gaming and the other around 200 for day use - they look almost identical when used in the proper lighting. Of course, your mileage may vary.

    You seem to miss my point entirely. I don't care about your opinion or fanboys, I just don't judge people that have a strong opinion about one thing or another - you clearly want to slam people (or reserve the right). Cool - I don't. I understand your point, but my point was that you cannot compare 1080 to 1440 TN to IPS (or whatever type) accurately since they are oh so very different.

    Slam away on those fanboys - all hail the brave new world of internet forums!
  • 0 Hide
    battletoad_boy , July 24, 2014 10:36 AM
    The reviews I have read about G-sync all say that its effects are minimal at higher frame rates. The reviews of this monitor in particular all say the same thing.

    G-sync also adds about $200 to the price of a monitor and gamers who will most benefit from the ROG Swift need hardware capable of only getting 45-60fps at 1440p. This is great for them as this monitor will provide plenty of headroom for when they upgrade their GPU configuration, but what about the rest of us?

    Why isn't their a $599 alternative to this without G-sync for the 780Ti SLI crowd, or the entirety of the AMD user base that can push 100+ fps at this resolution? Screen tearing is minimal on my old 1080p 120hz monitor, and certainly not bad enough to warrant me spending an additional $200 to eliminate it.

    This is why the Acer 4K G-sync intrigues me. There isn't a gaming rig in the world that can never dip below 60fps at 4K in most games, and it is also common to have spikes up to 90+ fps at times that produce lots of screen tearing with Vsync off.

    Since Asus and Samsung already have $650 4K TN panels, the Acer should be expected to cost around $800-$850 after the G-sync markup. It is really hard to consider the ROG Swift for the exact same price at a lower resolution.

    A $599 144hz 1440p screen with no V-sync to inflate the price would intrigue me, though.

  • 1 Hide
    Ninjawithagun , July 24, 2014 11:30 AM
    @ ekliz330...next generation monitors that have dynamic refresh rate scalers is what you are talking about. DisplayPort 1.2a will allow for those scalers to communication with the graphics card in full-duplex and at 4K resolutions. Two things are required to make it happen. It's going to be a long while before the first monitors arrive in the market that have both dynamic refresh rate scalers and DisplayPort 1.2a. For now, Nvidia's G-Sync is the only way to enjoy dynamic refreh rates on a desktop monitor.
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