When 240Hz Just Isn’t Enough: Hands on With the 360Hz Asus ROG Swift 360

By Scharon Harding
last updated

Will you be able to tell the difference?

Refresh rates are truly getting insane. We were already scratching our heads at 300Hz laptop displays from Acer (opens in new tab)and Asus (opens in new tab), but now Asus is taking things to another level. Alongside Nvidia, it today announced the Asus ROG Swift 360 monitor that, for some crazy reason, has an unprecedented 360Hz refresh rate. 

Alright, perhaps the reasons aren’t that crazy. The monitor will target professional eSports gamers when it arrives later this year. An Nvidia spokesperson told us competitive players can expect a 4% improvement in flick shot aiming tests, according to Nvidia research. Casual gamers may still think worrying about 4% is crazy, but for pro gamers with as much as millions of dollars on the line, that 4% could potentially make a life-changing difference. 

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

I watched a demo made with BlurBusters that showed a Dota map scrolling at super-speed across a 240Hz monitor and the Swift 360 simultaneously. It was very tough to see, but names written above each character were a touch sharper on the Swift 360, thanks to the screen being able to change colors more rapidly and display more frames in the same time period. The Swift 360 is said to display a frame once every 2.8ms. 

Not surprisingly, to maintain that speed the ROG Swift 360 is limited to FHD resolution (opens in new tab) and a 24.5 inch display. And since this is an Nvidia collaboration, the monitor supports G-Sync (opens in new tab). This should mean there will be no screen tearing as your the Swift 360 refreshes faster than the best gaming monitors (opens in new tab) out now. 

Pricing wasn’t shared, but we expect the display to be quite pricey considering it’s for competitive eSports players and is one-of-a-kind. 

Don't Need 360Hz?

The Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM is 'only' 280Hz.  (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Don’t need 360Hz? Asus also told us that the Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM will hit the U.S. this February for $449. That 27-inch IPS (opens in new tab)monitor’s refresh rate has a modest 280Hz overclocked refresh rate. Okay, maybe calling 280Hz "modest" is crazy, but you trying staring intensely at a Dota map speeding by at 360 and 240 frames per second simultaneously and see if you don’t feel a little wacky too. 

Scharon Harding
Scharon Harding

Scharon Harding has a special affinity for gaming peripherals (especially monitors), laptops and virtual reality. Previously, she covered business technology, including hardware, software, cyber security, cloud and other IT happenings, at Channelnomics, with bylines at CRN UK.

25 Comments Comment from the forums
  • NightHawkRMX
    A useless product
    Reply
  • Nemesia
    Maybe in 2-3 GPU generation you will be able to achieve 360FPS to use that monitor. Totally pointless.
    Reply
  • armor152
    Sweet, good to see some new exciting monitors coming out.
    Reply
  • drivinfast247
    Nemesia said:
    Maybe in 2-3 GPU generation you will be able to achieve 360FPS to use that monitor. Totally pointless.
    People are already able to get more than 360fps in esports games.
    Reply
  • Nemesia
    drivinfast247 said:
    People are already able to get more than 360fps in esports games.

    I was obviously talking about more demanding games. Before you can play MW at 360 fps it will take a while.
    Reply
  • drivinfast247
    Nemesia said:
    I was obviously talking about more demanding games. Before you can play MW at 360 fps it will take a while.
    Obviously. But I wouldn't want to play at 1080p anyway.
    Reply
  • Nemesia
    drivinfast247 said:
    Obviously. But I wouldn't want to play at 1080p anyway.

    If you want 360 FPS you will have to play at 1080p anyway. Can you imagine 4K monitor releasing right now with 360Hz.
    Reply
  • Phaaze88
    360hz...
    Oh, for fudges sake...

    There's already people swinging their massive e-peens around, gloating and whining about getting - or not - 200+fps while running on monitors that can't even actually display it.
    Then for those that are interested in owning such a panel, only some of them are financially prepared for such an investment.

    Not to mention, the benefits depend on one's individual reaction speed. Contrary to popular belief, a 240hz - and now, a 360hz - will not help someone dominate in Fortnite, or snag all those headshots in CS:GO or COD.
    If you don't have the reaction speed of Neo or Agent Smith, then fuggedaboutit!

    Oh, this was funny though: "Okay, maybe calling 280Hz "modest" is crazy, but you trying staring intensely at a Dota map speeding by at 360 and 240 frames per second simultaneously and see if you don’t feel a little wacky too."
    Don't forget LoL, as people need ludicrous fps for bloody PVP STRATEGY GAMES!!!
    Reply
  • Nemesia
    Phaaze88 said:
    360hz...
    Oh, for fudges sake...

    There's already people swinging their massive e-peens around, gloating and whining about getting - or not - 200+fps while running on monitors that can't even actually display it.
    Then for those that are interested in owning such a panel, only some of them are financially prepared for such an investment.

    Not to mention, the benefits depend on one's individual reaction speed. Contrary to popular belief, a 240hz - and now, a 360hz - will not help someone dominate in Fortnite, or snag all those headshots in CS:GO or COD.
    If you don't have the reaction speed of Neo or Agent Smith, then fuggedaboutit!

    Oh, this was funny though: "Okay, maybe calling 280Hz "modest" is crazy, but you trying staring intensely at a Dota map speeding by at 360 and 240 frames per second simultaneously and see if you don’t feel a little wacky too."
    Don't forget LoL, as people need ludicrous fps for bloody PVP STRATEGY GAMES!!!

    Yeah this is getting ridiculous.
    Reply
  • blurbusters
    Nemesia said:
    Maybe in 2-3 GPU generation you will be able to achieve 360FPS to use that monitor. Totally pointless.

    Phaaze88 said:
    360hz...
    Oh, for fudges sake...

    There's already people swinging their massive e-peens around, gloating and whining about getting - or not - 200+fps while running on monitors that can't even actually display it.
    Then for those that are interested in owning such a panel, only some of them are financially prepared for such an investment.
    There's still other benefits of 240Hz+ that doesn't have anything to do with reaction time.

    -- Higher Hz means lower frame rates can transmit frames faster to the monitor. 100fps has has less lag on a 360Hz monitor than 100fps on a 144Hz monitor (Quick Frame Transport).
    -- It's best to have a VRR range larger than your frame rate range, for no-compromises GSYNC/FreeSync.
    -- Blurless sample-and-hold. Strobeless ULMB. (See Blur Busters Law: The Amazing Journey To Future 1000Hz Displays). Basically brute Hz as motion blur reduction.
    -- Fewer stroboscopic artifacts. See Stroboscopic Effect of Finite Frame Rates.

    That said, you indeed want to double your refresh rate in order to much more clearly see benefits.
    Comparing 360Hz vs 720Hz and comparing 120Hz vs 240Hz is much more noticeable than 240Hz vs 360Hz
    Reply