We’ve seen some impressive large format gaming monitors. They all come with premium prices, but playing games on them is truly addictive. There is a reason why consoles connected to big-screen televisions outnumber PC and monitor rigs by a substantial margin, and it isn’t just the price difference. Short of the best VR headset, there is no more immersive way to play video games than on a big screen.
The Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ strikes an excellent balance between gaming display, computer monitor and television. It is first and foremost a gaming monitor, and at that task, it beats nearly anything currently available. Response is about as good as it gets with only a handful of smaller screens offering better input lag scores.
The PG43UQ also delivers superb HDR with either FreeSync or G-Sync Compatibility. Your games, be they SDR or HDR, will get an image quality boost. Thanks to its superb contrast and over 90% coverage of DCI-P3, we’ve only seen a few other displays that look as good.
As a computer monitor, the PG43UQ works well though users will have to decide if they want such a large panel on the desktop. It’s a bit awkward to use at the typical 2-3-foot viewing distance. The stand and overall form factor make it more suitable for installation in a media room on a bench or entertainment unit. Asus has provided the proper ergonomics for this with a handy remote and large on-screen menu readable from across the room.
As a movie display, the PG43UQ is flawed, as Blu-ray suffers from some horizontal judder in certain scenes, but this is a minor issue that could be corrected with a firmware update. Additionally, when using the Dynamic Dimming feature, the picture is too bright for darkly lit rooms.
But as a gaming monitor, the PG43UQ has few equals. And though it sells for a premium price, it isn’t as expensive as you might expect. A 50-inch television will cost less but won’t offer Adaptive-Sync, fast refresh or the large color gamut and this level of HDR quality. If you’re looking to buy a premium gaming monitor and the large format works for you, the Asus ROG Swift PG43UQ should be on your short list.
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