Packaging, Physical Layout, And Accessories
Even though the substantial carton sports a handle, the box is a laydown-style (rather than a suitcase). It’s very deep, so there’s plenty of room for Styrofoam padding inside. The PG278Q comes completely assembled. Cables include DisplayPort, USB 3.0, and an external power brick that looks a lot like an Apple TV. A CD contains the user manual and drivers.
Since this is a premium product, Asus adds a VIP warranty for three years that covers everything, including two-way ground shipping when a repair or replacement is needed.
Product 360
The PG278Q has the thinnest bezel we’ve seen to date, less than half-an-inch across the bottom and about a quarter-inch around the sides and top. A multi-screen setup will have only the thinnest of interruptions between panels.
The anti-glare layer is aggressive enough to cause a subtle grain in the brightest whites. It won’t cause you any grief in games, but we noticed it when editing documents and browsing the Web. Clarity is top-notch, however. Even the finest details are razor-sharp.
In the lower-right are printed-on symbols for the control buttons, which are actually around back and must be operated by feel. OSD navigation is accomplished with a small joystick that works quite well.
The red ring around the Swift’s base lights up if you set an option in the OSD. It’s a cool effect that coordinates well with an illuminated gaming rig.
The PG278Q can rotate to portrait mode with a manual image flip. There is also 120 degrees of swivel, 25 degrees of tilt, and 4½ inches of height adjustment. The stand is very solid with smooth movements and no extra play or wobble.
The panel is 2.6 inches-thick, but its taper makes it appear thinner. There aren’t any side-accessible USB or audio ports. However, you can see the control buttons, power toggle, and menu nav joystick.
The gaming-oriented design continues around back where a smooth taper goes from side to side. You can see the Asus logo and a Republic of Gamers crest on the upright. For cable management, a small triangular hole is provided. The upright can be removed to expose a 100 mm VESA mount.
There's only a single DisplayPort 1.2 input. Because of this, you'll need to make sure your graphics configuration can output to multiple DisplayPort connections before committing to a three-screen Surround setup. You also get one upstream and two downstream USB 3.0 ports. Next to the DP connector is the power brick's plug.
