Asus PG279Q (2560x1440, 144Hz, IPS): better alternatives?

[Stefan1024]

So I'm looking foreward to adding a monitor dedicated for gaming to my setup. Nevertheless it will also be used for work and gneral stuff. So I'm a bit picky about good color reproduction and viewing angles. Also I don't have the space for a 21:9 monitor or the GPU power (2xGTX980) to drive a 4k screen. As a result I'm looking for:

• IPS / OLED panel
• outstanding colors and viewing angles
• >= 120Hz
• 2560x1600 prefered, but as only 2560x1440 is aviable in this sector I go for it.
• 27-30 inch
• G-sync prefered
• don't need to be curved but it's nice
• not super agressive "gaming" looking (but if the monitor perfomance is really good, I can still mod it)

I ended up with the Asus PG279Q as it meets all requirements. Luckily the LED can be turned of, so it's not that aggressive anymore. Still it is a bit pricy and there migth be better alternatives.

As  a result I'm asking you girls and guys, is there:

• A better alternative?
• Anyone who owns the PG279Q and can give some feedback?
• Is my idea bad in general?
• Is there a better monitor around the corner that will be released in a few month? The monitor market is changing fast at the moment.

Thank you.

[thekeemo]

Its the best. Get 10. End of story.

I believe there is an ultrawide version coming.

[Falkentyne]

There are NO alternatives except the 1) XB271HU, which has not been released yet (should be out by the end of November)

2) older XB270HU (same capabilities except no 165hz overclock)

3) Eizo foris FS2725, which is the freesync version of the PG279Q (I think equivalent to the MG279Q?)

 

The problem with the new Swift (can't even spell correctly right now) and the other #1 and #2 above is they are ALL panel lotteries.  Big time.

So unless Eizo has some super magic up its sleeve, it will ALSO be a lottery !

[Stefan1024]

There are NO alternatives except the 1) XB271HU, which has not been released yet (should be out by the end of November)

2) older XB270HU (same capabilities except no 165hz overclock)

3) Eizo foris FS2725, which is the freesync version of the PG279Q (I think equivalent to the MG279Q?)

 

The problem with the new Sift and the other #1 and #2 above is they are ALL panel lotteries.  Big time.

So unless Eizo has some super magic up its sleeve, it will ALSO be a lottery !

 

The XB270HU looks interesting as I can get one used and save 250$. Also I don't "need" 165Hz since I can't push that much frames in most games.

Also I'm thinking about locking the monitor down to 120 Hz as the power consumtion with Maxwell cards in idle is insane (AMD does a much better job here).

 

 

The test was done with a GTX980Ti.

 

Still I feel bad in putting 500-900$ into the "panel lottery"

[Ryzone]

The XB270HU looks interesting as I can get one used and save 250$. Also I don't "need" 165Hz since I can't push that much frames in most games.

Also I'm thinking about locking the monitor down to 120 Hz as the power consumtion with Maxwell cards in idle is insane (AMD does a much better job here).

 

powerdraw.png

 

The test was done with a GTX980Ti.

 

Still I feel bad in putting 500-900$ into the "panel lottery"

Yeah I'm debating if going with a VG248QE would be a better bet....

[Stefan1024]

Yeah I'm debating if going with a VG248QE would be a better bet....

With 24 inch it's to smal to put next to a 30 inch monitor. Also the resolution it to low and it's a TN panel.

But it would be a LOT cheaper....

[Ryzone]

With 24 inch it's to smal to put next to a 30 inch monitor. Also the resolution it to low and it's a TN panel.

But it would be a LOT cheaper....

Not only cheaper but less headache if you don't feel like playing panel lottery. I know its not even in the same category as a IPS 27" Gsync. But I feel like with what we have to choose from today with those spec's it's not worth the gamble. Unless you have a lot of patience or get very lucky. But then again, I still haven't decided what route I want to go with. I'm gonna go to store today and check out the PG278Q in person and see how bad people say it looks with that coating and TN.

[Stefan1024]

Not only cheaper but less headache if you don't feel like playing panel lottery. I know its not even in the same category as a IPS 27" Gsync. But I feel like with what we have to choose from today with those spec's it's not worth the gamble. Unless you have a lot of patience or get very lucky. But then again, I still haven't decided if I what route I want to go with. I'm gonna go to store today and check out the PG278Q in person and see how bad people say it looks with that coating and TN.

OK, please let me know your opinion once you saw it....

[BrightCandle]

I absolutely love my PG279Q. The colour quality is fantastic, the viewing angles being an IPS are great, the blacks are really deep compared to that grey tint of the TN panel and the ghosting really is minimised. I run it at 165hz and I can see the difference between it and the 144hz of the Benq XL2411T I also have. So far its been pretty decent. The only problem I have with it is the same problem everyone else has which is some amount of colour shift in the lower right corner, mine isn't all that severe but its a noticeable shift to blue. Its really the one quality issue with this monitors design that affects most of them and its kind of minor but I mention it because it puts some people off these monitors.

[Ryzone]

So I'm at frys elelectronics right now and the pg278q feels really really smooth on the desktop and responsive. I also went to check out the 34uc97 they have on display oh man 60 hz feels like garbage holy moly.

[Ryzone]

I tried changing some wallpapers on the pg278q and I can see how people say there's like some film cover on the screen. I guess that's the coating people are talking about. The colors do seem muted, but it's so bright in here it's hard to tell how bad/ good it is.

[Flytan]

I only hear bad things about this monitor. Is g-sync really that important? If I ditch getting g-sync I feel I could get different monitors that just seem to be higher quality in the other areas? I don't get how the screens can be as bad as you guys are saying 

[Ryzone]

I only hear bad things about this monitor. Is g-sync really that important? If I ditch getting g-sync I feel I could get different monitors that just seem to be higher quality in the other areas? I don't get how the screens can be as bad as you guys are saying 

It's because the panel manufacturer for the PG279Q , XB270HU , PG278Q , XB271HU (Version 2 of the XB270HU) They all use the same type panel that is made by AU Optronics. So until another top dog like Samsung or LG wants to come in and make some Gsync IPS panels, were going to get these cheap really bad quality control panels that all the gaming lines are using, and there's nothing we can do about it. So its either go with a safe TN panel like the VG248QE, or hop in the gamble game and try and get a good IPS panel, that is in one of the three monitors I mentioned.

[Stefan1024]

So I'm at frys elelectronics right now and the pg278q feels really really smooth on the desktop and responsive. I also went to check out the 34uc97 they have on display oh man 60 hz feels like garbage holy moly.

 

Looks like I have to find a store that have a lot of the models in question running.

 

It's because the panel manufacturer for the PG279Q , XB270HU , PG278Q , XB271HU (Version 2 of the XB270HU) They all use the same type panel that is made by AU Optronics. So until another top dog like Samsung or LG wants to come in and make some Gsync IPS panels, were going to get these cheap really bad quality control panels that all the gaming lines are using, and there's nothing we can do about it. So its either go with a safe TN panel like the VG248QE, or hop in the gamble game and try and get a good IPS panel, that is in one of the three monitors I mentioned.

 

Wasn't the PG278Q TN and PG279Q IPS? Even if they are made by the same company ther can be some big differences.

[Falkentyne]

Looks like I have to find a store that have a lot of the models in question running.

 

 

Wasn't the PG278Q TN and PG279Q IPS? Even if they are made by the same company ther can be some big differences.

 

PG278Q used a very similar (though not 100% identical) TN  panel as the Benq XL2730Z.  The part numbers and specs are similar (both are true 8 bit)  so its unknown what is exactly different.  The panelook.com datasheets show specifications but doesn't exactly go into details besides electrical tolerances.

 

The PG279Q and XB270HU use a very similar panel but the part numbers are different.  It's guessed that the PG279Q AU panel was spec'd for thin bezel/border displays.  Most likely the XB271HU will use the same panel but it isn't out yet.  Eizo is almost definitely using one of the two panels in its FS2735.

[Ryzone]

Looks like I have to find a store that have a lot of the models in question running.

 

 

Wasn't the PG278Q TN and PG279Q IPS? Even if they are made by the same company ther can be some big differences.

I did get to see the MG279Q and it does look very pretty. The colors are very vibrant, but this is the freesync IPS version.

[Wardude202]

Acer Predator XB270HU 27in G-Sync IPS 144Hz Gaming Monitor probably your best bet (for now)  

[Ryzone]

Yeah I'm going to go with the PG279Q, if I get a bad one, I'll just go with the TN Swift. All I do is game so IPS isn't that important, but it does look pretty.

[chrisoy]

Just got my new pg279q for around $970usd.

Can't really test it since I am still waiting for my gtx 980 ti to come and I can't to much with a gtx 650.

[Ryzone]

Just got my new pg279q for around $970usd.

Can't really test it since I am still waiting for my gtx 980 ti to come and I can't to much with a gtx 650.

Are you just messing around on the desktop? If so how do you like the picture quality? 

[chrisoy]

Are you just messing around on the desktop? If so how do you like the picture quality? 

Right now I am just using the monitor for web browsing and stuff but I am waiting for the 980ti so I can test out its features. Like gaming experience, g sync and the 165hz refresh rate.

[Stefan1024]

Right now I am just using the monitor for web browsing and stuff but I am waiting for the 980ti so I can test out its features. Like gaming experience, g sync and the 165hz refresh rate.

Wellcome to the forum!

 

I expect the "high speed performance" of this monitor to be good. But how is the color reproduction and backlight bleed compared to other high quality IPS panels?

[Falkentyne]

There are no high quality IPS gaming panels at the moment.  The original high quality panels that were very common on LG's IPS panels back in the day were last used on a Dell model (I don't remember the model but it was highly recommended as non gaming color reproduction/work unit).

 

The current IPS panels are AU's AHVA panels which are all massive panel lotteries.  The color reproduction is perfectly fine.  It's the other parts that have issues. Excessive glow, excessive bleed, too many dead pixels, uniformity issues, dust and ants behind the polarizer, you name it.  It's a pure panel lottery.  Great if you get one that wasn't made on a Monday or a Friday, or at 8 am or 15 minutes before closing time.

[Stefan1024]

There are no high quality IPS gaming panels at the moment.  The original high quality panels that were very common on LG's IPS panels back in the day were last used on a Dell model (I don't remember the model but it was highly recommended as non gaming color reproduction/work unit).

 

The current IPS panels are AU's AHVA panels which are all massive panel lotteries.  The color reproduction is perfectly fine.  It's the other parts that have issues. Excessive glow, excessive bleed, too many dead pixels, uniformity issues, dust and ants behind the polarizer, you name it.  It's a pure panel lottery.  Great if you get one that wasn't made on a Monday or a Friday, or at 8 am or 15 minutes before closing time.

Yes the PG279Q is only sond in "pixel class 2" what is already an aweful lot of allowed deap pixels. And you can't RMA the **** thing as it "ok" to be that bad.

It was nice be be able to buy the dell one with "pixel class 0" for only a few bucks more.

[chrisoy]

I would say the color reproduction is good but there are some backlight bleed on the four corner of the display, with the right bottom being the most severe. (I will attach a photo later.)

 

If I am correct I believe that the pg279q is a ZBD monitor which doesn't tolerate any bright dot within a year. I would say I got lucky there, there wasn't any defect pixels but as falkentyne said it is like a gamble especially when I am paying this much for a premium monitor