OLED gaming monitors are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, some of the most gorgeous things to look at, outputting content that are vivid, crisp, and equally as gorgeous as the hardware the panel is attached to. ASUS, for that matter, is now considered an old hand at making OLED gaming monitors since 2018, but primarily in the realm of 4K resolutions.
Then, earlier at the start of the year, the brand announced the ROG Swift PG27AQDM, a gaming monitor with an OLED panel that wasn’t 4K, but is in fact just WQHD or 1440p.
What Am I Looking At?
To restate the obvious, the PG27AQDM is a gaming monitor made by ASUS and is a part of its ROG Swift lineup. The panel’s thickness is razor thin, and is considerably lighter than its predecessor. In fact, its base is actually the only thing that has heft and is solid. Rightly so, given that you don’t want the monitor moving around at the slightest adjustments.
the OLED panel of the PG27AQDM measures in at a standard 27-inches, but another feature that makes it so special is that it also boasts a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, which honestly, is more than plenty for a user like me, especially since I do not play Esports titles that actually require, demand even, higher refresh rates.
Controls for the PG27AQDM have been simplified further, with the nipple-style joystick relegated to the base of the monitor, flanked by just two buttons that just meld into the design as a whole. More to the point, it’s the first OLED 1440p gaming monitor ASUS has made, a resolution that I have often described as the sweet spot for gamers like me that still aren’t as invested into the idea of a 4K monitor.
What’s Good About It?
The PG27AQDM has a peak brightness of 1000 nits, along with a DCI-P3 colour gamut rating of 99%, as well as a Delta E that is less than two. Because of that, coupled with its HDR support, playing games that is filled with a lot of colour makes the viewing experience feel a hell of a lot more vibrant. Likewise, the same can be said with its contrast; blacks are deep and whites are what I describe as flashbang-level bright. Speaking of which, if you’re playing titles like Modern Warfare 2 or CS:GO, you’ll want to think twice before letting off a stun grenade.
I am also happy to report that the PG27AQDM doesn’t suffer from edge bleeding or random bright spots on the display. There is also no bloom or halo effect around the mouse cursor.
The PG27AQDM also features a special anti-glare micro-texture coating, so you can view it from virtually any angle and not have to worry about the colours washing out, as well as getting uniform brightness from any and all angles.
What’s the Catch?
If there is one drawback to owning the PG27AQDM, it would be its asking price. Off the shelf and brand new, this gaming monitor retails for RM4898. It’s not cheap, understandably but compared to the PG27UQ that I reviewed back in 2018, that’s nearly half the price of that monitor, and at half the resolution too.
There’s also the onboard software of the PG27AQDM and the way you have to update them. While this is a problem that isn’t exclusive to ASUS, the steps that need to be taken aren’t necessarily consumer-friendly, meaning that there is a chance of borking the monitor entirely if they misread or miss a step.
Beyond that, you’re still getting the majority of creature comforts with the PG27AQDM, including the ability to pivot the panel into portrait mode, and of course, the luxury that is OLED.
Should I Get This?
If I’m honest, the ASUS ROG Swift PG27AQDM is, if nothing else, a luxury good. At nearly RM5,000 a pop, this is clearly a gaming monitor designed for consumers with both disposable income and the desire for a gaming monitor with an OLED panel for those deep blacks and vibrant colour accuracy.
Having said that, the P27AQDM is a gorgeous 27-inch gaming monitor that absolutely scratches that 1440p itch, and one that I would absolutely recommend to folks in the market for OLED monitors or just wanting to treat themselves.
Photography by John Law.
