Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC review: Smart TV features in a small display

Price When Reviewed

$399.99

Best Prices Today: Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC

Smart displays (displays that run a sensible TV OS, like Google TV or Tizen) quietly turned a pattern in 2024 due to new releases from Samsung and LG, amongst others. Most of those displays are bigger, nonetheless, and goal greater worth factors. The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a smaller, extra reasonably priced different that may enchantment to individuals who care extra a couple of sensible monitor’s options than its picture high quality.  

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC specs & options

At its core, the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a run-of-the-mill 27-inch 4K monitor. It has a 27-inch IPS show with a local decision of 3840×2160. While the show panel helps HDR, its specs are in any other case mundane. It has a 60Hz refresh charge, lacks VESA DisplayHDR certification, and lacks adapative sync.

• Display measurement: 27-inch 16:9 widescreen
• Native decision: 3840×2160
• Panel kind: In-Plane Switching
• Refresh charge: 60Hz
• Adaptive sync: None
• HDR: Yes, HDR 10
• Ports: 1x USB-C with DisplayPort and as much as 90 watts of USB Power Delivery, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB-A 2.0 downstream, 1x 3.5mm audio out
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Speakers: 2x 5-watt audio system
• Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
• Operating system: Google TV
• Remote management: Included, with two AAA batteries
• Price: $399.99 MSRP

While the show panel is fundamental, Asus packs the monitor with many helpful options. It ships with a distant and batteries used to regulate the Google TV working system. It additionally has Wi-Fi (a should for the sensible TV OS to work), USB-C with 90 watts of Power Delivery, and a pair of 5-watt audio system.

Asus lists an MSRP of $399.99, nevertheless it seems to ceaselessly go on sale for $369.99.

Further studying: See our roundup of the best monitors to study competing merchandise.

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC design

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is among the many extra reasonably priced sensible displays obtainable proper now, however you wouldn’t know that by taking a look at it. On the opposite, it gives a clear, premium aesthetic that ought to look glorious in any workplace or lounge.

From the entrance, the MS27UC has slim bezels on the highest and sides, whereas the underside is roofed by a horny grayish-white cloth that blends effectively with most rooms and lends the monitor an approachable, pleasant really feel. The cloth overlaying sweeps across the again of the monitor, the place it joins silver plastics that look (however don’t really feel) like metallic.

The rear of the monitor additionally boasts a small shelf for rear storage, and Asus gives a number of peripherals (together with the distant bundled with the TV) designed to perch there. While I hardly ever remembered to make use of it, this characteristic may very well be helpful when you like a tidy setup.

The monitor has a compact however efficient L-shaped stand with a flat base. It takes up little or no house on a desk and its compact kind issue means the monitor can perch on even smaller surfaces, like a nightstand or cupboard (essential when you plan to make use of it like a small tv). The stand’s ergonomic adjustment is restricted, nonetheless. It solely adjusts for tilt and top and its vary of top adjustment is a tad extra restricted than typical at 100mm of whole journey.

A typical 100x100mm VESA mount is on the market for attaching the monitor to a third-party stand or mount. The ports are rear-facing as an alternative of downward-facing. While I typically want this, because it makes connecting gadgets a breeze, it may show tough if you wish to wall-mount the monitor.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC connectivity

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC has an excellent vary of connectivity. Video inputs embrace USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, DisplayPort, and HDMI, for a complete of three video inputs. While I’d’ve most popular to see a second HDMI, this association might be high-quality for many homeowners.

The USB-C port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode also can provide as much as 90 watts of Power Delivery, which makes it helpful for connecting and charging a laptop computer, pill, or perhaps a smartphone. While that is most helpful in a house workplace, it is also helpful if you would like play video games on a related laptop computer, smartphone, or handheld gaming gadget.

Two USB-A 2.0 downstream ports and a 3.5mm audio-out jack spherical out the choices. A USB-C downstream port would’ve been good, however the MS27UC’s total connectivity is nice worth for cash.

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC Smart TV options

Asus ships the ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC with Google TV, an Android-based working system customers may already be acquainted with, because it’s generally utilized by TVs from Sony, TCL, and Hisense, amongst others.

Because it’s a sensible monitor with an working system, the MS27UC requires a little bit of setup earlier than it’s prepared to make use of. You’ll want to connect with Wi-Fi, log in to a Google account, and full just a few elective personalization steps. I discovered this course of a bit slower than on competing sensible displays as a consequence of a number of setup load screens that took a minute or two to finish. Still, I had the monitor prepared to make use of in below 10 minutes.

Once arrange, I discovered the Google TV working system acquainted and simple to navigate. It actually is Google TV, so apps you’d count on to work with a bigger tv working Google TV will work right here. This contains streaming apps like YouTube (after all), Netflix, Amazon Prime, and so forth.

If you’d like, you need to use the MS27UC like a 27-inch sensible tv with no gadget related to a video enter. The monitor additionally helps wi-fi video connections by requirements like Miracast and Chromecast, which means it’s doable to wirelessly stream video from choose telephones, tablets, and computer systems.

Note, nonetheless, that the MS27UC lacks a TV tuner and received’t be capable to hook up with a coaxial cable supply. This can also be true of aggressive sensible displays, nonetheless.

The distant management is massive, snug, and gives good entry to video connections and show choices. I discovered the menu system simpler to navigate than these on the Samsung and LG sensible displays I examined the final 12 months. And I had no hassle connecting a PC over HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C. The menu system is ever-so-slightly sluggish at occasions, nevertheless it’s minor and I count on many customers received’t discover.

However, the menu choices are a bit complicated when utilizing the show as a monitor. By default, the monitor switches to PC Mode (and this was used for many of our testing). This mode locks out some changes, resembling shade temperature. HDR additionally didn’t operate in PC Mode. I additionally tried utilizing Asus DisplayWidget, a Windows app that may management the settings of most Asus displays and located it didn’t work with the MS27UC.

A pair of 5-watt audio system wrap up the monitor’s sensible TV options. They’re okay, however 5 watts isn’t a ton of energy, and the monitor lacks a subwoofer to ship low-end kick. As a outcome, the monitor’s sound comes throughout as tinny and skinny. The audio system are satisfactory for informal viewing, however homeowners planning a Netflix binge will need a greater sound system.   

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC SDR picture high quality

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC has many options however, in terms of picture high quality, there’s not lots to speak about. Aside from a local decision of 3840×2160, the monitor’s show is a quite fundamental IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh charge. That reveals by in testing.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

First up, nonetheless, is a bit of excellent information. The MS27UC hits a most SDR brightness of 467 nits, which is extraordinarily excessive for any monitor.

An SDR brightness this excessive isn’t essential to be used in a typical house workplace, nevertheless it is smart in a sensible monitor which may exchange a tv. I count on the MS27UC shall be utilized in brightly lit rooms, together with residing rooms and kitchens, the place it’s an alternative choice to a price range sensible tv. The show’s brightness ought to hold it snug to view in most conditions.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

On the flip facet, nonetheless, the MS27UC achieved a modest measured distinction ratio of 850:1. That’s not nice for a monitor in 2025, and it lands the MS27UC in direction of the low finish of what’s typical.

To be truthful, most equally priced displays with an IPS panel ship an identical distinction ratio. But these with a VA panel, just like the AOC 27G15, obtain a a lot better distinction ratio that results in a richer, extra immersive picture.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

I used to be a bit dissatisfied by the MS27UC’s shade gamut, because it achieved simply 99 p.c of sRGB and 81 p.c of DCI-P3. As the graph reveals, that’s behind different displays which can be equally priced, although it ought to be famous that LG’s sensible monitor is listed at $600.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Color accuracy is a win for the MS27UC. Although it doesn’t beat the sphere, all of the displays listed right here carry out effectively for the worth and finally ship shade accuracy able to a sensible and convincing picture. Even customers with a discerning eye for shade are unlikely to see flaws.

The MS27US additionally did effectively in gamma, because it achieved the best gamma curve worth of two.2. That signifies the picture seems round as luminous because it ought to, which is vital to preserving element in shadows and highlights.

Color temperature, however, was unusually excessive with a price of 8000Okay. That means the picture seems cool and sterile. This generally is a matter of private style, and the monitor gives choices to alter the colour temperature by each preset shade temperature modes and shade calibration options, so customers can change the colour temperature to a hotter look. Still, a default shade temperature this excessive (in PC Mode, which is flipped on by default when utilizing the monitor with a PC) is a bit odd.

Sharpness is a giant perk and power. A decision of 3840×2160 throughout a 27-inch panel works out to about 163 pixels per inch and leads to a tack-sharp look. The sharpness is equally glorious when viewing YouTube as when navigating an Excel spreadsheet in 8-point font.

Look, I’ll be sincere: The Asus Zenscreen Smart Monitor MS27UC’s picture high quality is simply okay. But that doesn’t imply customers ought to write it off. A show like that is usually constructed to be useful greater than it’s enticing, and that’s as true for the monitor’s picture high quality as its options. The picture received’t blow your socks off, nevertheless it’s brilliant, sharp, and simple to view in quite a lot of viewing circumstances and with a variety of content material.

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC HDR picture high quality

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC helps HDR10, however I wouldn’t advocate shopping for it for HDR content material. The monitor’s most brightness is great for SDR however inadequate to do HDR justice. It additionally lacks the colour gamut and distinction required to assist HDR content material stand out from SDR.

That’s to not say HDR seems unhealthy. On the opposite, a high-quality 4K HDR clip can look nice. This, nonetheless, is usually due to the monitor’s sharpness, and HDR’s benefit over high-quality 4K SDR content material is quite slim.

I additionally discovered HDR didn’t work when utilizing the monitor with a PC. Windows didn’t detect the monitor as HDR suitable, and HDR didn’t seem to have interaction mechanically with suitable content material. HDR solely flipped on after I considered streaming apps, like Netflix, by the Google TV interface.

While none of that is constructive for the MS27UC, it’s essential to recollect the worth. Asus sells this monitor for lower than $400. It’s onerous to discover a good HDR monitor for lower than $400, so these flaws are excusable. Shoppers ought to count on to pay extra for good HDR.

Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC movement efficiency

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC doesn’t embrace options which may enhance its movement efficiency. It has a 60Hz refresh charge and lacks adaptive sync for clean body pacing.

That’s to not say it’s horrible. The IPS show panel’s pixel response occasions are affordable and its movement readability is typical for a 60Hz monitor. Ghosting and blur is noticeable on the MS27UC, however tolerable exterior of aggressive esports video games, and no worse than different mid-range displays. Shopper who aren’t choosy about movement readability will assume it seems high-quality.

Still, with 120Hz and 240Hz gaming displays extensively obtainable at decrease costs, it’s apparent the MS27UC will not be a sensible choice for customers who care about movement efficiency.

Should you purchase the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC?

The Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC is a superb choose for customers who need an reasonably priced sensible monitor that’s simple to make use of, can deal with all kinds of streaming apps, and appears enticing. Though it’s not a foul selection for a house workplace, the MS27UC is finest in a studio condo, kitchen, visitor room, and another house the place a small, versatile show may be wanted. The MS27UC is much less interesting when used solely or principally as a PC monitor, as its picture high quality and movement efficiency can’t match equally priced PC gaming displays that lack sensible TV options.