This 4K OLED monitor is so vivid, I can (almost) forgive the high price

Price When Reviewed

$1,099

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM

They’re right here!

After being proven at CES 2025, the brand new wave of 4K QD-OLED screens is quick approaching the market. Most will probably be related, however the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM stands out from the pack with a pair extras, like ELMB black body insertion for higher movement readability at decrease refresh charges, and a USB-C port with 90 watts of Power Delivery. It’s a improbable monitor, although definitely a bit expensive at MSRP.

Read on to study extra, then see our roundup of the best 4K monitors for comparability.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM specs and options

The most essential function of the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is, after all, the OLED panel. It’s a part of a brand new era of Samsung QD-OLED show panels that present 4K decision as much as 240Hz.

• Display measurement: 26.5-inch 16:9 widescreen
• Native decision: 3840×2160
• Panel sort: 10-bit QD-OLED
• Refresh price: 240Hz
• Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync Compatible
• HDR: Yes, VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black Certified
• Ports: 1x DisplayPort 2.1 UBHR20, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 with 90 watts of Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 3.5mm audio jack
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Audio: None
• Price: $1,099.99 MSRP

Asus provides a number of extras to assist the monitor stand out, together with an ELMB black body insertion mode that I’ll focus on extra within the movement readability part of this evaluate. The monitor additionally has 90 watts of Power Delivery over the USB-C port and features a tripod mount on the high of the monitor stand for attaching a digital camera or ring gentle.

The monitor will hit shops with an MSRP of $1,099.99. That’s a excessive value for a 27-inch 4K monitor. However, different 27-inch 4K QD-OLED screens will debut on the similar value.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM design

The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM’s design is typical for an Asus gaming monitor. It has a black charcoal look with aggressive styling, together with a twisted, tripod-style monitor stand that takes up completely an excessive amount of area in your desk. Because of its depth, the stand forces the monitor nearer to your face than you may want, particularly when you’ve got a smaller desk. I’ve by no means been a fan of this design and I’m changing into extra vital of it as Asus’s rivals change to flat stands that aren’t as annoying.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Still, the ROG Swift PG27UCDM is a nice-looking monitor in case you don’t care how a lot area the stand takes up. It has a number of LED accent lights—one on the rear of the panel and one going through downward from the show stand—so as to add aptitude to your gaming setup. Asus’s materials high quality is excessive, giving the monitor a premium really feel once you carry or regulate it. Speaking of changes, the stand gives ergonomic changes for peak, tilt, and swivel. This is typical for any monitor on this value vary however nonetheless good to see.

If you determine to exchange the stand, you should utilize a regular 100x100mm VESA mount. Unlike most rivals, Asus’s monitor requires use of an included bracket to connect the panel to a third-party monitor arm or stand. It’s not an enormous problem however value retaining in thoughts, because it barely complicates use with an arm (and also you’ll need to hold monitor of that bracket).

 Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM connectivity

Asus doesn’t pull any punches on the subject of the ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM’s connectivity. The monitor has a DisplayPort 2.1 port with UHBR 20, supporting as much as 80Gbps of bandwidth. In addition to that, it has two HDMI 2.1 ports and a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode, making for a complete of 4 inputs—all of which may deal with the monitor’s most refresh price and backbone.

The USB-C port gives as much as 90W of Power Delivery. That’s not distinctive, as lots of the new 4K 240Hz QD-OLED screens provide USB-C. Some, just like the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED, even present barely extra energy (the MSI goes as much as 98 watts).

Even so, the USB-C port is beneficial. It connects to 3 downstream USB ports, making the ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM a helpful hub for a wired keyboard and mouse. There’s additionally a USB-B upstream enter for connecting a tool with out USB-C, like a Windows desktop, to the monitor’s USB ports. The monitor has KVM change performance, too.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM options

PG27UCDM’s picture high quality choices are in depth. It has a number of picture high quality preset modes alongside quite a few coloration temperature and gamma choices. The coloration temperature and gamma choices goal particular values, as nicely, as an alternative of obscure labels (for instance, the menu lists a default coloration temperature of 6500Ok as an alternative of “Normal”). The on-screen menus are simple to make use of and Asus gives an honest software program utility, DisplayWidget, which may regulate most settings inside Windows.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The monitor additionally has a uniform brightness mode, which will help tame the seen brightness fluctuations that may happen when viewing each very darkish and shiny home windows. A proximity sensor is included and might dim the show routinely once you step away (which is supposed to cut back the danger of OLED burn-in). The monitor additionally has adjustable HDR brightness, a nice-to-have function not generally discovered on aggressive OLED shows.

There are loads of options geared toward players, too. These embody side ratio management modes which may help both a 4:3 side ratio or restrict the viewable show area to imitate a 24.5-inch widescreen monitor (the sort generally used for esports tournaments). Gamers can even discover the same old on-screen options together with a crosshair, timer, body price show, and a darkish equalization mode (referred to as Shadow Boost) that makes foes lurking in shadows simpler to see.

Speakers, then again, aren’t included. While a bit disappointing, that is typical for a 27-inch OLED monitor. 

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM SDR picture high quality

SDR picture high quality is a precedence for the Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM, as it’s with any OLED gaming monitor. Fortunately, the 4K QD-OLED panel holds lots of promise. It delivers the wonderful coloration efficiency of prior QD-OLED shows however with a a lot greater pixel density. The result’s a pointy, vivid picture that appears attractive in a variety of SDR content material.  

Matthew Smith / Foundry

First up is SDR brightness, and right here there aren’t any surprises. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM is a bit brighter than common for a QD-OLED monitor, however we’re nonetheless speaking nicely below 300 nits at its most brightness. Even so, that’s greater than sufficient for many gaming dens or residence places of work.

If you want a monitor for a shiny sunroom or a company bullpen, nevertheless, the PG27UCDM can look somewhat dim. The similar is true for different QD-OLED screens, whereas IPS LCDs on this value vary usually exceed 400 nits and are a a lot better selection for brightly lit rooms.

The PG27UCDM additionally has a shiny show panel end. Though fairly efficient at lowering oblique display screen glare, it’ll present apparent, crystal-clear reflections when shiny objects are reverse the show.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Contrast is predictably wonderful. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM’s OLED panel can obtain a minimal luminance of zero nits, which ends up in glorious distinction throughout all kinds of scenes. The picture is deep, immersive, and gives sense of dimensionality that attracts the attention into the picture.

The similar is true for different OLED screens, so the PG27UCDM has no benefit right here. Contrast is simply a bonus if evaluating the monitor to an LCD various.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM delivered an impressive however anticipated coloration gamut that spans 100 perceny of sRGB, 98 % of DCI-P3, and 92 % of AdobeRGB. That’s glorious coloration and excellent news for content material creators that need to work with huge coloration palettes. The PG27UCDM’s coloration gamut rivals screens meant for artistic professionals.

However, the monitor as soon as once more finds itself with no benefit. Other OLED screens have an identical coloration gamut.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Color accuracy lastly offers Asus a transparent win. The PG27UCDM gives an especially correct and practical image that simply defeats most OLED rivals. None of those screens are particularly inaccurate, however the PG27UCDM is remarkably exact.

The monitor’s coloration temperature and gamma barely bitter the colour accuracy. I noticed a measured coloration temperature of 6300Ok when set to 6500Ok, which implies the picture is a tad hotter than it must be. I additionally measured a gamma curve of two.3 with the monitor set to a gamma of two.2, which implies content material appears to be like somewhat darker than it ought to. While neither variance is horrible, they’re sufficient for vital viewers to note.

However, many OLED screens are barely off-target. The MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED, for example, had a default coloration temperature of 6100Ok and gamma curve of two.3. The PG27UCDM’s efficiency right here is equal or higher than the options.

Sharpness is a spotlight. The PG27UCDM’s 4K decision throughout a 26.5-inch show panel leads to a pixel density of about 161 pixels per inch, which is a giant leap from the roughly 109 pixels per inch served up by final yr’s 26.5-inch 1440p OLED shows. Small fonts and sharp edges are rendered easily with little noticeable aliasing or pixelation.

On the entire, the PG27UCDM delivers a beautiful SDR picture that’s sharp, immersive, and correct. Although it’s best for motion pictures and video games, the monitor’s 4K decision and good coloration accuracy make it an equally nice decide for artistic professionals. Shoppers ought to observe, nevertheless, that whereas the PG27UCDM’s outcomes are glorious, they’re just like aggressive 4K QD-OLED screens.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM HDR picture high quality

The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM is a good SDR monitor, and it’s good in HDR, as nicely. It can attain a excessive degree of brightness when solely a small portion of the show is lit (the “10 percent window” end result). Although it didn’t soar fairly as excessive as MSI’s new 27-inch 4K QD-OLED, the PG27UCDM beats many prior OLED screens in HDR brightness. That helps the monitor ship a punchy, vivid picture.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Asus additionally packs the monitor with a wide range of HDR modes and options. It helps each HDR10 and Dolby Vision. HDR10 is rather more widespread, particularly on the PC, however some content material sources use Dolby Vision. It’s notably helpful if you wish to join an Xbox Series X.

HDR brightness may be managed as nicely, which is uncommon. Shoppers who’ve but to buy an HDR-capable monitor is perhaps shocked to study HDR content material usually takes management of brightness, which means the consumer can’t simply regulate it. This is required to current probably the most correct picture potential however, on the PC, it will probably turn into a nuisance, and it’s nice to see Asus embody optionally available HDR brightness management. Most aggressive screens don’t provide this function.

Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM movement efficiency

The Asus ROG Swift PG27UCDM’s 26.5-inch QD-OLED panel helps a most refresh price of as much as 240Hz. That’s the identical as different new 4K QD-OLED screens, but it surely stays a superb refresh price for contemporary video games.

Also like different QD-OLED screens, the PG27UCDM advantages from terribly low pixel response occasions of simply 0.03 milliseconds. Put merely, pixels reply extra shortly to adjustments, which in flip reduces movement blur. LCD screens don’t even come shut.

Pairing a 240Hz refresh price with low pixel response occasions provides as much as nice movement readability. Fast-moving objects are simple to note, scrolling textual content is often readable, and small interface parts (like hitpoint bars in DOTA 2) are legible in movement. It’s not good, and eagle-eyed players will discover a little bit of movement blur, but it surely’s nice.

The PG27UCDM additionally has Asus’s Extreme Low Motion Blur, a backlight strobing approach that inserts clean frames between present frames. Due to a trick of human notion, this has the impact of lowering movement blur at the price of halving the monitor’s perceived brightness. ELMB isn’t out there at 240Hz, but it surely does work at 120Hz, and it’s efficient at profiting from that refresh price. ELMB may be helpful in case you solely play extra demanding video games which can be unlikely to hit body charges a lot above 100 FPS.

Adaptive sync is supported, too, with official help for each AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync. This is widespread amongst high-end gaming screens, but it surely’s nonetheless good to see Asus make an effort to listing official help as an alternative of leaving customers to seek out out for themselves.

Should you purchase the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM?

Asus’s ROG Swift PG27UCDM is a strong 4K QD-OLED monitor. In addition to glorious picture high quality, it gives many extras together with HDR brightness management, Dolby Vision help, and ELMB for higher movement readability at decrease refresh charges. The PG27UCDM may gain advantage from a special stand that takes up much less area on a desk, and I wouldn’t thoughts seeing extra USB-C Power Delivery. But these downsides shouldn’t dissuade players, who’re positive to like how the monitor makes video games look.