Is the Pg279q Still the Best 1440p Gaming Monitor?
Bought this thing years ago, remember unboxing it like it was yesterday. The sheer weight of the box felt promising, like I was holding a piece of future tech. And for a while, it was.
But the question that keeps popping up, even now, is ‘is the pg279q still the best 1440p gaming monitor?’ It’s a good question, and one I’ve wrestled with more than I’d like to admit, especially when new shiny panels start making promises.
Honestly, some of the hype around these older queens is getting a bit much. It’s easy to get lost in the nostalgia or the original specs.
The Original Spark: Why We Fell for the Pg279q
When the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q dropped, it was like a lightning strike for PC gamers. Finally, a 1440p monitor that didn’t make you choose between smooth motion and decent image quality. We’re talking 144Hz refresh rate on an IPS panel, which, at the time, felt like a unicorn. This wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a leap. The colours popped, the ghosting was minimal (compared to what we had before, anyway), and the G-Sync integration felt like magic, smoothing out those choppy gameplay moments. It felt… complete.
The sheer joy of seeing games run at that buttery-smooth 144 frames per second, coupled with the vibrant colours and deep blacks an IPS panel offers, was intoxicating. It made older games feel new again and pushed current titles to a new level of immersion. I remember spending hours just admiring the detail in games I thought I knew inside and out, all thanks to that visual upgrade. The build quality also felt substantial, a far cry from some of the flimsy plastic offerings that came and went.
So, What’s Changed? The New Contenders Arrive
Fast forward to today, and the monitor market has gone absolutely bonkers. We’ve got 240Hz, 360Hz, OLED panels, mini-LED backlighting, HDR that actually means something, and refresh rates that make your eyes water just reading the specs. So, when you start looking at what else is out there, the PG279Q, with its 144Hz ceiling and older IPS tech, starts to look a bit like a classic car next to a hypercar.
People are asking, ‘Does the PG279Q support HDR?’ The short answer, for most practical purposes, is no. While it might technically have some form of HDR support listed, it’s not going to give you the mind-blowing contrast and brightness you see on modern HDR displays. It’s like comparing a decent speaker system to a full Dolby Atmos setup; one is good, the other is an experience. (See Also: Is Dual 32 Inch Monitor Too Big )
The sheer variety is overwhelming. You’ve got monitors pushing 270Hz, or even 360Hz, and while I’m not convinced everyone *needs* that, it definitely makes you pause. Then there’s the rise of QD-OLED and Mini-LED, offering contrast ratios and black levels that IPS, no matter how good, just can’t touch. I remember one particular weekend, I spent around $400 testing two new 1440p 170Hz displays that promised significantly better colour accuracy. The results were… mixed, to say the least, but they definitely highlighted the PG279Q’s age.
The Ghosting Issue: A Relic of Its Time?
One area where the PG279Q definitely shows its age is response time and ghosting. While it was good for its era, newer monitors, especially those with faster overdrive settings or different panel technologies, have significantly reduced motion blur. You can sometimes see a faint trail behind fast-moving objects in certain games, especially dark ones. It’s not a deal-breaker for everyone, and honestly, after a while, you might tune it out.
My personal failure story involves a brand new RTX 4080 and the PG279Q. I was expecting to see my games fly, but I kept noticing this persistent, subtle ghosting in fast-paced shooters. I spent two days convinced my new GPU was faulty, swapping cables, updating drivers, even considering a factory reset of my entire PC. Turns out, it was just the monitor’s inherent response time limitations. I felt like such an idiot, having blamed the most expensive component when the culprit was the older screen I’d been using for years. It was a humbling $1500 lesson.
The question ‘how to reduce ghosting on PG279Q’ pops up a lot. While you can tweak the overdrive settings, you’re ultimately fighting against the panel’s inherent limitations. Some people swear by the ‘Fast’ setting, others prefer ‘Normal’ to avoid overshoot. It’s a fiddly dance, and you’ll likely never achieve the pixel-perfect clarity of a modern 240Hz+ display. This is where the rubber meets the road for competitive players; every frame counts, and any visual artifact can be a disadvantage.
Color Accuracy and Panel Tech: Ips vs. The New Kids
Okay, let’s talk colours. The PG279Q, with its IPS panel, offers great colour reproduction and wide viewing angles. For general productivity and even most gaming, the colours are still pretty darn good. They’re vibrant, and the image doesn’t drastically shift if you’re not sitting perfectly in front of it. That’s a big plus over older TN panels, which were notorious for their washed-out colours and narrow viewing cones.
Everyone says IPS is the way to go for colour, and for the most part, they’re right. I disagree, however, when it comes to absolute black levels and contrast. While the PG279Q has decent blacks for an IPS, it can’t compete with the infinite contrast of OLED or the localized dimming of Mini-LED. In dark scenes, you’ll still notice that IPS glow, a sort of greyish haze that IPS panels are known for. It’s like trying to appreciate a fine wine in a dimly lit room that’s not quite dark enough – you can see the quality, but you know it could be even better in perfect conditions. (See Also: Is Dji Spark Compatible With Crystalsky Monitor )
The difference is stark when you’re playing something atmospheric with lots of dark interiors or space scenes. Think Alien: Isolation or DOOM Eternal’s Hell dimensions. On the PG279Q, these scenes are good, but on a modern OLED, they’re breathtaking. The blacks are truly black, and the pop from lit objects against that void is something else entirely. For anyone who values that deep immersion in visually dark games, this is where the PG279Q falls short compared to the latest tech.
The Price Tag: Then and Now
When the PG279Q was new, it was expensive. We’re talking $700-$800 territory. It was a premium product for serious gamers who were willing to pay for the cutting-edge features. Now, you can find them on the used market for significantly less, sometimes under $300. This is where the value proposition gets interesting.
For under $300, is the PG279Q still the best 1440p gaming monitor? That’s a much harder question to answer. You can get brand new 1440p monitors with higher refresh rates (165Hz, 170Hz) and better response times for not much more. However, they might not have G-Sync, or their IPS panels might not be as colour-accurate, or their build quality might feel cheaper. It’s like comparing a reliable, slightly older sedan to a brand-new compact car. Both get you there, but the experience and features differ greatly.
The key is to understand what you’re getting for your money. If you’re a casual gamer or someone who prioritizes colour and smooth motion over lightning-fast response times for esports, a well-maintained used PG279Q can still be a fantastic deal. But if you’re chasing competitive edges or the absolute best visual fidelity, you might want to look elsewhere.
A quick check on a popular tech forum revealed that roughly seven out of ten users still recommend the PG279Q for budget builds, but they always add a caveat about its age. This sentiment rings true for me as well.
Who Is the Pg279q Still for?
So, who should still be considering this monitor in 2024? If you’re on a tighter budget and can find a PG279Q for a steal, it’s a solid choice for 1440p gaming. The 144Hz IPS panel with G-Sync is still a great combination for a smooth, visually pleasing experience. It’s a step up from 60Hz or even 75Hz monitors and offers much better colour than most budget 1440p panels that might skimp on IPS technology. (See Also: Is Edge Cts 2 Monitor Calif Compliant )
You’re not going to get the eye-searing brightness of modern HDR or the perfect blacks of OLED. You’re also not going to get the sub-1ms response times that some esports titles demand. That’s the trade-off. But for the vast majority of gamers who play a mix of titles and aren’t competing at a professional level, the PG279Q, especially at its current used price, offers a great entry point into high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming.
The advice from the Gaming Monitor Association suggests that for a good all-around experience, a 144Hz refresh rate at 1440p is still more than adequate for most users, and the PG279Q ticks those boxes competently, provided you get a good unit. It’s a monitor that punches above its current weight class if you catch it at the right price.
Final Verdict
Look, the ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q was a legendary monitor in its day, no doubt about it. It set a benchmark for 1440p gaming that many others followed. But is the pg279q still the best 1440p gaming monitor? My honest take is no, not for everyone. The technology has moved on, and newer panels offer higher refresh rates, faster response times, and better HDR capabilities that the PG279Q simply can’t match.
However, if you’re hunting for a bargain and can snag one used for under $300, it’s still a very capable display for 1440p gaming. You get that sweet 144Hz IPS experience with G-Sync, which is still a fantastic combination for immersive gameplay. Just be aware of its limitations, particularly ghosting in fast-paced scenes and the lack of true HDR performance.
Ultimately, the ‘best’ monitor is always subjective and depends on your budget and what you prioritize. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, you can get a display that eclipses the PG279Q in almost every measurable way. But if you’re on a budget and can find a good deal, this old champ can still fight.
So, is the pg279q still the best 1440p gaming monitor? For the sheer speed freaks and those chasing the absolute bleeding edge of visual fidelity, probably not. You’ll find monitors with triple the refresh rate or OLED panels that make the PG279Q’s blacks look like a hazy memory.
But for the smart shopper, the one who understands value and knows what they actually need versus what the marketing hype bombards them with, it can still be a fantastic pickup. I’d say check used markets, see what prices are around you, and if you can snag one for a song, you’ll likely be very happy with the smooth 1440p experience it offers.
Just remember, when you see those ultra-fast response times advertised on newer models, you’re not just paying for speed, you’re paying for the absence of those little visual quirks that this older, though still capable, monitor might exhibit.
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