ASUS Announces ROG SWIFT PG278Q Premium Gaming Monitor

First impressions: wow, that AG coating is really, really awful. You can see the graininess on all but the darkest colors... This alone might be enough to send it back.

I noticed this at first too and mentioned it in my NE review, it is a bit of a shock because the pixel pitch is so fine also. I think for text its always going to be somewhat more noticeable but I would still give it about a week before you make a decision on it, this panel and screen definitely need some time to warm up. I also had a pretty annoying backlight "oval" that almost had me send it back but it has since subsided nearly completely, not dissimilar to the initial problems with the Asus VG278H. Given some of the stories I have heard about much worst panels (2-4 dead pixels) I really consider myself lucky.

In the end I think its a great panel, but I also think subsequent revisions or versions will be improved. I think the biggest gripe people are having is for an $800 monitor, they expect it to be perfect, but having been in the market for high-end displays in the past, it's always been a panel lottery to some extent and at the end of the day, its just a matter of how many warts you can live with and how much hassle you are willing to go through to get the perfect one while getting one that is worst.
 
True. I am giving it a shot for now. It's growing on me. On the plus side, this monitor happened to be perfect. No backlight bleed, great uniformity, zero dead pixels.

edit: Argh, speak of the devil... I just noticed this bright spot. Stuck pixels? Never seen one like this. It's just a really bright spot. Thankfully I have a second one coming from Newegg in a few days...

juHyUy9.jpg
 
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Hmm that looks bigger than a single pixel, and a cluster of bad pixels would be really bad luck. Does the spot stay when you move the menu around? I'd go and try the various pixel tester backgrounds to see if it stays bright. It almost looks like it is maybe a star from the background behind it? Do you have anything odd like global FXAA or anything enabled? Almost looks like its doing an alpha blend on your desktop lol.
 
lol I thought the exact same thing, but it's definitely not background related. It's a large cluster of pixels, probably like 4x6 pixels at least. On black background it can't be seen, but on anything else it's visible. On white it's super bright.

Definitely some kind of defect. *sigh*

edit: Quick video of it. Camera wouldn't focus at first but you can see it a lot better towards the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5EZkLCPJ2g
 
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lol I thought the exact same thing, but it's definitely not background related. It's a large cluster of pixels, probably like 4x6 pixels at least. On black background it can't be seen, but on anything else it's visible. On white it's super bright.

Definitely some kind of defect. *sigh*

edit: Quick video of it. Camera wouldn't focus at first but you can see it a lot better towards the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5EZkLCPJ2g

That is really odd.
 
I'm hearing reports that Gsync may limit rgb color space? And that it may contribute to washed out colors...

Blur busters forum has the details
 
No, that is an issue with 1080p/60hz monitors often being detected as "HDTVs", so the driver defaults to the limited colorspace (sometimes.. not for everyone.) If you bump the refresh rate or it's a higher resolution, it's not a problem at all. And I'm not sure it's even a g-sync specific thing.
 
I'm hearing reports that Gsync may limit rgb color space? And that it may contribute to washed out colors...

Blur busters forum has the details
Link, please? If that were true then it wouldn't be hitting 99% of the sRGB color space out of the box...
 
Dude, please read my previous post and let me make this clearer. the colors are washed out EVEN WHEN COMPARED TO CERTAIN TN PANELS. I am in the possession of a TN panel that runs circles around this one with regards to colors popping. Now, after reading some responses here, let me summarize

1. Colors are washed out compared to LG 34um95 and dell u3011 (observed in person)
2. Colors are washed out compared to alienware m17x r2 rgb display (TN, RGB led backlight, Glossy)
3. Considering TFT central found no issues with the panel, it is my humble observation that the matteness of the coating might be a big contributor to washed out colors.
4. It is claimed in the responses that increasing vibrancy in the D.V Nvidia thingy will increase the saturation and make the colors pop. However, I haven't verified it and I have given my display back so cant verify it.

So there. No one here is comparing the TN to IPS just for the sake of doing it. All they're looking for is if the colors pop. TN not an issue - see, observe, I'm not mentioning viewing angles?? I get it, its tn, its going to have bad viewing angles. But there's no excuse for colors being washed out because I have seen TN panels where they do pop.

And like every TN panel I've ever used its a panel lottery. Mine doesn't have many of the issues you describe. That's how it is and has been.
 
That spot is most likely an irregularity in one of the layers of the screen, even the ag coating itself. I had a spot like that on a clevo laptop I had years ago and I returned it. The company i bought it from replaced it with another screen that was even worse and had bad dust underneath the outer screen layer. I eventually got the reseller to go to bat for me and got a full refund. That was years ago.
Anyway that spot looks very much like what I had on that laptop screen originally. Almost like there was an air bubble in the screen coating "texture" making a clear spot.
 
That spot is most likely an irregularity in one of the layers of the screen, even the ag coating itself. I had a spot like that on a clevo laptop I had years ago and I returned it. The company i bought it from replaced it with another screen that was even worse and had bad dust underneath the outer screen layer. I eventually got the reseller to go to bat for me and got a full refund. That was years ago.
Anyway that spot looks very much like what I had on that laptop screen originally. Almost like there was an air bubble in the screen coating "texture" making a clear spot.

Yeah, that's kind of what it looked like to me. Some kind of hole in one of the layers or something.

What's bizarre is when I turned it on this morning, it's completely gone. I wonder if it's some kind of artifact from overheating, or at least shows up after warming up?

edit: Yep, after being on for a few minutes, the spot is slowly starting to reappear.
 
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Yeah, that's kind of what it looked like to me. Some kind of hole in one of the layers or something.

What's bizarre is when I turned it on this morning, it's completely gone. I wonder if it's some kind of artifact from overheating, or at least shows up after warming up?

edit: Yep, after being on for a few minutes, the spot is slowly starting to reappear.

good info! before it goes back, write the asus RMA people a note with the info you've collected
 
What the fuck. Less than thirty seconds after I get a notification they are gone. Oh well, got a 4k monitor to play with today anyways.
 
It wouldn't let me add the monitor to my cart, and when you check all the vendors who sell it Amazon doesn't show up anymore.

Edit: Now it does, but can't add it.
 
It wouldn't let me add the monitor to my cart, and when you check all the vendors who sell it Amazon doesn't show up anymore.

Edit: Now it does, but can't add it.
Wow that was fast then. When I first said it was in stock, I added 5 to my cart and it let me.
 
You're a terrible and now richer person if you bought five :D.

I was able to add it once right at the beginning, but when I went to checkout I got kicked back and my cart was emptied. Must be on everyone's nowinstock.net radar I think.
 
I just wanted to make sure it could actually be added to the cart.

I'm patiently waiting for best buy to get more in stock so I can use my gift cards up lol
 
yeah this seconds of ordering window stuff is b.s. Hopefully I'll be able to get one from bb or amazon by xmas. I'm not bending over backwards to get one in the short time windows but if I see one capable of being ordered at regular price at either of those two vendors I'll order one to try out.
 
Hey, I just got mine a few days ago. It seems to be extremely good so far; no stuck/dead pixels, there's little bleeding on the edges, and I've never had a high quality image monitor for comparison, so I must say it is very good - particularly compared to my VG248QE.

Anyway, I'm wondering what are the settings people are running their Swift at. I have ULMB at 50 right now, and I downloaded the color profile from TFT Central - does anyone have a better one? Also, I remember reading somewhere that it is recommended to move the Digital Vibrance in the Nvidia Control Panel; does anyone have any recommendation on that?
 
There were a few in stock at amazon , amazon as seller and prime eligible. I had one in cart and it didn't take, so hammered F5 on a few tabs and managed to get one ordered. I thought perhaps some people were just cart holding and not buying or something. Worth the try. Will see how it goes when it gets here and if I have to move pc closer than 15' dp cable.
 
There were a few in stock at amazon , amazon as seller and prime eligible. I had one in cart and it didn't take, so hammered F5 on a few tabs and managed to get one ordered. I thought perhaps some people were just cart holding and not buying or something. Worth the try. Will see how it goes when it gets here and if I have to move pc closer than 15' dp cable.

Congrats!!! While the Swift is not gonna take the color, contrast & black level crown away from the FW900 it is a fine gaming display.
 
I've been using a samsung A750D for years now so I just hope the colors will be saturated and not pale after tweaking. As long as its features work and there are no panel screwups as well of course.
 
This display is really pissing me off and I don't even own one. Asked on the Asus forums if the reps knew anything about future stock. Radio silence. I suspect a supplier is holding up production. I hope a competitor brings something comparable or better to the market before Christmas.

Edit: Would be interesting if nowinstock indicated how many people were watching a particular item. Bet he/she could sell the information to manufacturers.
 
How many people can possibly be waiting on an $800 monitor? I thought most gamers were poor kids who live in their parents basement. :(
 
The gamer generation grew up and still games. Me? I try finding all the advantages I can through superior hardware over the kiddies without crossing the line... (aka cheating).

I even got XIM for the Xbox!
 
Could be a lot when Asus marketing hypes the shit out of it for over 1 year and only makes 100 of them. Same story with video cards. Not sure what the strategy is. Only build a few to smoke out early problems? Beat the competitor to the market? Scared of overestimating demand? Wish I knew how long the bread line is.
 
How many people can possibly be waiting on an $800 monitor? I thought most gamers were poor kids who live in their parents basement. :(

People that afford this are hardcore gamers with decent paying jobs that can throw $800 on a whim.
 
People that afford this are hardcore gamers with decent paying jobs that can throw $800 on a whim.

I know, it was just a joke. Just venting some frustration because I missed the Best Buy deal by minutes.

But I agree with the other dude in that this is an issue of extremely small supply rather than extremely high demand.
 
Well I wouldn't call it a whim. Last monitor I bought was three years ago. When you add up the price of a console + peripherals and overpriced console games it's not that cheap either - yet lots of people jumped on those. I dropped out of consoles years ago (and pay tv for that matter) , pc $ only. People buy the next several hundred dollar smartphones or buy new/posh cars too. There a hundreds of magazines and websites dedicated to hobbies people spend money on. A/V, photography, travel, home improvement, outdoor stuff like skiing, boating, etc all can dwarf pc hobby costs. Depends what you are into.
I do have decent job but not crazy money. I don't have kids though which is a big one. I also keep my truck up for years without buying a new one and suffering a truck payment, nor feel the need to buy a flashy car. Even when i made less money i could do 12month no interest deals at bb or newegg and pay things off over time, just as long as I didn't keep adding to the pile continually before paying it off.
 
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People buy the next several hundred dollar smartphones or buy new/posh cars too. There a hundreds of magazines and websites dedicated to hobbies people spend money on. A/V, photography, travel, home improvement, outdoor stuff like skiing, boating, etc all can dwarf pc hobby costs.

There are plenty of hobbies out there that make the cost of PC gaming pale in comparison. All whimsical in comparison with muh bills and muh house, of course, but whatever.

If you consider the amount of hours you will put in staring at your display, depending on how hardcore of a gamer you are, the cost really isn't that high. If you spend even only 800 hours looking at your Swift, you're only paying a dollar an hour.
 
I know people that spend a fortune on golf, motorcycles, boats, etc. I think PC gaming and tinkering is very reasonable by comparison. :)
 
Another thing regarding the "buy it on a whim" sentiment - this thread was started early January of this year, and I"ve been following, researching/questioning and otherwise posting the thread since then. That's 10 months of debating the purchase and making the decision to allot money for it.
 
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