Asus is rolling out a new gaming monitor that has the potential to be a nice upgrade, based on the specifications. However, that will depend in large part on how pricing shakes out for the new TUF Gaming VG249Q.
On paper, there is not much to complain about. The monitor is built around a 23.8-inch (we'll just call it 24 inches) IPS panel, so it should offer better visuals and a much large viewing sweet spot than a TN display.
It's a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. That latter figure is an MPRT (moving picture response time) rating and not gray-to-gray, and I've never gotten a concrete answer on how the two measurements compare, as touted on some gaming monitors. Blur Busters offers a bunch of technical details, though, if you're curious. In short, it uses backlight strobing to sort of trick your eyes into seeing a faster response time. Asus calls these Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB).
Here's a rundown of the pertinent specs:
- Size—23.8 inches (16:9 aspect ratio)
- Color saturation—72 percent NTSC
- Panel type—IPS
- Resolution—1920x1080
- Brightness—250 nits
- Contrast ratio—1000:1 (typical)
- Viewing angles—178 degrees (horizontal and vertical)
- Response time—1ms MPRT
- Refresh rate (max)—144Hz
This also supports AMD's FreeSync technology.
Connectivity options consist of HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA ports (one each). There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack and onboard 2W stereo speakers, but no built-in USB hub.
On the ergonomics side, the stand supports making tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments.
We'll have to wait and see how this stacks up against the VG248QE, which we list as the best monitor for gaming in the 1080p category. The VG248QE uses a TN panel, though, so the TUF Gaming VG249Q potentially offers the same resolution and fast speed in a higher quality package.
There's no word yet on when the VG249Q will be available or how much it will cost. So for now, if you're looking for something relatively cheap, have a look at our list of cheap gaming monitor deals.
